Several generators were due to arrive from Romania in Dublin Airport on Thursday evening as efforts continue to restore electricity and water to all parts of Ireland almost a week after Storm Éowyn.
Some 86,000 homes, businesses and farms remained without power by late Thursday, and 2,800 without water.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris were briefed about the ongoing response at a meeting with State agencies.
A spokesman for Mr Harris said there will be an increased humanitarian effort in coming days to assist those waiting to be reconnected with nearly 3,000 people working with the ESB to restore power.
Most of the schools without power will have it restored by Friday or the weekend, with generators being deployed to others, the spokesman said, adding that the civil defence is on the ground across affected areas, moving generators and assisting the ESB.
Ireland is to receive 17 generators from the European Union following a request for assistance.
In addition, 285 skilled technicians from Austria, Finland, France and Britain are on the ground in the worst affected areas. Further support is arriving from Germany, the Netherlands and Norway over the coming days.
They are supporting more than 2,500 local ESB Networks crews and other contractors in the worst affected areas who have been bolstered by colleagues from the south and east of the country, as well as skilled retirees, said ESB Networks.
The Department of Social Protection said it remains available to provide financial support to people who do not have any power or water supply. This includes support to pay for alternative accommodation if necessary.
People who need assistance in the areas affected should contact their local community welfare service. No means test will apply in these cases.
ESB Networks said on Thursday evening it had restored supply to 682,000 homes, farms and businesses — down from a peak of 768,000 without power in the immediate aftermath of the record-breaking storm which was marked by gusts of 183km/h.
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The electricity supplier has warned about “dangerous incidents” where members of the public have “unknowingly” approached fallen electricity infrastructure and fallen debris, particularly in the worst-affected areas.
Up to 3,000 electricity poles countrywide must be replaced while 900km of new cable must be laid.
In Northern Ireland, about 23,500 customers were still without power following the storm, down from a height of 261,500, Northern Ireland Electricity Networks has said.
Uisce Éireann said generators were now in place and connected at most of their affected water treatment sites. Alternative water supplies and tankers will remain in place as supplies return.
Meanwhile, the Central Applications Office (CAO) has extended its application deadline for undergraduate courses for students in areas affected by power outages. An “exceptional application facility” will be made available from the existing deadline of Saturday, February 1st, at 5pm until Thursday, February 6th, at 5pm for applicants who were experiencing power and internet cuts due to Storm Éowyn, said the CAO.
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