Conamara is one of the areas worst affected by Storm Éowyn and people in An Cheathrú Rua, Co Galway have been venting their anger and frustration during a visit by Minister Dara Calleary.
They say the complete breakdown in communications has made them feel like second class citizens.
Thousands of people across Conamara are still without electricity, water, mobile phone service or landlines.
Dr Peter Sloane, who runs a GP practice in An Cheathrú Rua, says that there is "a sense of despondency" throughout the region and that people feel "valued less" as citizens of the State.
"I think the first thing I say is that the local community were superb, the roads were substantially blocked, and it was a local community that cleared them very quickly, checking in on neighbors etc," he said.
"But the sense of frustration and despondency really comes from a long history of poor infrastructure and a feeling that there isn't good representation for local communities, particularly in what you might term the broad sweep of Conamara.
"We are used to having a poor mobile phone signal on a daily basis in many places. And yet when there is a crisis, it becomes very acute."
Dr Sloane also said that it is deeply frustrating for a community with no connection to the internet to be told to go online.
He said that it "really smacks of a lack of understanding, of comprehension at a national level, not just of Conamara but of many rural areas up and down the country."
Dr Sloane said that due to the breakdown in communications, contact was not possible between him and his patients.
"Nobody could ring anybody. And that really makes people feel afraid," he said.
"They feel scared, they feel vulnerable, and people who are already vulnerable feel even more so. And I think the State has to ask itself what it's now going to do about that."
'You couldn't call nobody if you were sick'
John McDonagh, 82, says that he feels very vulnerable since the power outage following the storm.
"My chest is weak and my bones are bad and we had no electricity and no heat for the past sux days," he said.
"The night time is the worst because the telephone was gone. And you couldn't call nobody if you were sick."
Mr McDonagh said he tried calling 999 but the number did not work.
"I was really sick and in the night time I couldn't breathe. It was okay in the daytime because I could go down to the nursing home in Carraroe and use the nebuliser there and stay warm. But then I'd go home and be frozen to death."
The pensioner said he got support from Dr Sloane and other health care workers but he was critical of those in power.
"When they want roads they know where Conamara is, but they don't really care about old people and how frightened and nervous we are."
'It's been just awful'
22-year-old Chloe Bhreathnach cares for her father who has a brain injury.
Following the story, she said that there was a hole in the roof of their house and puddles on the floor of the sitting room.
"It's been just awful. Dad is at home and not able to understand what's happening.
"There's been no phone, no electricity and no heat since Friday night. It's been really tough and we wouldn't know where to turn if it wasn't for the kindness of the local community."
Speaking during a visit to the region, Minister Calleary insisted that the storm was not predictable in its severity.
"We will learn from it though" he said, particularly in terms of communication.
The Minister added that €30 billion extra will be invested in capital over the next five years and he will be looking to ensure that this goes into rural areas.
Mr Calleary said the National Emergency Co-ordination Group has been meeting since Wednesday and as soon as the Status Red warnings were lifted, local authority and ESB crews were out inspecting and dealing with the damage.
"I know it doesn't mean anything if you aren't yet reconnected, he said, but every effort has been made and over half a million premises have had power reconnected since Friday," he said.
Mr Calleary said that he will work with the Minister for Health to see how things could be made easier for rural GPs in the event of future similar storms.
