Further flooding feared as more heavy rain likely

AS HOUSEHOLDS across the State yesterday counted the cost of the flooding - some of them for the second time in a week - Met Éireann warned that heavy rain might return at the weekend.

According to the forecast, today will feature rain across the midlands and east, clearing to fog in places overnight. Tomorrow there will be showers in the south and southwest merging to protracted spells of possibly heavy rain.

Rain is expected to spread to all parts of the country on Friday night and on Saturday there will be rainfall in most areas, Met Éireann forecast.

In Dublin several hours of rain overnight left roads and homes in Clontarf, Finglas, Glasnevin and Blanchardstown flooded yesterday morning.

The N3 at Blanchardstown which was closed by flooding last Saturday was again closed early yesterday and there was a repeat of severe flooding in the vicinity of the Ballymun exit of the M50.

Householders in Ballygall Crescent, Finglas, who were struck by floods for the second time, praised the prompt action of Dublin Fire Brigade in tackling the flooding and preventing further damage.

However, many households were yesterday taking up wooden floors and dumping carpets and soft furnishings which were destroyed by water.

The Tolka House pub in Glasnevin, which was said to have been flooded four times in the last five years, was also carrying out repairs yesterday.

Elsewhere, traffic restrictions were in place on the Naas Road. The fire brigade was dealing with bad flooding in Navan, Co Meath last night where parts of the N3 were barely passable.

The town of Clonmel, Co Tipperary, which has had new flood defence works constructed, was thought to be safe from flooding.

Heavy rain also affected the south with many roads and some rail services in Co Kerry were closed by flooding.

Trains between Drogheda and Dundalk were suspended yesterday due to flooding. Dart services from Howth and Malahide resumed last night after they were stopped due to flooding.

In Northern Ireland, Newry and Mourne district councillors convened an emergency meeting with roads and water service agencies after flooding in Rostrevor and Warrenpoint.

Neither Dublin City Council nor the Office of Public Works would comment on the rainfall yesterday, as both bodies said they were still assessing the damage.

The city council had previously said any question of humanitarian air for the stricken households was a matter for the Government.

A Government spokesman said the Cabinet was not scheduled to meet over the next few weeks due to the annual break.

There are, however, a number of schemes operated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) which offer emergency assistance to those in difficulty. These include an "exceptional needs payment" to those on social welfare or HSE payments.

People who would not normally qualify for these payments may get help from another scheme run by the community and welfare division of the HSE.

However, this may be repayable if the recipient is in full-time employment.