A new text messaging service has been launched to help the estimated one fifth of the population who suffer from hay fever.
Those who subscribe to the service, at a cost of 13 cent per alert, will be able to get an advance warning direct to their mobiles when pollen counts are forecast to be high or potentially irritating.
Hay fever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis, is an allergic reaction to pollen and spores, the microscopic grains that plants, trees, grasses or fungi use for fertilisation.
The Republic is listed among the four worst in the world for the allergy with the numbers suffering from it here having doubled in the last 20 years.
Doctors say preventative action can significantly reduce the effects of hay fever, which can include sneezing, a runny nose, burning, weeping eyes and skin rash. Ireland's hay fever sufferers are most at risk in the period from March to October, especially on hot, sunny days with light winds and no rain.
The service is sponsored by Gerard Laboratories, which will be distributing leaflets to pharmacies nationwide.