Parts of the country that have been hit by flooding due to Storm Chandra are once again bracing for more heavy rain in the coming days.
A status yellow rain warning will be in place for Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, Waterford from 9am on Friday to midnight on Friday.
The same counties, with the exception of Louth, were subject to a 24-hour status yellow rain warning on Thursday.
Met Éireann said localised flooding, river flooding and difficult travel conditions are possible due to further heavy rain and showers on already saturated ground.
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The southeast will get the heaviest rain with 10mm to 25mm forecast. Wexford County Council has warned of a “high risk” of further flooding in Enniscorthy town persisting throughout the bank holiday weekend.
This is on top of the 80mm of rain that has fallen in the last week in the county.
The Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, under whose remit flood relief comes, has said interim flood prevention measures should be examined for Enniscorthy in the absence of permanent flood barriers, which have failed in the past to get planning permission.
Mr Moran said these would include flood barriers, the possible widening of the river Slaney in places, and the pumping of water. However, he said, any measures would be subject to approval by consultants and engineers.
The president of Wexford Chamber of Commerce Ed Murphy said “absolutely nothing” has been done this century to mitigate the repeated flooding in Enniscorthy.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said many flood relief schemes were being delayed by judicial reviews and “this has to stop”. He cited delays to a flood relief scheme in Cork city by way of example.
“Where they have been put in place they have worked and we’re going to have more challenges in the years ahead because of the severity of weather and the changing nature of weather patterns because of climate change,” he said.
“I think society as a whole needs to accept the planning process in the sense that you know some people have gone to the courts to prevent flooding schemes from happening.”
[ Storm Chandra floods made three times more likely by climate changeOpens in new window ]
Tánaiste Simon Harris told the Dáil that “life, limb and livelihoods” must be prioritised when it comes to flood relief schemes.
He referenced a previous flood relief scheme for Enniscorthy that was refused planning permission because of the presence of the endangered freshwater pearl mussels in the river Slaney.
“It’s the people of Enniscorthy that I’m concerned about.”
The new Critical Infrastructure Bill will specifically address the fast tracking of flood relief schemes, he told TDs.
Flooding on the line in Northern Ireland has stopped train services between Belfast and Newry and will continue into Friday. Bus transfers will operate instead of the train between the two locations.
A status yellow rain warning has also been issued for Northern Ireland.
The UK Met Office said spells of “heavy rain” could lead to some transport disruption and flooding.
The warning comes into effect at midnight and lasts until 6pm on Friday.
Carlow County Council has received additional water pumps to deal with potential flooding in the town as the river Barrow remains at high levels.
Road crews are working across the county as many roads have standing water and, in some cases, have been flooded across the width of the road.
The emergency response payment scheme operated by the Department of Social Protection is open in Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Louth and Monaghan.
The money is available to meet the emergency costs for essential needs, household items and structural repair, but not for long-term damage.
In addition, the Emergency Humanitarian Flooding Scheme for small businesses and community, voluntary and sports organisations that have suffered flood-damage is being administered by The Irish Red Cross.
It will provide immediate funding of up to €5,000 and for those with significant damages of €20,000.
