Troops deployed to some counties worst hit by flooding

The National Emergency Co-ordination group says 200 homes have been evacuated, while there are concerns for a further 150 properties.

This morning the inter-agency taskforce heard that flood waters are continuing to rise in many areas around the country, following heavy rain last night.

“Over the last 24 hours, the Defence Forces have been deployed to Clonmel and Kilsheelan in South Tipperary,” said Rosanna White from the Defence Forces.

“In Kilkenny they have been deployed to Graiguenamanagh, Thomastown, Freshford and Callan, and also they have been deployed to Cork, Athlone, Gort and Clonlara, where they have been primarily involved in the delivery of sandbags, reinforcement of defences, and also evacuation of personnel and transportation of personnel.”

@emergencyIE The Naval Service Reserve & Clare Co. Co. in #Clonalara as the waters rise. #Clare #Winter #Floods pic.twitter.com/3jEgicnzaM

— Cealtra (@clarevirtually) January 2, 2016

Kildare County Council has today issued a flood warning to all homes, businesses and farms along the course of the River Liffey.

River Barrow has now burst its banks Rathsteward, Athy pic.twitter.com/G3rcbkUKKw

— Kildare Weather (@KildareMet) January 2, 2016

The warning came after the ESB confirmed that is to increase the volume of water discharged from the Poulaphouca Dam, on the Kildare/Wicklow border for up to four days.

Director of services at Kildare County Council, Niall Morrissey, says its crews are on alert.

“We’re advising people to be on alert, and on standby, that there may be flooding,” he said.

“I mean, we can’t guarantee it, we don’t know, but it’s best that we be on full alert.

“On that score, our crews are on full alert, and are distributing sandbags to the most vulnerable areas of the county where we think that they may be impacted.”