THE Meteorological Service warned last night that the stormy conditions which have caused flooding, traffic disruption and some power cuts will continue for another 24 hours.
While another rainbelt from the south is due over the country today, the winds which reached storm force over the Irish Sea yesterday will ease tonight, although it will still be windy in most areas.
The south-east and Munster have been hardest hit, with rainfall levels of over a half-an-inch during a 24-hour period. Hundreds of homes on the Suir Valley have been flooded and tens of thousands of acres of farmland covered by water as rivers burst their banks. The AA advised motorists to avoid secondary roads, but most main roads are open.
Some ferry sailings were cancelled yesterday on the Irish Sea, but Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports remained open. However, Aer Lingus cancelled last night's flight to New York because of bad weather in the US.
As mopping-up operations continued in Clonmel following the most serious flooding in recent memory, it emerged that some businesses might not get insurance cover to protect against future damage.
Ms Kathleen Maher, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber had been approached by business people in the town complaining that insurance companies had advised them that because of the recurring problem, they could no longer expect to receive insurance cover.
Ms Maher said many people were convinced that the ongoing construction of a £16 million sewage treatment plant in the vicinity of the River Suir had played a part in the flooding.
However, Clonmel town clerk, Mr Con Murray, told The Irish Times yesterday that the town's new main drainage scheme, of which the treatment plant was a part, had no material effect on the flooding problem.
The Labour TD for South Tipperary, Mr Michael Ferris, said yesterday that he had been touch with the Minister of State for Finance, Mr Hugh Coveney, requesting him to visit Clonmel.
The Government, he added, should treat Clonmel flooding victims on a par with the Galway victims of last year's flooding in that county. But yesterday Mr Coveney ruled out humanitarian aid for people affected by the, floods because, he said, their predicament was totally different from Gort, where people were out of their homes for many weeks.
In all, over 150 homes and businesses have been hit by flooding 1p the Suir Valley, but the principal damage is in Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir. Flooding in the village of Kilsheelan forced the closure of the main road between the two towns last night.
Munster MEP Mr Pat Cox said last night that he would table an emergency resolution seeking funding for the south-east when the European Parliament met next week. Emergency funding for catastrophes such as flooding was available, Mr Cox added, and the key to unlocking it was the successful passage of resolutions such as the one he was proposing. In the interim, he went on, the town clerks of both Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel should prepare a damage assessment file for the EU.
In Cork, where the worst of the flooding was in the city centre area, fears that strong winds and a high tide would once again lead to the disruption of business were allayed when the tide did not reach weekend levels. Throughout west Cork and Kerry there was localised flooding, but the local authorities said that roads were passable with care.
In Waterford, the business community was bracing itself last night for an expected high tide and more flooding. However, there were indications that with a change in wind direction the worst may be over.
The AA warned motorists to avoid the quays area of the city and the Grannagh area, where there is still severe flooding. The road between the city and Tramore remains blocked, and a spokesman for the county council said substantial damage had been caused to roads.
Train services between Dublin and Wexford were halted for a time yesterday when fallen trees blocked the line between Gorey and Arklow. While the main roads in the county remained open, the AA warned motorists to be careful on side roads, where flooding may remain and where trees may have fallen.
Ferry services from Rosslare were disrupted for a time and there were delays on the Pembroke and Cherbourg routes.
Driving rain and winds of around 75 m.p.h. affected much of Northern Ireland yesterday. Electricity repair crews remained on standby last night in case of power cuts. Seacat sailings from Larne, Co Antrim, to Stranraer in Scotland were cancelled.