Met Éireann warns of further stormy conditions

Met Éireann has warned of further stormy weather, with flooding reported in counties Cork and Galway. 

It has upgraded its weather alert from its lowest level of yellow to orange, as severe gusts of up to 120km/h sweep across Ireland.

There was flooding in Cork City this morning as the River Lee burst its banks once again.

There are still pockets of surface flooding in Cork city along Union Quay and Copley Street, but no major reports of flood damage.

Cork Business Association President Ernest Cantillon said several members reported minor flooding and said flood barriers proved effective.

Cork City Council's early warning text system has also proved effective.

In the county, there were reports of flooding in many areas, such as Clonakilty, Youghal and Skibbereen, but again there are no major reports of damage except the loss of several sea walls close to Tragumna outside Skibbereen.

So far, the council has not issued a flood alert for the high tide later, which falls at 9.10pm, but a spokesman said it will be closely monitoring the situation.

Around 5,000 ESB customers across the country are still without power.

This includes around 2,500 in the northwest and another 1,500 in the southwest.

There is also a small number of customers without power in Enniscorthy.

Flood waters have started to recede in Salthill in Galway after high tides and strong winds caused road closures earlier this morning.

Most of Salthill promenade is open to traffic after Galway City Council road crews cleared debris washed ashore this morning.

While there was no repeat of the flooding that hit the area on Friday, a storm surge on Galway Bay did cause flooding on several parts of the 2km road.

Galway city centre escaped the worst of the weather, with some minor flooding contained to an area around the Spanish Arch.

Elsewhere in Co Galway, the Clifden to Ballyconneely Road was closed for a time.

There was also some flooding on the Blacksod Road from Belmullet in Co Mayo and surface water on some routes around Westport.

Irish Ferries Swift sailings and Stena Line sailings from Rosslare to Fishguard have been cancelled.

The Commissioners of Irish Lights said three of its facilities on the west coast sustained structural damage in recent days, but navigation aids from lighthouses were not affected.

People are being advised not to go out on exposed coasts, cliffs, piers, harbour walls and promenades.

In Co Kerry, a caravan was ripped apart and slipway and coastal works badly damaged at Caherdaniel.

The owners of Wave Crest Caravan & Camping Park said they had never seen anything like the sea earlier today.

Up to eight privately owned caravans on their site were damaged, one completely.

Meanwhile, there are about 10,500 Eircom customers without a service.

Elsewhere, police in Northern Ireland have issued flood warnings for parts of Belfast and the Ards peninsula.

Hayes to fast-track funds for repairs

The minister who oversees the Office of Public Works has said it is inevitable that additional money will have to be added to funds already available for local authorities to deal with storm damage.

Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Brian Hayes said he will fast-track applications received from local authorities for restoration works and flood defences.

Mr Hayes said there is already a significant fund of €45 million available.

"We wait to see exactly the assessment that comes in from the local authorities," he said.

"It's inevitable in my view that additional funds will have to be made available given the scale of damage that has been caused.

"Irrespective of that additional money we already have funds there in 2014, which we will be extending right across the country."

Meanwhile, six families living at the end of Loop Head in Co Clare have been stranded after part of a regional road servicing the peninsula was washed away.

Local postmaster Patrick Gavin said a new island has been created at Kilcredaun by the storm.

He said the families had been almost completely stranded since last Thursday, but the storm overnight has washed away part of a second road and they were now cut off completely.

Mr Gavin said that food and fuel was proving more difficult to come by.

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