A major clean-up operation began across the State yesterday following two days of torrential rain which left two dead and many homes and businesses flooded.
As people began to count the cost of the flooding, the Government said an aid package for those affected would be announced next week.
The bad weather claimed its second victim, it emerged yesterday, after it was confirmed the body of a bachelor farmer had been taken from a river near the village of Ballinderry, Co Tipperary. The man, named locally as Mr Michael Boyle (66), apparently died on Sunday evening after toppling into a tributary of Lough Derg near his home, when he was trying to retrieve his cap.
The woman who died after being struck by a gate in strong winds on Monday was named yesterday as Ms Philomena Barry (68), from Sugarstown, Co Kilkenny.
A massive clean-up has begun in several towns, among them Clonmel in Co Tipperary, where at least 100 homes were damaged after the Suir burst its banks. Mr David Clancy, from the Spring Garden area of the town, said there were 20 inches of water in his bungalow yesterday morning.
Mr Kevin Stewart, spokesman for Meath County Council, said 125 houses were flooded in the county. Water levels in Clonee were still close to 18 inches deep yesterday.
Rail passengers travelling from Belfast to Dublin were delayed after a landslide blocked the line at Skerries, in north Co Dublin.
Timetabled rail services will resume on most routes to and from Heuston Station today. However, the Sligo, Rosslare and Arklow services remain cancelled, and the Dublin-Waterford service will involve bus transfers between Kilkenny and Waterford due to flooding in the Thomastown area.
Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus services are expected to run as normal today with delays expected in cases of localised flooding only.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was briefed by Ministers at yesterday morning's Cabinet meeting on the damage to various parts of the country. A Government spokesman said assessments were being made by the Office of Public Works and money would be given to those hardship cases who did not have insurance cover.
The chief executive of the Irish Brokers' Association, Mr Paul Carty, said householders who have been affected by serious flooding for the first time may have problems getting flood cover in future or policies will be subject to a significant excess.
"Some of these new estates in Dublin, Meath and Kildare, for example, were built on the banks of streams or small rivers, and that feature was a selling point. Now insurers may exclude flood as a peril unless they are reassured by the local authority that sufficient remedial action has been taken to prevent flooding from recurring," he said.
Meanwhile the weather is set to improve over the next few days. However, Mr Michael Cleary of Met Eireann warned the public to brace itself for more wind and heavy rain this weekend.