Southern counties this morning will face mopping-up operations after severe flooding over the previous 48 hours.
One of the badly affected areas was Co Wexford where an emergency plan was implemented in Enniscorthy as the River Slaney surged.
Civil defence and the emergency services were on stand-by in the event of the river bursting its banks.
In Wexford town, commercial and residential properties were severely damaged.
Labour's Mr Brendan Howlin TD said yesterday that low-lying areas of the town had been severely damaged, particularly the commercial areas of Redmond Square, North Main Street, Skeffington Street and Redmond Road.
The new Shaws department store, as well as Dunnes Stores, had also been very badly affected, he said.
"There are literally dozens of commercial and residential properties severely damaged," Mr Howlin stated.
In Enniscorthy, the town manager had declared an emergency.
"Civil defence has been called out because although we've gone through high tide, we're expecting a surge of the river that will cause the Slaney to burst its banks in Enniscorthy and we're just praying it won't have the consequences it had two years ago," Mr Howlin said.
"I don't recall in a very considerable time the flooding being as bad as has been experienced in the last 48 hours," he said on RTÉ radio yesterday.
In Wexford town, the problem was heightened by water coming down the river, high pressure, and the south easterly winds driving the sea inland with no place for the river water to divert to except the lands, he said.
In neighbouring Co Waterford many roads were impassable with localised flooding widespread.
According to AA Roadwatch, the Tramore Road was closed due to flooding. The back road had spot flooding but it was possible to drive on it.
Lismore Village was closed completely due to flooding as was the Lismore-Cappoquin Road where traffic was diverted.
In Cork the flooding eased, particularly in the city but the Cork-Cobh commuter line and the main Dublin Road in Fermoy remained closed.
Another affected area was Co Kilkenny where the Circular Road was closed for a time. Bridge Street and Ballylion in Callan was impassable and Thomastown Quay and Station Road were flooded.
There was also bad flooding in Limerick, on the N8 three miles away on the Dublin side of Cashel, at Ballyshehan Stud.
In Co Offaly there was flooding on the Clara and Ballycumber roads as well as other local flooding.
The Donamore football club in Co Meath, on the Ashbourne to Kibride Road, was under three feet of water yesterday.
AA Roadwatch reported wet and dangerous conditions and a lot of surface water in counties Laois, Kildare, Louth, Wicklow and Westmeath.