Fears of more floods as water level rising

[Ringo]

Towns and villages in the path of the River Shannon were unable to take a breath last night after the worst rainfall ever recorded.

Levels continued to rise on the lower and mid-Shannon where there has already been unprecedented increases in Lough Ree and Lough Allen.

Experts warned that a third of the rainfall normally experienced in one year had fallen in November alone so far -- and on land that was already "seriously saturated".

Its terrible for the people involved. On the East coast we've escaped. Can't imagine going through what some people have. It does raise a lot of issues. Building on flood plains, town planning. Some peoplw who choose not to get insurance, some who can't get it & what happens going forward for people who can't get insurance. Should the tax payer be bailing our business & farmers etc?

[Bluebeard]

Its terrible for the people involved. On the East coast we've escaped. Can't imagine going through what some people have. It does raise a lot of issues. Building on flood plains, town planning. Some peoplw who choose not to get insurance, some who can't get it & what happens going forward for people who can't get insurance. Should the tax payer be bailing our business & farmers etc?

It is shocking alright. Planning permission was dubious at times in various different districts over the years and it seems to be coming back to haunt some people now, generally not the people who profited by it though.

As regards the "tax-payer bailout", small businesses and farms (many of which are small businesses) who are not to blame for this disaster should at least be equally as entitled to seek assistance as the big businesses who caused their own problems through imprudence, in my opinion anyway.

It is for times like this that one (or one's nation) save money during the "good times" - this is both proverbially, figuratively and literally the "rainy day". Unfortunately, there was a film on in the cinema in France that makes reference to a character knowing someone in Ireland, and well that had to be attended, and you can't go on your own, can you. And some eejit had to go and put a big game on that same weekend, and you can't be missing the big games - sure what would people be saying? And sure when you are ging that far, you might as well stop home for a cup of tea and a scone on the way and say hello - 'twould be rude not to. And all this in the interval. And then you might have to show face at some thing on the way back, and sure before you know it, you've spent the rescuing of two, or maybe three small local firms that serve a town. A body can't be blamed for that surely - do you know how exhausting all that private jetting is? Do you though? You people make me sick - no respect, no consideration. Once more the people have failed their ...