"This is a national emergency, there is flooding from Donegal to Cork," said IFA Flood Committee Chair Tom Turley.
Browse through our photo gallery above for more photos of flooding around the country on Wednesday.
"Management of the rivers should no longer be the responsibility of the ESB. They are doing what they are statutorily bound to do but those laws were brought in when Ardnacrusha was built. That power station now only generates 2% of the country's electricity needs and is much less important."
The ESB advised on Wednesday that the flow of water through Parteen Weir had been at 440 cubic metres per second (cumecs) since Tuesday, similar to the flow during storm Desmond mid-December, and "may increase to 2009 levels (up to 500 cumecs) in the coming days".
"This level of water flow will have increased associated flooding to land and property in the vicinity of the Shannon downstream of Parteen Weir including the areas of Springfield, Montpelier, Castleconnell, Mountshannon (Annacotty) and the University of Limerick," the ESB said in a statement, adding that other areas between Parteen Weir and Limerick may also be vulnerable to flooding due to local issues.
On the River Lee, the ESB also said on Wednesday that it had increased the flow through the Inniscarra dam for several hours and may repeat the measure in the coming days.
'Fast track' flood risk plans
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, is pulling all agencies involved in the management of the River Shannon together to see what can be done.
"The IFA wants Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management programmes (CFRAMs) fast-tracked, environmental concerns and those from fisheries need to be put on the back burner," said Turley. "People's livelihoods are at stake.
"At the meeting of IFA National Council next Tuesday I will call for the remaining €180,000 left in the IFA fodder fund to be made available to farmers immediately.
"It has been suggested that the IFA aren't looking after the interests of those who live beside bogs," said Turley. "Of course we are looking after their interests, farmers live alongside them. We suggested that Bord na Mona should turn off the pumps in cut-away bogs to take the pressure off villages."
Read more
'These floods are worse than 2009'
Full coverage: Storm Frank
"This is a national emergency, there is flooding from Donegal to Cork," said IFA Flood Committee Chair Tom Turley.
Browse through our photo gallery above for more photos of flooding around the country on Wednesday.
"Management of the rivers should no longer be the responsibility of the ESB. They are doing what they are statutorily bound to do but those laws were brought in when Ardnacrusha was built. That power station now only generates 2% of the country's electricity needs and is much less important."
The ESB advised on Wednesday that the flow of water through Parteen Weir had been at 440 cubic metres per second (cumecs) since Tuesday, similar to the flow during storm Desmond mid-December, and "may increase to 2009 levels (up to 500 cumecs) in the coming days".
"This level of water flow will have increased associated flooding to land and property in the vicinity of the Shannon downstream of Parteen Weir including the areas of Springfield, Montpelier, Castleconnell, Mountshannon (Annacotty) and the University of Limerick," the ESB said in a statement, adding that other areas between Parteen Weir and Limerick may also be vulnerable to flooding due to local issues.
On the River Lee, the ESB also said on Wednesday that it had increased the flow through the Inniscarra dam for several hours and may repeat the measure in the coming days.
'Fast track' flood risk plans
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, is pulling all agencies involved in the management of the River Shannon together to see what can be done.
"The IFA wants Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management programmes (CFRAMs) fast-tracked, environmental concerns and those from fisheries need to be put on the back burner," said Turley. "People's livelihoods are at stake.
"At the meeting of IFA National Council next Tuesday I will call for the remaining €180,000 left in the IFA fodder fund to be made available to farmers immediately.
"It has been suggested that the IFA aren't looking after the interests of those who live beside bogs," said Turley. "Of course we are looking after their interests, farmers live alongside them. We suggested that Bord na Mona should turn off the pumps in cut-away bogs to take the pressure off villages."
Read more
'These floods are worse than 2009'
Full coverage: Storm Frank
SHARING OPTIONS