Tom Turley, IFA Connacht regional chairman and flooding project team chairman, has called on Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney and Minister for Public Works Simon Harris to immediately convene a meeting of the National Emergency Coordination Group to put in place an action plan to deal with the current severe flooding caused by Storm Desmond.

He said: "Farmers across the country have endured a very difficult situation, particularly in western, north-western and midland counties. This situation will deteriorate significantly over the coming 24 hours as flood waters move along the various river systems. Already, IFA is hearing of devastation to thousands of acres of farmland, households cut off, and animals having to be moved to higher ground.

"The problem is particularly acute on the River Shannon," Turley continued, "where already Lough Allen has reached the peak water levels of the 2009 winter floods. In other areas such as Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Longford, Westmeath, Roscommon, Offaly, Clare and Limerick vast amounts of lands and households are flooded many of which have never experienced such devastation."

Turley added that there is a need for a clear Government response. "Ministers Coveney and Harris must immediately convene the National Emergency Response Group to coordinate this response," he said.

More photos of the flooding have recently come in from our reporters Aidan Brennan in Co Tipperary (see below) and Phelim O'Neill in Co Tyrone (see photo gallery above). Aidan says the flooding of the River Suir near Thurles in Co Tipperary is much less severe than other years due to a large section of the river having been dredged during the summer.

Desmond was by far the most severe storm to hit Ireland this year, bringing with it gusts of over 100km/h and a month's worth of rainfall in 36 hours in some parts of the north, west, midlands and south.

Read more

Met Éireann withdraws national weather warnings

Watch out for weak trees during Storm Desmond