Two Cork paramedics who battled through Storm Ophelia to save the life of an elderly woman on a remote farm, clearing roads of trees and fallen branches with crowbars and hacksaws as they struggled to reach her, are to be presented with National Bravery Awards.

Two farmers have died in separate incidents as they worked to repair roofs damaged in recent storms.

From the perspective of the minister for finance, in particular, and the Government in general, the arrival of Storm Ophelia on Monday very quickly took Budget 2018 off the news agenda, and particularly a couple of its more controversial elements.