IRELAND is being warned to brace itself for yet another harsh winter.

THE Big Freeze has became the Big Thaw — putting the country on flood alert after a spectacular rise of up to 19C in daytime temperatures plus heavy rain.

IT takes an act of immense political crassness to put hapless Transport Minister Noel Dempsey in the ha’penny place, but his Labour shadow Tommy Broughan managed to do so with jaw-dropping effect yesterday.