Storm Frank: Call for action from family ousted from Clonlara home due to flooding

Geraldine Quinlivan broke down in tears as her dogs Lucky and Sandy were brought to her car on dry land, and away from their home surrounded by floodwater.

As she waited anxiously for another expected deluge to swamp her sandbagged home in Springfield, Clonlara, south east Clare, the mum of four had a simple message for the Government.“We are living in life-threatening conditions. Something needs to be done for us now. If Enda Kenny or Simon Harris are listening, they really will have to sort this out in the new year because we really cannot go through this again,” she said, wiping away tears.

The ESB confirmed it was increasing the flow along the Lower River Shannon to 440 cubic metres per second, which, along with increased rainfall from Storm Frank, is expected to put properties and roads in Springfield under water again.