Alan O'Reilly: Politicians must forget about floodwater photo ops and concentrate on investment

There is an urgent need for improved forecasting systems and communication of changing weather warnings as storms quickly approach and change

Tánaiste Joan Burton and and Minister of State Ann Phelan were plunged into the icy waters of the river Nore in December 2015 when visiting Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, in the aftermath of Storm Frank. Picture: RollingNews.ie

Politicians in Ireland have made a habit of standing in their wellies examining the clean-up after a flood.

Who can forget the splash made in the newspapers when then tánaiste Joan Burton and her Labour colleague and Minister of State Ann Phelan, a Carlow-Kilkenny TD, were plunged into the icy waters of the river Nore in December 2015.