He said on RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland that the Red Cross has expertise allocating such sums.

Money ranging from €5,000 to €20,000 will be available, and more help would be provided if more funding is required due to a lack of flood insurance, he stated.

What Mr. McGrath saw on his Thursday visit to Midleton “would really break your heart,” he added.

“To witness it directly, to witness the devastation and the merchandise that was ruined on the pavements and piled high in skips.

“To witness the pure agony, annoyance, and even rage of numerous entrepreneurs who are presently extremely concerned about the times ahead.”

He said that whilst Midleton had received justifiable attention, many other areas of Cork, including West Waterford, had also been affected.

Although it may take some time to fully assess the extent of the damage to homes and businesses, assistance will be provided.

The main point we wanted to make clear yesterday is that, even though many people may find it difficult to get back on their feet, we will help families and companies in their efforts.

However, we do need to make sure that every single one of these companies that were operating two days ago can carry on with business as usual. And I am aware—it has already been shown—that they receive amazing support from the neighbourhood. I was really moved by the sense of camaraderie.

As stated by Mr. McGrath, there is a well-established programme to assist companies, volunteer organisations, and community organisations affected by floods. The Red Cross oversees it on behalf of the Irish government.

“Next week, a Cabinet decision will result in the implementation of that plan. Since the programme is not statutory, a formal government decision is necessary. Minister Coveney is now working on a document that will be presented to Cabinet on Tuesday, at which point the programme will begin operations.”

The Minister clarified that the Red Cross-managed programme will offer an initial €5,000 as well as help of up to €20,000 after taking the extent of the damage into account.

Because of earlier floods, many firms did not have flood insurance, therefore he indicated that more financial help could be required and that was something that was being thought about. He stated that the Government will make every effort, but even €20,000 might not be sufficient for some enterprises.

According to him, adjustments to the current plan must be made in a way that will allow it to continue in the future for those enterprises who require further help.

Therefore, the focus should be on enhancing and modifying the current plan rather than creating a brand-new one.

We already have a system in place that has usually functioned effectively, so there's no need to start from scratch. However, given the scope and depth of what has occurred, we should take this opportunity to modify and enhance the plan, which will be done by next week.

Additionally, a household-focused programme is now in place and is administered by the neighbourhood Community Welfare office.

"Today, Minister Humphreys released a statement outlining the specifics of that programme for homes without access to flood insurance.

People should get in touch with that right now, and all the information is available online. I also called with Insurance Ireland yesterday since some homes and businesses, especially those outside of Midleton's downtown, do have flood insurance.

Furthermore, it's critical that the insurance sector act swiftly and equitably to assist policyholders who are covered by insurance and who shouldn't be frightened to file a claim. When someone is covered, they ought to file an insurance claim.