Today’s scorching weather will give farmers a “very welcome break” from the prolonged rain of the past few months. 

Temperatures today will hit 23°C and will remain high on Saturday as well. 

March in Ireland saw record levels of rainfall in Ireland at 145% of the country’s historic average. 

It meant many farmers were prevented from planting crops and Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather said the sunshine should provide them with some respite. 

“The ground has dried out thankfully a lot,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“So, a lot of farmers have been busy planting the last couple of weeks. 

“Even some of them have now the first cut of silage, so they’ll be glad to get this little bit of a window. 

“Long droughts aren’t good either. 

“They might have wanted a little bit of a longer spell before the rain returns but it’s been a very welcome break to get the animals out and some crops sown.” 

Dairy cows feeding. Picture by: Steve Woit/Design Pics via ZUMA Wire

Following requests for compensation for farmers, Taoiseach Simon Harris said he understood the difficulties the sector has faced in recent months.

“The impact is on the farmer physically and mentally,” he said.

“From meeting and talking with farmers in recent weeks and today, it’s very clear we need to act.

“When any one sector, especially one that is so fundamentally important to the Irish economy, comes up against tough times – it’s our job as a government to not just give words of comfort, but to respond and help.”

Last year was Ireland’s hottest on record.

Main image: Lambs in the sunshine. Photo: Mohssen Assanimoghaddam/dpa