Updated 11.00

Up to 50 millimetres of rain is forecast for this weekend, with fears of more flooding.

A Status Orange alert is in place for counties Clare, Cork and Kerry; a Status Yellow one is in effect for the rest of Munster, Leinster and Connacht.

Homes and busineses along the River Shannon are the worst affected - Clare, Limerick and Athlone are already dealing with flooding from last weekend.

Warnings this morning from Met Éireann

The ESB says it will not increase the flow of water from the Parteen Weir today.

However, its warning that with weekend rainfall will likely cause water levels in the River Shannon to increase. That could lead to flooding in areas like Springfield, Montpellier, Castleconnell, Mountshannon and around the University of Limerick.

Cleaning up

Businesses affected by flooding can apply for emergency government support.

Minister for Defence Simon Coveney explained to The Pat Kenny Show: 

"If businesses have been flooded and they can't get insurance anywhere in the country, if you are a small business employing less than 20 people, you can download from the Red Cross website a form that will be up by this evening."

The form is a self-declaration that can be filled out online, or on paper.

"The Red Cross will take that form to the local authority in your area and they will get it stamped by an area engineer... After that we will simply pay out up to €5,000."

Despite his support for the flood-affected, Minister Coveney warned that climate change means our weather will be windier and wetter from now on: 

His warning came as leaders continue to struggle to reach agreement on global climate change targets in Paris.

He also expressed an interest in an insurance levy that could help people in uninsurable areas, paid for by those who are insurable - a UK model.

Athlone suffers

One of the areas worst affected by flooding in recent years is Athlone.

Mayor Tom Farrell says residents are concerned that the coming days will see a repeat of 2009 conditions.

"Everybody has put their shoulders to the wheel, all the different services from the gardaí, the army, the civil defence, Westmeath County Council, even the public reps, the homeowners everyone got together to do what they had to get done."

"I just hope and pray that things work out ok."

Horse trainer Tom Cleary lives in Golden Island - he told Breakfast his business was badly hit by flooding in 2009.