The Government has announced that it is allocating €10 million in humanitarian aid to victims of the recent floods in Dublin and Wicklow.
The money will be administered through the Department of Social Protection to alleviate hardship caused by the flooding, but it will not provide compensation.
It will cover damage to homes and basic contents, such as carpets, flooring, furniture, household appliances and bedding, while structural damage may also be considered.
Payments will be means tested and will not be made to businesses or for losses covered by insurance.
Applications for allocations of the fun will be prioritised so the most urgent cases can be dealt with very quickly.
The Government is setting up a cross-departmental working group chaired by the Department of the Environment to oversee the State's response to those affected by the flooding.
It is tasked with identifying any gaps that may have appeared in existing flood-related services, and if additional measures are required, including humanitarian assistance the group will propose them to Government.
The Red Cross has already started making payments to the worst affected.
