The continuing warm weather poses a real threat to farming.
A prolonged dry spell is putting the agricultural sector under pressure. Farmers are experiencing low milk yields and barley growers have been particularly badly affected. Bernard Lewis from An Foras Talúntais (the Agricultural Institute), believes this could result in,
A loss of anything up to half a ton per acre.
The east of the country is feeling the heat, but so are sections of Cork and Kerry, and water rationing may be on the cards for Northern Ireland.
Heavy rainfall would also reduce the number of gorse and forest fires which have been breaking out over the last number of weeks,
For the fire service, it's been the busiest month ever on record.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 5 July 1984. The reporter is Michael Lally.
