FURTHER financial assistance will be made available to victims of the country's disastrous flooding, the government has said.

An announcement of €12m in funding was always intended as an initial figure and the government vowed further help following a special Cabinet meeting yesterday morning.

As flood waters subsided in some areas of the country, others were on high alert with the next five days considered crucial for Limerick and the lower Shannon.

Already, up to 600 families have been forced to evacuate their homes and high tides on the Shannon Estuary this week seem certain to cause at least some further flooding.

Sean Hogan, the chairman of the Government's Emergency Co-ordination Committee, said south Galway, the Midlands and areas on the lower Shannon remained in "severe difficulty".

Charities have reported a huge response to appeals for helping those worst affected by the flooding, particularly in the west and midlands.

The Irish Red Cross and the St Vincent de Paul have set up special funds and will be continuing their collections over the weekend.

Clean-up efforts continued over the weekend with boil notices put in place in both Limerick and Cork.

Limerick County Council has asked 2,000 customers in the Southwest Regional Water Supply and the Feahangh Castlemahon Group Water Scheme to boil water before using it.

Around 8,000 homes and businesses in Cork were still without water today as efforts continued to get all properties back with running water.

Director of emergency services in the city Valerie O'Sullivan said residents who have had water supplies restored should boil it before use.

"They should boil the water that is coming through their taps but certainly they can flush again," she said.