The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been heckled by a small group of residents in Athlone on a tour of flood-hit areas in the Midlands.

The Taoiseach has heard angry residents in Athlone who say he hasn't seen the real extent of the devastation to their homes from flooding.

Brian Cowen has toured locations along the Shannon in the midlands to see the exent of rising waters - in Athlone alone 95 homes have been evacuated.

Some residents off Parnell Square criticised the Taoiseach for not going into the deep waters to see wrecked homes.

A special relief shop has been established in the town centre.

Mr Cowen has again acknowledged that the flooding crisis is far from over, and may get worse.

Locations along the River Shannon remain on high flood alert, while the ESB said it will release more water at Parteen Weir today, which will impact on areas around the lower River Shannon.

The Minister for the Environment John Gormley has said the €10m in humanitarian aid for flood victims should be considered "an intial downpayment".

Mr Gormley was speaking as he examined the work in progress to prevent the River Shannon from flooding housing estates in the mid-West.

The Minister, who's been viewing the damage from the air, said it is miraculous that more people's homes have not been flooded and that no one has died.

He also hinted that more money may be made available to help those worst affected.

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28/01/2010: Cold snap sees Intel production disrupted
28/01/2010: Flooding bill could top €500m
21/01/2010: More water disruption in Clare
21/01/2010: Many still without water in Dublin
19/01/2010: MEP: Govt to apply for EU flooding aid
19/01/2010: Wicklow among areas still affected by water outages
19/01/2010: Cost of road repairs 'could exceed €150m'
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17/01/2010: Rain still causing disruption in south-east
16/01/2010: Motorists advised of flooding risk
16/01/2010: Restrictions on water supply continue
16/01/2010: Cold snap sees drop in burglaries
15/01/2010: Water contamination tests come back negative
15/01/2010: 85% of workers faced longer commute due to icy weather
15/01/2010: Water supplies to stabilise this weekend
14/01/2010: Snowbound mother nursed sick child for three weeks
14/01/2010: Most bus services running as normal
14/01/2010: Drivers warned of dangerous conditions
13/01/2010: Water shortage sees workers at Batchelors put on protective notice
13/01/2010: Some improvement in water supplies
13/01/2010: Limited disruption to bus services
13/01/2010: Hundreds of passengers grounded at Knock
13/01/2010: Gormley appeals to public to conserve water
13/01/2010: 1,000 homes without power as winds bring down lines
13/01/2010: Water rationing continues in several counties
12/01/2010: Water shortage 'still critical'
12/01/2010: Weather havoc continues
12/01/2010: FF TD criticises 'lack of leadership' in cold crisis
12/01/2010: Some Kilkenny schools advised to stay shut
12/01/2010: 4,500 homes without water in Cork city
12/01/2010: Cork hit by further flooding
12/01/2010: Flooding disrupts bus services in Cork
12/01/2010: Cold snap puts water supplies under pressure
12/01/2010: Skibbereen at risk of flooding
12/01/2010: Water outages hit several counties
11/01/2010: More weather misery on the way
11/01/2010: Opposition hits out at schools shutdown u-turn
11/01/2010: Europe begins the big thaw
11/01/2010: Cork airport reopens
11/01/2010: Cowen again defends Govt handling of cold crisis
11/01/2010: Worst of cold snap over, but flood warning for south
11/01/2010: Gormley appeals to public to conserve water
11/01/2010: O'Keeffe to allow schools to reopen tomorrow
11/01/2010: UK travel services struggling with bad weather
11/01/2010: Clare bus services disrupted by weather
11/01/2010: Govt 'must review decision to shut schools'
11/01/2010: Cork Airport remains closed after cold snap
11/01/2010: Weather hits bus services in the south-west
11/01/2010: Bus services disrupted in Cork and Kerry
11/01/2010: Europe battered by Arctic weather
11/01/2010: Port of Cork to receive 3,500 tonnes of salt
11/01/2010: Schools closed due to bad weather
11/01/2010: Reservoirs at low levels as sleet forecast today
10/01/2010: Gormley: Demand for water and electric at record levels
10/01/2010: Difficulties spread for bus services
10/01/2010: Focus on my holiday 'unfair', says Transport Minister
10/01/2010: Southeast hit by bus service disruption
10/01/2010: Met Éireann predicts improvement in weather
10/01/2010: TDs demand answers over response to weather conditions
10/01/2010: ISPCA: Animals at risk from cold snap
10/01/2010: More delays to bus services
10/01/2010: Weather could be costing economy €2bn
10/01/2010: Motorists advised to drive with extreme caution
10/01/2010: Transport Minister arrives back from sun holiday
10/01/2010: Country set for heavy snowfall today
10/01/2010: Most bus services operational