Families affected by the continued flooding at Lough Funshinagh in Roscommon met the Taoiseach over the weekend.
As part of his engagements with local Fine Gael candidates, Taoiseach Simon Harris travelled to South Roscommon on Sunday for a private visit.
Up to 42 families are now said to be impacted by flooding around the Lough with no immediate end in sight, with two homes evacuated due to rising waters last month.
Works to install an overflow pipe at Lough Funshinagh will not commence until next year at the earliest, according to OPW Minister Kieran O'Donnell.
The Lough Funshinagh Flood Crisis Group says the OPW is looking at plans to lower the lake this summer so residents can survive the winter, with a number of obstacles still faced in that plan.
Matthew Beatty, chairman of the group, is hopeful the Taoiseach can now understand the full scale of the problem following witnessing it for himself.
Independent councillor Laurence Fallon is disappointed Green Party Minister and Environment Minister, Eamon Ryan, isn't visiting the area.
