LAST UPDATE | 21 hrs ago
TENS OF THOUSANDS of homes remain without power this evening as the country remains in the grip of icy weather conditions.
Met Éireann has issued a fresh Status Yellow snow-ice warning for the entire country, which will stay in place until midday tomorrow.
There is also a nationwide Status Yellow low temperature warning in place until midnight on Thursday.
Counties in the south and southeast have been the worst affected by the cold snap – in particular counties Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick, Carlow and Kilkenny.
In an update tonight from Cork County Council, it says “significant progress” has been made in clearing priority routes in north-west, north and mid Cork.
The Irish Defence Forces and Civil Defence have been deployed across the worst hit counties assisting in medical emergencies. The Irish Air Corps is also flying ESB crews as they restore power.
Bitterly cold weather will persist until Friday morning, while daytime temperatures will struggle to climb above freezing and night-time temperatures will plunge as low as minus 8 degrees in some places during the week, according to Met Éireann.
The roof of a sports complex in Tralee has collapsed, as has the roof of a Cork pub’s outdoor area, due to the weight of the snow.
A number of schools decided to close this morning, especially in Carlow and Kilkenny.
Education Minister Norma Foley told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that it’s difficult to know exactly how many schools are closed today, but as the more severe weather conditions are localised to certain counties, the vast majority of schools in the country are open.
“It’s not a uniform experience of these adverse weather conditions so therefore the decisions are being taken on the ground,” she said.
Minister Foley wouldn’t make any commitment about whether schools, if closed beyond today, will be expected to teach online.
She did say, however, that those without access to power will not be expected to do so, if that should become the national instruction.
“The view is that where it is feasible for schools to do that, schools will do that. But I am mindful that schools have competing demands,” she said.
“For some schools, and for some homes, there is no electricity available, so where it’s possible, it will be done, but where it’s not, I think we have to look at the broadest context possible.”
Some school transport services are not operating due to weather conditions on roads in affected counties.
Bitterly cold today with widespread frost and lying snow.❄️
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) January 6, 2025
Sunshine and scattered showers of rain, hail, sleet and snow.🌦️🌨️
Top temps ranging from 1 to 5 degrees but staying below freezing over snow-fields. NW winds will increase moderate to gusty, stronger in Atlantic areas. pic.twitter.com/cP1BxAvcem
In a statement, the ESB confirmed that 17,000 customers remain without power as repairs to disrupted supply lines continue. The main counties affected are Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois and Wicklow.
A Defence spokesperson confirmed that the Irish Air Corps has been using helicopters to assist ESB workers to restore power.
Brian Tapley of the ESB told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that there is the possibility of more outages today and throughout the week, given the “dynamic” nature of the weather.
The remoteness of some parts of the network has made repairs more challenging.
“That’s what’s slowing down restoration – it’s not that the damage is much larger than we’ve seen before, it’s just that the access is a big issue and is slowing down, hampering restoration,” said Tapley.
“We could be looking at a couple of days before the last of the power is restored.”
Meanwhile, Uisce Éireann is working to restore water supplies to approximately 30,000 people in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary, with supplies to a further 27,000 people at risk – including in Wexford and Laois – due to low reservoir levels.
Water services crews alongside ESB and local authority teams are working in difficult freezing conditions to return water supplies to those affected by bursts on the network and electricity outages.
Water treatment plants and pumping stations in these counties are without power.
Margaret Attridge of Uisce Éireann said earlier that they’d hoped to have a lot of these outages restored by lunchtime, but the latest update says the figure has not changed.
She warned of low reservoir levels and asked people to be mindful of water usage today while Uisce Éireann makes repairs.
As it is to get colder, people are encouraged to cover pipes with towels or wrap them in insulating material.
Uisce Éireann said it has restored the water supply in Tallaght, Dublin following a burst water main caused by the freezing weather conditions over the weekend, with work expected to be completed tonight.
Crews are also continuing to carry out essential repair works in Templeogue following a burst water main at Orwell Drive this morning.
Water supply has been restored to almost all homes and businesses in the area, with water also returning to affected customers. Uisce Éireann said all areas should be fully restored by midnight tonight.
The National Emergency Response Group, which is tasked with gathering information for the government on events such as extreme weather, met with the government this morning to discuss the situation and next steps.
Keith Leonard, National Director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, said: “We will continue to see wintry showers and extremely cold temperatures over the coming hours and days, and hazardous travel conditions will continue for much of the week.
“Given the prevalence of extremely low temperatures throughout the country over the next few days, road and path surfaces will present a hazard to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,” Leonard said.
“Even where there has been no snow, icy conditions will prevail and surfaces may look deceptively safe.”
With regard to rough sleepers, the group said ‘Cold Weather Initiatives’ are in operation across all local authorities to provide additional emergency beds for rough sleepers where needed.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council told The Journal: “Since the cold weather snap has occurred, there have been sufficient beds each day for people assessed as requiring emergency accommodation in the Dublin Region.
The spokesperson said the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) “provided for a total new capacity of 192 permanent beds” as part of its cold weather strategy.
An additional 82 beds can also be activated as part of its “Extreme Weather Emergency Protocol” when a weather warning is triggered.
Emergency accommodation is accessed through the four Dublin Local Authorities. The spokesperson said the DRHE, along with outreach providers, “will continue to monitor the weather and likely changes to weather warnings over the coming days and activate extreme weather emergency accommodation as required.
“The Dublin Region Outreach Service is working directly with rough sleepers from 7am to 1am daily and assists any individuals they meet to take up emergency accommodation.”
Meanwhile, the Defence Forces have been helping with outreach in communities, such as in cases where workers can’t access care homes or emergency services can’t access homes.
A Defence Forces spokesman said: “Due to the recent adverse weather conditions, Defence Forces have deployed personnel in response to a request from the Local Authority.
“There have been multiple requests for assistance in the transportation of essential healthcare workers and patients. 1 Southern Brigade (1 Bde) is the lead formation and has assisted with these requests throughout the day, in the following areas: Kanturk, Kilkenny, Carlow, Limerick & Killorglin. A total of 29 personnel and 18 vehicles have been deployed.
The Air Corps has deployed two helicopters to aid the ESB in line inspection and repairs and will continue support today and tomorrow. The Defence Forces currently has personnel on standby to deploy if requested by the Local Authority.”
A number of road closures and traffic incidents have been reported over the last 24 hours, as hazardous travelling conditions have plagued much of Munster and south Leinster.
In a statement released this evening, Cork County Council said “significant progress” had been made in clearing priority routes in north-west, north and mid Cork throughout the day.
Earlier, Gardaí in Cork warned drivers that a truck jack-knifed on the N20 just before midday today between Charleville and O’Rourke’s Cross, entirely blocking the main route between Cork and Limerick.
Incidents were also reported on the M7 and M8 motorways yesterday, with major tailbacks bring traffic to hour-long standstills on the busy roads.
Cork County Council has indicated that the majority of primary roads in the county have been treated and are “passable with caution,”, but urged the public not to travel unless it’s absolutely necessary as many roads remain in very poor condition and are fully blocked in places.
The National Emergency Response Group said that while public transport continues to operate, people are advised to check with their operator before undertaking any journeys, as services may be affected depending on local conditions.
It said roads will continue to remain in a dangerous condition over the coming days and urged drivers and cyclists to take extra care and monitor conditions.
The HSE announced that given the hazardous travelling conditions in Cork, Kerry, South Tipperary, Laois and parts of the Mid West, some HSE services have been cancelled some services in those areas including outpatient appointments and day services.
The HSE said that as all non-urgent appointments at Cork and Kerry hospitals will not go ahead today, while appointment disruptions will be felt in Kilkenny, Tipperary and the Midlands.
Irish Defence Forces personnel have also been deployed to Counties Tipperary, Limerick and north Cork to assist medics and other HSE personnel continue to provide services.
More potential impacts of the severe weather include hazardous travelling conditions, poor visibility, travel disruption and localised flooding.
Motorists are asked to avoid unnecessary journeys as driving conditions will be hazardous — and never to drive through flooded roads as the depth of the water can be deceiving.
In a statement, An Post said: “As things stand currently, it will not be possible to make letter or parcel deliveries on the majority of postal routes in counties Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick, Tipperary and some parts of Wicklow. Should conditions improve, deliveries will be attempted where it is safe to do so.”
In a statement the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin spoke about the work of Civil Defence teams and volunteers who have been working for the last 48 hours responding to the severe weather across the country.
“More than half of our 28 Civil Defence Units have been active across 11 counties, with some units assisting neighbouring counties, and more units on standby.
“This essential ongoing work has included assisting HSE staff in transporting palliative care and dialysis patients; helping Gardaí with vehicles stranded on roads; assistance to homes with no power or water; the transport of healthcare staff, and the provision of fuel for generators for vulnerable home care patients,” he said.
Bus Éireann announced a series of full service cancellations including on route 13 from Tralee to Limerick via Listowel, route 40 from Tralee to Cork via Killarney and all route 270 services.
Selected services have also been cancelled this morning on several other routes including routes 233, 236, 237, 239, 245 and 257, 275 and 279 in the south of the country.
Dublin Bus, meanwhile, confirmed its 44b service is unable to serve Glencullen in south Dublin.
Iarnród Éireann has only route without trains this morning – Limerick to Ballybrophy via Nenagh – where rail staff can’t get to work.
All other routes are operating with minor disruptions.
DART services have fully reopened.
Dublin Airport has said that some airports in the UK and Europe are impacted by the weather, which could cause delays and cancellations to flights.
“As always, passengers should check with their airline directly for updates regarding their specific flight,” it said in a post to X.
“Those travelling to the airport this morning should allow plenty of time to get to and from the airport.”
Dublin Airport is fully open this morning. ✈️
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) January 6, 2025
Some airports in the UK and Europe continue to be impacted by bad weather conditions, which may impact on flight schedules today and result in some flight delays.
As always, passengers should check with their airline directly for… pic.twitter.com/gbnJQ7exIh
Graham McQueen of the Dublin Airport Authority says that while there are some delays to flights – “a hangover from yesterday” – none have been cancelled as of 9am.
Additional reporting by Niall O’Connor.
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