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Storm Barra: Schools in Dublin and 11 other counties advised to remain closed

The decision was taken this afternoon following a meeting of the NDFEM.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION has said that all schools that are currently or forecast to be in a Red or Orange alert area should remain closed tomorrow. 

Schools in the remainder of the country should operate as normal as storm warnings are gradually eased tonight and into tomorrow. 

The department confirmed this evening that schools in Dublin have also been advised to close after a Status Orange weather warning was issued until 7am tomorrow morning. 

Schools in Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Limerick, Mayo, Sligo, Waterford and Wexford are also being asked to remain closed tomorrow.

Under Met Éireann’s current wind warnings, Clare will remain under Status Red until 1am tomorrow before it changes to Orange until 6am.

A Status Orange currently applies in the following counties until 6am tomorrow: Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Mayo, Wexford.

A Status Orange applies in Leitrim and Sligo from 8pm this evening until 8am tomorrow. 

The remainder of the country is under a Status Yellow wind and rain warning until tomorrow at 6pm. 

Schools and colleges in 12 counties under Red and Orange warnings did not open today as a result of the storm, which brought gusts in excess of 140km/h

The decision for schools to remain closed in these counties tomorrow was taken this afternoon following a meeting of the National Directorate Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM). 

In a statement following that meeting, the Department of Education has said:

The Department is advising that all schools that are currently or forecast to be in a Red or Orange alert area should remain closed tomorrow, 8th December.This will allow for assessment of the impact of Storm Barra to take place.This includes counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Limerick, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Wexford.Schools who are no longer in a Red or Orange Alert area can reopen provided, if there are concerns, school managers have had an opportunity to check for fallen wires and other serious damage in the vicinity of school buildings.If an individual school (in a Yellow area) is still experiencing a particular local issue relating to the storm the Board of Management can make a decision to remain closed for tomorrow.All schools should keep up-to-date with the current weather warnings which are carried on all national and local news bulletins and in particular any change in the status warning for their area.

Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris says the advice to close also applies to third-level facilities in the affected counties. 

School closures 

Speaking earlier this evening, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien defended the government’s decision to close schools today.

“I would say that we followed the advice and I think rightly so, and we erred on the side of caution,” he told RTÉ radio.

“I am certain we were right to do that. All parts of the country experienced this storm to different levels, but we followed the best of advice.

“I firmly believe Government made the correct decision that may have led to some disruption with some people, and obviously that’s not something that we want to do.

“But first and foremost, children’s safety and students’ safety, and that indeed of our educators, is absolutely paramount.”

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    Mute Charles Murr
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:22 AM

    Do you know. The Trump circus will seem normal when Kanye and the Kardashian c.unts get a hold of the Whitehouse

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    Mute A H
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:29 AM

    @Charles Murr: I can believe that will happen after this

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:33 AM

    @Charles Murr: This is the most terrifying thing I’ve read in a while and I’m currently reading a book about a survivor of Auschwitz.

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    Mute Charles Murr
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:36 AM

    @Rob Cahill: Sorry about that.. didn’t mean to put you on a downer… There’s just something inevitable about it !

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    Mute Gillian Weir Scully
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:57 AM

    @Charles Murr: Although it is funny that either woman would refer to herself as a lady. As awful as Trump is he has never refered to himself as a gentleman. Laughing.

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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:05 AM

    @Charles Murr: why do we continue to make stupid people famous?

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    Mute Charles Murr
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:30 AM

    @Gillian Weir Scully: what i find interesting is that Melania is the one who appears to carry the dignity of her role or is that too much botox ?

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    Mute Charles Murr
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:34 AM

    @john g mcgrath: ‘instant’ culture John, we celebrate absurd/extreme at home and abroad, Mainstream media are dis-interested in reasoned thought/ debate, rationality. Much more ‘fun’ to promote vacuousness. Anyway enough of that, back to my podium with my tassles and pasties…

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    Mute Tristan Rowntree
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:34 AM

    Melania is a big league upgrade from Ivana. Five Stars Mr President, well done.

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    Mute Harry Bookless
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:40 AM

    @Tristan Rowntree: That’s a disgusting way to talk about women.

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    Mute Tristan Rowntree
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:48 AM

    @Harry Bookless: oh get a grip, it’s a compliment.

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    Mute Karen Wellington
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:50 AM

    @Tristan Rowntree: it was at least equal parts insult

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    Mute Larry Doyle
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:54 AM
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    Mute Tristan Rowntree
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:57 AM

    @Karen Wellington: do you deny Melania is younger and more attractive than Ivana?

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    Mute Karen Wellington
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:07 AM

    @Tristan Rowntree: I’ll concede that she’s younger, as I understand it; beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just out of interest how does congratulating Trump on upgrading (like a phone?) his wife translate as a compliment to either woman?

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    Mute Tristan Rowntree
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:12 AM

    @neilo: are you a Catholic church pearl clutching prude?

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    Mute Tristan Rowntree
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:15 AM

    @Karen Wellington: it’s clearly a compliment both are attractive women, Melania is more so now with youth on her side but bring Ivanka or Tiffany into the picture and it all changes.

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    Mute Karen Wellington
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:57 AM

    @Tristan Rowntree: your original comment really isn’t a compliment to either woman, it definitely isn’t a compliment to Ivana. If you have to tear one woman down to build another one up you’re not complimenting either of them.

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    Mute Martan O Conghaile
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    Oct 10th 2017, 12:46 PM

    @Karen Wellington: Have you got nothing better to do? Give the shrill feminist whinging a rest once in a while.

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    Mute Tensing Norgay
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    Oct 10th 2017, 1:10 PM

    @Martan O Conghaile: Its not feminist at all Martan , its about a a bit of respect ,persoanlly i dont like either woman ,both are clearly goldiggers and generally poor female role models but hey .., and yes I can see clearly see that Melania is younger and more attractive than Ivanka now, but Tristan does denigrate them both to commodity level by referring to upgrade , i know it was incredibly witty and funny that you think that everyone is being snowflake sensitive for not laughing and saying yeah look the fat rich organge p8ssy grabber kicked the old one to the curb , but lets hope your missus or girlfrind dosent see fit to upgrade you or maybe you are so good looking any wealthy that you are not an upgradadable commodity ? not that it would bother an alpha male who chops wood before breakfast and rides a few birds before tea.Now let your partner now that your only a lotto win away from telling her to pack her bags :-)

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    Mute Karen Wellington
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    Oct 10th 2017, 2:11 PM

    @Martan O Conghaile: so sorry for not reducing two people to a (subjective) assessment of their personal appearances, and what an idiot I am for not adjusting Ivana’s value to reflect ageing. Of course you’re right; it is the sole prerogative of feminists to evaluate a person based on their words and deeds rather than their genetics.

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    Mute Tristan Rowntree
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:16 AM

    A cat fight over the Donald and not for the first time!

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    Mute A H
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:29 AM

    @Tristan Rowntree: It’s those soft wavy locks that does it

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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:31 AM

    @A H: or his abnormally well endowed hands.

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    Mute Paul Jennings
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    Oct 10th 2017, 12:49 PM

    @Tristan Rowntree: only cats would fight over Donald.

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    Mute Gerry Ryan deG
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    Oct 10th 2017, 10:54 AM

    Trash without the Trailer

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    Mute Disco Declan
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:58 AM

    Melania took the bait here and probably helped Ivana sell a few books with her response

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    Mute jason bourne
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:52 AM

    ’47 and normally very reserved’….. wow, just wow

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    Mute Peter King
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:25 AM

    In her divorce affidavit (the kind of document you go to jail if you lie in) she claimed Trump came home angry one night and raped her.

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    Mute Tristan Rowntree
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:31 AM

    @Peter King: “The divorce came under scrutiny during the 2016 election, when it was reported that Ivana once signed a sworn deposition alleging Donald had raped her. She sought to clarify that the accusation, which Trump has consistently denied, was not intended in a “literal or criminal sense”.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/07/ivana-trump-donald-relationship-ivanka-president

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    Mute Martin Flood
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:35 AM

    @Tristan Rowntree: Needed that. Thank you. :-)

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    Mute Maryland Lady
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    Oct 10th 2017, 11:46 AM

    @Tristan Rowntree: You do like to keep the juicy bits out of your many ‘stories’…one might say that you even take a ‘scalp’ off them…

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    Mute John Doe
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    Oct 10th 2017, 6:32 PM

    Ivana Humpalot….

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Oct 11th 2017, 10:19 AM

    Ivana needs to create publicity to sell her book but it must seem embarrassing for the kids trying to get on with their lives and keep on the right side of their dads potential inheritance.

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