Disruption to road freight and other traffic due to the snow and freezing conditions is likely to last for several days, according to State agencies.
Met Éireann has issued a new status yellow warning for snow and ice valid until midday on Tuesday, while the national forecaster has also issued a similar warning for very cold nights with widespread frost, ice and lying snow, valid until midnight on Thursday into Friday morning.
An Post said the postal service has been “really badly affected”, and difficulties making letter or parcel deliveries may continue for some days on many postal routes in counties Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick, Tipperary and some parts of Wicklow.
Spokeswoman Anna McHugh said adverse road conditions affected accessibility and deliveries, while power outages affected post offices causing 38 not to open as planned. Updates will be posted at anpost.com
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Director of infrastructure services with Kilkenny County Council, Mary Mulholland, said staff had been gritting 500km of roads every day, including all national and main roads, but the big problem was the “frost, thaw, frost again” nature of the weather events, with freezing temperatures affecting floods or snow.
She said the priority had to be keeping the main roads open, but there were likely to be some side roads and homes up country lanes which the council probably “won’t get to until the end of the week”.
Cork County Council said wintry showers, rainfall and freezing conditions “may limit the effectiveness of salting already undertaken as rainfall can wash salt off the road and, combined with low road surface temperatures, allow ice to form.”
The council said many side roads remained in very poor condition across north, northwest and mid-Cork, and were impassable in places.
Kerry County Council said some roads were blocked by abandoned vehicles and conditions may not improve for days.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland said the next few days “will continue to provide challenges with Met Éireann forecasting extremely low temperatures”. Spokesman Sean O’Neill said Monday saw a significant amount of snow on national primary roads in Munster including the M7, M8, N24 Tipperary, N76 Tipperary/Kilkenny, N21 in Limerick and Kerry and N20 in Cork.
“Collectively there was a significant amount of effort put forth by all involved especially by the local authorities. The next few days will continue to provide challenges with Met Éireann forecasting extremely low temperatures.”
He said the authority had ample supplies of salt in storage.
Irish Rail said all of its services were operating on Monday, although delays could be expected. Intending passengers are advised to check the company website.
The State’s main airports were all operational on Monday. A spokesman for Ireland West Airport Knock, Co Mayo, said there had been a number of crashes on surrounding roads but the airport was fully functioning.
