Road conditions are treacherous across the country today after compacted snow froze overnight.
Gardaí have advised motorists not to make any unnecessary journeys.
Met Éireann issued a severe weather warning this afternoon. Heavy snowfalls are expected tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night in east Leinster with accumulations of up to 10cm of snow in inland locations, up to 20cm in Cos Louth and Dublin and 15 to 25cm in Co Wicklow.
Nighttime temperatures will drop to below minus 10 degrees.
Motorists are being asked to take extreme care on all roads but especially on secondary roads and in housing estates. Footpaths are also dangerously slippy.
Further snow fell today in Cork, Meath and Monaghan. Heavy fog has also been reported around Tullamore and Birr in Co Offaly. Fog lights should be used in affected areas. There are extremely icy conditions in Gorey, Co Wexford, particularly on Main Street, Courtown Road and Hollyfort Road.
AA Roadwatch also warned that conditions remain difficult on the Belgooly/Kinsale Road (R600) and the Halfway/Kinsale Road (R607) is also very dangerous due to compacted snow.
Roads are very icy in Wicklow town and in mountainous areas. The Sally Gap and Wicklow Gap are impassable. Road conditions on the M1 Dublin to Belfast Road are treacherous. Following heavy overnight snowfall, roads around Bandon in Co Cork are dangerous. Some Bus Eireann services in west Cork were cancelled.
The Conor Pass in Co Kerry remains closed impassable.
More than 80 schools across Donegal closed today and could remain closed for several more days after the weekend’s heavy snowfalls.
In Dublin, Brookfield Road in Rialto and Luby Road in Inchicore were closed overnight due to treacherous conditions caused by ice. Extreme care is still required in the area. It is very icy on the off ramp from the M50 northbound at J13 Ballinteer and there are reports of very icy conditions on the Coast Road in Booterstown and Blackrock. There are no delays reported for city centre traffic.
Ferry services were on schedule today, but air passengers should expect delays.
Aer Arann flight RE202 from Ireland West Airport to Dublin due to arrive at 8.50pm has been cancelled.
Bus Éireann said some of its services in west Cork and Rosslare, Co Wexford, have been affected. Route 108 to Bailieboro, Co Cavan, has been cancelled. Other bus routes are operating with delays.
Dublin Bus said driving conditions this morning were extremely difficult and warned of disruption to services. There are curtailments to a number of bus routes in Dublin. A list of affected routes is available on www.dublinbus.ie.
Irish Rail said it does not expect any problems with services today. “We commend our line inspection, signalling maintenance and fleet maintenance teams who have ensured that all routes are open and fully operational today," a spokesman said. “We will continue to work to provide a full service throughout this cold spell.”
The company has cancelled planned works at Limerick Junction next weekend and services will continue to operate as normal, a spokesman for the company said.
The National Emergency Response Coordination Committee met today to assess the severe weather situation.
Its members include Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey, representatives of the NRA, the various transport authorities, Dublin City Council and the HSE.
Briefing the media at the committee’s headquarters in Dublin, Mr Dempsey said the cold snap was set to continue until at least the weekend. He said there had been some restrictions and delays to public transport, but that intending travellers should check for up-to-date information at www.transport.ie
The Minister urged people in towns to assist in the effort by clearing footpaths outside their homes and businesses. He also urged people to be aware of elderly neighbours, to check on them and to assist them in any way possible.
Met Éireann meteorologist Pat Clarke said the cold snap would probably continue right through next weekend.
“Charts indicate that there are no signs of any mild, Atlantic-type weather systems which would bring us reasonable temperatures and rain in from the Atlantic which would help to clear this cold, frosty weather.”
Mr Clarke said temperatures last night were between minus 2 and minus 9 degrees, although ground temperatures had fallen as low as minus 14 degrees.
Michael Egan of the National Roads Authority said he was “very confident” there was sufficient salt to treat roads. Currently, about 2,000 tonnes of salt is being used each day.
Mr Egan said the roads body was working closely with the local authorities to make sure there was a sufficient response in terms of treating roads. But he warned that those authorities were “simply not in a position to keep every road in the country free of ice and snow”.
About 750 council workers are helping to clear footpaths in villages and towns, said Michael Philips of Dublin City Council.
Eircom said about 2,400 customers were left without telephone and broadband across the country. The worst affected counties were Dublin, Louth and Wicklow, due to lightning and storm damage.
The Irish Farmers Association urged farmers to take extra care given the difficult working conditions caused by the cold snap.