Two people have died in separate road crashes in Co Monaghan and Co Cavan over the past 24 hours.
A man in his 50s died when the milk tanker he was driving crashed into three houses, two of which were seriously damaged, on Main Street, Emyvale at about 10.30am.
A 13-year-old boy was asleep upstairs in one of the houses when it was hit by the truck. He was not injured. His mother was in the back garden at the time and also escaped injury.
The driver, who was alone in his truck, was pronounced dead at the scene and his body taken to Navan General Hospital. Gardaí are investigating whether the driver had fallen asleep or suddenly fallen ill at the wheel.
Fire officers who arrived at the scene initially believed there were people trapped in the rubble of the houses and used thermal imaging cameras to assess the scene.
Up to 50 emergency personnel attended the scene, including gardaí, fire officers and Civil Defence members.
The road has reopened this evening following an investigation by a Garda forensic team and diversions have been lifted.
In a separate incident, a 78-year-old man died after the car he was driving in collided with a lorry in Co Cavan yesterday.
The crash took place at about 3.45pm on the N3 south of Belturbet. The man was pronounced dead at the scene and his body taken to Navan General Hospital.
Additional reporting: PA
