A seven-year-old boy and his eight-year-old sister were killed following a road crash in Co Kildare yesterday morning.
The young siblings died when the car they were passengers in collided with a lorry at around 8.30am.
The car was travelling along a rural road in Walterstown, Nurney, Co Kildare, when the crash took place.
The boy was pronounced dead at the scene and was taken to Naas General Hospital.
His sister was taken to Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise with serious injuries. However, the eight-year-old girl lost her fight for life and died in the afternoon.
The children's mother was the driver of the car and their young brother was also a passenger.
This sibling was seriously injured and he remains in a critical condition in the Portlaoise hospital.
The children's mother, who is in her 30s, was first taken to hospital in Portlaoise with serious injuries. She was later transferred to Tallaght hospital for further treatment.
The man driving the lorry was not injured and did not have to go to hospital. There were no passengers with him in the lorry.
The road was closed for most of the day and diversions were in place for most of the day. Garda investigators were examining the scene.
Reacting to the collision, Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Kildare SeáPower said he was "devastated at the news and it is terrible to see young life taken away".
He said: "You read about it, but it is only when it comes knocking on your own door the impact comes home of how tragic it is." He added the community is devastated by the deaths.
Local Kildare councillor, Pat Black (FF), said the community is devastated at the deaths.
He extended his deepest sympathy to the family and to the community in Nurney.