The start of the late-night services for Christmas and a number of sporting fixtures mark a busy weekend ahead for travel.
DUBLIN
Dublin Bus will introduce a Christmas Nitelink timetable with an increased fleet. The late-night DART services in the run up to Christmas began last night and will continue for the next three weekends.
Services will run at midnight, 2 a.m. and a new later departure of 3 a.m. from Connolly to Bray/Greystones serving all stations except Tara Street and Grand Canal Dock.
Northbound services will go from Pearse to Howth, with the 2 a.m. service running from Pearse to Malahide. These will serve all stations except Tara Street.
The late night service will operate on each Thursday, Friday and Saturday until December 22nd.
The fare will be £3.50 for a single journey. Other tickets and social welfare passes will not be valid.
Dublin Bus Nitelink services with a special DART into town - Nitelink home ticket are £4. Extra daytime DART services at weekends will also be provided for Christmas shoppers.
In sport, the Celtic League rugby semi-finals may lead to traffic disruption around the Lansdowne Road area of Dublin. Tonight the match starts at 7.30 p.m. and tomorrow's game begins at 3 p.m.
CORK
Christmas Park 'N Ride in Cork has begun and will operate everyday, including Sundays, between Victoria Cross and Grand Parade.
Services will operate every 10 minutes in both directions from 8.30 a.m. to 6.15 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 10.30 a.m. to 6.15 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
TIPPERARY
Races take place at the Clonmel Racecourse between 12.30 and 3.30pm on Saturday December 8th.
KILDARE
Races at the Punchestown Racecourse take place between 12.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. on Sunday December 9th. Bus ╔ireann will run special bus services from Dublin leaving Busβras 90 minutes before the start of the first race and returning immediately after the meeting finishes.
Iarnr≤d ╔ireann have announced minor changes to the Dublin suburban timetables from next Monday, December 10th.
The 4.07 p.m. Pearse-Maynooth service will depart from Connolly Station only at 4.13 p.m. and will no longer serve Pearse or Tara Street stations.
The 7.22 a.m. service from Drogheda to Bray will no longer call at Portmarnock Station. The 6.55 a.m. Arklow to Dundalk train will depart at 6.45 a.m. and will leave Rathdrum at 7.02 a.m., Wicklow at 7.17 a.m. and Kilcoole at 7.30 a.m. From Greystones there will be no further alteration to the timetable. This change is temporary due to track renewal work on the route.
ROAD DEATHS
A total of 11 people were killed on the roads in the seven days up to Wednesday, December 5th. So far this year, 377 have died as a result of traffic accidents.
Part of this information was provided by AA Roadwatch.