Continued harsh weather conditions have forced the closure of a large number of schools in the west, as travel remains hazardous on many routes.
Snow forecast for tomorrow is expected to put further pressure on local authorities grappling with a shortage of supplies and manpower for gritting.
Dry but very cold weather over the past two days in Galway city has ensured that main routes are passable with care, but secondary routes in the city and county are not being treated.
Water shortages are exacerbating the hardship in some parts of the county, due to problems with the mid-county water scheme. However, former Ballinasloe mayor, Cllr Michael Mullins (FG) has praised the "heroic" level of activity by frontlne, technical and managerial staff in Galway County Council who had to cope with both flooding and freezing conditions with little or no break over Christmas.
"We know that Galway County Council's outdoor staff has been cut by 85 in the last 12 to 18 months, and yet we have never had a busier period than in the past six months,"Cllr Mullins told The Irish Times. "They get all the blame, but there is a core of people who have been working extremely hard throughout all this."
