THE COUNTRY faces several more days of sub-zero temperatures, with conditions unlikely to improve until Christmas Eve at the earliest.
Met Éireann has forecast that most of the country will remain dry. But there is a risk of snow showers in parts of the south, north and east over the coming days.
Weather forecaster Joan Blackburn said milder temperatures are due to arrive on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when a belt of rain is due to cross the country.
In the meantime, daytime values are unlikely to rise much above freezing, preventing any thaw. Night-time temperatures are are due to fall to between -5 and -10.
The weather has also caused havoc for thousands of travellers trying to get home in time for the festive season, as well as those planning to go abroad.
While airports in Ireland remained open over the weekend, many flights were cancelled as a result of snow and ice across Britain and parts of Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands. Heathrow, Britain’s busiest airport, and Gatwick were closed to all inbound flights while only a handful of departures were allowed. Airports elsewhere in the UK were also affected.
The death toll from weather-related incidents has risen with ice and snow believed to have been a factor in four fatalities and may have been a factor in two others.
Icy conditions on an untreated road were a contributory factor in the death of a mother and son who were killed in Co Louth at the weekend, according to gardaí.
Leontina Covaci (35) and Ezacheal Covaci (9) of Rivervale Grove, Dunleer, Co Louth, died on Saturday afternoon when the car in which they were passengers hit a wall on the old M1, south of Castlebellingham.
An investigation is continuing into death of 15-year-old Aoife Downey, who died in a sledding accident near Cork city on Saturday. Her makeshift sleigh struck a tree near the local golf club. Another girl and two teenage brothers also suffered injuries in the incident.
A 30 year old from Co Mayo who died suddenly on Saturday night is believed to have fallen earlier on compacted snow and ice.
In Dublin, a man and a woman whose bodies were discovered in the Grand Canal beneath Suir Road Bridge, Inchicore, on Saturday afternoon are thought to have died after one fell into the water and the other attempted a rescue.
The continuing cold spell is posing problems for local authorities and the National Roads Authority due to dwindling salt and grit supplies.
There is a national stock of just 10,000 tonnes of salt, used at a rate of about 2,000 tonnes per day, according to Seán O’Neill of the authority. He said salt supplies are being redistributed to Donegal, Roscommon, Monaghan, Galway, Cavan, Kerry and Cork.
