Overnight temperatures are to plummet to minus 15C in parts of Ireland this week, but the ice and snow will be replaced by wind and rain from Christmas Day.

Overnight temperatures are to plummet to as low as -15C in parts this week but Christmas will be dampened by wind and rain from the Atlantic, pushing the thermometer up.

KILKENNY business and local authority leaders have pooled their resources to promote the south-east to potential investors.

The Green Party is to launch a campaign to develop a bio-fuel refinery at Carlow sugar factory, which Irish Sugar closed last month as part of a rationalisation scheme.

The Carlow sugar factory could be converted into a biofuels refinery to help cut carbon emissions and benefit the local economy, it was claimed today.