Commuters are facing chronic traffic delays today as more than 120,000passengers, who normally travel by train, look for alternative transport as the Irish Rail strike continues.

South African group to sue over giraffe bridge collision death

Gardaí are investigating a serious road collision in county Louth.

The first fatal road collision of 2011 has claimed the lives of two people, both believed to be in their 20s.

A teenager who was “out of his head” on the night he stole a van causing gardaí to give chase has been banned from driving for six years and given two years detention with the final year suspended.

The M1 between Newry and and Jonesborough has been closed for a security operation this morning after a suspicious vehicle was discovered.

A 13-year-old Dublin boy, who set fire to a schoolgirl’s hair and later led gardaí on a highly dangerous 40-minute traffic pursuit, was yesterday remanded in custody for a further week pending sentence.

The journey time between Dublin and Belfast will be cut to only two hours with tomorrow’s opening of the first motorway between the cities.

A crash at the Red Cow roundabout on the outskirts of Dublin caused traffic delays in the area and disrupted LUAS Red Line services this morning, but the situation has since returned to normal.

Motorists in the east of the country are being urged to drive carefully today, with heavy fog affecting roads in many areas.

Motorways are ten times safer than older main roads, according to research carried out by the National Roads Authority.

Hundreds of motorists fined for speeding in Co Louth look to be in line for refunds due to a mix-up over speed limits.

A MAN in his 60s was killed in a crash involving a car and a lorry near Dundalk early yesterday.

A man in his 60s has died in a car crash on the Dublin-to-Belfast road in Co Louth this morning.

Road and rail routes are expected to be busy today as hundreds of thousands of people head off for a holiday break. Iarnród Eireann said they were expecting around 300,000 people to use the railways this weekend.

Two men were killed and four people injured in a road accident in Dundalk, Co Louth early today.

John Breslin

IT WAS another weekend of carnage on the nation’s roads but two families in the North had a miraculous escape yesterday when a milk truck smashed into their front gardens.

THE final stretch of Ireland’s longest motorway will be officially opened by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today.

An Bord Pleanála has refused planning permission for a proposed €40m waste incinerator near Balbriggan in north Co Dublin.

One person has died in an early morning accident in Co Louth.

The AA has reported traffic disruption on all main routes in Ireland this evening as the last-minute Christmas rush kicks into action.

Gardai have issued flood alerts for a number of areas in the east of the country and are advising motorists to allow extra time for journeys.

One person has died and three others are seriously injured following a road accident in Co Louth.

Hurling fans travelling to Dublin for today’s all-Ireland semi-final between Dublin and Kilkenny are being advised that a number of traffic diversions are in place in north Dublin.

TWO women and a man were killed in a collision between a car and a van on the Dublin to Belfast motorway yesterday, bringing to 246 the number killed on Irish roads so far this year.

A garda spotter plane has joined the search for a number of armed men seen acting suspiciously in Co Louth this afternoon.

Gardaí in Co Louth are warning motorists that there will be considerable heavy slow moving traffic in the north of the county this evening, between 6 and 9pm, particularly north of Dundalk.

A man has died after an overnight road accident in Co Louth.

AA Roadwatch report that the N1 has been reopened north of Dundalk following a major crash involving a truck this morning.

The N1 remains blocked north of Dundalk between Newry and Dundalk at Dromad due to a jacknifed truck.

Road chaos is hampering thousands of motorists across the nation as snowstorms and blizzards intensify.