Severe weather forces country to walk the line
In an effort to conserve salt supplies the National Roads Authority has ordered local authorities to mix it with grit before spreading.
The 30,000 tonnes of stockpiled salt will have to last the country two weeks until further shipments arrive from abroad.
NRA spokesman Sean O’Neill said five times the usual amount of salt has already been used on some roads during the past week.
Eircom said it would have 600 crews working throughout the weekend to repair 3,800 faults in broadband and telephone services.
The biggest number of faults were reported in Dublin, Wicklow, Carlow, Meath, Laois and Wexford.
Meanwhile, the army has deployed more than 750 troops in 150 vehicles to help ensure staff can man hospitals. Troops were also involved in other humanitarian missions and have been clearing ice and snow from roads and footpaths.
Delays were experienced on some trains, while Dublin Bus was forced to cancel last night’s Nitelink services. Elsewhere in the capital several other bus routes were curtailed yesterday.
Luas trams operated but some stations were closed, with buses drafted in to ferry passengers.
St Stephen’s Green park will remain closed all weekend amid safety fears, while Trinity College was forced to cancel courses, evening lectures and seminars. It will be closed for the weekend.
Wicklow County Council has begun rationing water to conserve supplies while icy conditions have forced the cancellation of all weekend GAA matches and horse racing at Navan, Punchestown and Clonmel. A number of rugby matches have also been postponed.
Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports were operational yesterday, but some Aer Lingus flights were delayed or cancelled due to weather conditions at foreign airports.
IBEC has reported about €600 million has been lost to the economy in the last week due to sub-zero temperatures.
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