€7m motorway service area opens today

Ireland's newest motorway service area is opening today on the country's busiest motorway.

The M7 links Dublin to Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Clare as well as a vast region of the Midlands.

The service area at Monasterevin in Co Kildare will open 24 hours a day - providing four separate food outlets, fuel and washing facilities and 145 parking spaces.

A total of 50 news jobs have also been created.

The project is the culmination of eight years work and a €7m investment by local businessmen Donal and Liam Fitzpatrick.