Motorists advised to slow down as Met Eireann issues weather warning

Motorists are advised to take extreme care on the roads this morning following heavy rain and flooding overnight.

Limerick, Kerry and Westmeath are among the worst effected counties while Louth, Tipperary and Kilkenny city have also been hit.

Met Eireann has a National Weather Warning in place with further heavy showers expected throughout the day, but they will ease off this evening.

It comes as Gardaí launch National Slowdown Day in an effort to reduce the number of road crashes this bank holiday weekend.

Extra checkpoints will be in place from 7am this morning.

Roads are very wet this morning with a lot of surface water in places following widespread and prolonged heavy rain.

In Limerick, the Main St in Shanagolden is impassable and in the Cork / Kerry region, there is spot flooding on the N22 Cork/Killarney Rd at the Inchigeelagh turnoff and again in Macroom Town at the Bull Statue.

Care is also needed further west in Glenflesk in Co. Kerry where traffic is currently down to one lane.

There is flooding on the N72 Killarney/ Mallow Rd at Rathmore and it is bad on the N69 Askeaton/ Tralee Rd at Abbeydourney and again north of Tralee.