Snow and ice weather warning coming into force

A snow and ice weather warning issued by Met Eireann comes into force later today.

A status yellow alert comes into effect this afternoon, with the northern half the country worst hit with up to 3 centimetres of snow expected in places.

Forecasters say we are in for bitterly cold conditions until Sunday.

Drivers are being urged to slow down during the bad weather.

John Coffey from Liberty Insurance says a survey they have comissioned shows three quarters of drivers are not confident when driving in poor weather conditions.

He said: "It is important to be mindful of your surroundings and being prepared and exercising caution.

"Really it is about driving at a speed that is appropriate for the road conditions and keeping a safe distance from the cars in front of you."