Olivia Kelleher
Schools in the main will remain open this week with principals and boards of management exercising discretion in certain cases, according to Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O'Brien.
Mr O'Brien said that whilst we are going to see very low temperatures and ice — and some wintry showers — there won't be "a great degree of accumulations".
"We are conscious in the north-west as well that there has been snow, in the Donegal and Mayo region and also into Galway.
"But we don't expect wholesale school closures. We will leave that to discretion as well, in specific incidences.
"Where there might be a local issue with regards to weather or access, it would be normal for a principal and a board of management to make a call. But schools will remain open this week," Mr O'Brien said.
Mr O'Brien said that he anticipates that secondary roads and footpaths will be gritted this week.
"The main focus firstly obviously will be on primary routes and we discussed the secondary routes and indeed paths in villages and around schools and shops and that. We have a sufficient supply of salt and grit and that is happening.
"The main routes are being gritted and salted each evening. Local authorities will this week, and from [Monday], be looking at paths and secondary routes. They won't be able to get everywhere done straight away.
"We are acutely aware that we want as best as possible to make our paths and roads as safe as possible during this cold snap."
Mr O'Brien also discussed electricity and gas supply during the cold snap. He said that Eirgrid, ESB Networks and Gas Networks Ireland indicated on Sunday that the outlook is "positive" and that the supply is stable.
"People should not be concerned about that in any shape or form. Obviously that is looked at every day. Eirgrid and Gas Networks Ireland sit on the National Emergency Coordination Group, but their update yesterday was very positive and clear."
He also addressed issues around cost-of-living and heating stressing that people need to stay warm, ensuring that "no-one" will be cut off over the winter period.
"People have to stay warm and safe and we would encourage people to do that. Where someone falls in to difficulty the Department of Social Protection is available there to assist.
"We do have the mechanisms through social welfare to provide additional payments should we wish to, but I think most people will see that the payments we have provided here to far have been very significant. We will keep that under review."
