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A Bus Éireann bus stop sign. Alamy Stock Photo

Bus Éireann cancels services in four counties due to Storm Eunice as travel advice issued

The Road Safety Authority has warned against travel in counties impacted by Red and Orange warnings.

BUS ÉIREANN SERVICES in four counties have been cancelled tomorrow due to Storm Eunice.

The public transport operator is having to curtail its bus service due to a Status Red wind warning coming into effect for Clare, Cork, Kerry and Waterford.

Storm Eunice, which is set to hit Ireland overnight, will cause blizzard-like conditions in some parts of the country, with dangerously high winds in other parts.

Status Red wind warnings will be in place for Kerry, Clare, Cork and Waterford while Status Orange wind warnings will be in place for Munster, Connacht and parts of Leinster.

Orange snow warnings will also come into effect in Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Roscommon, while Yellow snow warnings will be in place across the country tomorrow.

Due to the storm, advice on travel has been issued by the Road Safety Authority and the Department of Transport today, with both urging people to use caution while travelling.

However, due to the Status Red wind warnings in four counties, people are being advised to remain indoors and to postpone any travel until after the storm has subsided.

The RSA has urged road users to be careful while travelling tomorrow and over the weekend.

With wind warnings to come into effect across the country, the RSA has said that people should consider postponing their journeys until after the storm has passed.

Road users are also being warned to be careful after the storm has passed and to be aware of possible debris on roads.

“When the extreme weather passes road users will still have to contend with potentially hazardous road conditions such as flooded roads and downed pylons, lines, trees, branches, and other debris which could block roads,” said the RSA.

“Obey any road closures or diversions put in place by Local Authorities and An Garda Síochána.”

Motorists are advised:

  • That control of a vehicle may be affected by strong cross winds, especially on exposed routes such as dual carriageways and motorways.
  • To beware of objects being blown onto the road. Expect road conditions to change quickly in high winds so reduce your speed.
  • To watch out for falling/fallen debris on the road and vehicles veering across the road.
  • That drivers should allow extra space between themselves and vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and motorcyclists.

Public transport

At a briefing by the National Emergency Co-ordination Group this afternoon, the Department of Transport said that they are engaging with all public transport operators to ensure that they are ready for Storm Eunice.

In Clare, Cork, Kerry and Waterford, some public transport options will not be available during the storm, with all Bus Éireann services set to be cancelled between 1am and 10am tomorrow.

The Department confirmed that there would be no bus services for the two counties tomorrow, adding that this includes local link services.

A spokesperson for Bus Éireann also confirmed that this would apply to all routes entering into or out of the four counties under the Red warning.

School bus services in Cork, Clare, Waterford, Kerry, Donegal, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon will also not be operating tomorrow due to school closures which were recommended by the Department of Education.

The spokesperson said that other services would be assessed in line with weather conditions.

“In relation to all other weather conditions, services will be assessed in line with prevailing local weather conditions. Bus Éireann is closely monitoring the situation and our number one priority is the safety of our employees and pupils that use our services.”

The spokesperson urged people to check @buseireann on Twitter for local updates.

However, Iarnród Éireann services will remain in operation throughout the country tomorrow, including in counties impacted by Status Red warnings.

In a statement this afternoon, the company said that while it will remain open, there may be some delays and that customers should check @IrishRail on Twitter for local updates.

“We will be monitoring lines, including early morning checks, especially on Red and Orange alert areas, and there may be delays arising from reduced speeds in Red areas,” said a spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann.

Elsewhere in Dublin, Dublin Bus has said that it expects all services to operate as normal tomorrow.

However, a spokesperson for Dublin Bus said that the situation would continue to be monitored and that advice would be provided to the company from the National Directorate Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM).

Commercial bus operators will be able to make their own local decisions, according to the Department of Transport.

Aer Lingus have confirmed to The Journal that several flights are cancelled due to Storm Eunice.

“Due to the high winds expected by Storm Eunice, six return flights tomorrow Friday are cancelled. Some further disruption to the Aer Lingus flight schedule tomorrow Friday, 18 February is possible,” said a spokesperson for Aer Lingus.

Customers are advised to check the status of their flight before departing for the airport. Impacted customers will be accommodated on the next available flight, or can apply for a refund.

There has also been engagement with ferry companies in advance of Storm Eunice due to the high seas that Met Éireann has forecasted for tomorrow.

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4 Comments
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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:29 AM

    False anger. They couldn’t give a two penny poo about this sort of thing. A few FF characters were recently elected as councilors in our area and the first thing they do is vote to increase LPT by 5%. There was no mention of doing that kind of thing on the door steps though when going around begging for votes. Irish politicians must be the most fake type of humans out there. They would turn your stomach.

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    Mute Dan
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:46 AM

    @David Corrigan: Another example of the Irish love of punishment. FF lads did not mention anything on the doorstep but did nothing in FF past not tip people off? Why do Irish voters do the same thing again and again and act surprised when they get screwed again and again?

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:51 AM

    @Dan: I have no idea Dan. I never voted for any of the main parties in my life but like yourself, I can’t understand why people still do vote for them.

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    Mute Vocal Outrage
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:53 AM

    @David Corrigan: or perhaps they looked at the figures and realised that local services needed more funding as in some areas, not sure if applies to your area though, not only has the LPT not increased in line with inflation/increasing house prices, but has dropped.
    I do think there is some element of false anger here as FF appear to imply a deliberate act, whereas the councils actions would indicate it was an accident, someone should be held accountable, but mistake is different to deliberate act

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:58 AM

    @Vocal Outrage: But nobody will be responsible. As usual.

    31
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    Mute Dan
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    Sep 25th 2019, 8:34 AM

    @David Corrigan: boggles the mind David

    12
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    Mute Denis McClean
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    Sep 25th 2019, 12:39 PM

    @Vocal Outrage: Only someone in FFG could defend LPT and rising house prices.

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    Mute Vocal Outrage
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:58 PM

    @Denis McClean: glad to say I’m not a member of any political party, but fair play for pidgeon-holing me into what is perceived as a derogatory group without any evidence just because you disagree with me rather that actually trying to counter with arguments. Irony is that increasing funding for public services isn’t really a core policy of either FF or FG, so even your categorisation of myself lacks logic

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    Mute moneymaid
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:32 AM

    SDCC do not listen. They follow their own rules. Absolutely disgraceful that this happened yet I’m not surprised.
    SDCC are about to destroy the area near The Hellfire Club by spending millions to put in a totally unnecessary visitor centre. No one wants it yet they are ploughing ahead.

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Sep 25th 2019, 8:37 AM

    @moneymaid: what??? A Hell fire club visitor centre? Tell me you’re joking.

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    Mute moneymaid
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    Sep 25th 2019, 9:04 AM

    @Peter Cavey: Unfortunately not.
    http://www.sdublincoco.ie/Media/Item/37628

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    Mute Alan
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    Sep 25th 2019, 9:56 AM

    @moneymaid: and no one in sdcc will be personally held responsible because that’s how we operate in this country

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    Mute Lydia McLoughlin
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:25 AM

    But yet they are about to let more destruction go on in Cherryfield Park along the Dodder at this very moment in time! They spout absolute crap these guys. They just like the sound of their own voices. Someone in their lot always knows what’s going on but others turn a blind eye. People are ‘invited’ to object or voice concerns but are ignored. Same old same old.

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    Mute davey boy
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:47 AM

    How about an inquiry about Martin promising he would support & deliver 24 hour cardiac care in Waterford?

    46
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    Mute Gary
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:34 AM

    OMG, the human race are destined to destroy this planet. Meanwhile no one will be held responsible for this, or if within SDCC someone is found to be responsible for this, premonition into another department might be the solution. Great little republic we live in. Maybe a few years from now we might get our act together

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    Mute Vocal Outrage
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:56 AM

    @Gary: they interviewed the guy who discovered the dumping and he pointed out that the wetlands were actually created by this type of landfill being deposited at that location a few years ago. It’s still a massive screw up, but at least in this case there is some prospect of environmental recovery.

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    Mute Jen Sandford
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    Sep 25th 2019, 9:35 AM

    @Vocal Outrage: it took 35 years. This originally was a kind of dumping ground for trash people back then, but this is what spawned the kind of wildlife it had up until recently. Might take the same amount of time the area is not regenerated and the money to be provided to the HIS to do this.
    Best thing to do is keep on sending complaints to local councilors and EPA to ensure that the matter is not dropped.

    17
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    Mute Liz Gallagher
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    Sep 25th 2019, 8:52 AM

    Well seeing as the Minister for Culture and Heritage Josepha Madigan doesn’t care at all about protecting our wildlife (hare coursing, fox hunting etc), and our record in enforcing animal welfare laws are shocking I don’t think she or anyone in Government will do anything about this.

    26
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    Mute BlueSkyThinking
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    Sep 25th 2019, 8:42 AM

    I can’t believe the controversy over this small piece of man made wetland that came about from the council dumping silt there in the first place. This happens all over the country and it’s a severe sign of the Dublin centric media in this country that it’s demanded so many column inches. The recent development of this habitat and quick habitation by wild life shows that this was an immature ecosystem with early colonisers. They’ll quickly recolonise any available habitat once it’s made available to them very quickly. Problem and controversy solved!

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Sep 25th 2019, 8:46 AM

    @BlueSkyThinking: I made this point on social media and the looney fringe came stampeding out of their cave with cries of the end of the world.
    Rewetting a damaged wetland will bring it back in a very short space of time, but apparently you can’t say that.

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    Mute Alan Mc Cready
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    Sep 25th 2019, 10:36 AM

    @BlueSkyThinking: There is all the poor creatures unnecessarily killed in the process

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    Mute BlueSkyThinking
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    Sep 25th 2019, 12:04 PM

    @Alan Mc Cready: I’d hate to burst your bubble but what do you think happens every time a farmer ploughs/harvests a field?
    Early coloniser species have high fecundity and thrive in disrupted ecosystems: by their very own biological lifecycle design their numbers can bounce back very quickly (once suitable habitat is put in place).

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    Mute collie ennis
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    Sep 25th 2019, 1:06 PM

    @BlueSkyThinking: As the Hereptologist on site I can assure you that this area was anything but immature. It had established itself over a 10 year period at least. The presence of amphibians in such large numbers in an open urban area was totally unique and its destruction was worth highlighting. If you had physically seen the site you would grasp how severe the damage is and how it would be absolutely impossible for the area to bounce back in a short space of time. There is 4ft of toxic mud and debris covering 90% of the area. I’ve spent the last year working on this site so please that this as an informed opinion. It will actually take decades to recover unassisted. This is not acceptable anymore.

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    Mute John Considine
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    Sep 25th 2019, 2:27 PM

    @collie ennis: has there been any legal designation of any kind on this site? From all I’ve read, and heard on radio, all that was in place was a mention in a draft county development plan, which of course means practically nothing. Was it ever formally deemed to be an environmentally sensitive area, national heritage area, area of scientific importance or any other such legally effective means of objecting to the dumping of the silt?

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    Mute Collie Ennis
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    Sep 25th 2019, 4:58 PM

    @John Considine: That was what we were working towards John. The full scale survey work in collaboration with my colleagues in TCD was due to start in spring continuing into summer and with the council itself putting the area in the Tallaght development plan as a designated wetland area along with assurances it would only receive minimal interference we believed all was well and the future looked bright for the site.

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    Mute BlueSkyThinking
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    Sep 25th 2019, 5:06 PM

    @collie ennis: I understand your outrage at this highly localised destruction but ecologically speaking 10 years is a short time.
    I had a look at the area on google maps and was surprised how small it was. I still argue that if a suitable habitat was provided nearby we would get good recovery.

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    Mute John Considine
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    Sep 25th 2019, 5:10 PM

    @Collie Ennis: So, on the day the silt was tipped, there was no legal prohibition?

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    Mute IrishFreeSpeechParty
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    Sep 25th 2019, 10:34 AM

    Funny how they destroy nice things like the Tallaght wetlands and then ruin roads with bonnet high speed bumps that rip your suspension to pieces on roads that don’t need them. Not just this case needs an enquiry, the entire SDCC needs to be investigated for poor development practices.

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    Mute Wade Wilson
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    Sep 25th 2019, 2:30 PM

    Destroying the habitat of endangered animals is a crime. I wonder if anyone will be prosecuted?

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    Mute Leo Lalor
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    Sep 25th 2019, 11:12 AM

    They might as well be looking into a bog

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    Mute Gerard Byrne
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    Sep 25th 2019, 11:27 AM

    This wouldn’t happen with SINN FEIN OR SOLIDARITY BEING IN POWER

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    Mute Madison Underwood
    Favourite Madison Underwood
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    Sep 25th 2019, 7:27 PM

    That’s South Dublin County Council for ya! Clueless.

    1
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