Updated 12.00
A young girl has been seriously injured in Co. Galway after the car her family was travelling in was blown across the road by storm force winds.
The three car crash happened at about 7 O'clock yesterday evening on the M6 between Oranmore and Athenry.
One of the girl's siblings and her Mother were also in the car - their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
It follows the death of a woman (23) in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, yesterday, after her car was hit by a falling tree.
Meanwhile, 8,000 homes and business across the country are still without electricity.
The ESB says it could be 6 O'clock this evening by the time all customers have their power restored.
Mike Fitzgerald, Head of Distribution and Customer Services at ESB Networks, told Newstalk's Breakfast crews are working on the problem:
Snow has fallen in counties Offaly, Sligo, Tipperary, Laois and Dublin today as 8,000 households wait for their power to be turned back on.
The ESB says it could be 6 o'clock this evening by the time all customers have their power restored.
Gardaí said there was 1/2" of snow on roads around Tullamore earlier. Snowfalls were also reported by AA Roadwatch in Sligo Town and Tobercurry, Co. Sligo; and in North Tipperary around Birdhill; while Mountmellick, Co. Laois also suffered.
The ESB says it has already restored power to 3,000 homes in Co. Donegal this morning - with the Killybegs area worst-affected. Parts of South Galway, Clare, Limerick, Kildare and Wicklow are also still off the grid.
High winds
Last night there were gusts of up to 144 kilometres per hour, recorded in the North West. Met Éireann says wind gusts of up to 130 kilometres per hour will hit the west coast again tomorrow.
It had downgraded its Weather Warning from Status Red to Status Yellow this morning.
However, forecaster Joanna Donelly told Newstalk's Pat Kenny Show that has now been upgraded again:
Yesterday, Aisling Maguire (23) was killed when a tree fell on her car in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, during a 150km per hour gust.
Barry Kenny is the Corporate Communications Manager with Iarnród Éireann:
