41,000 without power and 40,000 without water as several schools across the country remain closed after heavy snowfall

Tens of thousands of people were left without power overnight as heavy falls of rain, sleet and snow swept across the country, with counties in the south and southeast the worst affected by the cold snap.

Schools in several counties are expected to stay closed today, with the decision left to individual boards of management, depending on local factors.

ESB Networks said it was working hard to restore electricity but that many of the 59,000 homes, farms and businesses affected would not be reconnected for several days and that the weather warnings in place indicated that more people could lose power.

Most of those affected were in counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick,…