All national and secondary schools are to remain closed until Thursday 14 January 2010, Minister for Education Batt O’Keefe announced this afternoon.

The decision was taken following a review of the weekend weather forecast at a meeting of the Government’s Emergency Response Committee.

The Minister accepts that the closures will cause inconvenience but said the safety of student, teachers and parents was more important.

The decision comes amid growing fears among school principals and boards of management about the impact of further severe weather on school communities. It will be widely welcomed by them.

Schools have been telling RTÉ News of strong health and safety concerns, centred on footpaths and roads in their wider areas.

A decision on whether Ireland’s 4,000 schools will remain closed or re-opened later next week will be made following a review by the Committee at a meeting on Tuesday.

There are severe weather warnings in place across most of the country, with Met Éireann forecasting at least another three days of sub zero temperatures.

Drivers are being advised to take extra care on all routes but especially on secondary roads which may not have been gritted.

The unexpectedly long cold snap is also draining supplies of grit with several local authorities in the Midlands and in Dublin running low.

The National Roads Authority says the N5 Charlestown, N6 Loughrea, N8 Mitchelstown, N13 between Brigend and Burt in Donegal, and the N81 Baltinglass are all icy.

The Sally Gap in Wicklow is still closed, and secondary roads and housing estates in most of Dublin are described as treacherous.

In the South, Thurles has been badly affected with gardaí are warning of severe black ice in many places.

AA Roadwatch says it is very icy on secondary routes in Co Clare and also on the N18 Ennis Bypass.

In Co Cavan there are very icy in spots on the N3 Dublin/Cavan Rd and in the Baileboro and Virginia areas.

Gardaí have advised motorists to drive with extreme caution on the M7 between J12 Newbridge and J14 Monasterevin, or avoid if possible.

Bus Éireann services in Cork are severely disrupted.

All city services and many suburban routes and several services in the county have been suspended.

Services between Limerick and Dublin have been suspended due to road conditions, and there are long delays on the service between Dublin and Ballina.

Meanwhile, Dublin Bus services are operating on a restricted basis and services on routes on higher ground and through housing estates are again being limited.

Sections of ten national roads will today be designated as new motorways.

The Department of Transport made the changes following a recommendation from the National Roads Authority.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said: ‘The purpose of this move is to enhance and protect the national motorway network.’

The speed limits on these roads will be increased from 100 to 120km/ph, which will mean that learner drivers, certain types of agricultural vehicles and motorbikes will be banned.

Motorway status will be applied to 294km of national roads.

The sections reclassified include the N2 between Kilshane and Ashbourne, the N4 between Kinnegad and McNead’s Bridge and the N6 between Athlone and Galway.

Parts of the N3, N8, N9, N11, N18 and N20 are also covered, along with the Limerick Southern Ring Road.

Some of the roads involved are still under construction.

Conor Faughnan of AA Roadwatch says the change is a good thing and that it will make the roads safer as certain classes of vehicle cannot go on them.

Research from the Road Safety Authority has shown that one in ten drivers has admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel.Half of those surveyed said they has used ineffective methods, such as opening the window to try to beat tiredness.

The RSA published the findings as it and the gardaí launched their Easter safe driving appeal.

Two people died on Irish roads last Easter.

Gardaí say they hope no-one dies in road collisions this year and the force has appealed to people to be more careful.

Chief Superintendent Gabriel McIntyre said over a two-week period significant resources will be put in place to conduct checkpoint and enforce drink-driving legislation.

Noel Brett of the Road Safety Authority said driver fatigue is as dangerous as drink-driving.

He is advising people not to drive if tired and to think carefully before taking to the road in the days ahead.

 Motorists are being warned of dangerous driving conditions this morning after freezing overnight temperatures caused icy roads.

Ice and frost may be a problem for drivers on many roads around the country, particularly those that have not been treated.

There have been no fresh snow falls but Met Éireann have said road temperatures are well below zero on most national routes.

Two Dublin Bus Routes are affected by the poor road conditions.

The 44B is only operating as far as Kilternan and the 65 is only operating as far as Ballymount.

AA Roadwatch is asking drivers to reduce speed and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

In Britain more snow is forecast later today, which could affect ferry sailings on the Irish Sea and flight schedules at British airports.

Flights at Dublin airport are back to normal and are running to schedule so far this morning.

Frost should clear later in the day but may be slow to clear in some places in the north, the west and some parts of the midlands.

Motorists in the North have been also warned to watch out for icy roads especially in the Belfast and Lisburn areas.

There are also reports of foggy conditions in parts of Co Tyrone.

The Roads Service says it is gritting all main roads, covering about one quarter of all roads in Northern Ireland.

However, many minor roads are not treated and may be slippery.

Most flights are arriving and departing normally at Belfast City and International airports and City of Derry.