A red level wind warning is now in place for Cork and people are urged to stay indoors until Storm Barra has passed over the country.
Almost all inpatient and outpatient appointments have been cancelled in Cork, all schools and third level institutes have been advised to stay closed,
bus services and flights have also been cancelled.
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The Road Safety Authority is advising people to stay off the road today.
Winds are expected to gust over 130 kilometres per hour and some power outages are expected.
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New Covid-19 restrictions for the hospitality and live events sector come into force from today.
Nightclubs must close, while organised indoor events are now limited to 50 percent capacity.
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Half of first-time buyers are paying more than 52,000 euro on a deposit for a home.
New figures from the Banking and Payments Federation for the first six months of this year show a surge in house prices is driving deposit higher.