IT WOULD BE FUNNY if it wasn’t so serious, but the boss of the NRA yesterday prioritised Donegal for salt supplies – but we’ll only get it when the thaw kicks in!
Sean O’Neill from the National Roads Authority admitted national supplies of salt were down to 10,000 tonnes, with 2,000 tonnes a day being used.
He said the NRA is now confident that the new shipments at sea would begin arriving into Cork and Belfast around Wednesday, and a fleet of dozens of trucks would be on hand in to distribute the supplies to the counties most in need.
But guess what – by the time it gets to Donegal the thaw will start, Met Eireann said today.
Temperatures are due to rise around Christmas Eve.
O’Neill admitted the priority counties now are Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan, Roscommon, Kerry and Cork.
Meanwhile Garda Inspector John Ferris said traffic corps cops around the country had reported that many people are still driving too fast and too close to the car in front for the prevailing conditions.
He appealed to people to drive at an appropriate speed.
National Emergency Committee chairman Sean Hogan asked the public to take care when out and about and repeated advice that people walking on icy footpaths should avoid walking with their hands in their pockets and while talking on a mobile phone.
However, he suggested pedestrians take a mobile phone with them when walking in case they need assistance. He also asked people to stay away from iced over water.