Weather warnings have been issued as Ireland's deep freeze worsens. It comes as worrying Met Eireann temperature models show lows of -12C later this week.

Several areas across the country are already blanketed in snow - with more on the way. Met Eireann says the bitter cold is expected to persist through the rest of the working week. It has extended a nationwide Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning until midnight on Friday,

Met Eireann has issued status orange low temperature/ice warnings for most of the country for the next two nights as the temperatures are set to plummet to as low as -8 in places. The national forecaster says conditions will be "extremely cold with widespread severe frost, ice and lying snow" and that caution should be exercised.

Met Eireann has extended the nationwide Status Yellow weather warning by another 12 hours as Ireland faces a further freeze for the next four days. The Low Temperature alert issued at the weekend had been due to expire by noon on Thursday,