Video: Schools to remain open despite cold snap, body removed from Kildare crash site

Kenneth Fox

School situation

Schools in the main will remain open this week with principals and boards of management exercising discretion in certain cases, according to Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O'Brien.

Mr O'Brien said that whilst we are going to see very low temperatures and ice — and some wintry showers — there won't be "a great degree of accumulations".

"We are conscious in the north-west as well that there has been snow, in the Donegal and Mayo region and also into Galway.

"But we don't expect wholesale school closures. We will leave that to discretion as well, in specific incidences.

Kildare crash site

A body has been removed from the wreckage of a helicopter crash in Co Kildare, PA understands.

The helicopter crashed into a field in Brannockstown about 5kms southeast of Kilcullen on Sunday evening.

Gardaí and emergency services crews remained at the scene on Monday morning and a technical examination was being conducted by investigators.

No confidence motion

Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien has claimed that a motion of no confidence being tabled against him by People before Profit is a "bit of a stunt."

In an interview with Morning Ireland, on RTE Radio 1, Minister O'Brien said that the motion is an "attention seeking exercise."

"I think people see what People before Profit are doing as "a bit of a stunt." I welcome the debate on Government performance. That is fine. I am very clear on the work I have done.

"We have just discussed planning reform. I imagine here that People before Profit will oppose that. They will find a reason to oppose everything like they did the Affordable Housing Act. They opposed it.

UK lake deaths

Three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 have died after being pulled from an icy lake in Solihull in the UK.

A fourth boy (6) remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Emergency services were first called to Babbs Mill Park in the Kingshurst area of Solihull, West Midlands, near Birmingham at 2.36pm on Sunday, where it was reported four children had been playing on the ice and fallen through into the lake.

Asylum seekers accommodation

Alternative accommodation has been found at four different locations for 80 asylum seekers, who were being housed in tents at a Direction Provision Centre in Co Clare.

Speaking on Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1, Minister for Integration Roderic O'Gorman said that many of the asylum seekers are now being housed at a Direct Provision Centre in Knockalisheen in Co Clare, with a “small number of people” being moved in to permanent accommodation.

Mr O’Gorman said no asylum seekers were in tents at present nationwide, and every effort was being made to ensure this solution would not be used again. He stressed that about 600 of the 63,000 being accommodated across Ireland were put in tents