Updated 15.40
Public transport is at a standstill in most areas of the country as it faces blizzard conditions.
There will be no Dublin Bus, Irish Rail or Luas services again on Friday.
A status red snow-ice warning has been issued for the entire country, leading to school & workplace closures for Thursday and Friday.
Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus have both cancelled all their services nationwide.
No @ExpresswayIRE & @Buseireann services Thurs, Mar 1 due to red weather alert @TFIupdates @emergencyIE @NewstalkFM @TodayFMNews #stormemma
— Bus Eireann (@Buseireann) March 1, 2018
#DBSvcUpdate There will be no services today Thursday 1 March. We will monitor weather and road conditions throughout the day and update customers here and on https://t.co/D8T63lnFHF #BeastFromTheEast #StormEmma pic.twitter.com/XHIbCK5Fcw
— Dublin Bus (@dublinbusnews) March 1, 2018
This afternoon, Dublin Bus said it would not be resuming its services on Friday.
It has apologised for any inconvenience caused but said “this decision has been made in the interest of the safety of our customers and employees.”
However, the Department of Housing said that Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann intend to reinstate a limited service from Friday evening "as conditions allow".
The Luas had been running limited trams in the capital on Thursday morning, however they came to a complete stop from 12.00pm.
Irish Rail services began scaling back from 12.00pm Thursday, with all services stopping nationwide at 2.00pm.
They will not operate on Friday either.
Rail service outlook: services now winding down, with final departures before 14.00hrs. No trains for rest of today, and no trains will operate tomorrow Fri 2nd March. We expect to resume Sat 3rd March, details will be confirmed tomorrow. #BeastFromTheEast https://t.co/j2V9nUJMK6
— Iarnród Éireann (@IrishRail) March 1, 2018
All southside DARTs have been suspended. Customers travelling northbound are urged to make their way to Pearse St Station as services will remain suspended between Bray and Pearse Street due to flooding.
Alternative bus services for rail customers from Pearse Stn to Bray due to flooding:
Departs Pearse Stn 13.00 & 13.30 will serve stations or adjacent to all stations except Dalkey.
Grateful to Morton’s Coaches and @TFIupdates for assistance #BeastFromTheEast pic.twitter.com/ABQcnh3oRb— Iarnród Éireann (@IrishRail) March 1, 2018
Image: RollingNews.ie
Airports
Dublin Airport. Image: Paul Quinn/Newstalk
No flights are taking off or land at Dublin Airport after 4.00pm Thursday afternoon, with the airport saying it is 'unlikely' there will be any flights on Friday..
Shannon Airport is to close from 6.00pm Thursday evening. Management say the airport will re-open, weather permitting, at 5:00am on Saturday March 3rd.
Airlines suspending flight operations @DublinAirport from 3-4pm today due to impact of #StormEmma. @AerLingus & @Ryanair resuming flights on SAT am. Unlikely to be any flights tomorrow. More here https://t.co/FtLmdMtbQY #Beastfromtheeast #Sneacta 1/2 pic.twitter.com/AqyU7EptID
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) March 1, 2018
Flights continued to arrive and depart this morning and lunchtime, but the vast majority of services have been cancelled.
No Ryanair flights will operate to or from Ireland tomorrow.
The airline said: "Due to continuing adverse weather conditions, all flights scheduled to/from Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Knock & Shannon Airports on Friday 2nd March have been cancelled.
"All affected customers have been notified of their options by email / SMS text message. We are doing everything we can to re-accommodate customers and we apologise for any inconvenience caused by these disruptions which are entirely outside of our control."
Aer Lingus has cancelled most flights to and from Irish airports for Friday:
#StormEmma Update
- All DUB, SNN, ORK and BHD operations will end today at 15:00
- All arrivals and departures from DUB, SNN, ORK and BHD on Friday are cancelled. Eastbound transatlantic flights are scheduled to operate.
- We plan a return to full operations on Saturday
— Aer Lingus (@AerLingus) March 1, 2018
Cork Airport services are not currently operating, and Ryanair and Aer Lingus flights to the airport have been cancelled.
News: Remaining @AerLingus flights @CorkAirport today have been cancelled. https://t.co/Y4FXQTkDfW
— Cork Airport (@CorkAirport) March 1, 2018
These passengers are among those anxiously waiting at Dublin Airport:
It’s a chilly morning on the roof of @DublinAirport with some planes landing & taking off but several cancellations #StormEmma #BeastFromTheEast @NewstalkFM @TodayFMNews @98FM pic.twitter.com/gHn6NLPoh1
— Paul Quinn (@pdquinn7) March 1, 2018
Dublin Airport. Image: Paul Quinn/Newstalk
Additional reporting: Jack Quann
