Storm Barra: Ireland announces widespread school closures

6 December 2021, 18:19 | Updated: 6 December 2021, 18:39

The Irish Department of Education has announced that schools across the nation will remain closed on Tuesday as a response to Storm Barra.

The Irish Met Office has placed counties in the South-West and West of the country on "Red Alert" as Storm Barra is set to hit the British Isles on Tuesday morning.

Counties Clare, Kerry and Cork have been placed on the list, with Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Mayo, Wexford, Dublin, Louth, Wicklow, Meath placed on an "Orange warning".

Read more: Storm Barra: New snow and wind warnings but thousands still without power

In response to Met Éireann, the Irish Department of Education has announced that schools in these counties will remain closed tomorrow.

The announcement comes as thousands of homes across the North of England remain without power this week as a result of Storm Arwen.

Read more: 'Worse than useless': LBC listeners reveal impact of Storm Arwen power cuts

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng last week pledged to restore power "as soon as humanly possible", but many have been warned they could spend Christmas without electricity.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tweeted that he has sought assurances from energy companies that they were "putting in place measures to limit any potential further disruption to households" as a result of Storm Barra.

Following the announcement of school closures, the Department of Education in Ireland shared a press release:

"Met Éireann has advised that there is a strong possibility that the status of parts of these counties currently in status orange are likely to change and escalate to status red.

Read more: Thousands without power from Storm Arwen eligible for £140 a day compensation

"Due to the significant nature of Storm Barra, as forecast by Met Éireann and to give sufficient notice to schools and parents/guardians, the Department is advising that all schools covered by the Red Alert and Orange warning from Met Éireann should not open tomorrow, 7 December.

Read more: UK set for more snow and heavy wind as country struggles to recover from Storm Arwen

"All schools should keep up-to-date with the current weather warnings which are carried on all national and local news bulletins and in particular any change in the status warning for their area."