The big thaw will set in this week, with Met Éireann predicting sub-zero temperatures at night but no repeat of the widespread heavy snowfalls witnessed around the country in recent days.

But while the worst of the recent weather may be over, motorists and pedestrians have been warned to expect hazardous conditions on roads and pathways to persist until well into this week.

This will be particularly true in the morning and at night, when ice and snow which has begun to thaw during the daytime refreezes overnight.

Dublin Airport was fully operational yesterday afternoon, while Bus Éireann reported that most of its services were operating.

Full Irish Rail services were also in operation, except on the M3 Parkway to Clonsilla route, although Dublin Bus services were curtailed in parts of the city. Dublin's Luas line was also operating fully although a bus service was in operation from Sandyford to Bride's Glen in the foothills of the Dublin mountains. However, driving conditions on the country's roads continued to be hazardous, with motorists advised to watch out for black ice and freezing fog.

Road temperatures were at less than zero on a number of routes yesterday morning, and were -4°C or lower in parts of Monaghan, Wicklow and Donegal. The northbound carriageway of the M9 south of Carlow was closed for a time yesterday morning after a truck jackknifed in the bad weather, while in Donegal a grit trick came off the road because of poor conditions.

Met Éireann forecaster Joan Blackburn said we could expect continued cold weather into this week, with temperatures well below average for this time of year, and freezing fog and rain also a possibility.

But it is expected that any snowfall will be confined to higher ground. "We are not expecting a repeat of the very severe wintry snap we've had," she said.