EXTRA BEDS ARE being made available for rough sleepers due to the bad weather.

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing said additional capacity has been put in place “to ensure that there are additional bed spaces available for rough sleepers that would not normally avail of homeless services”.

The east of the country is worst affected by the snow and a status orange snow-ice warning covering several counties has been extended until 6pm today.

The warning is in place for Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, Meath and Waterford. Temperatures are set to dip to minus three in some areas tonight, Met Éireann has said.

A status yellow snow-ice warning is in place for the rest of the country. It’ll remain in effect until 9am tomorrow.

People who see rough sleepers have been advised to contact groups such as the Peter McVerry Trust, Inner City Helping Homeless, Focus Ireland and Dublin Simon.

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Meanwhile, motorists have been advised to take extra caution on the roads and avoid unnecessary travel.

Public transport services have also been affected by the snow.

Read: Bus and train services affected as snow hits the country

Read: Rugby homecoming cancelled and buses hit as snow hits Ireland – again