It is largely expected that up to 45,000 homes will be without power this evening as storm Barney makes its way across the country.
The news comes as most of the country has been battered by gale force winds that have caused damage to power lines throughout the country. The ESB Network has said there has been significant damage caused to its infrastructure by the winds believed to be 125km per hour.
The utility also say the affected areas are in the mid-west, south and east of the country. The company have said they have dispatched repair teams to the affected areas, but it could take some time before power is restored.
Meanwhile forecasters at Met Éireann say the storm is expected to increase its severity through the night and we can expect further damage and further loss of electricity supply throughout the country.