Traffic is beginning to return to normal around Dublin airport after a security alert early this morning, but the airport authority has warned that flights may be affected for the rest of the day.
Tailbacks began on the back roads around the airport shortly after 8am when the airport was evacuated due to a bomb alert. Gardaí directed traffic away from the terminal building at various cordon points, diverting motorists onto the M50 and towards Ballymun.
Some motorists waiting to access the airport parked on the approach roads and read newspapers in their cars while they waited for the all-clear.
The security alert has been lifted and traffic may now access the airport and carparks again. However, traffic is particularly heavy on the old Swords Road.
Elsewhere, traffic is expected to be extremely busy over the weekend due to a number of sporting events and the Oxegen music festival at Punchestown, just outside Naas, Co Kildare.
From early today, festival-goers are boarding buses with backpacks full of crucial camping supplies for the Oxegen event - toilet paper, bottled water and baby wipes at the top of the list.
The weather will bring its mixed bag of tricks to the party, with tomorrow expected to start bright and sunny, but descending into wet and windy conditions in the evening.
It will be mostly dry on Sunday with scattered showers during th day.
Tomorrow, the music fans will enjoy the unique sound of Dubliner Damien Dempsey, local boys Republic of Loose, the Magic Numbers, James Brown, Hard-Fi, The Strokes, young men of the moment Arctic Monkeys and old legends The Who.
On Sunday, former Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft, Interpol-soundalikes Editors, We are Scientists and summery popsters Delays will entertain the masses.
In the Oxegen Green room, there will be cool sounds from Go Team, Primal Scream, Futureheads, Whipping Boy and Gomez, amongst others.
Eels and Jose Gonzalez will be on the Pet Sounds stage. For those looking for a dance vibe, the MTV dance area will host sounds from DJ Dave Clarke, Felix Da Housecat and others.
The tens of thousands of music fans making their way to Oxegen have urged to use buses laid on for the event in order to avoid parking problems and traffic delays.
Gardaí said traffic measures were in place for private vehicles travelling to the weekend event at Punchestown racecourse but priority will be given to coaches.
A free park-and-ride service will be located at Goffs, Kill, Co Kildare and there will be parking facilities available at Punchestown for people arriving in their own transport.
No parking will be permitted on any of the approach routes to the concert.
Vehicles found breaching restrictions will be towed away and owners will be charged, gardaí said.
A shuttle bus service to Naas will be operate from today, July 7 to Monday, July 10.
Motorists have been warned to expect long delays on the N7 heading towards Kildare this evening and over the weekend.
Also in Kildare, the Smurfit Kappa European Open continues at the K Club in Straffan and this event will also attract the crowds.
Sunday's main event on the sporting front is the Ulster senior football championship final between Donegal and Armagh, which kicks off at Croke Park at 2.15pm. Traffic in the Drumcondra area will be very busy and some roads will be open for local access only.
Motorists will also face delays between Naas, Sallins and Clane due to roadworks in place unil July 9 th.
In Meath, the Clonee to Dunboyne road is also closed until July 24 thand long delays have been experienced south of Dunshaughlin and on the Clonee by-pass at rush-hour.
In Cork, the number 3 and number 7 city bus service routes have been altered until August due to roadworks on Grand Parade.