The Bank Holiday weekend claimed its first victims on the roads today with crashes in Co Cork and Co Waterford.
A woman died two miles outside Bandon, Co Cork, in a two-car collision at 2 p.m. She was pronounced dead on the scene on Innishannon Road, a Garda spokeswoman said. Two others were seriously injured.
In Co Waterford, a woman in her sixties died when the car she was driving collided with a four-wheeled drive vehicle. The crash happened on the Piltown bypass at 11.45 a.m. A passenger in her car and the other driver were injured.
The Garda road safety campaign for the bank holiday weekend began at midnight.
Last year six people were killed and 87 injured over the October bank holiday weekend. This year the National Safety Council said it is hoping a renewed Garda safety campaign - in all divisions - with increased targets for detection, will reduce deaths.
The campaign, which runs until midnight on Monday, will also target drivers under the influence of drugs, those not wearing seat-belts and speeding.