Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a single-vehicle road traffic collision involving a livestock truck on the M1 in Co. Dublin early today (St. Patrick's Day, March 17).

It's understood the double trailer truck may have been carrying livestock it had collected in counties Kerry and Cork.

The livestock truck ended up on its side on the M1 between Junction 4 Donabate and Junction 5 Ballbriggan, on the northbound side around 6:55a.m.

An Garda Siochána has confirmed to Agriland: "The male driver of the truck (aged in his 20s) was conveyed to Beaumont Hospital for treatment of injuries believed to be non-life-threatening at this time.

"The road was temporarily closed, and has since reopened. Investigations are ongoing."

The welfare of the animals which were onboard is not known at this point and gardaí have said that "no further information is available".

Road safety

Separately,  a Garda Roads Policing Operation is taking place throughout the St. Patrick’s Public Holiday until 7:00a.m tomorrow, Wednesday March 18.

After five days of the operation, since March 12 there have been six fatalities as a result of traffic collisions on the country's roads.

This brings the total number of fatalities on Irish roads this year to 38.

Throughout the Roads Policing Operation, gardaí have been conducting both statutory Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) and regular, high-visibility policing checkpoints.