One person has been taken to hospital following a road traffic collision on the M18 in Co Clare this afternoon.
The incident, which involved and tractor and trailer and a car, happened at around 3.45pm at Ballyline between junction 14 (Barefield) and junction 15 (Crusheen).
The car came to a stop across lane two in the northbound carriageway while the tractor/trailer driver managed to pull safely into the hard shoulder.
Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service responded from Ennis and Shannon stations along with National Ambulance Service paramedics and GardaÃ.
Firefighters were able to set up an emergency traffic management system and keep the rush hour traffic moving via the hard shoulder. In the meantime, Gardaà diverted traffic off the motorway at junction 14.
The driver of the car was assessed at the scene by paramedics before being removed to University Hospital Limerick for further treatment. The tractor driver escaped injury.
The extensively damaged car was later recovered from the scene by tow truck while the tractor operator was able to drive his vehicle to the next exit with the assistance of GardaÃ.
Traffic Infrastructure Ireland (TII) motorway maintenance crews also attended the incident. They cleared the scene of debris before the motorway was declared safe and reopened to traffic shortly after 5.00pm.