A section of the M18 was closed for a time this morning following a single vehicle collision.

Fire crews from two counties are dealing with a major oil spillage on the M18 this afternoon.

The opening today of the final 57km of the M17 M18 motorway will not only bring immediate economic benefits to towns and cities along the Atlantic Economic Corridor but it will support the development of the entire Shannon basin and act as the mobility backbone that improves the north-south flow along the Wild Atlantic Way.

Shannon Group and Shannon Airport believed the opening of the M18 Gort to Tuam motorway will provide an unprecedented opportunity to advance the case of a western economic corridor.

The opening of the Gort to Tuam section of the M17/M18 motorway ahead of schedule will give investors an alternative to Dublin and Leinster and provide access to a larger population and labour markets in the west of Ireland including Co Clare.

The decision by Transport Infrastructure Ireland to select a site for a Motorway Service Area on the M18 near Newmarket on Fergus is designed to suck local business from the Ennis Shannon commuter belt rather than service normal motorway traffic.

Three incidents involving vehicles that lost control on the M18 following a downpour of hail this morning, have been cleared.

Two people are recovering in hospital following an early morning collision on the M18 in Co Clare.

Three people were injured in a road traffic collision in Co Clare this afternoon while the occupants of four cars had a lucky escape following separate incidents on the M18.