A man aged 38 has died after the car he was driving entered a flooded area near the Grand Canal at Pollagh, Co Offaly.
The death brings to six the number of people who have lost their lives on Irish roads since Christmas Day.
The fatalities include a seven-year-old boy who lost his life after a three-car collision in Co Antrim. Jackson Turner, a pupil at Sunnyland primary school in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, died in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast several hours after the accident on Saturday.
Seven other people were injured when the three vehicles collided at about 6.30 pm at Old Carrick Road in Newtownabbey.
The driver of the car in which the boy was travelling remains in hospital with serious injuries, according to the PSNI. A girl aged four who was also in the car was less seriously hurt.
Five people from the two other cars were also injured. None of these injuries is thought to be life-threatening.
Police in Newtownabbey said they are keen to hear from anyone who saw the collision, which involved two Nissan cars and a Citroen.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Oliver McMullan in expressing his condolences to the family and friends Jackson Turner said the accident was an “absolute tragedy”.
“It has brought shock and sadness to the entire community. A death on the roads at any time is terrible but it is made all the more poignant when it is someone so young at Christmas time,” he said.
"My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends and all the staff and pupils at Sunnylands Primary School in Carrickfergus. I hope that the others injured in this crash can make a full recovery as soon as possible," added Mr McMullan.
Earlier on Saturday, a 20-year-old woman died in a single vehicle crash in Co Wexford. The woman was the sole occupant of a car that left the road and struck a wall at Camblin, New Ross, at about 4.50pm.
She was pronounced dead at the scene and her body has been removed to University Hospital Waterford.
The road was closed to facilitate an examination by Garda forensic collision investigators and local diversions were put in place.
Gardaí have asked witnesses to contact New Ross Garda Station on 051-426030, the Garda confidential telephone line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Earlier on St Stephen’s Day, an 18-year-old man died following a three-vehicle collision in Co Cavan. The young man was pronounced dead at the scene after the car he was driving collided with another car and a truck at Kilcogy at about 7.30am.
His body has been removed to Cavan General Hospital, no one else was injured and gardaí investigating the crash have asked witnesses to call Cavan Garda station on 049 4368800.
Six people died on Irish roads between Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day.
A teenager was killed on Christmas morning when the motorcycle he was driving crashed into a second motorcyclist in Cherry Orchard.
Gardaí are also investigating the circumstances around the death of a 29-year-old pedestrian in Carlow who was hit by a car on Christmas evening.
