Author name: highlandnews

A Donegal TD has challenged the Government in the Dáil over the plight of seriously ill and terminally ill residents trapped in defective concrete homes. Deputy Charles Ward told TDs the Housing Department has responded to representations regarding very seriously ill homeowners with generic letters that fail to address medical urgency or provide practical support.

Donegal County Council is being urged to use bitmac for road resurfacing in the Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District. The material is a modern road surfacing material that replaces tar with a petroleum by-product. Cllr. Martin Scanlon says bitmac is already used in other municipal districts in Donegal and across Ireland, and should be used in all

  A child’s social class can have a big impact on their relationships with their teachers. An ESRI study’s found teachers say they’re closer to students whose parents are from professional, managerial or non-manual groups, and feel least close to those whose parents are unemployed. Emer Smyth, ESRI Research Professor says it raises serious questions

Donegal County Council is being asked to provide an update on which safety signage will be erected on the road leading to the old Forge outside Glengad. Cllr Ali Farren told a Municipal District meeting this week that there’s a long straight road leading into Glengad from the Malin side, ending with a very sharp

Representatives from the fuel industry are expected to be grilled by the Minister for Enterprise about their price structure at a meeting tomorrow. Minister Peter Burke is expected to press them on how increases have taken place so rapidly since the beginning of the conflict in Iran. This move has been prompted by Pater Burke

The Northern Ireland Assembly has passed a motion calling for more alignment between the college application systems on both sides of the border. The motion, which was moved by Foyle MLA Padraig Delargey, calls on the Irish Government to engage in dialogue with the Minister for the Economy and Minister of Education at Stormont to

A Donegal TD is warning of an epidemic of mental health issues among children and young people, particularly males in their late teens. Deputy Charles Ward, himself a father of four, was speaking in the Dail in support of a People Before Profit motion on online safety, which would require social media companies to turn

Derry City and Strabane District Council has unanimously supported a proposal calling on the Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons, to introduce legislation to require landlords to tackle mould and damp issues. This is after a similar motion was passed in the Stormont Assembly by People Before Profit MLA, Gerry Carroll, calling for mould and damp

Plans have emerged for a potential miniature railway in the Barnesmore Gap. Donegal Railway Heritage Museum has begun a feasibility study as part of its 2025 -2030 Strategic Plan which has just been launched. Museum manager Marty Gilroy says they are striving to become one of the North-West’s flagship attractions and community amenities over the

The Letterkenny Chamber has elected a new President. Karoline Sweeney, managing partner of Castle Grove Country House Hotel, takes over from Jimmy Stafford for the year ahead. A long-standing member of the Chamber, she’s previously served as Chair of the Membership Committee. On today’s Greg Hughes show, she set out her aims for her time

Criticism has been levelled at the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority at a meeting of the Joint Committee of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. Among the critiques was the level of surveillance that Irish fishers are subjected to by the SFPA, which one member says affects their reputation internationally. Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher says at

Members of Inishowen Municipal District have sought a workshop with council officials and the Donegal Roads Office to discuss the need to complete the Buncrana Inner- Relief Road. An MD meeting was told that €30,000 has been allocated for initial preparatory work this year, but Cllr Fionan Bradley says even if four times that amount

The Taoiseach’s told the Dail there is price gouging happening in terms of fuel prices in Ireland. Stock markets around the world have tumbled over concerns about soaring energy prices. The cost of oil and gas has risen sharply on international markets, as the conflict in the Middle East continues. There have been reports of

Campaigners from Gaeltacht housing groups are protesting outside Leinster House this afternoon – over what they’re calling ‘a housing and language crisis’. Its organised by Tinteán, which is demanding the government take immediate action to save housing in Gaeltacht areas. Representatives from Bánú and CATU are joining the demonstration, calling for more funding and a

Two-thirds of people prefer to go on stay-cations during off-peak seasons, according to Fáilte Ireland. It comes as the tourism authority launches its ‘Find Yourself on a Short Break’ campaign, aimed at encouraging more people to holiday at home especially outside the summer months, with the sector in Donegal hoping to benefit from the campaign.

The issue of regulation has been raised at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. The amount of processes Irish fishers have to comply with compared to other European nations was one of the issues highlighted. Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn quoted from a post made by the Irish Fish Processors and

A potential county-wide review into parking charges has sparked concern amongst residents and traders in Buncrana around the free half-hour parking period. This issue has arisen due to parking systems across towns in Donegal operating differently, and the contrasts in the price of parking. It’s been highlighted how crucial the free parking period is for

The Department of Education has told Letterkenny Milford that the accommodation needs of St Eunan’s College will continue to be assessed and considered along with other schools on a case-by-case basis. Following a meeting last month, the MD wrote to the department seeking a meeting with the minister to make the case for the school

The Assembly has been told that girls and boys born between 2022 and 2024 in the Derry City and Strabane Council area will have a lower healthy life expectancy than children born four years earlier. Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin quoted figures from the Office of National Statistics showing that girls can expect 54.2 years of

The Justice Minister says he will meet with the bereaved families and survivors of the Creeslough tragedy, but only after other processes are completed first. Ten people were killed in the explosion on October 7th 2022. Speaking to reporters in Cavan at a cross-border policing event, Minister Jim O’Callaghan acknowledged the families deserve answers, but

The Donegal woman who spent the past 28 days at the Bord Bia offices in Dublin says if Larry Murrin returns to the chair of the food advisory board, their protest will recommence. Christine Friel was speaking after the protest ended tonight pending a governance review. Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon has welcomed today’s agreement. He