Author name: highlandnews

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern says he doesn’t believe security forces would have knowingly allowed an atrocity like the Omagh bombing to happen. A public inquiry into the Real IRA attack of 1998 is hearing about those who were killed, and from those who survived the ordeal. The aim of the inquiry is to investigate if […]

News, Sport, Farm News, and Obituaries on Thursday February 13th…………………..

Over 5 thousand people from 130 countries will formally become Irish citizens over the next couple of days. They will be conferred across six ceremonies at the Convention Centre today and tomorrow. Around 200 thousand people have received Irish citizenship since 2011. This man, originally from England, decided to become an Irish citizen having lived

In her first submission to the new Seanad, Senator Eileen Flynn spoke of her delight to be elected in her own right, having been nominated to serve in the last Seanad by Taoiseach Michael Martin. She said she wants to work with everyone in the Oireachtas irrespective of their politics, citing a discussion with Health

Donegal Senator Nikki Bradley says she will use her time in the Seanad to stick up for people who can’t stick up for themselves. She highlighted how 20 years on from her own cancer diagnosis, people in Donegal are struggling with the same obstacles she did when seeking treatment. Senator Bradley says it’s not good

Tanaiste Simon Harris says the government will be engaging with the ESB and other state bodies about energy prices. In the Dail today, Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty hit out at comments from the ESB Chief Executive in the wake of Storm Eowyn, in which he said the costs of dealing with the storm would be

A survivor of the Omagh Bombing has described the scene as ‘carnage’ and ‘horrific devastation.’ David McSwiggan is giving his account of what happened, at the inquiry today. It’s examining whether the 1998 Real IRA attack could have been prevented. David – who was 20 at the time and about to start university – was

Monsignor Fr Kevin Gillespie says it has been difficult to discuss the revelation that a priest who served on Tory Island had received complaints of child sexual abuse. Fr Diarmuid Ó Péicín was a Jesuit priest who ministered in the Raphoe diocese from 1980 to 1984. He is now deceased. The Jesuits named Fr Ó

A councillor in the Letterkenny-Milford District has said he has long referred to council motions as “notions” due to a lack of action on the issues raised. Councillor Tomas Sean Devine explained that before being elected, he wondered what happened after a motion was raised, as results were often lacking or non-existent. He added that

There’s growing concern over an escalation of anti-social behaviour in Strabane. Residents of social housing developments particularly, have been left living in despair over violent disturbances, arson attempts and abuse being hurled at them. Councillor Raymond Barr says this minority group of people are ruining the lives of decent people who want to live in

A Donegal Deputy has called on the Taoiseach to intervene in a decision to relocate the Donegal Education Centre to Letterkenny. The centre is moving from Donegal Town at the end of March. Donegal Deputy Charles Ward claims there has been a complete lack of transparency over the move. However, the management committee say there

Taoiseach Michael Martin has told the told that the government will shortly bring forward a measure to retrospectively apply increased rates under the Defective Concrete Block Remediation Scheme. The issue was raised by Mayo TD Keira Keogh, who told members that many people across the country are in financial limbo, and need a decision on

As survivors of the Omagh Bombing continue to share their stories – one man’s been describing the moment the bomb detonated. 29 people were killed in the Real IRA attack in 1998. An inquiry’s examining if the attack could’ve been prevented. Gary McGillion’s 20 month old niece Breda Devine was one of those killed:

The new Seanad is meeting for the first time today, with four Donegal representatives. The session began this afternoon with the reading of all the names the incoming senators by Clerk of the Seanad Martin Groves…….. Senators Boyle and Bradley were nominated by the Taoiseach last week, Senators Blaney and Flynn were elected through the panel

A Donegal man who is a former member of the Defence Forces received a payment of €2 million from the state to settle a legal case. It’s on claims he made that his health has been seriously impacted by chemical exposure from 1991 to 1997 while working as an aviation technician with the Irish Air

Donegal County Council is being urged to resurface a road to bolster enrolment at two rural Gaeltacht schools. Stramore National School in Glendowan and Gairmscoil Chú Uladh in Ballinamore, Fintown, say that their numbers have plummeted in recent years. Staff there believe that if the Meenaboll road was resurfaced, it would help alleviate the pressure.

  The SDLP is calling for immediate interventions to address the harmful impact of the five-week wait for Universal Credit payments. There is a contingency fund, but moving a motion on the issue in the Assembly, Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said that needs to be renamed and more widely promoted, along with other measures

A high level meeting is being sought to look at the multiple road projects set to proceed throughout Letterkenny. Cllr Ciaran Brogan says a united approach is needed between the TII, road design and local area road teams to successfully advance projects under the active travel scheme and the TEN T programme. He says this

Questions are being asked about the lack of council funding for road safety. Cllr Gerry McMonagle raised the question after members questioned the lack of progress on a number of motions seeking traffic calming measures, with council officials citing a lack of funds to see the projects through. Mayor of the Letterkenny Milford MD, Cllr

Participants involved with the Donegal Community Training Services have stepped up their campaign for free travel, and as of last month, they have decided to stop paying the €4 daily charge to their loctions. This is the only region where a charge is applied, and many of the participants have free travel, but it’s not

The Health Minister is promising more action to tackle hospital waiting lists. At Letterkenny University Hospital, December saw a an 8% rise in inpatient waiting lists to 1,461, while the numbers awaiting an outpatient fell by almost 5% to 13,755. Minister Jennifer Carroll McNeil said action taken by the last government had a positive impact,

Claims have been made against the concrete manufacturing company at the core of a legal battle in the defective concrete block scandal. The Irish Independent is reporting today the claims, surrounding the alleged moving of assets from one company to another under the Cassidy Brothers group, were made in the Commercial Court. There have also

A caravan was stolen from the front of a house in Bundoran last week. Gardaí are asking those who believe they may have seen it being moved to come forward. They are also highlighting distinctive blue tape that was on one of the side windows. Garda Grainne Doherty made the following appeal: