Author name: highlandnews

Christmas has come early for one Euromillions player. The National Lottery has confirmed last night’s €17 million jackpot-winning ticket was bought in a shop in Donegal, Cavan or Monaghan. More details will be announced in the coming days. In the meantime, spokesperson Sarah Orr has this advice:

A pause in the introduction of medical dispensing charges for blister packs, has been agreed by The Irish Pharmacy Union and the HSE. The delay comes in order to give pharmacists the chance to engage with their customers about the new charges coming into effect next April. Supports will be available to vulnerable patients, to

A deal on EU fishing quotas is being described as “a betrayal of Ireland’s fishing industry”. An agreement was struck in Brussels in the early hours of this morning. The Seafood Ireland Alliance says it will result in the industry having approximately 57,000 tonnes less quota to fish next year. It warns that equates to

Plans are being considered to stop roadside memorials on motorways, dual carriageways, and high-speed roads over 60 kilometers per hour due to safety risks. Transport Infrastructure Ireland is warning of pedestrians, stopping vehicles, and driver distractions as the main reasons for the proposal. Local authorities are urged to offer alternatives like memorial gardens, while keeping

Concerns are being raised that we could be facing the worst flu season we’ve seen in years. Last evening, the HSE urged anyone with flu-like symptoms not to visit Letterkenny University Hospital, as there were 18 patients with flu being treated there, along a particularly high number of older people and children attending the Emergency

A 100% Redress Councillor has strongly disagreed with Minister Charlie McConalogue’s claim of “significant progress” under the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme. Cllr Joy Beard says as amendments to Defective Block legislation were debated this week, Minister McConalogue pointed to 205 completed homes as proof of success. However, she says most of those were outer

The future of Nazareth House Primary School in Derry has again been raised in the Assembly, with Foyle MLA Padraig Delargy saying successive DUP ministers have failed the school. It closed earlier this month because of the danger posed by structural damage to the roof, the risk of which Mr Delargy says was flagged over

Works are underway to restore native trees to Glenveagh National Park. Recent tree felling along the R251 is part of phase two of a multi-stage plan to replace non-native conifers with native oak and birch under the 100-year NPWS woodland strategy. Dr Emmet Johnston, Regional Manager of Glenveagh National Park, says that this year alone

The government is being urged to review all pending catch-weight prosecutions. It follows the collapse of an SFPA case against a Killybegs fish exporter. Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins raised the issue in the Dáil. He says the SFPA’s approach in the Donegal case raises serious questions:

The man accused of raping and murdering a woman in Derry on August 24th last year has been returned to court. The victim, 65-year-old Montserrat Elias, was found in a house on Harvey Street following reports of a fire. Police said she had suffered a horrific attack and sustained multiple injuries. Ciaran Murray, aged 30,

The latest amended defective block bill passed through the remaining stages in the Dail last night, and is now being went to the Seanad. During the debate, Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher said he could vote against his party, Fianna Fail, but he believes he can serve the people of Donegal better by working

The Amended remediation of Dwellings Affected by Defective Concrete Bill has been passed in the Dail after a marathon debate last night that began at 6.45pm and ended at around 12.55 this morning. After dozens of opposition amendments were voted on and lost, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy confirmed the vote had been passed….   You can

A major immigration report from the ESRI shows a drop in the number of people migrating here in 2024. The annual review from the European Migration Network Ireland shows the number of arrivals fell by 16 per cent in the 12 months to April this year. A drop in arrivals from Ukraine, and a decrease

A number of opposition amendments to the latest Defective Concrete Remediation Bill were lost on the floor of the Dail last night. The bill was published and presented last week, with dozens of amendments proposed in the interim. At one point during last night’s debate, Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn compared the initial rush to label

The Taoiseach has been asked to address a shortage of SNAs at St Francis National School in Barnesmore. Deputy Charles Ward told the Dail this afternoon that there is a need for more supports at the school, but that hasn’t been forthcoming. Michael Martin promised to raise the case with NCSE, the National Council for

The Taoiseach has hit back at Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty in a row over the cost of blister packs at pharmacies. At present, when community pharmacists prepare marked blister packs, particularly for older people, the cost is borne by the state. However, that’s due to change from January 1st, with people potentially facing charges of

Senator Manus Boyle has been speaking in the Seanad today regarding the closure of the dental practice in Killybegs last December. The practice, which closed due to not meeting new standards for infection-prevention, has remained closed following the planned retirement of the dentist earlier this year. The lack of a local service now means children

The CEO of the Construction Industry Federation says he believes the industry has the capacity to build major projects like the Ten-T road network in Donegal, as well as building the 300,000 homes needed to address the current housing crisis. Concern had been expressed after it emerged that over 60% of the federation’s members are

The Dail has been told that promised improvements at St Eunan’s College in Letterkenny need to be expedited, as the situation there is totally unacceptable at present. Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn raised the school as a topical issue in the Dail last night, telling Junior Minister Frank Feighan that the building is over 115 years old,

The Tanaiste and Finance Minister has announced that Letterkenny is one of five new towns will come under a scheme to tackle dereliction next year. The Living City Initiative, in place for areas like Cork and Dublin, will now be enacted in Letterkenny, as well as in Sligo, Athlone, Drogheda and Dundalk. The scheme provides

The majority of the country is coming under an orange wind alert today as Storm Bram brings very strong to gale force southerly winds. The warning will expire at different times this evening, with Donegal being the final area to come under alert from from 2 pm. It will cease at 9 pm. Air and