Author name: highlandnews

Expressions of interest have opened for a new PEACEPLUS funded programme aimed at helping manufacturing SMEs. These are available through datumdigital.org and is being managed by Irish Manufacturing Research and Queen’s University Belfast. Robert Brennan is Smart Industry Advisor at Irish Manufacturing Research:

A new agreement announced today is set to benefit Irish fishers and has been welcomed by the Seafood Ireland Alliance. Agreed by Minister of the Marine Timmy Dooley and the EU Agrifish Council today has seen a re-balancing of Ireland’s mackerel quota. 8,000 tonnes has now been made available to fish which equates to €32m.

The previous Donegal–Dublin PSO flight schedule has ended, with a new timetable now in place. It means the midday flight, used by many for essential same-day medical travel, is no longer available. Now, those travelling to the capital for treatment such as chemotherapy are faced with an approximately eight-hour round trip or the financial burden

Cllr Pauric McGarvey has shared his frustration after dog waste left on Rathmullan Beach over the weekend. A number of photos were sent to him of bags of foul there were not disposed of properly. The issue has been referred to the council’s Environment Section to explore ways to prevent and police it. Cllt McGarvey

The government is being warned if the previous Donegal Dublin flight schedule doesn’t get restored in the coming days, people will take to the streets of Dublin. The previous Donegal–Dublin PSO flight schedule has ended, with a new timetable now in place. It means the midday flight, used by many for essential same-day medical travel,

Issues surrounding a lack of public toilets in Letterkenny are soon to end. According to Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh new public toilets are set to be opened at Letterkenny Retail Park in the next few weeks. On today’s Greg Hughes Show he explained the timeframe with an expected opening date of 17 April:

The Northern and Western Regional Assembly has launched of its new “County Data Dashboards”. The dashboard offers comprehensive, current datasets for Donegal and the other seven counties in the region. Economist John Daly said they embarked on the project to address whatc he says has been the long-standing challenge of limited access to timely county-level

567 admitted patients were awaiting beds in hospitals across the country this morning, 89 of them in the North West. INMO figures show there were 100 at University Hospital Limerick, the largest figure in the country. That was followed by Sligo with 49 and Letterkenny with 40. Letterkenny and Sligo regularly have between 15 and

The campaign for new signage and speed ramps on the R236 into St Johnston has been highlighted following another collision at the spot where two young Derry men lost their lives last month. Local garage owner Raymond McDaid says he is called to clear vehicles from the ditch there at least once a month, and

Donegal County Council has agreed to draft a letter, to be signed by the Chief Executive, Director of Housing and all councillors, urging Housing Minister James Brown to reverse his decision to reject funding for modular homes in Donegal during the remediation of social housing. Cllr Brian Carr said that, given the scale of the

New short-term letting rules, affecting platforms like Airbnb, are set to begin in just eight weeks – but there’s still confusion over planning permission. The scheme will assign each property a unique number for platforms like Airbnb and booking.com, aimed at improving transparency. However, Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú is calling for planning permission

Labour is urging the Government to rule out allowing landlords to rent out modular units in back gardens. The party’s housing spokesperson warns “beds in sheds” is not a solution to the housing crisis. Homeowners would be allowed build modular units of up to 45 square metres in their back garden, and potentially earn 14

The leader of the DUP says police warnings about a lack of resources to tackle violence against women “cannot be ignored”. Gavin Robinson has been speaking after two recent killings and a major conviction in the North. On Friday night, people gathered for a vigil at the Guildhall in Derry, hours after a man appeared

Concerns have been raised over Letterkenny University Hospital’s new surgical hub being used as an overflow for the main hospital. Cllr Gary Doherty asked for specific safeguards at meeting of the HSE’s Regional Health Forum this week. The HSE say that the new hub will be self-contained with a physical barrier to the main hospital.

A Donegal Senator has raised the issue of funding for Local Improvement Schemes During a sitting of the Seanad Senator Manus Boyle welcomed LIS funding but called it far from significant Local Improvement Scheme funding is used for maintenance of non-public roads and can be applied for through local authorities. Senator Boyle highlights the extent

  Over 150 people gathered outside the Lifeline Inishowen premises in Carndonagh last night for a candlelit vigil in solidarity with the family and friends of Amy Doherty who was murdered in Derry last weekend, and over 60 other women killed on both sides of the border over the past six years. Eleanor Lamb of

Minister of State at the Department of Sport is to hold several public meetings in the coming weeks to discuss the Community Sports Facilities Fund. The Lake of Shadows Hotel in Buncrana is the venue for the event on Monday, March 30th at 6 pm, while the evening for clubs in the Letterkenny-Milford and Stranorlar

A new cross-border initiative aimed at building relationships between communities through the Irish language has secured almost €84,000 in funding from the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme. The 15-month project will be led by Líonra Leitir Ceanainn in Letterkenny, working in partnership with groups in Carntogher, Co. Derry, and East Belfast. The organisations will bring people

Early Childhood Ireland says 57% of adults in Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan believe the government is not doing enough to address a shortage of early years places. The finding is contained in the group’s annual barometer, as government figures show up to 1,567 Donegal children are awaiting places in facilities in the county. Director of

Donegal County Council has granted conditional planning permission for a shop and forecourt close to the site of the Creeslough tragedy over three years ago. Ten lives were lost when the explosion happened, among them was 14-year-old Leona Harper, who was buying ice cream with her friend. Her mother Donna says the first they and

Uisce Éireann has confirmed that work will take place next week on Gola Island to enhance the Alternative Water Supply currently serving the community there. A temporary water storage tank and small booster pump will be installed on the island pier, with Donegal County Council’s existing facilities on the pier being used to pump water

Farmers in Northern Ireland say they’re closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East – and the impact on fertiliser supplies and prices. The Iran war has seen fuel costs skyrocket in recent weeks. John McLenaghan is the Deputy President of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, and runs a farm in County Derry. He says the

A Donegal born senator says there’s still more work to do, despite the drop in burglary and robbery. CSO crime figures yesterday showed burglary has fallen by 13 per cent and robbery by 11 per cent nationally, but the figures have remained unchanged in Donegal. Fianna Fail Senator Robbie Gallagher says gardai need continued support

A Sinn Fein member has told the Assembly at Stormont that there’s been very positive engagement between all parties and members of the European Parliament and EU Commission in Brussels. Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson was part of a deputation from the Assembly and Executive which travelled to Brussels for a series of engagements around St

It’s emerged the National Standards Authority of Ireland review of IS:456, which was to have been completed and published by Tuesday next will now be delayed until sometime in April. That was relayed to Donegal Deputy Charles Ward in the Dail. He pressed for progress on schemes to remediate social homes, schools and creches affected