Author name: highlandnews

The Dail has been told that nurses who contracted Long Covid during the pandemic feel let down and abandoned after literally risking their lives by going to work every day. South Donegal TD Marian Harkin told the Dail confirmation that the special scheme of paid leave for those who suffer from long COVID will end at the end […]

Inishowen Councillor Albert Doherty says the future of Carndonagh Courthouse still hangs in limbo, and the confirmation is needed from the courts service as to what their plans are. Councillor Doherty believes vacant property schemes should be used to restore state owned buildings. He says there is a lot of positive development in Carndonagh using

The Western Development Commission has announced a scheme to help literary tourism based enterprises develop new and innovative digital technology solutions for their enterprises, attractions, and experiences. The N-LITE Literary Tourism Embracing Digital Scheme offers literary tourism collectives, SMEs, small businesses, and community groups an opportunity to use Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and interactive platforms.

  It’s hoped the wait times for driving tests will be 10 weeks by the middle of the summer. The Minister of State for Road Safety says the average wait time now is just under five months, but that will reduce. At present, those applying for tests in Donegal Town now will have an estimated

Today is the first day of this year’s Seachtain na Gaeilge, a festival which celebrates the Irish language in the run-up to St. Patrick’s Day. It was first held back in 1902, and allows everyone to enjoy Irish, whether they’re a fluent speaker, a learner or only have a cúpla focal. Broadcaster Sinéad Ní Uallacháin

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue and Northern Counterpart Andrew Muir met on a farm in Ballindrait this afternoon to mark the designation of Irish Grass Fed Beef as a Protected Geographical Indication. The P-G-I label indicates a world-class product, directly connected to a specific region. MInister McConalogue says this is an indication of what can be

Donegal County Council is facing urgent calls to carry out repair works on a bridge in West Donegal following another crash on it. A bollard was put in place at Glaisechú bridge after it was damaged in a crash last year. Serious safety concerns remain over the current state of the bridge. Councillor Micheal Choilm

People are being urged to be vigilant as its emerged scammers have been going door to door in the Twin Towns. A number of people are believed to be offering tarring services, claiming they have left over tar from a job on the Lifford Road charging just labour costs. A number of people in Ballybofey

A Donegal Deputy says there is no light at the end of the tunnel in terms of a ceasefire in Gaza. The United Nations Security Council has called an urgent meeting after 112 people were reportedly killed during an aid delivery in Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry has accused the Israeli army of shooting at

Questions have been raised over Donegal County Council’s planning policy governing public infrastructure installations such as signs. It’s as work is currently underway on Buncrana’s shorefront to install a large sign commissioned by funding from Councillor Nicholas Crossan’s mayor fund which he claims was brought before members of the Inishowen Municipal District. The local authority

Donegal County Council is adopting Ireland’s first waste management plan for a circular economy today. It aims to stop waste growth over the next six years, preventing over a quarter of a million tonnes of waste. Included is a roadmap to a more circular economy including increased waste prevention, more recycling, and improved reuse and

A Donegal Deputy says ‘no funding’ claims made by government is sticking in the throats of those waiting to have their children seen by CAMHS. Deputy Thomas Pringle says that one family in Donegal has been on the waiting list for an urgent appointment for one year. Deputy Pringle went on to raise the ongoing

Fianna Fáil have made a surprising move to add both Senator Niall Blaney and Senator Lisa Chambers to their ticket for the European elections. The Donegal senator had previously lost out to Barry Cowen at the beginning of the month in the party’s selection convention. Senator Blaney says the strong vote received in Mullingar is

Changes have been announced to the deer open season to manage the species’ population in Ireland. It means the hunting of female and antlerless deer will continue until the 30th of April, and that of male deer until the 31st of March. As well as this, the season to hunt male deer will now begin

There’s outrage as the Health Centre in Kilmacrennan has shut without any public consultation. The HSE closed the centre on January 29th. Locals will now have to travel to Milford to avail of health care services which is a 5 hour turnaround trip by bus. Councillor Michael McBride says this latest closure leaves the whole

A new online portal to assist defective block homeowners access the enhanced scheme has gone live today. The Payment Module is now available for all applicants who have received a Remediation Option and Grant Amount under the provisions of the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. This enables approved applicants to submit their Payment Claims

A Midlands North West MEP says working through the hacking of his X account by a former parliamentary assistant has had an adverse impact on his health. 34 year old Diarmuid Hayes, from Dublin, was convicted in a Belgian court after admitting to posting a tweet referring to then Green Party candidate Saoirse McHugh from

Next week marks the first step in the delivery of a ‘game changing’ project for Letterkenny. Demolition works are set to commence at the former ESB site in the town between Pearse and Port Road in the coming days which will make way for a major innovation and business centre. Once demolition and site clearance

A West Tyrone MLA says delays and uncertainty over a proposed youth centre for Strabane is a kick in the teeth. Education Minister Paul Givan says “due to the severely constrained capital budget, the Education Authority is unable to provide a timeline for the delivery of the scheme.” Daniel McCrossan says he was informed in

Motorists are being urged to reduce their speed this National Slow-Down Day. The campaign aims to reduce the number of fatalities by targeting those driving too fast. Dylan Coady Coleman, a 10-year-old boy from Clare, is the 37th person to die on the roads so far this year. Superintendent Liam Geraghty says small actions can

A number of objections have been made against the proposed transformation of Fort Dunree. The matter is currently with An Bord Pleanála after a member of the public objected to the project going ahead. Donegal County Council has confirmed work is ongoing in the interim in preparation for planning approval being granted. The Council did

An Inishowen councillor says while there is light at the end of the tunnel in the campaign for the restoration of services at Riverwalk House in Carndonagh, the campaign for services at Milltown House has hit another problem with confirmation of the presence of mica in the blocks. At this week’s meeting of the Regional

A Donegal Deputy has called for strong leadership in the face of rising violence towards those seeking asylum. Deputy Thomas Pringle was speaking in the Dáil on a spate of arson attacks in recent months in buildings believed to be linked to accommodating people seeking refuge. One such building was burned in Buncrana back in

  The Government insists it’s taking action to deal with waiting lists for spinal surgeries for children. Sinn Fein has accused the coalition of breaking promises over the issue. In the Dail, the party’s Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty highlighted the case of 10 year old Kylie-Anne from Kilmacrennan who is waiting five years for an operation and whose