Author name: highlandnews

An Inishowen councillor is calling on the Housing Minister to review the criteria for the ancillary grant applications for the Defective Concrete Block Scheme. The grant awards up to €15,000 when invoices are provided for costs that covers alternative accommodation while the home undergoes remediation. However, Cllr Martin McDermott, Chairperson of the Enhanced Defective Concrete […]

Frustrations grew at a plenary meeting of Donegal County Council this week as it could not be confirmed how many bus shelters had been erected in Donegal in the past eight years. Cllr Nicholas Crossan questioned Director of Services Brian Canon while putting forward a motion to look into have more bus shelters installed and

The Health Minister has said the HSE remains committed to the outreach neurology service provided to Letterkenny University Hospital from Sligo, but made no commitments about providing a dedicated local service in Donegal. Minister Stephen Donnelly was responding to a Dail question from Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn, after the Neurological Alliance of Ireland launxhed a campaign

Donegal Senator and European Election candidate Niall Blaney is calling for an increased Garda and PSNI presence in the North West to combat cross-border crime. Senator Blaney says the theft of an Audi Q7 in Strabane which was later found at Lough Hill Bog near Ballybofey stripped of its engine, wheels and other parts was

An investigation’s underway into the fatal crash which claimed the lives of a mother and her two children in Mayo yesterday. The three who died were 47 year old Una Bowden, 14 year old Ciara Bowden and nine year old Ciara Bowden. Una Boiwden was a native of Raphoe living in County Galway. Her husband

1,465 international protection applicants are awaiting an offer of accommodation. It comes as the Integration Minister revealed a new strategy for accommodating asylum seekers, which would see 35 thousand beds by 2028. 14 thousand of which would be State-owned through the construction of modular housing and new reception and integration centres. Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman

Cabinet is expected to agree plans for a system to auto-enrol private sector workers into a pension scheme. Around 800,000 employees will be included, but the laws must first go through the Oireachtas. It’ll be open to people aged between 23 and 60 who aren’t already a member of a pension plan. Head of Communications

News, Sport, and Obituaries on Wednesday March 27th……………….

Special meetings of Donegal County Council are to continue indefinitely to tackle the housing crisis in the county. The move was proposed by Cllr Patrick McGowan this afternoon, after it emerged today was to be the final of a series of special meetings. Cllr McGowan, who initially proposed the special meetings be held a number

Rio Ferdinand is backing a cross-border project which aims to build relationships for young people across the island of Ireland. The Beyond The Ball project also focuses on connecting young people with local statutory agencies in their area – such as An Garda Siochana and the PSNI. At an event in Sligo this morning, the

Just 9 respite beds are available for children and adults in Donegal on a rotating basis. Two of the four respite centres in Donegal are currently closed with Seaview Respite Centre and Ballymacool Respite House the only facilities operating. Councillor Gerry McMonagle, a member of the Regional Health Forum says it is totally unacceptable that

Listen back to a recap of last night’s public meeting on ‘The People’s Document:

Hundreds of homeowners packed into The Inishowen Gateway last night. All with one desire, to get redress to remediate their defective concrete block properties. ‘The People’s Document’ was circulated to all public representatives in the county following a meeting gathering the views of affected homeowners on March 4th. Gar McDonnell lives in Ramelton. His house

Leo Varadkar is attending what is probably his last Cabinet meeting ever. The outgoing Taoiseach says he’s confident the country is in ‘good hands’ as he prepares to pass the baton on to Simon Harris. Leo Varadkar says he estimates this morning is his 650th Cabinet meeting. And he has repeated his reasons for stepping

The message was clear at last night’s public meeting on ‘The People’s Document’, a joint initiative of defective block campaign groups in Donegal, that change is needed. Politicians had the opportunity in front of over 1,000 people to outline their response to the document which sets out four principles the groups believe will deliver 100%

58% of teachers say they have experienced physical aggression from their students in the past year. The shocking finding is part of an INTO survey, with the union now calling for more support to deal with violent students. It believes rising levels of aggression in the classroom are directly linked to the current shortfalls in

The IFA is asking farmers to come forward and seek support if the weather is seriously affecting their livelihoods. Its warning some farmers can’t access their grass or plant crops because of the near constant wet conditions. The IFA wants the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue to produce a co-ordinated support plan for farmers at

Odour and noise issues accounted for 90% of all complaints made to the Environmental Protection Agency last year. The number of complaints received by the EPA is down by more than a third since 2021. Its Waste Licence Enforcement Summary for 2023 also revealed its first successful District Court Prosecution for the extraction of peat

Cathaoirleach of Glenties Municipal District has called for the planning permission objection fee be increased to a maximum of €500 to quash what he has called ‘serial objectors’. Cllr Michael McClafferty told a plenary meeting of Donegal County Council that those living outside of Donegal, including in Northern Ireland should not have the right to

Publicans have expressed concern over the latest price rises announced by Diageo. The cost of a pint is set to go up by 6 cent next month. The company behind some of the country’s most popular drinks, like Guinness, Smithwick’s and Hop House 13, say the rise is due to increased input costs. CEO of

Simon Harris has been applauded by Gardaí for condemning the placement of the tri-colour over Garda killer Pearse McAuley’s coffin. The funeral of the former-IRA member, who was convicted of killing Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in Limerick in 1996, took place last week. During the ceremony in his hometown of Strabane, McAuley’s coffin was draped

Hundreds of nappies have been found dumped in West Donegal. This incident of illegal dumping in Meenaleck is the latest after nappies were found strewn across roadsides in Annagry and Gweedore. Councillor Micheal Choilm MacGiolla Easbuig is again calling on Donegal County Council to do more to tackle illegal dumping. He believes additional recycling centres

A union representing secondary school teachers says more needs to be done to encourage registered teachers to take up vacant posts. The ASTI says there are 122,000 registered teachers, but only 70,000 are employed in teaching jobs here. The union is calling for the policy of offering part-time hours to new entrants to be scrapped,

Gardai in Donegal are urging anyone with information about the drugs trade in Donegal to come forward. It’s after two people appeared in court yesterday in connection with the discovery of over €26,000 worth of drugs at the weekend in Letterkenny and Ramelton. During the Community Garda Information slot on today’s Nine til Noon Show,

Gardai are investigating the theft of cash from a business premises in the centre of Bundoran which was broken into at the weekend. An undisclosed sum of money was taken after two cash registers were forced open in the incident, which happened in the early hours of  Saturday morning. On today’s Nine til Noon Show,