Author name: highlandnews

Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Martin is at Stormont today for talks with the North’s political parties after this week’s agreement between the UK government and the DUP paved the way for the return of the executive and assembly. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has praised the agreement on the movement of some goods into […]

A wet and windy Wednesday’s on the way, with a weather warning for five counties. Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow wind alert for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo from 8am until 1pm today. At present there are two power outages in Donegal, 10 homes and businesses are without power in Dungloe with

A Donegal Deputy has described the co-ordination of services for those seeking protection in Ireland as shambolic. In the Dáil last evening, Deputy Padraig McLaughlin recalled the tribulations of Sessiaghoneill National School, which was denied €30,000 in capitation after taking on a significant number of children from refugee families because the deadline had expired. Deputy

A Midlands North West MEP is calling on the EU to commit to the delivery of humanitarian aid and continue its support of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees. Chris MacManus has labelled other countries suspension of funding to the UNRWA as shameful and unconscionable. He says it’s important the EU

Members of Donegal County Council have been briefed on the new Deposit Return Scheme which comes into effect tomorrow. The scheme includes bottles and cans with a capacity of 150ml to 3 litres. A levy of 15 cent will be imposed on containers containing 500mls or less, and 25 cent on containers holding above 500mls,

An Inishowen councillor says Donegal County Council must take the lead in ensuring government is fully aware of the level of deprivation in Donegal. Cllr Albert Doherty says the Pobal HP Deprivation Index released last November shows that Donegal was ranked the most disadvantaged county in the state. He told members that areas of Inishowen

Government has announced it’s list of ministerial visits to take place on St. Patrick’s Day. Cabinet and junior ministers will visit 48 countries in March as part of the annual festivities. Despite pressures for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to boycott his visit to the White house in a bid to call for a ceasefire in Israel,

Health insurer VHI says it’s conscious of financial pressures, but is increasing its prices in March. This is the company’s third rise in a year, and customers can expect an 7% increase to their bills, on average. VHI says claims volumes soared by a fifth last year, compared to 2022. Dermot Goode from Total Health

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty echoed the sentiments of Sinn Fein Housing spokesperson Eoin O’Broin, saying he believes the Housing Minister’s optimism about the revised defective concrete block scheme is misplaced. Deputy O’Brion said that comments made by Minister Dara O’Brien yesterday that the new scheme is working is not reflective of figures within the department

The Chamber of Commerce in Derry says the DUP’s decision to accept the deal and return to power-sharing in Stormont is a relief. Leaders of the North’s main political parties are meeting to discuss the restoration of an Executive. The details of promised UK legislation to reduce the impact of post-Brexit trading arrangements will be

Gardai will be conducting high visibility checkpoints across Donegal this Bank Holiday weekend. Motorists are warned to never driver under the influence of drink or drugs and ensure they are responsible on the roads. Garda Claire Rafferty says unfortunately Bank Holidays tend to bring with them fatalities on the roads:

It’s emerged the HSE and Tusla are meeting to discuss the child and adolescent counselling service operated through the Raphoe Diocesan Centre. Earlier this month, it emerged the service is facing closure in March if funding is not secured to allow for the employment of a full time director. Yesterday, Donegal County Council voted unanimously

Gardaí are treating a blaze at a vacant house in Ballybofey last night as possible arson. The fire broke out at a former music school on the Trusk Road which has been laying vacant for a number of years at around 9:30pm. The fire service battled the blaze for a number of hours before bringing

Threshold assisted 108 adults and 72 children in Donegal preventing them from becoming homeless in the last quarter of 2023. The housing charity says it responded to over 12,000 queries across the country for help between October and December. The report also states that 909 households were prevented from entering homeless in that time, 77

The Dail’s Housing Committee is to hold a hearing next month on the Defective Blocks crisis, with Sinn Fein’s Housing Spokesperson saying he believes the Housing Minister’s optimism about the revised scheme is misplaced. Eoin O’Broin says Minister Dara O’Brien said yesterday that the new scheme is working and taking hold, but the minister’s own

Offshore wind energy could be worth €38 billion to the Irish economy. That’s according to a new report launched today at Wind Energy Ireland’s Annual Conference in Dublin. Wind Energy Ireland CEO Noel Cunniffe says if Government and industry can work together – there’s no limit to what we can achieve:

A housing charity says more and more people are coming to them looking for help to avoid being evicted. Threshold’s released its Impact Report for Q4 of last year and say it responded to over 12 thousand queries for help between October and December. The report also states that 909 households were prevented from entering

A memo is expected at Cabinet today on adding countries to Ireland’s ‘safe list’. It’s part of efforts to crack down on the numbers seeking international protection here. There are currently 8 countries on that list including Georgia, Albania, and South Africa. Táinaiste Micheal Martin says there is nothing unusual about this type of action:

Donegal County Council will this week publish the draft map for the Residential Zoned Land Tax, with members again expressing serious concern about the measure. The tax was to have been imposed from Thursday of this week, but it has been deferred until February 1st next year. Officials stressed that lands zoned as ‘Strategic Residential

The DUP has agreed a deal to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland after a two year impasse. The party executive backed a deal overnight following an agreement with the UK government on post-Brexit trading. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald says they’ll now “engage with the parties and both governments to ensure” they “all

Learner drivers are still waiting up to a year for a driving test in Donegal. In October last year, the Transport Minister in response to a Parliamentary Question from Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle, acknowledged that the service has been under significant pressure to meet unprecedented demand. Minister Eamon Ryan says he expects agreed service levels

Irish exporters and businesses are being reminded of new post-Brexit rules coming into effect. From Wednesday the first phase of good checks affecting Ireland will begin in Britain, with the second phase expected in April, and the third by October. Exports from Ireland will now be subject to the same system that has been in

Donegal County Council has begun a review of it’s winter maintenance programme to examine the implications of including routes to all schools on the list. At November’s budget meeting, members agreed that schools should be prioritised after an earlier agreement to include an extra 125 kilometres onto the gritting routes. Road Service Director, Bryan Cannon,