Author name: highlandnews

A Vigil for the Children of Palestine will take place this week in Donegal. The Vigil will take place this Monday at 6pm in the Market Square Letterkenny. The theme of World Children’s Day 2023 is “for every child, every right” – the Children of Palestine are to be included in this theme. Fadl Mustafa

The future of farming and rural Ireland will dominate a special Fine Gael Conference in Kildare today. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is expected to receive “very honest feedback” from faming and rural community groups at today’s conference. Deputy News Editor of Agriland, Francess McDonnell says there are serious concerns that there’s no future for young people

A warning’s going out not to overuse antibiotics on European Antibiotic Awareness Day today. The HSE says they can cause more harm than good if taken unnecessarily. National Clinical Lead for Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, Eimear Brannigan describes when they shouldn’t be used:

New signage is to be erected at Letterkenny’s Cathedral Quarter. The current signage in the area of the Court House and Lower Main Street reads ‘Ecclesiastical Quarter’. In one case a visitor to the town could not initially locate the Cathedral Quarter due to the wrong signage being in place. Councillor Donal Mandy Kelly, a

The Transport Minister says a combined effort must be made to tackle the rising number of road deaths. 168 people have died on Irish roads so far this year, nine of them in Donegal. This week, the Taoiseach met with Government Ministers, Gardaí, transport agencies and people who have lost loved ones to discuss how

Donegal County is again being urged to bring in Occupational Therapists from outside of the HSE to address a delay in the processing of Housing Adaptation Grants. At a Housing SPC meeting this week, Cllr Michael Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig said some people are being driven to commission their own reports privately, because the HSE cannot

Industrial action by front line staff will do nothing to help the overcrowding situation in hospitals. That’s according to the Minister for Health, who says efforts are already being made to tackle the crisis. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is considering industrial action, as over five hundred patients are now on trolleys. Minister Stephen

There’s calls for more of a joint up approach to establish short and long term solutions for traffic flow in Letterkenny. Cllr Ciaran Brogan is calling for a meeting with the TII, Road Design and the Central Planning Unit to discuss transport plans in the town. He says while the TEN-T project will be a

Ballylast National School in Castlefinn is continuing to lobby for road safety improvements to be carried out outside the school. Concerns have repeatedly been raised over the speed at which motorists are travelling on the route between Lifford and Castlefinn. Flashing lights are in place to alert drivers but its claimed they are not being

Claims patient files found in St Conal’s Hospital, Letterkenny were ones that had been transferred to the abandoned building in the aftermath of the flooding of Letterkenny University Hospital in 2013 have been refuted. A video was circulated on social media this week by a man who had gained access to St Conal’s Hospital and

The Government has to accept there’s a problem with staff shortages in primary schools across the country, according to Labour. The party’s Education spokesperson Aodháin Ó Ríordáin says there are around 800 posts unfilled across the primary school system. Primary schools are facing staffing and financial challenges. Deputy Ó Ríordáin is ‘extremely concerned’ the Department

The Health Minister is to visit Letterkenny University Hospital next week. Minister Stephen Donnelly is expected to meet with GP representatives, hospital staff representatives and hospital management on Friday. It’s on the back of concerns raised by Donegal GPs and hospital consultants over patient safety in the Emergency Department. A previous meeting with Minister Donnelly

Donegal County Council’s Housing SPC has been told that the authority is open to the use of modular homes, particularly ones with a long term guarantee. Members were also told the council has met with two providers who are interested in providing modular homes, one of whom is interested in exploring the possibility of establishing

The Government’s vacant property refurbishment grant scheme has failed to deliver, according to Sinn Fein. Figures from the Department of Housing show 4,640 applications have been made for the grant, with 1,975 being approved since the scheme came into effect in July 2022. However only twenty-one grants have been drawn down, with 16 being provided

A Health and Social Care Recruitment and Education Fair will take place in Buncrana on Tuesday of next week. The event, the first of its kind, will highlight numerous opportunities that are available within the HSE locally from entry level positions to more professional roles. There will also be advice and presentations on education and

Scotland’s health secretary’s admitted a huge roaming bill for his parliamentary iPad was down to his children watching football during a holiday in Morocco. Michael Matheson says he’s repaid the over 12-thousand euro fee. In a statement to MSPs, he’s explained why he made no mention of his family using the device during his initial

The PSNI and An Garda Síochána are teaming up today – for a first of its kind cross border road safety operation to tackle speeding. The aim is to reduce the number of road deaths. Garda Superintendent David Kelly’s at a checkpoint straddling Donegal and Derry. He explains what’s involved in today’s road safety operation:

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty clashed with Finance Minister Michael McGrath in the Dail this afternoon over Ireland’s decision not to refer Israel’s actions in Gaza to the International Criminal Court. Deputy Doherty contrasted that the Ireland’s referral of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, accusing the government of adopting double standards. Minister McGrath denied that,

The Co-Chair of the Irish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign in Donegal has expressed his disappointment that a motion seeking the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland was rejected by the majority of TDs. The Social Democrats’ put forward a motion demanding that the diplomatic credentials of Dana Erlich be revoked. Eyad, speaking on today’s Nine

It’s unclear what the release of a man accused of the killing of Private Sean Rooney will mean for the upcoming trial into the death of the 23 year old. Private Rooney, who had been living in Donegal was killed on December 14th 2022 after a convoy he was travelling in came under fire in

Letterkenny University Hospital is seeking a two storey modular extension for it’s Emergency Department. Councillor Gerry McMonagle confirmed the plans at this week’s meeting of the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District. It will provide alternative access for children and people with mental health issues attending the ED. This has been welcomed by the Cathaoirleach of the

A major report on the proposed changes to pub licensing laws is being published today. The Oireachtas Justice Committee has been examining the changes being proposed by Minister Helen McEntee. There are suggestions to stagger and extend opening hours for nightclubs and late bars. Member of the Committee PA Daly says there would have to

The OPW is being urged to urgently identify and construct an access site to facilitate the launch of boats by emergency services onto the River Swilly in Letterkenny. As it stands, rescue services have to travel to Ramelton to gain access to the river via boat when deployed during a search and rescue operation. Councillor

Donegal County Council is being urged to take matters into their own hands to tackle serious safety concerns at a junction in Kilmacrennan. There has been yet another crash at the junction where the road through Kilmacrennan intersects with the N56. Councillor John O’Donnell has warned that people’s lives remain at risk while the Council

As the Dail debates a motion from the Social Democrats calling for the Israeli ambassador to be expelled, a Donegal councillor has erected two Palestinian flags outside the Public Services Centre in Dungloe. Having successfully moved a motion at a meeting yesterday about raising the Palestinian flag, Cllr Michael Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig was told the