Author name: highlandnews

The Donegal based president of the Garda Representative Association has welcomed the decision not to amalgamate Donegal into Sligo and Leitrim to create a new three county Garda Division, but says there are still some serious issues with the proposed new Garda Operational Model. Brendan O’Connor told Greg Hughes on today’s Nine to Noon Show

Strike action by retained firefighters is being suspended from midday. It follows around 12 hours of talks between the union SIPTU and the Local Government Management Agency at the Workplace Relations Commission. The discussions, around pay and issues related to recruitment and retention of on-call firefighters, ended overnight. SIPTU Divisional Organiser Karen O’Loughlin updated members

Works have commenced this week to see the installation of eco-toilets in West Donegal. The first was installed in Gola Island, with the second to be placed in the carpark of Donegal Airport. Cllr. Micheal Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig has welcomed the facilities, saying it will be a game-changer:

The installation of a third defibrillator in Milford has been welcomed by the community. It is located outside the Milford & District Resource Centre. Manager of the centre, Declan Meehan, says the purchase was made possible thanks to the Rags to Riches charity shop on Main Street. He added that training has been provided to

Works have commenced at Carndonagh Community Hospital to see the welcomed restoration of the Chapel of Rest and improvements to the Ard Aoibhinn dementia unit. Inishowen Cllr. Albert Doherty says the works have been highly anticipated. Over €4million was awarded in funding to address issues highlighted at the hospital. In October of last year faults

On day one of the MacGill Summer School which focused on the Ukrainian war, a number of children who have sought refuge in Donegal spoke of their new life in the county. They each relayed their thanks to people for welcoming them into the local community. Andrew starkly recalled how he witnessed his life in

The MacGill Summer School has been told that the world cannot stay silent as the Ukrainian War continues a year and half on. Ukraine and its people have dominated events today in Glenties with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko pleading with people for support. She warned that the war goes far beyond Ukrainian

A leading drinks group wants job applicants to send them videos instead of CVs. Molson Coors says people no longer need to submit CVs when applying for entry level roles. It believes CVs discriminate by focusing on where a candidate went to school or university. Laura Lee, Molson Coors Head in Ireland, says it will

Donegal County Council is being asked to sit down with local businesses in Buncrana after it emerged the half hour free parking on Main Street may be abolished. One local business owner is taking up a petition as officials carry out a review. It’s after it emerged the council found that it is losing around

Donegal is to remain as a stand alone garda division following a review of the proposed new divisions. Three divisions which were to encompass three counties were reviewed, and this morning, Garda HQ has confirmed the proposal now is to change that to four two county divisions, with Donegal remaining as a stand alone area.

A Midlands North West MEP says there is an urgent need for policy reform around garda grooming and appearance. Maria Walsh says with recruitment numbers well below target this year, we should not be wasting time discussing the pros and cons of tattoos. The Fine Gael representative was reacting to the news that three trainee

Bank of Ireland says a technical issue which impacted a number of its services has now been fixed. It meant customers were able to transfer and withdraw funds that weren’t actually in their accounts. Queues formed at ATM’s across the country last night, as people rushed to withdraw cash after transferring non-existent funds to their

The Government is being accused of not investing properly in rural and regional areas. The Rural Independent Group of TDs say the government is too Dublin focused. A recent survey suggested a farmer’s party would prove popular among farmers. But Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath believes that would only widen the divide, and says it would

Three quarters of people with intellectual disabilities are living with their family with over 40% of them wishing to move out. However, they are unable to do so becaiuse of a lack of housing. In its pre budget submission, Inclusion Ireland points out that around 3,500 people are still living in institutional or congregated settings,

It’s been suggested this morning that the entire country could have complete broadband coverage in the next 3 to 5 years. That’s if pressure is maintained by government and service providers to ensure the broadband strategy is fully implemented. ComReg, the Commission for Communications Regulation, says 44 per cent of people now work from home

A West Tyrone MLA is urging Ulster Bank to reinstate their Euro ATM in Strabane. A sign appeared on the ATM in Abercorn Square recently announcing the ATM would no longer be working, but customers can order foreign currency online and have it delivered to their homes. However, local MLA Daniel McCrossan says Strabane is

A commemoration has taken place this afternoon to mark the 25th anniversary of the Omagh Bombing. 29 people were killed, including a mother with unborn twins, when a car-bomb detonated in the town. 220 others were injured when the explosion happened at ten-past-three on this day in 1998. Relatives of the victims laid flowers at

The public service must take on 750 apprentices every year by 2025, under new plans unveiled by Government. The Public Service Apprenticeship Plan will be jointly overseen by the Departments of Further and Higher Education and Public Expenditure. It’s part of an overall plan to see 10-thousand new apprentices in Ireland every year by 2025.

A Donegal man believes his dogs were stolen from his home in Creeslough. The two boxer dogs, Ruby and Lexie were last seen yesterday morning. A cash reward has been offered for anyone who has any information. Speaking on this morning’s Nine til Noon Show, Aiden McFadden says there has been no trace of the

Gardai are appealing to Donegal’s coastal and island communities to be on alert for unusual activities. They say there is real evidence that the coast is being used for drug importation. €4 million worth of cocaine washed up on two beaches in Donegal last month. Sergeant Paul Wallace says there is a possibility that more

There’s been a 38% increase in accommodation fraud. Gardai in Donegal are continuing to warn students to be vigilant when on the hunt for accommodation ahead of the new term. Around €2 million has been lost in accommodation frauds over the past five years. Crime Prevention Officer, Sergeant Paul Wallace has this advice:

Fr John Joe Duffy says while a tsunami hit Creeslough on October 7th last year, the community was lifted by a tidal wave of support. He was speaking as he led the National Novena at Knock Basilica last evening. An explosion at a shop in the village last year claimed the lives of 10 people

81% of Principals or Deputy Principals admit to having hired an unqualified teacher in the last year. The figure from the ASTI comes as there are at least 416 unfilled secondary teacher jobs nationwide. The union says it’s dismayed with Minister Norma Foley’s failure to address teacher shortages. The ASTI’s Kieran Christie says new thinking

The Head of the PSNI is conceding it may be impossible to recover and track data from police officers being shared on social media. It comes after his force accidentally leaked information including surnames, ranks and base locations of serving officers and civilian staff. A file containing some of the data was left outside of

A private commemoration will take place in Omagh today to mark 25 years since a bomb devastated the town. 29 people, including unborn twins, were killed that day. 220 people were injured. It came just months after the historic Good Friday Agreement and was the greatest loss of life in a single incident in the