Author name: highlandnews

The Cathaoirleach of the Lifford Stranorlar Municipal District says the closure of the Castlefinn Credit Union is a huge blow. The Ballybofey & Stranorlar Credit Union announced that the service in Castlefinn would cease to operate on July 2nd due to the termination of its tenancy at the premises. Efforts are being made to secure

A West Donegal Councillor believes footage of illegal dumpers should be posted on social media as a deterrent. It’s after rubbish including a chair, a strimmer and a children’s push trike were discovered discarded close to Muckish Grotto. Councillor Michael McClafferty previously called for CCTV cameras to be installed at fly tipping hot spots. He

It’s claimed people with disabilities have been locked-down in their homes for the last 10 years. The Regional Group of TDs is bringing forward a Dáil motion today, calling on the government to improve disability transport schemes. They say a number of supports and grants have been withdrawn or closed to new applicants since 2013.

Over 850 new nursing posts are being created. The Health Minister has announced a 25 million euro investment to boost staffing levels in the country’s acute hospitals. It comes on day two of the Irish Nurses’ and Midwives’ Organisation’s annual conference – which Stephen Donnelly is due to address tomorrow. Labour’s Health Spokesperson, Duncan Smith

The Dail has been told that a decade after evidence began to emerge of defective blocks in Donegal, it’s unbelievable that some quarries still haven’t been audited and inspected. Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn was speaking during a debate on the second stage of the Construction Safety Licencing Bill, which concludes provision for inspection of quarries and training

  A public meeting will take place in Killygordon tomorrow evening to discuss the future development of the area. The event will at the Oaktree Community Centre will include the provision of feedback on the various grants and funding obtained to date and how they will benefit the community directly. There will also be an

Donegal County Council’s Housing Committee has been told that the authority must look at acquiring some larger properties to meet the need that exists in the county. The call came from Cllr Gerry McMonagle who told members that there are many larger families on the council’s housing list who will not be catered for under

Letterkenny is the most popular destination for Airbnb bookings by travellers from the Republic of Ireland this year. Bundoran features at number 10. The top 5 destinations were Letterkenny, Inishmore, Rosslare, Dingle and Schull. Spain, Italy and the US top the international list for Irish travellers is year. There are three destinations in Spain in

Fórsa claims people working in councils are overworked following an exodus of staff over the past few years. The trade union says around 10,000 people have left their jobs at local authorities since the financial crisis. It adds that understaffed departments is leading to staff working above their grade while being paid less. Richy Carrothers

  The Moville Tidy Towns group has launched a major initiative to combat dog fouling in the area. Signage has been erected around the town reminding dog owners of their responsibilities, and lanyards and special waste bag holders will be distributed to dog walkers in the coming weeks. It follows a spate of thefts of

The manager of the Donegal Domestic Violence Centre believes there needs to be an overhaul of the current court structure. It comes as a report from the Department of Justice and National Women’s Council, found the Irish legal system is traumatizing and revictimizing those who’ve suffered domestic abuse. It also found some victims feel belittled,

A West Donegal Councillor believes people should register on the social housing waiting list as soon as they turn 18. Councillor Micheal Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig says with the lengthy waiting lists facing people in need of housing, the sooner a person is on the waiting list, the more of a chance they stand. He

Donegal County Council is being urged to keep the pressure on to ensure the flood relief schemes announced yesterday are delivered as soon as possible. Minister for the OPW Patrick O’Donovan confirmed that a new pilot delivery model for flood relief schemes in Letterkenny and Donegal Town is to commence shortly. Councillor Noel Jordan says

There are calls for Revenue to change its policy on using the rent tax credit to pay off tax bills. It’s emerged some renters have had their €500 payment withheld – in order to pay off liabilities accrued as a result of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme in 2020. Revenue says it can claim any

The number of text and investment scams, targeting older people, is soaring. The Banking and Payments Federation says it’s the reason behind its FraudSMART awareness event, taking place in Dún Laoghaire in Dublin later this morning. Older people are invited to go along to learn more about how to spot and defend themselves against fraudsters.

Sinn Féin is calling on the government to impose a three-month price cap on energy. In a motion coming before the Dáil later, the party will also call for the Environment Minister’s new windfall tax on the super-profits of companies to be back-dated to the price peak in 2022. Sinn Féin’s Environment Spokesperson, Darren O’Rourke

Nurses are demanding urgent action on hospital overcrowding. Latest figures from the INMO show just over 10,000 patients, including 297 children, were admitted to hospital without a bed last month. Yesterday there were over 700 patients left on trolleys. Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation will gather in Killarney today for the union’s

As meetings to discuss the draft County Development Plan take place at all five of the county’s municipal districts over the coming days, a North Inishowen councillor has again repeated his belief that water from the Eddie Fullerton Dam should not be sent to other areas of the county until the peninsula’s needs are met

The OPW is being urged to work with Donegal County Council to boost the number of people visiting the Newmills Corn and Flax Mill on the outskirts of Letterkenny. Local Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh raised the issue with OPW Minister Patrick O’Donovan and his officials while they were in Donegal yesterday. After meeting them at a

OPW Minister Patrick O’Donovan today performed  the official opening of the new outdoor classroom at the Glebe House and Gallery in Gartan. The special guests were pupils from Gartan NS. He described the structure as is an excellent example of the OPW’s Biodiversity Action Strategy in action, showing how biodiversity awareness can inform the management

Nursing Homes Ireland says the level of discrimination in Donegal in the State’s funding of nursing homes is escalating. It comes as latest figures show an 85% difference in the funding of HSE and private/ voluntary nursing homes in Donegal. The average fee payable for a HSE run nursing home resident is €831 more than

A new pilot delivery model for flood relief schemes in Letterkenny and Donegal Town is to be rolled out. The Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan announced that the flood relief schemes in the two towns are now commencing with funding also provided for three additional engineering and project management

Investigations are continuing after a property in Carndonagh was targeted by thieves on two separate occasions. At sometime between 10pm on Sunday April 23rd and 4pm on Monday April 24th, a quantity of copper wire and lead was stolen from outside the property in Churchlandquarters. Meanwhile, on Tuesday last between 12:30pm and 3:30pm a number

A car was considerably damaged in a hit and run in Letterkenny on Saturday April 22nd. Gardai are appealing to the driver of a black Vauxhall with a partial registration of ‘152 DL’ believed to be involved in the incident at Port View Business Park to come forward. Garda Claire Rafferty says the investigation is

The amount of medical negligence compensation pay outs within the Saolta Healthcare Group trebled last year. According to figures from the State Claims Agency, compensation claims cost Saolta €76.3m in 2022. That’s up from €25.2m the previous year. Donegal Aontú representative, Mary T Sweeney claims there is a link between rising stress levels among hospital

A public meeting regarding the A5 is being held in Omagh next week. The ‘A5 Enough is Enough’ campaign group is hosting the meeting ahead of a public inquiry into the road improvement project. The group was set up by the Tyrone GAA County Committee in November 2022 and since then has received almost 9,000

The Tanaiste is being urged to act on his positive words on reinstating the Derry to Dublin air link and upgrading the A5. Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn says people in Donegal and the wider North West region need more than just words. The Irish Government previously funded the Derry to Dublin air route. Deputy MacLochlainn

Green Party Climate Policies are ripping the heart and soul out of Rural Ireland. That’s according to the Rural Independent Group of TD’s who claim the Green’s climate change policies are ‘reckless’ and are destroying jobs and damaging the environment. Group leader Mattie Mc Grath says it’s absurd that Bord na Mona’s Edenderry plant is

A Donegal County Councillor has warned the Council that it is the here and now that needs to be dealt with in terms of the housing crisis. At the recent sitting of the local authority’s Housing and Corporate SPC, plans for social housing across the county over the coming years were revealed. However, Councillor Gerry

Hundreds of mourners gathered in Co Tyrone today for the joint funeral mass of Dan and Christine McKane. The siblings were killed when the minibus they were travelling in was in a collision with a lorry near Aughnacloy last Thursday. They were laid to rest after their Requiem Mass in Strabane Cemetery. Fr. Declan Boland