Author name: highlandnews

The stigma around people who self-harm can impact their ability to rent a home or find a job, according to new research. Of almost 800 people surveyed by the Samaritans, 77% said they would offer help to someone who self-harmed. However, more than half said they would not rent an apartment to someone who self-harmed,

The Education Minister has been told that the decision to refer almost 60 school projects for review by the Department of Public Expenditure is causing deep concern in Donegal, where a number of long awaited projects have been delayed even further. Minister Norma Foley is due to visit Donegal tomorrow for a number of engagements,

A West Donegal councillor says the county has the potential to become a national leader in the provision of services for disabled people. Cllr Michael Choilm MacGiolla Easbuig was speaking after a meeting of the council’s Disabilities Committee this week, at which they were told a tender for the promised Changing Places facility in Letterkenny

Donegal County Council has supported a call for separate fire stations to be retained in Ballyshannon and Bundoran, and called for both stations to be upgraded. The call has come from Cllr Barry Sweeney, who told members he does not accept the view of officials that an amalgamated option is the best way forward. As

The European Parliament is marking the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement. Today’s plenary session began with a special ceremony in Brussels. European Parliament president, Roberta Metsola opened the session this afternoon……..

A Senior Trip Advisor Executive will be one of the main speakers at for Donegal County Council’s annual Tourism Conference tomorrow morning. Over 100 tourism providers in the county have already registered for the conference, which takes place tomorrow morning in Letterkenny’s Mount Errigal Hotel, with further delegate registration available in the morning. The theme

A Buncrana Councillor says the demolition of a semi-detached property in the town affected by defective blocks is an example of penny pinching by the Housing Department. Councillor Jack Murray was reacting to a picture published in the Inishowen Independent which shows how one semi-detached property was demolished while the adjoining property which is also

Irish MEPs have put political differences aside to commemorate the Good Friday Agreement. The European Parliament is marking the upcoming 25th anniversary with events this afternoon. Midlands North West MEP Chris MacManus is co-hosting the Brussels event alongside the Greens, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. He says the Good Friday Agreement is rightly lauded in

The Dail has heard that a Donegal mother has been searching for five years to find a home for her and her four children. Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle was speaking during Labour’s confidence motion in the Dail today during which he expressed his lack of confidence. He highlighted the ongoing housing pressures facing people in

Ireland is not at the races when it comes to protecting our island. That’s according to Midlands North West MEP Maria Walsh who believes a conversation needs to be had on Ireland’s neutrality. However, speaking on today’s Nine til Noon Show live at the European Parliament, she says there are many elements that needs to

The Chair of the Regional Health Forum fears dedicated staff at Letterkenny University Hospital are going to be lost unless action is taken to alleviate pressures at the hospital. Councillor Gerry McMonagle questioned if GPs, the NowDoc service and hospital management were working together to find a solution to the difficulties facing people needing to

A South Donegal Deputy says TDs sometimes have to vote for the lesser of two evils. Deputy Marian Harkin in declaring her support for Sinn Fein’s bill to extend the eviction ban, says she doesn’t believe that landlords should have to take responsibility for the housing crisis but also acknowledged the high volume of eviction

A Donegal councillor is calling for a pilot programme to tackle dereliction in Ballybofey and Stranorlar. For several years now, the area has had one of the highest levels of dereliction in the country, with local Councillor Patric McGowan saying now is the time to start working on a properly integrated plan to ensure the

A Donegal County Councillor says he isn’t confident that the Housing Minister is listening to the people of Donegal. Councillor Albert Doherty has called on Donegal County Council to lobby the Government with a view towards having the eviction ban extended. He says there is simply not enough supply in the county to facilitate the

Two men have been injured in two separate attacks in Donegal over the past week. On Wednesday last at around 11:45pm a man sustained substantial injuries to his head and hand outside a licensed premises in Milford. Meanwhile, following a verbal dispute between two men in the Main Street area of Raphoe, one man was

The Donegal Donkey Sanctuary has launched a fundraising campaign as it is running dangerously low on supply. 98 donkeys are currently being cared for at the facility with the number of foster homes becoming scarce. Manager of the Donegal Donkey Sanctuary, Danny Curran says they have been facing additional pressures over the past number of

The HSE’s confirmed all Covid-19 community testing centres are closing from Thursday. The online self-referral portal for ordering PCR tests will also be closed. The decision was made following updated public health advice, which states that Covid-19 testing is “no longer recommended for the vast majority of people”. Eileen Whelan is National Lead for the

Donegal had the largest increase in blood donations last year. The figure more than doubled, to almost 4,900 while Leitrim, Longford and Roscommon had the fewest blood donations in the country in 2022. In total, there were nearly 132,000 donations around the country last year, according to freedom of information figures. Donegal GP Ciaran Ó

Funding has been confirmed for the HSE to carry out a feasibility study of the site proposed for the Lifford Community Nursing Unit. The site is part of a council owned plot of land on the outskirts of Lifford, which will also see social housing and business units developed there. Cllr Gerry Crawford says this

Donegal County Council has had discussions with churches and other non-denominational groups with regards to the provision of burial grounds in the county. Cllr Ciaran Brogan is urging the local authority to set up a working group to address what he termed an ongoing and very challenging issue in the county. The issue has been

The Draft Homeless Action Plan for the North-West needs to be appropriately resourced. That’s according to Councillor Gerry McMonagle who has been welcoming the plan which sets out four strategic aims to tackle homelessness in the Nort West. He says the lack of social houses, high rents and the ending of the eviction ban will

The appearance of racist graffiti in Lifford has been strongly condemned. There has been much outrage locally after a wall in an estate in the town was discovered spray painted today. It’s believed there has been an ongoing issue with racism in Lifford. David Friel, Training and Development Officer with Think Equality Donegal says it

Opposition TDs are hoping the Government can be defeated in a confidence motion this week. Labour has declared no confidence in the Government over its handling of the eviction ban. Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle has confirmed that he will be supporting the no-confidence motion. Last week a number of Independent TDs voted with the Government

The lack of housing is continuing to prevent first-time home buyers from entering the market. The latest REA average house price index shows the current sale price of a three-bed semi-detached house rose by 0.6% nationwide, in the first three months of this year. In Donegal, it’s up 3.4% to €150,000. Barry McDonald, estate agent