Author name: highlandnews

Fine Gael is calling for Garda recruits to be paid more while in training. They say the weekly training allowance needs to increase significantly to reflect the current cost-of-living crisis. Trainees are paid €184 per week, before moving onto the first point of the incremental pay scale. Fine Gael’s justice spokesperson, Alan Farrell, says every […]

Rip off Ireland is alive and well. That’s according to Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty who has hit out at hotels continuing to charge high rates on the dates of large music and sporting events. He highlighted one case in which a person travelling to the Europa final in May 2024 had their accommodation cancelled and

The Donegal Donkey Sanctuary has issued an urgent appeal for a baby foal who is in need of a foster mare. The foal was born in County Cavan on Friday but has been rejected by his mother. Manager of the Donegal Donkey Sanctuary, Danny Curran is asking people who are in a position to help

There’s calls for greater enforcement on hedge cutting in Donegal. Particular concern has been raised around lack of visibility as a result of overgrown hedges along the Atlantic Drive route in Downings. Councillor John O’Donnell says while responsibility lies with landowners to cut hedges, he believes responsibility lies with the council also to enforce it.

The Public Accounts Committee is seeking further information from RTÉ in connection with its probe into undeclared payments to presenter Ryan Tubridy. Its Chair says former director general Dee Forbes, former chief financial officer Breda O’Keeffe, former commercial director Geraldine O’Leary and Director of Content Jim Jennings should appear before it. Deputy Brian Stanley says

The government has been called on to find a workable solution to the current dispute involving retained firefighters. Workers are set to take strike action next week in a dispute over pay and conditions. A solution to resolved the dispute at Work Place Relations Commission was voted down earlier this month. Independent TD Sean Canney

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is once again calling for a long-term plan to tackle overcrowding. It says “band-aid measures” do not address the issues affecting the country’s hospitals. 301 people were waiting for beds in hospitals nationwide yesterday morning, 29 of them were without a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital. Phil Ní Sheaghdha

‘Tough times ahead’ is what the future holds for hotels in Donegal as the VAT rate for the tourism and hospitality sector is set to return to 13.5%. That’s according to Paul Diver, Chair of the Donegal branch of the Irish Hotel Federation. He says it wasn’t a bumper season for Donegal this summer and

A Christmas market could be on the cards for Donegal. Councillor Jack Murray will bring a proposal for Swan Park to host a Christmas market before Donegal County Council on Monday. He says given the success of such events in other countries it would be a huge boost to the entire region. Councillor Murray hopes

Staff have been forced to carry out basic tests in the corridors of Letterkenny University Hospital’s Emergency Department as the ED remains extremely busy. An additional 300 people have presented at the ED so far this month when compared to the same period in 2022 with daily figures of over 160 people recorded this week.

Difficulties in retaining GPs in Donegal is adding to pressures facing GPs in the county. That’s according to Dr Ciaran O’Ferraigh who says in some cases it is taking months to source additional doctors. He told the Nine til Noon Show that despite additional GP training places being available, ensuring GPs continue to work in

A Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme information evening is taking place next week in Donegal. The Mica Action Group is holding the event in response to affected homeowners seeking information and clarity on how the revised scheme operates. It takes place on Monday at 7pm at An Grianan Hotel, Burt. MAG Chair, Lisa Hone says

There’s frustration over ongoing efforts to restore a damaged crash barrier in Kerrykeel which was first raised back in 2017. Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh previously called for funding to carry out the repairs six years ago and Donegal County Council confirmed this week that it is still working on sourcing money for the works as there

Property prices are expected to continue to increase over the next year, however a levelling off is anticipated by estate agents Figures from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland outline a 2% increase in prices in the next 12 months. Chair of the Society’s Practice & Policy Committee John O’Sullivan says supply shortages and rising

The Minister for Health has been accused of “shrinkflation” at a time when older people are crying out for more home care hours. The comments come from the charity ALONE come as the Minister for Health gave the go ahead for a decrease in the number of hours for home support from 23.9 million to

A higher level of Garda presence is urgently needed on the streets of Dublin. That’s the view of a local Councillor following a serious assault on an American Tourist there on Wednesday night. Dublin City Councillor Ray McAdam is calling for more gardai on the streets of the capital:

Retained firefighters in Donegal are willing to continue industrial action until November if needed. That’s according to Donegal SITPU representative, Stephen Kelly. Industrial action is to resume next Wednesday over pay and conditions in the service. SIPTU members have voted in favour of rejecting Labour Court recommendations. Mr. Kelly says they will undertake the action

The Republic of Ireland’s opening game at the Women’s World Cup ended in defeat. Donegal players, Amber Barrett and Ciara Grant were on the bench for the match. They were beaten one-nil by hosts Australia, despite a strong effort in the second-half. However regardless of today’s result, Irish supporters believe the campaign is far from

The British Government is being accused of a lack of urgency when it comes to Stormont power-sharing talks. Parliament is now in recess, with no prospect of the political deadlock in Northern Ireland breaking any time soon. An autumn date is apparently being pinpointed, but Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill says there’s no time to waste:

Tributes have been paid to Daire Maguire, whose funeral has taken place in Fermanagh this morning. He died in a crash at the Sligo Rally on Sunday alongside his co-driver Gene McDonald. Gifts were brought up at the beginning of the mass, including a motorsports jacket. Visiting priest, Father Saghar Sabir, paid tribute to Daire’s

There’s calls for urgent works to be carried out on the Letterkenny to Fintown road following a serious crash on the route in recent weeks. There is particular concern after a car in which tourists were travelling went off the road at Breenagh Bridge. Councillor Donal Mandy Kelly says the bridge has been left in

Donegal County Council is being urged to provide for the increased number of electric vehicles on the roads by installing more charging points in the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District. A Council spokesperson said additional EV charging points are not provided for in the Draft Local Transport Plan but says there may be provisions under the

Ireland’s senior women’s soccer team will make their World Cup debut later this morning. Their opening game against tournament co-hosts Australia kicks off at the Accor Stadium in Sydney at 11 o’clock Irish time. It’s expected to be a sell-out crowd of over 80,000 fans. Two Donegal women, Amber Barrett and Ciara Grant are part

New research shows Ireland is in line with its European counterparts when it comes to housing affordability. The ESRI compared the ratio between a household’s income and the amount paid on housing in 15 similar economies across Europe. It found that, on average, Irish households pay one fifth of net income on their rent or

Gardaí are appealing to people along the north Donegal coastline to keep an eye out for suspicious material. It’s after a number of packages containing suspected cocaine washed up yesterday. One package was spotted on Ballyhiernan Beach in Fanad, with another later reported at Tramore Beach in Dunfanaghy. Gardaí have launched an investigation, and are

There is a ‘glimmer of hope’ that post office services will be restored in the Melmount area of Strabane. The branch closed suddenly in September of last year. West Tyrone MP Orfhlaith Begley has been pressing for it’s restoration. She welcomes the news that an there is an applicant to run the facility: