Author name: highlandnews

A Donegal Deputy has pressed Government to engage in negotiations with unions this year on outstanding issues in the community sector. Speaking in the Dail yesterday Deputy Thomas Pringle welcomed the recent announcement that SIPTU and Fórsa members in community sector organisations have voted to accept the recent WRC recommended pay rise. He is seeking […]

The HSE has confirmed that efforts will be made to recruit members of the diaspora to fill a vacant post at Carndonagh Community Hospital. The position of Senior Radiographer at the hospital is ongoing and has to date, been advertised on three occasions without any success. Councillor Albert Doherty however, says all efforts must be

Private Seán Rooney has been honoured at a ceremony paying tribute to fallen UN peacekeepers. The 23-year-old was killed in an attack while on duty in Lebanon last December. Fergal Mythen – the Irish Ambassador to the UN – accepted a medal on behalf of the Rooney family. The UN’s Secretary General addressed delegates, before

The Tanaiste has been told that parents and children right across the country, including in Donegal, are being failed due to the absence of respite services. The case of one mother in Donegal who has not been able to access respite care for the last three years was highlighted. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty told Micheal

Stormont’s Sinn Fein leader says now is the time for a solid plan to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland: Parties are meeting with the head of the civil service for the first time since last week’s council elections. It saw Sinn Fein secure another politically historic result – winning the most seats at local Government

A portion of the surplus of the Irish Red Cross Creeslough Community Support Fund will go towards providing trauma support. A meeting took place in the town last night to discuss what the remaining €236,000 will go towards. To date, €1.4m of the fund has been spent on compensation for loss of jobs, income, homes,

Mowi has confirmed that job cuts are on the way at its Rinmore base in Fanad. The company says the decision has been taken following a global review to streamline processing plants which are under capacity with secondary fish processing set to cease in Ireland in October. In a statement, Mowi says as a result,

Donegal County Council is being urged to write to the Department of Housing ahead of the imminent publication of the revised defective block redress scheme. Councillor Martin McDermott, Chair of the Council’s Defective Block Redress Committee is calling for the building condition assessment requirement to be revised. The Department recently proposed 11 changes to the

Tensions are rising between the main coalition parties over the budget. Tanaiste Michael Martin told the Fianna Fail parliamentary party meeting last night that junior ministers writing newspaper opinion pieces ‘was not helpful’ and ‘undermines’ the budgetary process. He was referring to a call from three Fine Gael junior ministers for a 1000 euro tax

A Donegal member of the HSE’s Regional Health Forum says there needs to be a study of the impact the a shortage of GPs in the county is having on Letterkenny University Hospital. Cllr Gerry Crawford asked at a meeting this week for an outline of the protocols in place in cases where a person

A Donegal Deputy called on Government to make better plans to provide affordable housing in Ireland. In a heated address, Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn highlighted findings in a report from the Banking and Payments Federation noting that the average income of first-buyer families is €90,000. As well as this, the majority of local authorities, do not

A Donegal Deputy has said Letterkenny University Hospital is buckling due to years of neglect. Deputy Thomas Pringle said in the Dáil this week that many of his constituents have raised the long wait-times in the Emergency Department. He added that the recent resignation of a new consultant is evidence that change is needed for

A Lifford councillor is urging the County Donegal Education and Training Board to meet with the owners of the building currently being used by Youthreach in the town to discuss the service’s future. It emerged last week that the lease is expiring and the service has to temporarily relocate, with a potential move across the

The PSNI says the investigation into the attempted murder of DCI John Caldwell is continuing at pace. The senior detective was left with life changing injuries after being shot in Omagh earlier this year. Mr Caldwell’s still recovering at home after being released from hospital. Chief Constable of the PSNI, Simon Byrne, says the force

The Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue is being urged to step in and grant foreshore licences for a number of piers and harbours in Donegal to allow planned works proceed. Funding of €7.6m has been allocated for works in Burtonport, Bunbeg, Glengad and Rathmullan. However, its been confirmed that the approval of foreshore licences is outstanding

An Inishowen Councillor believes the dangers of Lyme disease need to be highlighted through signage across Donegal. Councillor Albert Doherty raised the issue at this week’s meeting of the Inishowen Municipal District and Regional Health Forum. He is calling for awareness and information signs to be put in place:

A Midlands North West MEP has defended his decision to vote against the proposed EU Nature Restoration Law in the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee this week. Colm Markey says all those who opposed it accept there is a biodiversity crisis, but object to the way the commission was proposing to impose measiures without engaging with

The potential of Swan Park is not going to be maximised until everyone can enjoy it. That’s according to Councillor Rena Donaghey who is calling for signs to be erected encouraging dog owners to keep their pets on a lead. The popular amenity recently reopened after much work was carried out there following significant damage

Kilmacrennan Celtic Football Club has appealed to members of the club and the public to be extra vigilant after significant damage was caused to their changing rooms facility. The Club says they are disgusted and disappointed to discover the level of vandalism at the building used by the Kilmacrennan Schoolboys/ Girls Football League Club. They

The Dail has heard that diabetes care in Donegal is in an absolute crisis. It emerged in recent days that two Consultant endocrinologists at Letterkenny University Hospital have resigned. All the while, adults with diabetes are waiting 24 months for an appointment which is way above the recommended timeframe of 6 months. Donegal Deputy Padriag

A Donegal Deputy has appealed to the public to not be led by hate. While giving a statement on the accommodation needs for new arrivals in Ireland, Deputy Thomas Pringle said it’s easy for members of small communities to ‘fall into the trap’ of believing the current housing strain has been borne out of refugees

The HSE’s National Service Plan for 2023 “won’t even scratch the surface” of the healthcare crisis, according to Sinn Féin. HSE boss Bernard Gloster will outline what’s being done to help the health service recover from the effects of the pandemic, when he goes before the Oireachtas Heatlh Committee later. The plan has a total

Nearly three out of every four children are being negatively affected by the cost of living crisis. A study by the children’s charity Barnardos found 37% of families have had to cut down or do without basic essentials in the past six months. 43% of parents couldn’t afford to buy new clothes for their kids.

There’s calls on Donegal County Council to address safety concerns at Greencastle Harbour. Councillor Johnny McGuinness says in its current format, he is not confident that safety has been given proper consideration in terms of layout. He believes the area needs to be revised in its entirety to ensure the safety of people availing of