Author name: highlandnews

The Manager of the Donegal Domestic Violence Services says while steps are being made in the right direction to tackle domestic violence, there needs to be an interagency approach. From January, the Department of Justice will oversee domestic violence with a dedicated unit to be established. Dr Marie Hainsworth told today’s Nine til Noon Show

The Finance Minister says it is important defective concrete block homeowners are treated as potentially vulnerable mortgage customers and dealt with accordingly. Minister Michael McGrath met this week with the Banking & Insurance Redress Focus Group. He was responding to Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty who has called for bespoke arrangements recognising the unique circumstances of

Members of the National Union of Journalists at RTE are to hold an emergency meeting today. It’s after undeclared payments – totalling €345,000 – were paid to Ryan Tubridy between 2017 and 2022. An audit uncovered a deal with a commercial partner in exchange for a number of personal appearances a year. The former Late

The Implementation Plan for the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People has been broadly welcomed. It places an emphasis on people with disabilities being able to live independently. The plan also focuses on inclusion within communities, while ensuring their needs are met. Claire Feeney, Director of Services and Inclusion with the Housing Agency, says the

Donegal County Council has been criticised for the lack of progress on a recycling centre on Tory Island which was started five years ago. The facility remains unfinished and has resulted in recycling waste being left lying on the island as a waste collector has refused to engage with the facility until the works are

The official launch of the Earagail Arts Festival takes place today. This year’s festival, running from July 8th to July 23rd features an expanded programme of events. The annual event will see activities taking place on the Gaeltacht islands off West Donegal to the East coast of the county and Inishowen. Speaking ahead of this

A Donegal Deputy has told the Dail that people cannot afford for the housing crisis to worsen. The Central Bank has forecast that Government will miss its housing targets up until 2025. Deputy Pearse Doherty says the bleak forecast is deeply concerning. He pressed Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath to admit the Government’s housing plan

Planning is underway to provide additional student accommodations for TU’s, including Atlantic Technological University. The universities in question have been given eight weeks to indicate how much accommodation would be needed in the regions. Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris says it is a significant milestone in the development of State supported policy on student

The outgoing Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council has said every effort will be made to minimise disruption as a result of the closure of Portsalon Pier next month for improvement works which are set to last until October. A meeting on the pier heard opposition to the closure, with a number of businesses saying they

  One of the bereaved Creeslough families has questioned the council’s plans, saying they don’t believe that anything should be done until there is clarity on what is to happen to the site of the explosion in October of last year. On today’s Nine til Noon Show, Hugh Harper, who lost his daughter Leona in

The Tánaiste has responded angrily to protesters at the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy. Micheál Martin was opening the event which looks at the country’s foreign, security, and defence policies. But as he began speaking, protesters heckled him, chanted anti-war slogans and unfurled a banner. As they were escorted out of the lecture hall

Tomorrow night, June 23rd, is St. John’s Eve, which traditionally was a night when fires were lit at sunset, and had to be watched and tended until early morning. The bonfire tradition remains strong in parts of Donegal, with Donegal County Council particularly anxious that people do not waste materials such as mattresses, tyres, and

The Chair of Donegal County Council’s Creeslough Working Group is urging people to attend a public consultation at Massinass Hall today as work continues on two projects. Director of Services Liam Ward says the open event between 2pm and 8pm will update people on progress with the village plan, which has already been the subject

The Dail has been told that the West and North West is being used as a picturesque region in which to launch plans, but is being ignored when it comes to their implementation. Sligo Leitrim and South Donegal Deputy Marc MacSharry hit out at Transport Minister Eamon Ryan, who recently indicated to a meeting of

The Government is being urged to allow women undergoing cancer treatment defer their maternity leave. A campaign called “Leave our Leave” is being launched by the Irish Cancer Society today. It says legislation in its current form affects up to 60 women every year, and it has been described as “unfair”. At present, men can

Despite being the 6th largest hospital in Ireland, Letterkenny University Hospital is not given a fair allocation of resources. That’s according to Donegal Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn. He addressed the Taoiseach yesterday, to question if Government will support the plan launched by the hospitals management. In his response Leo Varadkar said while he has not

Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle is calling on the Irish Government to engage in proper consultations with communities prior to the arrival of refugees.While speaking in Strasbourg for the plenary session of the Council of Europe, he says simple acts should be included in the draft resolution on the integration of migrants and refugees: benefits for

A safeguarding expert from overseas is to be appointed to help the government in improving care standards at nursing homes. It’s after an unpublished report suggested a sexual assault at a HSE-run facility in 2020 was not a once-off. A healthcare assistant was jailed for 11 years for the rape of resident known only as

The Minister for Justice says laws to support the Special Criminal Court will be renewed next week. It’s despite a review which recommended changes to Ireland’s counter-terrorism laws. The report, which examined the Offences Against the State Acts, found the laws should be repealed and replaced. Justice Minister Helen McEntee says although the findings of

The government has cleared the way for three new vet schools as part of a package of 1300 new college places each year in healthcare, pharmacy and veterinary courses. The ATU is one of three colleges identified as the location for a vet school, with much of its work to be based at the ATU’s