Author name: highlandnews

The Clinical Lead with the NoWDOC service says the plan to vacate the current Letterkenny base at Oldtown and move to The Hub on Kilmacrennan Road will improve services and facilities for both doctors and patients, and is not linked to the ongoing review of the NoWDOC service. On the prospect of Caredoc taking over

Donegal County Council’s Parking Section is to increase enforcement in the Sprackburn Drive area of Letterkenny. A recent meeting of Letterkenny Milford Municipal District was told that cars parking on the footpath at the junction with High Road often block the vision lines of other drivers, and make getting out of the cul-de-sac unsafe. In

The controversial deal to bankroll new forests has been branded a “corporate heist”. Coillte’s link-up with UK asset manager, Gresham House, will provide up to 200 million euro of the capital needed to create new forests. Farmers have slammed the move as a “land grab”, with fears that local people in the West and North

Concerns have been raised over what has been described as the excessive presence of Japanese Knotweed in Burtonport. Councillor Marie Therese Gallagher fears the presence of the species may impact the delivery of building projects in the area. She believes a project similar to a pilot one rolled out in Dungloe would be hugely beneficial:

The Taoiseach has reaffirmed the Irish Governments support of the A5. A new campaign supported by Tyrone GAA was launched this week calling for work to commence, over 15 years on from when the project was first granted approval. Leo Varadkar has told the Dail that the Government does want to contribute to the cost

Donegal County Councillors are being urged to deliver a clear and strong message to Government that all homeowners affected by defective blocks deserve the full restoration of their homes. The Mica Action Group has issued a letter to all Councillors in the county expressing their belief that they are being discriminated against after defective apartment

It’s reported today morning that the NoWDOC base in Letterkenny is moving. We understand that staff were informed by text message last night that in March, the current premises in Oldtown will be vacated, and doctors and drivers will be based at the hub on the Kilmacrennan Road, just above St Conal’s Hospital. No clarity

Donegal County Council is considering a proposal that a wildlife pond be developed at the Town Park in Ballymacool, Letterkenny. It’s been suggested by Cllr Gerry McMonagle, who says there is space there which could be uitilised to enhance the park’s appeal, and to support flora and fauna. Officials say an initial assessment will involve

The Garda Representative Association wants the government to set up a Special Taskforce to discuss, what it described, as the many serious issues and concerns affecting its members. It says Gardaí are facing an unprecedented challenge with rising assaults, and failures within both the recruitment process and the retention of Gardaí. The GRA has formally

The Inishowen 100 needs to be resurrected. That’s according to Councillor Johnny McGuinness who believes the potential for the route to be a huge tourist attraction is not being realised. He fears Inishowen is going to continue to be bypassed unless more of an effort is made to promote it as a destination for tourists.

There’s calls for ‘no swimming signs’ to be installed at what has been labelled a ‘notoriously dangerous’ stretch of water in Inishowen. Councillor Terry Crossan has issued the plea following an incident at the Isle of Doagh last year in which he had to intervene to warn a number of people who had entered the

Minister Paschal Donohoe has said he will be refunding some money donated to his election team under Standards in Public Office rules. The Public Expenditure Minister had admitted the use of vans worth more than 400 euro in 2020 election exceeded corporate donation limits. He’s said he will refund the difference to the Designer Group,

A Donegal man has lost €400 after being targeted by scammers. He received a Facebook message from someone purporting to be his friends, requesting he purchase online gift cards and to forward on the codes of said gift cards. Once the details were sent the Facebook account was made redundant. Garda Grainne Doherty says gift

Ireland’s European Commissioner will travel to Kyiv next month. Former Midlands North West MEP Mairead McGuinness has confirmed that she will accompany President Ursula von der Leyen and her colleagues for the trip scheduled for the coming weeks. Speaking in the European Parliament today, Mairead McGuinness, said it was important to reiterate the EU’s solidarity

Ministers have approved the removal of public inpatient hospital charges. They were removed for children last year, and it’s now being extended to adults from April. There’s currently a daily charge of 80 euro – capped at 800 euro a year. Speaking before Cabinet, Minister Stephen Donnelly says he wants it through the Oireachtas quickly:

Gardaí are reminding quad drivers that if they use them on public roads, they are subject to the same rules as all other drivers. It follows a hit and run collision involving a car and a quad which failed to stop at St. Mary’s Road, Buncrana at ten to ten on Thursday evening last. Garda

The Health Minister says the abolition of inpatient charges at public hospitals is to bring Ireland closer to universal healthcare. There’s currently an annual cap of 800 euro a year – charged at 80 euro a day. However Stephen Donnelly is bringing a memo to Cabinet this morning, and he hopes they would be in

The father of three children killed by their mother, says they’d still be alive if our mental health policies were different. This day three years ago, Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley were killed by Deirdre Morley in Newcastle, Co. Dublin. She was found not guilty of their murders by reason of insanity. Their Donegal born

All three driving test centres in Donegal had pass rates above the national average of 53% last year. Buncrana had a pass of 58%, while both Donegal Town and Letterkenny saw 61% of applicants succeed. The state’s lowest pass rate, 38%, was recorded at Mulhuddart in Dublin, while Ballincollig in County Cork had a pass

A Bill before the Dáil today includes an opt-out system of consent for organ donation. Under this system, consent for organ donation will be deemed unless the person has, while alive, said they don’t want to be an organ donor after death. The Human Tissue Bill also includes provisions around post-mortem practices and the public

Consideration is being given to expanding Garda resources in the North West. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has confirmed that plans to purchase a helicopter and plane to transfer additional personnel to the area in the event of an incidents are being reviewed. He also confirmed that it is his wish to see a dog unit