Author name: highlandnews

Local authorities failed to monitor over a quarter of small private water supplies for E. coli last year. The Environmental Protection Agency’s annual report says continuing risks to public health in private drinking water supplies are not being tackled. The 1,700 small private supplies serve food businesses, nursing homes, crèches and B&Bs. Programme manager with

The Health Minister is being urged to engage with a consultant urologist at Letterkenny University Hospital who resigned from public practice earlier this week. Mr Asadulla Aslam stood down after what he says is ‘impossible working conditions’. He has blamed a lack of resources, reactive policies and onerous and impracticable on-call demands for his decision.

One in every five low paid workers in Ireland is aged over 50. A new report by researchers at UCD has found that of the 420,000 low paid workers in the country, around 80,000 are aged over 50. It says older low paid workers are more likely to be employed in admin and caring roles

The theme of this year’s Late Late Toy Show has been revealed. Host Ryan Tubridy will be following the yellow brick road, as the night is expected to be filled with music and magic from ‘The Wizard of Oz’. It’s the 14th year Tubridy will be hosting the event. He says there will be no

A local Councillor has called for repair works to be carried out on the road surface on Convoy main street. The road is reportedly breaking up and major cracks are visible along the route. The road was resurfaced only a few years ago but has deteriorated recently. Local Councillor Liam Doherty says work needs to

The HSE’s Regional Health Forum has been told it’s vital that conversations are maintained on the provision of a new Community Hospital for Lifford. Lifford Hospital is now closed, with a recommendation that a new facility be developed on a greenfield site. The issue was raised this week by Cllr Gerry Crawford, who asked about

Donegal Hoteliers have raised the ongoing challenges for the tourism industry during a meeting with TDs and Senators in the county. The meeting heard that while there has been a welcomed upturn in tourism, businesses are now dealing with skyrocketing energy costs and an expected global economic downturn next year. Niall Coffey from Harvey’s Point

A Donegal Deputy has hit out at plans for a price increase at road tolls. Toll charges on most toll roads around the country are to increase to their “maximum level” from 1 January 2023 following a decision by state body Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Tanaiste Leo Varadkar though, says while they have time to

Fishing industry representatives in Donegal have welcomed a commitment from the Tánaiste that Fine Gael will take a leading role in transforming the fishing sector. The commitments were secured at a series of meetings at the recent Fine Gael Ard Fheis during a series of meetings and debates about the fishing industry. The rising cost

The man who helped solve the mystery of the disappearance of a Donegal man who went missing over 30 years ago says it has brought closure to the family. Paul McGinty from Mountcharles disappeared in England in April 1991. His body was found in Meath and buried in an unmarked grave. The unidentified body was

The lead Cervical Check report author says doctors must practice open disclosure and it should not be optional. The government-appointed investigator into the scandal, Dr. Gabriel Scally, yesterday published a 39-page report into the progress made to date. He said improvements have been implemented, but there’s still serious work to be done. Speaking on today’s

There have been 81 delayed discharges from Letterkenny University Hospital this year due to a shortfall of carers. That’s an increase of 42% on the number of delayed discharges last year. 57 were recorded during the entirty of 2021. The HSE has confirmed that a robust recruitment campaign for carers in Donegal is ongoing. Councillor

The Dail has heard how people in Donegal are struggling to put food on the table each week and pay electricity bills. Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle hit out at the Budget saying it is clear that it was not designed to target those most in need. He says social welfare increases have done very littlt

Donegal Councillor Gerry Crawford is welcoming the winter plan published recently by the HSE and Saolta, saying he fully agrees with the plan to enhance servicves in the community to alleviate pressure on Letterkenny University Hospital. However, he’s asking how successful the promised recruitment drive will be. At a Regional Health Forum meeting this week,

Donegal County Council’s Budget Meeting was told this week that the issue of Defective Concrete Blocks has caused great distress in Donegal for several years, with many now having a fear of living in their homes. Officials said they hope the new Enhanced Scheme for privately owned properties will come into operation early next year

The Health Minister has confirmed that the Government is considering additional supports for Letterkenny University Hospital. Minister Stephen Donnelly says due to the location of the hospital, efforts are ongoing to enhance it. This week, a consultant urologist at Letterkenny University Hospital resigned from public practice due to what he says is the “impossible working

The number of people who can’t afford to heat their homes has increased by over 3 percent – to over 7 percent – this year. That’s according to figures from the Central Statistics Office Survey on Income and Living Conditions for 2022. The most likely groups to suffer deprivation are; single adults with children, those

There are calls for NowDOC services in Inishowen to be properly resourced. Councillor Albert Doherty has raised concerns over the delivery of the service in the peninsula during the October bank Holiday weekend, with one GP on duty in Carndonagh, saying that’s not enough. The HSE says it has noticed more demand over holiday weekends,

The Letterkenny Breast Cancer Unit is now holding Saturday clinics in an attempt to shorten waiting lists. The unit has seen over 3,000 breast care patients this year, with 2,000 of those new patients. The clinic also covers south Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. The clinic is currently seeing around 300 patients a month and for

A meeting is taking place in Lettermacaward this weekend to discuss the decision by Maas Energy to go to An Bord Pleanala after Donegal County Council rejected a plan to erect three extra wind turbines in the area. The Gweebarra Conservation Group is organising the meeting, saying that the proliferation of wind turbines in the

A Donegal Deputy has pleaded with the government to act now and help those defective block homeowners who are living in ‘the worst houses experts have seen.’ Speaking last night in the Dail, Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn called for immediate action to be taken to provide funding for those whose homes have become inhabitable due to

A recent drop in the price of petrol and diesel at the pumps, could be short lived. The AA’s latest price survey shows the average price for both has fallen by an around 6 cents per litre across Ireland. However, pressure could resume on the cost of fuel in the coming weeks due to a