Author name: highlandnews

Sinn Fein remain most popular party ahead of Government reshuffle

Sinn Fein remain the most popular party in the country with less than one week before the Government’s re-shuffle. Leo Varadkar is set to become Taoiseach again next Saturday, December the 17th, but Sinn Fein remain top of the opinion polls unchanged at 34 percent. Fine Gael have gained in the latest Sunday Times Behaviour […]

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Schools to remain open next week despite cold weather snap

Public transport will run and schools will remain open despite sub-zero temperatures in the week ahead. That’s the message following the National Emergency Coordination Group meeting in Dublin today. They say they’re ”confident services won’t be affected” by the cold snap – despite flight disruptions and hazardous driving conditions. Speaking following the meeting, Housing Minister

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Biden expected to appoint new US envoy to Northern Ireland

American President Joe Biden looks set to announce a new US envoy to Northern Ireland in the coming weeks. Names being mentioned are former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and one-time Congressman Bruce Morrison. The position has been vacant since Donald Trump appointee, Mick Mulvaney, resigned from the role in January of last year. Ray

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Weather warnings issued as temperatures drop to -5 tonight

Met Eireann has issued nationwide weather warnings for low temperatures, ice and freezing fog set to come into effect tonight. The weather forecaster says temperatures between -5 and 0 degrees are to be expected overnight this Saturday night and into Sunday morning. Motorists have been warned of icy road conditions and freezing fog that may

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Minister O’Brien insists Government is tackling housing crisis

The Housing Minister says he’s not surprised that People Before Profit are bringing a motion of no confidence against him next week. Darragh O’Brien says they’re entitled to bring the motion – but he claims it’s a cynical exercise to deflect attention away from the work the Government is doing. That’s despite a large chunk

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Poll shows majority of ROI voters would abolish Stormont in a United Ireland

A new poll claims that voters in the Republic would choose to abolish Stormont as part of a United Ireland. However voters in Northern Ireland would prefer to see the Assembly and the power-sharing institutions remain. Those in the Republic are more supportive of an “integrated United Ireland” with a single administration located in Dublin

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41 Donegal Tidy Town committees to receive funding

Tidy town committees in Donegal have received a collective €61,000 in preparation for the 2023 SuperValu TidyTowns competition. Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD announced that 41 groups in Donegal would receive funding to help with their upcoming projects. 25 tidy towns committees in Donegal have been granted €1,000, while 13 groups

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Broken street lights leaving parts of Buncrana in darkness

A local Councillor has called on the council to fix a number of street lights in areas across in Inishowen. At the recent Inishowen Muncipial District meeting, Councillors raised concerns about the street lights in a number of areas particularly Buncrana and Lisfannon. Cllr Nicholas Crossan explained that six decorative street lights are out in

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Government must revisit refusal to subsidise fuel costs for fishers – Pringle

A Donegal TD told the Oireachtas Fisheries Committee this week that the government won’t provide fuel subsidies to struggling fishing communities, but is happy to give tax breaks to big businesses. Deputy Thomas Pringle said other EU states provide subsidies, but Ireland refuses to follow suit, arguing that because marine fuel isn’t taxed, subsidies aren’t

Government must revisit refusal to subsidise fuel costs for fishers – Pringle Read More »

Over 2,500 people awaiting procedures and 15,000 awaiting outpatient appointments at LUH

Over 602,800 patients are waiting for a first hospital outpatient consultation. The latest National Treatment Purchase Fund Hospital Waiting List data is out. It also shows 80,232 patients were waiting for an appointment for their inpatient or day case treatment, 2,513 of them at Letterkenny University Hospital on November 24th. 15,475 people were awaiting Outpatient

Over 2,500 people awaiting procedures and 15,000 awaiting outpatient appointments at LUH Read More »

Derry PSNI welcome conviction of man for sexual offences against a child

Police in Derry are urging people to help break what they’re calling the cycle of abuse against innocent children. It’s after a 53 year old man from the Derry area was sentenced at Coleraine Crown Court for sexual communication with a child, making and possessing indecent photographs of children, and possession of prohibited images. Peter

Derry PSNI welcome conviction of man for sexual offences against a child Read More »

Crossroads and Killygordon Enterprise Centre awarded €300,000 grant

The Crossroads and Killygordon Enterprise Centre is to avail of €300,000 grant. Sinn Fein Deputy Pearse Doherty has confirmed the CAKE centre is to receive a €300,000 Community Centre Investment fund grant. The funding will make the centre one of the most sustainable in Ireland, with the money going towards new windows and doors and

Crossroads and Killygordon Enterprise Centre awarded €300,000 grant Read More »

Donegal GP says increased demand is driving antibiotic shortage

Doctors have been inundated with demands for antibiotics, which is contributing to a medicine shortage. That’s according to the Irish Medical Organisation. It comes as the Irish Pharmacy Union reported 4 antibiotics containing penicillin are out of stock. Stranorlar based Dr Denis McCauley chairs the IMO’s GP committee. He says concerns around Strep A and

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MEP says Ireland is not doing enough to combat child trafficking

A Midlands North West MEP believes Ireland is not doing enough to combat child trafficking and criminal exploitation. Maria Walshe is welcoming a European Commission’s Anti-Trafficking Directive this week, outlining requirements for member states, including actions to discourage and reduce the demand for trafficking as weel as for awareness. Ireland is currently Tier 2 on

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Almost 50,000 people reported incidents of domestic abuse in 2022

Almost 50,000 people reported incidents of domestic abuse to Gardaí in 2022. It’s a 9% increase compared to last year. The figures released by an Garda Síochána show a notable increase in the number of incidents of coercive control reported. 173 people reported incidents of coercive control to Gardaí in 2022 – up from just

Almost 50,000 people reported incidents of domestic abuse in 2022 Read More »

Councillor believes surgical hub plan will benefit people of Donegal

A local Councillor believes the plan for five new surgical hubs will greatly benefit the people of Donegal despite the North West being excluded from the plan. Plans are in the early stages for the creation of five new surgical hubs to be located in Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Dublin. Concerns have been raised

Councillor believes surgical hub plan will benefit people of Donegal Read More »

Driver detected speeding in Buncrana area as temperatures hit 0

Gardai in Donegal are urging all drivers to slow down and drive with extra caution as wintry conditions continue. It comes after the Buncrana Roads Policing Unit this week detected a number of vehicles travelling in excess of the speed limit as temperatures reached 0 degrees. Gardai are warning that speed kills. They are also

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Positive development for homeowners in uninhabitable defective block properties

There’s been a positive step forward for homeowners living in uninhabitable defective block affected properties. It was confirmed last night that storage and accommodation grants will be made available next week for those properties that are no longer safe to live in. €15,000 will be available for alternative accommodation while €5,000 has been set aside

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Deputy Doherty welcomes progress on insurance legislation

A Donegal deputy has welcomed the news that legislation that would hold insurers to account and lower premiums is set to proceed to Committee Stage. The legislation would require the insurance industry to provide information to the Central Bank outlining how the cost of claims have reduced as a result of the new Personal Injuries

Deputy Doherty welcomes progress on insurance legislation Read More »

Motorists advised to take care on roads as weather warnings remain in place

The country is currently under a status yellow low temperature and ice warning which’ll continue until midday today. Met Éireann is warning drivers of hazardous conditions. Meanwhile, a yellow warning for snow and ice is in place until midday on Saturday for Donegal. Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather says conditions are poor out there this

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Concerns raised about the condition of one of Inishowen’s busiest roads

Concerns have been raised about the condition of one of the busiest roads in Inishowen. The slab road leads from Bunfoot to the main Derry to Letterkenny Road and recently the Council has been encouraging people to travel via Bridgend and avoid the road. However, Cllr Jack Murray says the road remains one of the

Concerns raised about the condition of one of Inishowen’s busiest roads Read More »

Tusla development in Donegal Town honoured at Exellence Awards

The Tusla team in Donegal town has been honoured with the Gold Award for ‘Innovation in Service Delivery’ at the organisation’s Excellence Awards. The team worked closely with ‘Donegal Youth Voices’, a group from Foroige, with Tusla saying the award highlights the importance of young people’s participation in improving the services they access. The young

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Around the Northwest – Professer Aoife Foley, stay warm and well this winter

Reduce Your Use, Stay Warm and Well booklet is being delivered to every house in Donegal. It contains a range of practical information for households on how to ‘Reduce Your Use’ where safe and possible, and outlines the supports available to stay warm and well. Prof. Aoife Foley tells John how to keep warm without

Around the Northwest – Professer Aoife Foley, stay warm and well this winter Read More »

‘No longer a housing crisis but a social crisis’ – Deputy Doherty

Ireland is no longer dealing with a housing crisis but a social crisis. That’s according to Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty who told the Tanaiste that the lack of housing is impacting recruitment in a number of sectors including healthcare and education. In responding to Deputy Doherty, Leo Varadkar says the Government accepts that Ireland is

‘No longer a housing crisis but a social crisis’ – Deputy Doherty Read More »

Donegal fisher organisation representatives address Oireachtas committee

The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been told that the quota discussions which will take place in Brussels at the weekend are almost meaningless because there still hasn’t been a deal on with the UK government post Brexit, and that puts the Irish fleet in an impossible position. That’s according to

Donegal fisher organisation representatives address Oireachtas committee Read More »