Author name: highlandnews

The Society of St Vincent de Paul says it’s seeing a spike in calls from middle income earners who have never required help from the charity before. That reflects a comment made by the organisation’s Donegal president last year that some people seeking help had been contributors a short few years earlier. Volunteer Cormac O’Sullivan

The Government is being accused of cowardice and of making ‘a farce’ of the Dáil over its handling of the Occupied Territories Bill. Opposition parties have submitted a motion for the bill, which would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian Occupied Territories, to be enacted before Christmas. They are also calling for services

Body-worn cameras are to be trialled for three months at two Derry hospitals following an increase in incidents of abuse and aggression towards staff. 4,627 instances of physical and verbal abuse towards staff were recorded by the Western Health and Social Care Trust between September 2024 and September 2025, a 6% increase from the previous

A Donegal Deputy has welcomed the news that the Government will restore funding for the Derry to Dublin air link. Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn was speaking in the Dáil last night, highlighting its importance to Donegal. The Minister for Transport confirmed it’s hoped services will commence October next year, earlier if feasible. Deputy Mac Lochlainn

A Buncrana Councillor has welcomed €2 million funding for the Lesiure Centre but says it is nowhere near the amount required to build the facility. The announcement was made yesterday by Junior Sports Minister Charlie McConalogue, who said after the detailed design is finished, the project will be ready to be put out to tender.

The Taoiseach and Tanaiste have today confirmed a €2million allocation to enable a new Pubic Service Obligation air service linking City of Derry Airport, and Dublin. The PSO will commence next year, with a review to take place two years later. Senator Niall Blaney says this will be up and running before the end of

Tanaiste Simon Harris is to become the new Finance Minister following the announcement today that Paschal Donohoe is to become Managing Director of the World Bank. Minister Helen McEntee will take over at Foreign Affairs and Trade, while Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton is being promoted to cabinet. Making the announcements in the Dail, Taoiseach

Derry City and Strabane Councillor Brian Harte has held an onsite meeting with council officers surrounding the issue of lighting in the Church view, Courtrai Park and Curlyhill areas of Strabane Cllr Harte says that there is no lighting on the walkways with anti-social behaviour and access to the town continuing to be a concern

  The Executive Chairperson of the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency has refused to comment on the recent court case in Letterkenny at which a Killybegs based fish processor was acquitted on two charges relating to the alleged failure to ensure the accuracy of weighing equipment, by order of the judge who cited a lack of

Gardaí are appealing for information following a burglary in Whitethorn Park, Letterkenny. A sum of money was stolen as well as a passport. This occurred on Saturday last, November 15th, at around 4:15pm when two men are believed to have entered the house through the kitchen window which they damaged in the process. Two men

The PSNI says people impacted by safeguarding failures in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland will be “heard and supported”. Police in the North have opened a criminal investigation, which the church says it will be cooperating with fully. The church said last week that failings between 2009 and 2022 included situations where it failed to

A West Donegal councillor says he’s hopeful a review of flood plains by Donegal County Council will see more land opened up for housing. Cllr Brian Carr was speaking after a comprehensive review of flood risks in the county was presented to members of the council’s Climate Action and Environment Committee. The committee briefed on

A €9.6 million cross-border initiative designed to enable people with mild or emerging mental health difficulties, to access early intervention programmes has been officially launched. CCWP, the Community Connections and Well-being Project will operate on the border counties of the Republic and the Western and Southern Health and Social Care Trust areas in the North.

The government has re-iterated its opposition to the Mercosur trade deal. It comes as EU agriculture ministers meet in Brussels to discuss a range of issues, including the controversial trade deal with South America. There are concerns over its impact on Irish beef farmers, despite the European Commission insisting there are safeguards in the deal.

Sinn Féin have renewed their calls for a passport office to be opened in the North. This comes as figures show 120,000 passports were applied for from north of the border during 2024. Derry City and Strabane Cllr Aisling Hutton says that opening an office in Derry or Belfast would help issues that occur in

Donegal County Council is considering installing traffic calming measures at Rossnakill, Fanad. The issue was raised at an MD meeting by Cllr Liam Blaney, who told Letterkenny Milford Municipal District that the area is becoming increasingly dangerous Officials said a speed survey can be arranged to assess the current issues at this location, with a

A West Donegal councillor is calling on Glenties Municipal District to set up a meeting with the co-op on Tory Island to discuss the fire service. Cllr Michael Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig says it’s important that a meeting take place as quickly as possible as part of what he says is an ongoing quest to secure