Author name: highlandnews

Ireland is generating too much waste. A new report from the EPA has found waste generation continued to rise in 2020, with Ireland in danger of missing our EU targets for 2025. The amount generated jumped from 12 point 7 million tonnes in 2012 to 16 point 2 million tonnes in 2020 – with almost

Public Expenditure Michael McGrath has pledged to examine the fact that homeowners dealing with defective blocks are still receiving bills for Local Property Tax. This is because although they were promised exemptions, because of the delay in implementing a scheme, they are not yet registered and therefore are receiving bills from Revenue. Deputy Thomas Pringle

A special Oireachtas Housing Committee nmeeting has heard a call for the quarry at the centre of the defective blocks scandal in Donegal to be re-inspected, and the results of previous geological tests independently assessed. In an exchange with Feargal O’Coigligh, an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Housing, Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn asked for assurances

The Seanad has been told that officials in Donegal County Council are being subjected to unacceptable abuse online by defective block protesters, and if that doesn’t stop, then a full scale garda probe should be launched. The issue was raised by Senator Niall Blaney, who claimed there’s a campaign of opposition to the redress scheme

A public meeting will take place in Dunkineely on Friday night to discuss the closure of the GP practice in the area. Last month it was confirmed that there is to be no GP service in the area and instead, people will have face a 15 mile trip to see their doctor. A public meeting

A Donegal doctor is warning of the signs of Strep A following an increase in the infection. It is believed that a five year old girl has died after contracting Strep A in Northern Ireland, while eight children have died from the bacterial infection in England and Wales in recent weeks. Strep A infections are

Gardaí are appealing to witnesses of a fatal road traffic collision in Ballyshannon to come forward. Mr Michael Ward was killed on thursday, December 1st at approximately 10.45am when his tractor overturned on the roadside in Corlea, outside Ballyshannon. Garda Niall Maguire appealed to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact Gardaí… Road

Gardaí have renewed their appeal over tracing the whereabouts of 16-year-old AJ O’Sullivan who was last seen in the Malin area. AJ was last seen during the early hours of last Thursday, December 1st. AJ is described as being 5 foot 4 inches in height with a slim build. He has brown hair and blue

The HSE is contributing one point five million euro to a fund aimed at tackling Ireland’s “youth mental health crisis”. The HeadStart Fund will be distributed by Rethink Ireland, which provides supports and cash grants to social innovation groups. The fund will open next month to youth organisations, to help improve the wellbeing of 15

There’s been an increase in the number of people being hospitalised with flu. The Chief Medical Officer Breda Smith is again encouraging those who are aged 65 and over, to get their free flu vaccine from their GP or pharmacist.

An Oireachtas Committee meeting will hear from industry experts about the results of recent audits of quarries in County Donegal, as well as the wider issue of deleterious materials later today. The Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage will meet at 3pm to hear from representatives from the National Building Control Office (NBCO),

A Derry MLA has welcomed the news that the Causeway Coastal Route in the North will officially connected to the Wild Atlantic Way. A total of €7.6 million of funding provided by the Irish Government’s Shared Island Unit will help launch and market the new connection. It will see the Wild Atlantic Way extend into

Bundoran Garda Station is without proper facilities for Gardai and is not fit for purpose. That’s according to Donegal Councillor Michael McMahon, who has called for a new Garda station, and an increase in Gardaí actively on patrol in the town. Currently there are only four full time Gardai serving in the Bundoran area. Cllr

The Taoiseach has rejected calls for a Citizen’s Assembly on Irish Unity, saying that opinion polls will never unite the country. Micheál Martin was responding to a poll published in the Irish Times, which analysed voters’ views around a united Ireland. It found almost half of Irish voters wouldn’t support a united Ireland if changes

Donegal TD and Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has welcomed the launch today of the Letterkenny 2040 Regeneration Plan. The plan will see significant investment in the town, including investment in renewing the Market Square, Lower Main street and Old Courthouse, as well as developments to make the town environs easier to navigate. There will also

Some Letterkenny University Hospital support workers feel ‘undervalued’ as they have not been deemed eligible for a role upgrade which would lead to a pay increase. Phase four healthcare support workers which includes housekeeping, cleaning and domestic staff are not currently being considered for an upgrade or pay increase. The job evaluation scheme commenced in

An Inishowen Councillor believes it should be an offence if people who go out walking or running wearing black clothes during the dark evenings. Cllr Nicholas Crossan raised the issue at a recent meeting of the Joint Policing Committee and explained how he was driving recently and met a woman out running while dressed all

Losing the NHS would be one of the biggest concerns for voters in Northern Ireland, if Irish unity was to happen. That’s according to a North-South survey carried out by The Irish Times and ARINS. Almost half of the people surveyed in the Republic say they’d be less likely to vote for unity, if changes

A ‘first of its kind conference’ is taking place at ATU Donegal today. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference organised and hosted by ATU is focused on the twin pillars of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The event will offer high level debates on the challenges brought for businesses about by digitalisation, the green transition, demographic change, and

A Donegal traveller who conducted ‘a landmark study’ into Traveller Men’s Health hopes the research will help pave the way for a better lifestyle among travellers. A study into Traveller Men’s Health has identified poverty, unemployment and early childhood experiences of racism in the education system as some of the key factors that have a

People are being urged to attend a drop-in information event to find out plans for the future of Letterkenny. The Public Information Event about Council-led projects and services in Letterkenny is taking place today between 2pm-8pm in the Radisson Hotel, Letterkenny. Lots of information in relation to regeneration projects, housing, waste management, roads projects and

People from over 130 countries who live in Ireland will become Irish citizens today. Around 3,500 applicants, including 66 people from Donegal will receive their certificates of naturalisation in Killarney in County Kerry over the next two days. Junior Minister at the Department of Justice James Browne says it will give them rights and legal

A local Councillor believes there is a direct correlation between drug crime and the lack of Garda resources in rural areas. Raising the issue at a meeting of Donegal’s Joint Policing Committee last week, Cllr Michael McBride said he believes drug offences are increasing in rural areas where there is a lack of Gardaí stationed.

An Inishowen Councillor has called on Donegal County Council to do more to help find accommodation for five families in the Carndonagh area. Councillor Doherty says the families in the Cherry Avenue area of Carndonagh were told in October that the Council’s lease with the private owner of their homes was not going to be