Author name: highlandnews

It’s been confirmed that Budget 2026 makes provision for improvements to the Mental Health service in Donegal. On today’s Nine til Noon Show, Government Chief Whip and Mental Health Minister Mary Butler confirmed that the budget allows for the appointment of a Crisis Resolution Team for Donegal, and the provision of a Solace Café. She

The Taoiseach will come under pressure when he meets with his Fianna Fail party later. Micheal Martin will face questions from his parliamentary party after Jim Gavin dropped out of the Presidential race. The Taoiseach has said he will have a frank and comprehensive discussion about the controversy. Fianna Fail Junior Minister Chris O’Sullivan is

A Dail Committee has been told that when it comes to discussions on fish quotas, fishers are often told they must accept cuts based on science, but the scientific evidence offered by the fishers themselves is all too often ignored. Aranmore Island based Jerry Early, Chair of the Irish Island sMarine Resource Organisation, told the

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland is congratulating all students receiving their Junior Cycle results today. Around 73 thousand students are getting results, the third year in a row the figure has exceeded 70 thousand. Over 2,600 students will receive their results in Donegal schools today. TUI President Anthony Quinn says students should be careful in

The first of the measures announced in the Budget are now in effect. Around 2 and a half cents has been added to the cost of a litre of petrol and diesel. While tobacco products have increased by 50 cents. Meanwhile, the Budget has been criticised for not progressing the Government promise to cap the

A Donegal Deputy criticized the Finance Minister’s poor choice of wording when making his budget announcement yesterday. Deputy Charles Ward says yesterday’s announcement will offer very little hope to homeowners in the heart of the defective concrete block scandal. The 100% Redress TD asked that the Concrete Levy be abolished for families rebuilding their homes

Yesterday’s budget commitment to the Derry-Dublin Airlink has been greatly welcomed, especially given the ongoing delays in progressing the long-sought-after A5 development, according to the City of Derry Airport. Included in the budget 2026 plan is €1 billion in funding for the Shared Island initiative, which includes the flight route linking two cities. Derry City

Gardai say there’s been a marked increase in the number of bogus investment adverts on social media sites. A 21% increase has been recorded in the last three months. They say over €66 million stolen through investment fraud in Ireland since January 2021. On today’s Nine til Noon Show, Donegal Divisional Crime Prevention Officer Fergus

The case of Arranmore teenager Muireann Kavanagh has been raised again at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. She hit the headlines in March of last year when it emerged that she was being forbidden from fishing for pollock by line because of concerns over dwindling stocks. The issue was

Gardaí in Letterkenny are investigating an incident in which a child was hit by a car in the car park at Century Cinemas in Letterkenny at the weekend. It happened at approximately 5.15 on Sunday evening. On today’s Nine til Noon Show, Sergeant Fergus McGroary made this appeal for information:

The Finance Minister says Budget 2026 is about ‘investment’ and balance. It’s expected a VAT rate cut for the hospitality sector, due to take effect in July, will be unveiled this afternoon. A ten euro rise in social welfare rates is also among the measures due to be announced. Speaking in the past few minutes,

The Government is being urged to enter into negotiations with the European Commission on an urgent financial aid package for the Irish fishing and seafood industry. Donegal TD and Sinn Fein Marine Spokesperson Padraig MacLochlainn says anticipated cuts of 70% to the mackerel quota, as well as severe cuts to the blue whiting and boarfish

Today marks the third anniversary of the Creeslough explosion, in which 10 people lost their lives. A  commemoration service will take place at 3pm this afternoon at the site of the tragedy. A file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions following a lengthy and ongoing garda investigation, bur the cause of the

Foyle MLA Padraig Delargy has called for a united approach to continue delivering investment and transformation in Derry. Addressing the Assembly, the Foyle MLA said positive political leadership had been crucial to achieving projects such as the A6 upgrade, the North West Cancer Centre and the ongoing expansion at Magee. He was speaking during an

Mortgage interest relief is to be extended for another year before being phased out in 2027. The move will benefit more than 60 thousand householders in tomorrow’s budget. A permanent extension to the basic income scheme for artists has also been agreed, as have VAT cuts for the hospitality sector, construction of new apartments, and

Latest figures show 3,000 people waiting autism assessments in the Western Health and Social Care Trust Area, just over 2,500 of them children. Answering questions from East Derry MLA Alan Robinson and West Tyrone MLAs Nicola Brogan and Daniel McCrossan, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt acknowledged the waiting times are too long, and the trust is

The North’s First Minister has described the discovery of a viable explosive device outside a Sinn Féin office in Newry as “an attack on democracy”. It was placed outside an office used by Newry and Armagh MP Dáire Hughes and Stormont MLA Liz Kimmins. Michelle O’Neill says it’s outrageous………………

Defective block homeowners in Donegal are said to have been left terrified during Storm Amy on Friday. Councillor Jack Murray posted a video to social media in the aftermath of the storm which showed the extensive damage caused to one defective concrete block home. He says it remains clear that the remediation scheme is not

Donegal County Council is attempting to put together an “Emergency Household Response Package” that can be rolled out immediately in the aftermath of storm or flood damage. The initiative was suggested by Cllr Niamh Kennedy, who says there should be a stockpile of torches, gas stoves, dehumidifiers, generators and other items that could be temporarily

The Mister of State with responsibility for Fisheries says more needs to be done to support the fishing industry in Donegal and beyond. Minister Timmy Dooley met with members of Ireland’s pelagic industry in Killybegs yesterday to discuss recent scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, that would see massive