Author name: highlandnews

An emergency housing meeting is taking place in the Glenties Municipal District today. As homelessness increases in the region, there are renewed calls for vacant properties to be brought back into use. Councillor Micheal Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig also believes Donegal County Council needs to be more proactive in securing land to build homes. He says […]

A Donegal TD says the ongoing controversy surrounding fish weighing in Killybegs is costing South West Donegal dearly in terms of money and jobs, and requires direct intervention from the Taoiseach. In-factory weighing permits have been removed by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority from two processors after catches were landed in Derry. The SFPA subsequently

The DUP leader has said the Northern Ireland protocol must be removed before they will enter Government in Stormont. Political party leaders have been meeting the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland following the Assembly elections. Sinn Féin’s leader in Stormont Michelle O’Neill has said a functioning Government needs to be formed:

Bundoran RNLI came to the rescue of a surfer who got into difficulty off Rossnowlagh Beach yesterday afternoon. A passer-by raised the alarm shortly after 3pm with Bundoran RNLI’s inshore lifeboat and the Rescue 118 helicopter tasked to the scene. A surf instructor who went to the surfer’s aid, had witnessed him being blown offshore.

Donegal County Council is being urged to review the administration of people in receipt of Housing Assistance Payments in the county. Deputy Thomas Pringle says every local authority has the discretion to approve an additional payment of up to 20%. Last week in the Dail, he was told that just over 51% of households nationally

The first ever meeting of the new EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly takes place this week in Brussels. The Assembly was set up last year as part of the post Brexit process, with 35 members each from the European Parliament and the UK Parliament. Sinn Fein’s Chris MacManus is an MEP for Midlands North-West, and a

As debate and analysis continues in the wake of last Thursday’s Assembly Elections, Senator Niall Blaney told today’s Nine til Noon Show that a new executive is vital for Donegal. The Fianna Fail Seanad spokesperson on Northern Ireland says there are a number of cross border projects that need to proceed. With that in mind,

Last month registered the highest ever proportion of wind generated power in Ireland. Figures show wind energy provided 32 per cent of the country’s electricity in April 2022, up 7 per cent from last year. Wind Energy Ireland says the volume of wind helped push down the average wholesale price of electricity, but there was

Northern Ireland’s 90 MLAs meet at Stormont today, with the formation of a new power sharing executive topping the agenda. It’s after Sinn Fein won 27 seats, compared to the DUP’s 25, with Michelle O’Neill set to be nominated as First Minister. However, the DUP says it won’t re-enter power sharing until its issues with

The Donegal-born Mayor of Islington has won another term as a local councillor after the weekend’s elections in Britain. Cllr Troy Gallagher, originally from Letterkenny, became the first Irish-born Mayor of the historically Irish London Borough of Islington last year, and is set to leave the Mayoral office on May 26th. He was also successfully

Progress is being made on the construction of the new Buncrana Primary Care Centre. Minister Charlie McConalogue and local Cllr Rena Donaghey visited the site recently to observe the progress being made on works there. The official opening of the centre is expected in the coming months, as well as the beginning of the provision

The PRO of the Mica Action Group says that there are now no reasons for Leo Varadkar to ignore demands being made by campaigners, after he visited Donegal on Friday. Tanaiste Varadkar visited a mica-affected home, and met with a number of mica homeowner representatives to discuss the issue directly. Campaigners gave the Tanaiste a

A solicitor says details of the proposed deal around the new National Maternity Hospital need to be more clearly defined. Ministers have delayed signing off building the facility on land leased from a charitable trust, which was given the property by the Religious Sisters of Charity. The project at St Vincent’s campus in Dublin’s expected

The first meeting of a group set up to manage the EU and UK’s post-Brexit relationship takes place next week. Both parliaments are sending 35 representatives each. The meetings will be chaired by UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic. Sinn Fein Midlands North-West MEP Chris MacManus says outstanding issues related

  The DUP’s being encouraged to take part in talks about power-sharing, despite concerns about the Northern Ireland protocol. Parties will meet in the coming week to discuss the formation of a new Executive in the North. Sinn Fein will be able to nominate the First Minister for the first time after receiving the largest

The Northern Ireland Secretary of State has downplayed the prospect of a border poll being called. Brandon Lewis says the focus should be on getting Stormont back up and running. It follows a suggestion by the Sinn Fein leader a unity poll could be possible within five years, after the party’s success in this week’s

The head of the DUP has refused to say whether he thinks Northern Ireland will get a Government this year. Jeffrey Donaldson must decide this weekend whether the DUP will enter the Stormont Executive or not with Sinn Fein being the leading party, which polls suggest will be the outcome. During the campaign he’s said

The Sinn Fein leader says a vote on Irish unity could happen within the next decade, following its historic showing in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections. Sinn Fein are expected to become the largest party in the North after topping the polls with 29 percent of the vote – making it the first time a

The Dail has been told that implementing Slaintecare and offering more services outside hospital will be the key to addressing the twin issues of overcrowding and violence against hospital staff. Green Leader and Environment MInister Eamon Ryan was responding to Donegal TD Pearse Doherty who told the Dail that since the starty of last year,

As counting continues in the Assembly elections North of the border, Sinn Fein looks set to become the largest party. So far (7pm), with 25 seats declared, SF has 15 seats, the UUP has three and the DUP and Alliance have two each. The SDLP has one, and one independent unionist has been elected .

  As Sinn Fein looks set to become the largest party in the Stormont Assembly, the SDLP leader says it’s clear that nationalism has decided to give the DUP a kick in this week’s elections. With no seats filled yet, exit polls suggest the Alliance Party will make gains, while the DUP and UUP are

Elderly patients are being forced to travel to Sligo to receive treatment for a chronic eye condition due to limited ophthalmic services at Letterkenny University Hospital. Patients with macular degeneration require monthly injections into the eye which are currently not being offered in Letterkenny. Councillor Ian McGarvey claims equipment is in place at Letterkenny University