Author name: highlandnews

The Sinn Fein leadership are in Brussels today for talks with the EU on the Northern Ireland protocol. Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill will meet with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic and other senior officials. The DUP’s refusing to enter power-sharing in north until changes are made to the post-Brexit trade agreement, something

The operator of Dublin Airport is to publish its plan to tackle long delays for passengers today. The DAA will appear before the Oireachtas Transport Committee, and outline how queues, similar to last weekend, will be avoided. More than 1,400 people missed flights after staffing issues at security resulted in long lines forming outside terminals.

A Donegal TD has claimed that the HSE has not only failed vulnerable people and their families in Donegal, it has also failed frontline staff and left them abandoned. Deputy Thomas Pringle was questioning Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath in the Dail after further concerns were raised at the weekend that more allegations of sexual

The government is being asked to ensure that Clones doesn’t lose the Ulster Final when the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast has been completed. It’s been suggested that the Belfast venue may become the new home of the Ulster Final when it opens, but Cavan Monaghan TD Niamh Smyth is suggesting that the model

A Donegal councillor says there has been no commitment yet that the Garda Dog Unit will be deployed to Donegal over rally weekend, but he has been assured there will be extra garda manpower in the county. It has also been confirmed that the air support unit will be based in Letterkenny over the weekend.

The Minister for Agriculture and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has defended his track record on fisheries quotas while in office following criticism from a fisheries delegation visiting Brussels today. Some of those from the delegation have argued that the Minister has let down the Irish fishing industry in quota negotiations with the EU. However, Minister

An Irish fisheries delegation is in Brussels today, asking for Ireland to be allocated a fairer share of the European Union’s fish quotas. The delegation consists of politicians as well as fisheries representatives and workers. At present, Ireland is only allowed to catch 15 percent of the fish in its exclusive economic zone. Gerard Kelly

The Taoiseach has warned fuel prices will likely increase after a new EU ban on Russian oil. The European Council agreed an import ban which will in effect cut the amount of Russian oil coming into the bloc by 90 per cent. Some imports will be temporarily allowed for countries who are highly dependent on

Calls have been made to allow a group of children with Cystic Fibrosis to be allowed access to a potentially life-changing drug. Anja Friel’s 5 year old son Tristan has the rare disease, and says that initially they were promised that Tristan would be allowed access to the drug Kaftrio. However, Tristan and 34 other

A senior Government Minister says there is no justification for the delays seen recently at Dublin airport. The Government’s demanded a plan from the DAA by this morning to ensure there is no repeat of the scenes witnessed on Sunday when 1,000 people missed their flights and thousands of passengers were forced to queue for

European Union leaders have reached a compromise to impose an embargo on all Russian oil brought in by sea – which EU leaders say consists of 90 percent of all oil imports from Russia. EU members spent hours struggling to resolve their differences over the ban, with Hungary its main opponent. The deal will cut

Campaigners from the traveller will gather outside the Dail later to demand a government action plan to tackle high rates of mental health illness and suicide in the community. The Traveller Mental Health Network, which’s organising the protest, says it expects hundreds to attend. Studies show the suicide rate among travellers is seven times higher

Donegal Action for Cancer Care says it has received confirmation that the second Breast Surgeon post at Letterkenny University Hospital has now been made permanent post. The incumbent took up the positon in 2017, but it emerged at the time that the position was offered on a locum basis, and DACC Chair Betty Holmes says

There have been calls for a dedicated housing section to be immediately set up to expedite social and afford house building. At this week’s meeting of Donegal County Council meeting, Cllr Patrick McGowan called for a section to be set up in main towns throughout the county to speed up building. He also called for

A Donegal County councillor has asked how new bye-laws regarding dogs on blue flag beaches are going to be policed. At this week’s meeting of Donegal County Council, it was confirmed that the draft bye-laws banning of dogs on blue flag beaches during peak summer times is to go out to public consultation. Cllr Nicholas

The Taoiseach has said the chaos at Dublin Airport over the past few days is unacceptable. Dublin Airport Authority will have daily meetings with the Department of Transport aimed at solving issues which have led to massive queues and hundreds of missed flights. The DAA has been tasked with coming up with solutions by tomorrow

The lack of electric car charging points in Donegal is resulting in tourists cancelling their holidays, according to a local councillor. The issue was raised by Cllr Michael McClafferty, who told today’s meeting of Donegal County Council that the rising popularity of electric cars is being ignored. He said he fears people will not come

A motion has been passed by the Derry City and Strabane District Council, stating its support for the establishment of an Irish Passport Office in the North. The motion, tabled by Sinn Fein Councillor Emma McGinley, is the second such motion to be passed by the Council in the last few years. She says that

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has established Ireland’s first accredited third-level programme on conflict resolution in collaboration with ATU Donegal. 25 Sergeants and Inspectors commenced the 12-week programme which will support AGSI members in advocacy and negotiation on pay, conditions and welfare. It’s expected that hundreds more Sergeants and Inspectors will join the

Chaotic scenes at Dublin Airport which led to long queues were a ‘blip’ according to the Dublin Airport Authority. It’s been confirmed that around 1,000 people missed their flights when passengers were stranded in queues outside and inside both terminal buildings. Junior Transport Minister Hildegarde Naughton is meeting the DAA Chief Executive this morning to

We’re being reassured that there is nothing to fear after the first case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Ireland. A second suspected case is also being investigated. Professor of infectious diseases Sam McConkey says further cases are likely – although it’s transmissible, it’s also very treatable, and could be easy to halt the spread….

  Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle has called for a follow up report to the Brandon Report to be published, after further concerns were raised at the weekend that more allegations of sexual abuse could emerge. The “Brandon Report” was released in December of last year, and outlined 108 incidents of serious assault carried out by

The Relay for Life returned to the ATU campus in Letterkenny over the weekend for the first time since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. A cast of stars from the music world were there to provide the entertainment across Saturday and Sunday, most notably the patron of the Donegal Relay for Life, Daniel O’Donnell.