Author name: highlandnews

The Spanish Ambassador has been informed of plans to twin the Lifford Stranorlar Municipal District with Valladolid in Spain. Ambassador Castro, during a visit to Donegal this week met with the Cathaoirleach of the Lifford Stranorlar MD, Councillor Gerry Crawford. It’s proposed a twinning agreement be put in place to mark the connection with Red

A Donegal Councillor says the recent discovery of a knife in the Sliabh Sneacht area of Letterkenny was an aberration, and does not reflect the area or its people. Cllr Gerry McMonagle was speaking after the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District agreed to his call for a gate to be erected at the last back lane

Gardai are appealing for information about an assault in Stranorlar last night. The incident happened close to the Fire Station. Sergeant Pauline O’Connor says they’re particularly anxious to trace the movements of a black car that may have been involved………….

  A group of people who were scammed by a fake holiday home advert on Facebook’s marketplace say they cannot get the ad removed from the social media platform. Neil, a member of the group, told Greg Hughes on today’s Nine til Noon Show that the ad purports to show a house in Gweedore, but

Donegal County Council has confirmed that the bottle banks in Falcarragh will not be returning to their previous location, and they are now searching for an alternative site. In the meantime, people are being asked to use the bottle banks in either Gortahork or Dunfanaghy until the matter is resolved….

The Mayor of Donegal Youth Council says young people have a lot to contribute to the county, and that needs to be recognised. In a presentation to members of the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District this week, Tara Toye said there are members of the Donegal Youth Council sit on several advisory groups and representative bodies,

Cancer is Ireland’s leading cause of death, accounting for one in three deaths. One in two people develop cancer at some point in their lives. But if diagnosed early, it is easier to treat and there is a better chance of recovery. Dr Heather Burns is a specialist in public health medicine with the National

It’s emerged that the number of houses built in the Letterkenny area is far below expectations. A recent review of the the County Development Plan included figures showing that only 317 houses have been built from 2018 to 2021. The expectation was that the figure would be between 1000 and 1200. Cllr Michael McBride says

Stormont’s would-be first minister’s still calling on the DUP to enter power-sharing – ahead of tomorrow’s midday deadline for a decision. But the party’s leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, says he’ll not give up his Westminster seat until issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol are resolved. This would be necessary if he was to take his place

The Taoiseach and Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle have clashed in the Dail over the Mica Redress scheme. Deputy Pringle called for legislation governing the scheme to undergo pre-legislative scrutiny to ensure it is fit for purpose. It’s after the Tanaiste during a meeting with the Mica Action Group last week said he was unaware that

Donegal County Council’s Water & Environment section has issued a formal warning letter to Irish Water on foot of complaints from residents of Thorndale in Letterkenny. The complaints relate to the noise emanating from the Water Treatment Facility at Magherennan. Letterkenny and Milford Municipal District members were told today that Irish Water has already completed

The US Ambassador to Ireland says she supports calls for the situation of undocumented Irish people there to be regularised. Ambassador Claire Cronin, who has family roots in Carrowmena, Greencastle is currently on a visit to Donegal where she has been carrying out a number of engagements. Speaking to Greg Hughes on today’s Nine til

The Roads Policing Unit in Letterkenny is investigating alleged dangerous driving incidents between Newtowncunningham and the Manorcunningham Roundabout on Friday night last. Garda Grainne Doherty is appealing for information about that car’s movements, and also about a Hit and Run incident on Letterkenny’s Port Road on Sunday night last between 10 to and 10 past

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