Author name: highlandnews

Work has started to restore the ‘Sweet Factory’ playground at the Bernard McGlinchey Town Park in Letterkenny. The area has been closed for some time because it had been deemed unsafe for use. Funding had been earmarked to upgrade the facility, but there were delays with the delivery of necessary equipment. It’s hoped the work […]

Junior Health Minister Ann Rabbitte is promising a review of the HSE’s management of residential disability centres in Donegal and the North West. It’s after the HSE’s fitness as a provider of such centres in the region was questioned by HIQA, The concern was expressed two months after the partial publication of the Brandon Report

All remaining legal Covid-19 restrictions will be lifted in Northern Ireland from today. Last evening, Health Minister Robin Swann announced the measures, including the wearing face masks in public places, are being replaced by guidance. It means Covid passes are also no longer required in nightclubs, but rules on testing and isolating remain. Declan Jordan

The controversial sliding scale element of the government’s revised mica redress scheme is set to be removed. Last November the state agreed an updated scheme to pay up to 420,000 euro to rebuild or repair thousands of homes, mainly in Donegal. Rebuilding costs were capped, with a sliding scale built in to the draft regulations.

Sinn Fein’s spokesperson on Fisheries and the Marine has reiterated his call for supertrawlers to be banned from Irish and EU waters. It comes after the supertrawler ‘FV Margiris’ was spotted off the North West and West coast in recent days. Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn is calling on the Marine Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister

Donegal County Council is being urged to install safety measures at whats been branded a ‘deathtrap’ in Letterkenny, and to involve local residents and businesses in the process. There’s said to be ongoing speeding issues at Oldtown with residents and business owners continually voicing concerns. The Council says it will explore short term measures, as

Former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, is launching a programme to mark the 100th anniversary of the Seanad today. The theme of the centenary celebrations is ‘Minority Voices, Major Changes’. The Seanad aims to represent people on the margins of society, including ethnic minorities. Donegal based Senator Eileen Flynn became the first Traveller to get

The North’s Health Minister has announced that all remaining Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland are to be lifted. Stormont ministers earlier gave their “unanimous support” to Minister Robin Swann to ease Covid restrictions. He’s confirmed that he will be making an order tomorrow to revoke the remaining rules. Sinn Fein’s Stormont leader Michelle O’Neill says

The trial of a man accused of the rape and murder of Danielle McLaughlin is to be heard in a new fast-track special court. The murder of the 28 year old from Buncrana is expected to be the first case heard in the new court which will be operational within months. The trial of Vikat

There’s a question of faith in the process, that’s according to the PRO of the Mica Action Group. It comes as it’s reported that the controversial sliding scale element of the enhanced Mica Redress scheme is set to be replaced by another model proposed by the SCSI. The alternative model will cost 8 different house

The Tanaiste says he would like to see issues around the Northern Ireland Brexit protocol resolved before May’s Assembly elections in the North. Engagement between the UK and EU is continuing in a bid to break the deadlock over the Brexit arrangement. Speaking at an informal meeting of EU Trade Ministers in France, Leo Varadkar

Fáilte Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta have formed a strategic partnership aimed at making the Gaeltacht experience appealing, accessible and relevant to visitors. They’ve signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will see the two organisations will work together across a number of priority areas. Daithi Gallagher is Failte Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way Manager with responsibility

Video footage of a tidal surge at the Stone Jug near Buncrana has been posted on the Lough Swilly RNLI Facebook Page. This is the second time this has happened recently and there have been similar incidents along the north coast. The surge was the result of 16 metre waves off the coast, caused by

Donegal County Council is being urged to explore the idea of using some of its vacant buildings as hubs. It’s understood that there are empty units in a number of areas across the county and its thought that they could be used by people working remotely. Cllr Ciaran Brogan is looking for a more detailed

The Agriculture Minister is urging communities to be vigilant as Garda investigations continue into three separate attacks on older people in their homes. An appeal for witnesses has been launched after two elderly people were threatened at knife point in Gurranabraher in Cork city shortly after 7.30 yesterday morning. The intruder left the scene with

  A Donegal TD says the HSE must put better workforce planning procedures in place to ensure continuity of services when staff are on leave. Deputy Thomas Pringle says in many cases where leave is being taken, the HSE often does not have a suitable replacement lined up, even if the leave has been flagged

A local councillor is calling on Donegal County Council to invest in re-locating the bus shelter serving Manorcunningham. Cllr Kevin Bradley brought the issue to last week’s meeting of the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District – but currently, Donegal County Council says there is no funding available to carry out the works required. The shelter is

It’s been claimed that teachers and parents are fearful for children’s lives outside the gates of a Letterkenny school. Speeding motorists, inadequate signage and a flat roundabout are all said to be contributing factors to the concerns outside Letterkenny Educate Together in the Kiltoy area of the town. Donegal County Council has pledged to carry

Women’s Aid is urging people to spot the signs of online abuse in relationships. The charity is launching its ‘Too Into You Campaign’ on social media, aimed at young women aged 18 to 25. A study by Women’s Aid, shows 3 in 5 young people have experienced, or know someone who’s been abused in an

Sinn Fein remains the most popular political party in the country according to a new poll. The Sunday Times has the opposition group on 34 percent, nine points clear of Fianna Fail on 25. Fine Gael is the third largest with 20 percent which has fallen by 2 since the last poll. Sunday Times Political

Gardai are carrying out a number of searches in Co. Sligo today as part of the investigation into an aggravated burglary at the home of Tom Niland. The 73-year-old remains on life support in hospital after being viciously attacked by three masked men in his home in Skreen on January 18th. Gardai say they’re following

A Donegal Deputy is set to lead the first in-person agri-food trade mission from Ireland since the start of the pandemic. Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue will lead a delegation of several companies and Bord Bia over the next five days to the the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Last year, agri-food exports to the

A leading economist claims the government was limited in the actions it could take to curb rising energy prices. Last week’s announcement included a doubling of the energy credit due next month to 200 euro, and a fuel allowance lump sum of 125 euro. However opposition parties criticised the measures as not going far enough.

A Sinn Fein TD claims the Government plan to tackle the rising cost of living has come ‘far too little and too late’. Steps announced on Thursday include a 20 per cent cut in transport fares from April and the energy credit is to increase to 200 euro. But Louise O’Reilly says a number of

The Dail has heard that many Donegal people are finding it increasingly difficult to be able to buy or rent a home. It was revealed this week that Donegal recorded the highest rise in rents in the country in the latest Daft.ie report. The large scale of Mica affected homes in the county is also

It is hoped that an area in Letterkenny will be catered by the town bus service in the near future. Currently, Oldtown and surrounding areas are not currently serviced by the bus and in many cases, it’s understood that some elderly people have had to use taxis to get into the town centre. Donegal County

  Listen back to the main evening news, sport, nuacht and obituaries for Friday February 11th: 

British and EU negotiators are meeting in London today to try to resolve their row over the Northern Ireland Protocol. It’s the latest meeting between the UK’s foreign secretary, Liz Truss, and European Commission vice-president, Maros Sefcovic. It comes after the DUP triggered the collapse of the Stormont Executive by pulling the First Minister from

The Finance Minister’s denying that a cut to the Universal Social Charge would have been a better way to help people with higher livings costs. The Government announced a package of measures last night including a 200 energy credit, a 20% cut to public transport fares and an extra 125 euro payment for those in

There are calls for additional staff to be put in place in the Housing Maintenance Section in the Letterkenny Milford area. It’s in response to what’s been described as an ever increasing demand in the workload. Cllr Donal Coyle says in particular, Council owned dwellings in the Manorcunningham area are not being given enough attention

The members of the first governing body of the new Atlantic Technological University which will open its doors on April 1st have been announced today by Higher Education Minister Simon Harris. It follows the granting of Technological University status to a consortium comprising Letterkenny, Galway-Mayo, and Sligo Institutes of Technology. Leitrim Barrister Maura McNally has

The Dail has heard that the families involved in the Brandon Report want it published. Deputy Thomas Pringle was speaking as part of statements on the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022 which would pave the way for a transfer of some responsibilities to a different Minister. Deputy Pringle raised concerns once again over the HSE’s

The Marine Minister has clashed in the Dail with Sinn Fein’s Fisheries and Marine spokesperson, Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochalinn. Deputy MacLochlainn raised the issue of access around Rockall being blocked for Irish fishermen. He told the Dail that it has resulted in a loss of over €7 million to the sector last year. Deputy MacLochlainn