Author name: highlandnews

Serious concerns have been raised over not fit for purpose facilities for students with special educational needs at a school in Inishowen. Anthony Harkin’s 15 year old son AJ attends Scoil Mhuire Buncrana and along with other pupils with special educational needs has been moved to a building off campus with Covid cited as a […]

A Donegal Deputy says it’s astonishing that ‘Person K’ identified in the Greenwich report as having been involved in multiple murders in the North West between 1989 and 1993 was never brought to justice. The recently published report details that the so called ‘Person K’ is believed to have been involved in multiple murders and

Hauliers who had been crossing the border into Donegal through Clady village will now have to rethink their route. It’s after 7.5 HGV weight restriction signs were erected in the west Tyrone village in recent days after a significant local campaign. The community has previously voiced concerns relating to heavy duty vehicles passing through the

A Donegal Senator says the terminology currently being used in child pornography legislation is harmful. Senator Eileen Flynn has moved to introduce a child trafficking and child sexual exploitation material amendment bill to address what she says is a very important language issue. She’s proposed the legislation use the term ‘child sexual exploitation material’ as

A proposal to cut €100 off every household’s energy bill will be debated in the Dáil today. The cabinet signed off on the plan last week, and hopes it will be passed through the Oireachtas this month. The once-off payment will then be taken off people’s electricity bills at the end of March. But People

The Taoiseach has praised the Bloody Sunday families and the people of Derry after travelling to the city for last weekend’s 50th anniversary commemorations. Speaking in the Dail during a discussion on legacy issues in the context of the New Decade New Approach, Michael Martin said the message of the weekend was one of resilience

Most cancer patients spend €800 a year on public hospital charges, according to the Social Democrats. The party will bring forward a motion in the Dáil today, calling for the fees to be scrapped for these patients. Inpatient hospital charges are €80 per visit – capped at €800 a year. The Social Democrats’ health spokesperson,

The government’s approval of an exam-only Leaving Cert is a missed opportunity for meaningful reform, according to a youth advocacy group. Yesterday it was announced this year’s exam won’t have predictive grading and instead give students fewer questions and greater choice to answer. It comes despite calls from students for the hybrid model to remain

  Listen back to the main evening news, sport and obituaries for Tuesday February 1st.

Taoiseach Michael Martin has clashed with Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty in the Dail this afternoon, after Deputy Doherty raised questions about the party held by Department of Foreign Affairs staff after Ireland secured a place on the UN Security Council. Deputy Doherty asked if Minister Simon Coveney would come to the Dail to answer questions

A man who went on a shooting rampage with a high-powered rifle in Glenties has been jailed for eight years. 24 year old Stephen Dowling of Burren Road, Carlow who went on, what was described in court as, ‘a wild west rampage’ in February of 2020 was sentenced today at Letterkenny Circuit Court. Reacting to

A campaign has been launched today seeking investment to tackle a serious shortage of nurse specialists in neurology in Sligo University Hospital. The Neurological Alliance of Ireland says increasing the number of nurse specialists in neurology will reduce waiting lists, free up hospital resources and deliver real improvements for neurology patients. The NAI says Sligo

There are calls for a dedicated planning team for Letterkenny. It’s thought the town has suffered since the town council was abolished some years ago. Plans are already afoot for Letterkenny to become a city by 2040. Cllr Gerry McMonagle say if the Council is serious about developing the town, then it would be a

Students will sit the traditional Leaving Cert this summer – with greater choice than usual. Education Minister Norma Foley will bring this proposal to cabinet this morning. Students had been calling for a combination of written exams and accredited grades – similar to the past two years. Solidarity TD Mick Barry believes the traditional leaving

A new national digital strategy will be brought to cabinet today. The strategy, “Harnessing Digital”, aims to give all Irish households and businesses access to a Gigabit network by 2028, and to ensure all populated areas of Ireland are covered by 5G network by 2030. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment hopes the

  The Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council has described a series of adjournments at the latest sitting of the Council as unfortunate. The monthly meeting Donegal County Council has been suspended until next Monday. It follows the taking of a recorded vote which saw Councillor Frank McBrearty suspended from all Council Municipal District and Committee

It’s proposed an immediate 10 year moratorium on further military exercises taking place in Irish waters be introduced. It’s after Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney confirmed over the weekend that Russia is moving its drills outside of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The Irish South and West Fishermen’s Producers Organisation and the Irish Fish Processors and

The Agriculture Minister says legislation to appoint a food regulator will be introduced before the end of March. Farmers have been calling for government to move quickly on the appointment, with many unhappy at how costs and profits are shared along the food supply chain. Protests against the sale of low-cost chicken took place outside

The Vice President of the GRA says the use of drugs dogs in Donegal would greatly assist in cracking down on the circulation of drugs. The benefits of using a drug dog was highlighted after €3.1m worth of cocaine was uncovered at Dublin Port over the weekend. There are currently no drugs dogs available to

There have been calls to extend the Castlefin to Carrigans greenway, in order to connect it with Derry city. The Castlefin-Carrigans greenway was granted funding for construction in 2020, and local Cllr Paul Canning believes some of that funding should be used to extend the greenway to the border into Northern Ireland just outside Carrigans.

There’s further calls for a Hybrid Leaving Cert to be rolled out for students this year. Councillor Micheàl Naughton is taking a motion to Council today requesting that the local authority engage with Education Minister Norma Foley in support for a hybrid leaving cert for the class of 2022. He believes a hybrid option needs

The commencement of long-awaited works to install speed ramps in Manorcunningham has been welcomed. There’s been numerous calls for such traffic calming measures to be installed to curb the speed at which motorists travel through the village. Councillor Donal Coyle says the ramps will ensure safety for all residents:

It’s anticipated that Mica homeowners will be reimbursed for costs incurred by testing for the presence of Mica in the coming weeks. The Mica Action Group met with Donegal County Council and Housing Department officials last week and it was confirmed that regulations to release the funding will be approved by mid-February and will then

The issue of derelict housing in County Donegal is one of the topics up for discussion at today’s meeting of Donegal County Council. A motion being brought forward by Inishowen Councillor Albert Doherty is calling on the council to make every effort to identify and refurbish derelict buildings and houses in a bid to create

Farmers will meet Lidl tomorrow to discuss the below-cost selling of food. The Irish Farmers Association says its members are angry over the supermarket offering a 1.9kg chicken for 3 euro 49, which it describes as ‘totally unsustainable’. Following farmers protests in Cavan and Monaghan last week, they want the cost pressures they’re under recognised.

Employers are being urged to adopt a cautious approach to the return to the workplace under new government advise published today. The latest guidance for businesses recommends a gradual process, consultation with unions and supports for nervous staff. It’s also urging companies to continue to have infection prevention controls in place. Meanwhile there are calls