Author name: highlandnews

The move to suspend checks on goods arriving into Northern Ireland ports from Britain could be another escalation of efforts by the DUP against the Northern Ireland protocol. That’s according to Donegal Senator Niall Blaney who is a member of the Good Friday Agreement Committee and Fianna Fail spokesperson on Northern Ireland. The suspension of

A Donegal father has today, spoke of his son’s role in raising the alarm after he fell off a cliff. 10 year old Owen Cunningham from Kilcar sought help after his father Seamus sustained injuries when he fell off a cliff on November 16th last year while working on farm fencing. Emergency services arrived on

Parents in Donegal are being encouraged to get their applications for school transport in early. It’s for the school year starting this coming September with the deadline for applications April 29th. It applies to new applicants only that are seeking primary or post primary school transport for 2022/23. Cllr Paul Canning says there can be

There are currently 40 thousand vacant jobs in the Irish tourism sector. Tourism Ireland says that 30 percent of staff have left the tourism industry since the beginning of the covid pandemic. A new report to be released next week is expected to indicate that many hospitality businesses have had to cut down on services

The Agriculture and Marine Minister has been told there is blind anger and fury over how fishermen are treated. Speaking in the Dail last evening on the Sea Fisheries Amendment Bill, Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn relayed his concern that fishermen are being criminalised by current legislation surrounding the penalty points system. Deputy MacLochlainn who is

New Government initiatives could be on the way to alleviate the spiralling cost of living. Both the Taoiseach and Tanaiste indicated at their parliamentary party meetings last night that further measures are being considered. They’re thought to include an increase to the 100 euro energy credit next month, and a reduction in Government charges. Junior

A cross-community group of Troubles victims will meet with the Taoiseach in Dublin later seeking support against the UK government’s proposed amnesty for legacy killings. The British government claims its plan to block investigations into crimes committed by security forces or paramilitaries would help with reconciliation. But opposition politicians and victims groups have criticised the

Checks on goods travelling from Britain into Northern Ireland ports have been suspended. It came into force at midnight, after the UK government said it wouldn’t intervene following the move by Agriculture Minister, Edwin Poots. The DUP minister says he acted on legal advice, but is being accused by the Irish government and other Stormont

The Seanad has been told the government must do all it can to ensure that state collusion in Loyalist murders is not masked by an amnesty. The issue was raised by Senator Niall O’Donnaighle, who raised the recently published Greenwich Report. He told Junior Foreign Affairs Minister Thomas Byrne that that the true level of

  A South Donegal Deputy believes that Technological University will have far reaching benefits for the North West region – if it’s properly resourced. Deputy Marian Harkin was speaking as part of statements on the Higher Education Authority Bill 2022 in the Dail last night. The LYIT, Sligo IT and GMIT are set to merge

Listen  back to the main evening news, sport and obituaries for Wednesday February 2nd:

  The Taoiseach has said he has an open mind on not raising the State pension age. It’s after an Oireachtas Committee recommended keeping the qualifying age at 66 – rather than following the Pensions Commission advice to raise it to 68 by 2039. It also advised getting rid of mandatory retirement ages in employment

  The National Public Health Emergency Team is currently reviewing the use of masks in primary schools. Representatives appeared before the Oireachtas Health Committee this morning. Deputy Cathal Crowe described the ongoing use of masks in primary schools as a struggle, and asked when this measure would be stood down. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr

The Dail has been told that cancer patients in the Saolta region have the worst outcomes in Ireland. Independent TD Sean Canny was speaking during a debate on the cost of cancer care, during which he called for investment in the Regional Cancer Centre in Galway, as well as in other Level 3 hospitals across

The community of Glenties have been praised for their part in the investigation into the Wild West shooting rampage. Yesterday, 24 year old Stephen Dowling of Burren Road, Carlow was sentenced to 8 years in prison after he figured a number of shots from a high-powered telescopic rifle on Glenties main street in the early

A leading Mica campaigner has voiced his frustration over a lack of progress on the delivery of the enhanced Mica redress scheme announced back in November. Paddy Diver claims Donegal County Council needs to refocus its efforts . On the Nine til Noon Show this morning, he hit out at what has become a cycle

The Social Protection Minister has said she’ll consider a committee report which recommends against increasing the State pension age. An Oireachtas committee has said it rejects the Pensions Commission recommendation that the retirement age increase beyond 66. It also wants mandatory retirement clauses in contracts to be banned. The Pensions Commission found the current State

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