Author name: highlandnews

St Joseph's Community Hospital, Stranorlar

Day services not returning to St Joseph’s Hospital

People in Ballybofey and Stranorlar are being asked to fill out Expressions of Interest forms if they require transportation to day services which were previously offered in St Joseph’s Hospital. While in-patient services remain, out-patient and day services were removed from St Joseph’s pending upgrade works, but the Save our St Joseph’s Hospital Committee now

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Electricity network facing capacity challenges as demand is set to increase

  Ireland’s electricity network is potentially facing a challenging number of years, due to expected increased demands on its power grid. An analysis of demand by EirGrid over ten years reveals it’s forecast to increase by 45 per cent between 2023 and 2034. Peak demand is forecast to increase by 24 per cent by 2034,

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Audio Update – McClafferty calls for action following another water outage at Ardsbeg

Uisce Eireann say repairs to a burst water main may cause supply disruptions to Ardsbeg and surrounding areas today. The issue arose last night, with works scheduled to take place until 3o’clock this afternoon. Local Councillor Michael McClafferty is again urging Uisce Eireann to engage with local councillors in a meaningful way. He also says

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No commitment to proceed with Buncrana Road improvement works

The Northern Ireland Assembly has been told that no decision has been taken on improvements to the main artery between Derry and Donegal. There’s been a proposal to upgrade the Buncrana Road from the city to the border at Coshquin for some time, but Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins told the Assembly this week that the

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Donegal healthcare sees positive outcomes from ECC programme

The HSE reports progress in improving healthcare for older adults and individuals with chronic diseases through the Enhanced Community Care Programme, which aims to bring services closer to home, reduce hospital admissions, and enhance patient care. The introduction of Community Specialist Teams for older people in the West and North West region resulted in almost

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€9.6m boost for Irish coastal climate change research

A research project investigating climate change impacts on the Irish coast has received a €9.6m investment from PEACEPLUS. The Coastal Monitoring and Adaptation Planning (CMAP) project, conducted by Ulster University researchers over four years, will examine 15 coastal sites, including those in Donegal, Sligo, Derry, Antrim, Down, and Louth. CMAP aims to improve coastal resilience

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Donegal groups receive €15,000 in climate grants

Three Donegal organisations have been awarded a combined €15,000 under grants for community climate engagement. Spraoi agus Sport family centre in Carndonagh received the largest amount, €10,000, for their Biodiversity Action Championships project. Barrack Hill Town Park and Greencastle Community Development were each awarded €2,500 for awareness-raising campaigns. The funding is part of a national

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Man arrested on drug charges following Derry searches

A 42-year-old man has been arrested by detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Branch, following two searches at residential properties in the Carn Manor and Glenabbey Road areas of Derry today. The searches, part of an ongoing investigation into drug criminality in the city, resulted in the seizure of suspected drug-related

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NI Assembly hears call for an immediate review of school security

A member of the Stormont Assembly is calling for a review of school security after police confirmed they are treating a security alert which led to closure of nine schools across Northern Ireland today as a hoax. Three of the affected schools were in Strabane. Holy Cross College, Strabane Academy and Strabane Primary School, along

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Donegal Education Support Centre to relocate to Letterkenny next month

The Donegal Education Support Centre has announced it will move to its new premises in Letterkenny this coming month. A statement released by the centre confirms a new lease has been signed. The move from Donegal Town to Mountain Top has faced criticism, notably from the Save Donegal Education Centre Committee, who claim that adequate

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Opposition determined to resist government speaking time plan – MacLochlainn

Opposition leaders say they’re ruling nothing out when it comes to their response to the Dáil speaking time row. The issue is set to come to a head in the Dáil tomorrow as the Government seeks to approve new speaking arrangements which would give coalition members more speaking rights. Opposition leaders will meet later to

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Average price of three bedroom semi detached homes in Donegal up by 5.6% since January

The price of the average second-hand three-bed semi in County Donegal has risen by 5.6% to €190,000 in the last three months, according to the latest Real Estate Alliance survey. That’s the second highest increase in the country after Offaly, but still the lowest average price in the country. Prices have increased by 17% since

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Police confirm email at centre of ‘security concern’ at schools across North

Police have confirmed that an email sent to a number of schools across Northern Ireland has led to their closure due to a security concern. Three schools in Strabane, Holy Cross College, Strabane Academy and Strabane Primary School are closed today along with others in Enniskillen and Ballycastle. Police say enquiries are continuing and they

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Doherty warns against ‘falling into line’ with EU over tariffs

The government is being urged not to fall into line with the EU when it comes to imposing counter tariffs on the US. On today’s Nine til Noon Show, Sinn Fein Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty said there are other issues at play at a European level with which Ireland has no involvement, and the government’s

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Strabane Cllr condemns those responsible for closure of schools due to ‘security concern’

A number of schools in Strabane are closed today due to what they say is a ‘security concern’. Holy Cross College and Strabane Academy earlier this morning, issued messages advising parents to make arrangements to collect their children. Strabane Primary School is also closed today. The nature of the security concern is unknown at this

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Questions raised over who has responsibility for emptying of Council owned litter bins in Donegal

Questions are being asked over who has responsibility for the emptying of Council owned litter bins in Donegal. It comes after a bin at a picnic area on Muff Greenway in recent days was overflowing with nappies and dog fouling bags left strewn across the ground. Councillor Terry Crossan is seeking clarity as to whether

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27 Donegal community groups to share €166,000 fund from SSE Renewables

27 community groups in Donegal are to share €166,000 in funding from the SSE Renewables Meentycat Community Fund. The fund distributes wind powered funding from two wind farms in Donegal for a variety of energy efficient and sustainable projects. Among those benefitting from the funding are Donegal Mountain Rescue, Convoy Community and Environmental Committee, Termon

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Irish Cancer Society needs to raise €30m to deliver transport services

The Irish Cancer Society needs to raise €30 million urgently in order to deliver on transport services. Demand has increased by 126% over the last five years. The group is encouraging the public to go “all in” on Daffodil Day this coming Friday, to help its teams bring patients to and from cancer treatments across

Irish Cancer Society needs to raise €30m to deliver transport services Read More »

Opposition parties claim Tánaiste hasn’t honoured Dáil speaking rights agreement

Opposition parties claim the Tánaiste hasn’t honoured their agreement over Dáil speaking rights. The leaders of Sinn Féin, Labour, Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Independent Ireland have written to Simon Harris seeking an urgent meeting over the row. Mary Lou McDonald, Ivana Bacik, Cian O’Callaghan, Richard Boyd Barrett and Michael Collins claim he’s now

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‘Government has serious questions to answer on Disability Grant scandal’ – Doherty TD

The Government has serious questions to answer on the Disability Grant scandal. That’s according to Donegal Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty, after the HSE confirmed they didn’t receive approval nor funding for the grant announced by the Government days before last year’s local election. He raised the issue in the Dáil this week, that €3.4

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Planned water works to cause supply disruptions across Donegal

There are a number of planned water works taking place across Donegal today. Valve installation works may cause supply disruptions to Longlands and Convoy from 1oam until 2pm. Mains repair works may lead to disruptions to Mountain View, Heather Drive and Letterkenny from 10am until 2pm. Meanwhile, mains repairs in Calhame and Ballaghderg will take

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Calls for greater investment in regional airports following Heathrow fire

There are fresh calls for more investment in the country’s regional airports, following the chaos in Heathrow this week. The closure in London, caused by a substation fire, led to over a thousand flights being grounded. Writing in the Business Post, Shannon Airport’s CEO, Mary Considine, says it’s time to rethink our aviation policy, describing

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100 norovirus cases detected in Ireland as high rates of winter vomiting bug continue

There’s a warning of high rates of the winter vomiting bug at the moment. 100 cases of norovirus were recorded last week alone, according to data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. Anyone suffering from vomiting or diarrhoea is advised to avoid emergency departments, and contact their GP or pharmacist by phone instead. Monaghan-based GP,

100 norovirus cases detected in Ireland as high rates of winter vomiting bug continue Read More »

Several vehicles stopped in Donegal Town for excessively tinted windows

Gardaí in Donegal have stopped several vehicles in Donegal Town with excessively tinted windows. The vehicles’ light transmission levels were measured and fell well below the expected light transmission rate. Gardaí say the excessive tinting of windows creates enforcement issues for Gardaí in relation to driver recognition, the detection of driving offences such as driving

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Pope Francis makes first public appearance since hospitalisation

Pope Francis has waved to crowds from the window of the hospital where he’s been treated for double pneumonia. It’s his first live public appearance since being admitted five weeks ago. The 88-year-old is being discharged today and is heading back to the Vatican to ‘rest and recover’. These people have been gathering in St

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Irish UN peacekeepers safe in Lebanon following overnight airstrikes

The Tánaiste says Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon are safe, following an escalation in the region overnight. Lebanon’s National News Agency says 2 people were killed, including a child – when Israel responded to rockets fired from Lebanon, with airstrikes in the south of the country. Hezbollah denies it was involved. Simon Harris is calling for

Irish UN peacekeepers safe in Lebanon following overnight airstrikes Read More »

Outpatient appointments to now take place on weekday evenings and Saturdays

  Outpatient appointments will take place on weekday evenings and Saturdays, under new HSE plans. It follows an increase in hospital consultants working over the St. Patrick’s Day bank holiday weekend, in a bid to reduce overcrowding. HSE boss Bernard Gloster wants staff across the health service to be rostered outside normal office hours by

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Sinn Féin calls for all-island approach to tackling US tariffs

Sinn Fein’s calling for an-all island approach to tackling President Trump’s US tariffs. It wants the Enterprise Minister to work with his counterpart in the Northern Executive to host an all-island summit to hear business leaders’ views on the threat. The party’s enterprise and employment spokesperson says mitigation steps need to be taken to protect

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