Author name: highlandnews

The Dail has been told the amendment to the Defective Block Scheme which makes the increase in the cap agreed last year retrospective could go through next week, but it’s being help up by government bureaucracy. In Donegal earlier this week, Minister James Browne said he would expedite the amendments as quickly as possible, but

Pay and the cost of living are just some of the key issues expected to be addressed during the course of a two day conference of Forsa trade union members in Donegal. The union represents 30 thousand health and welfare workers and 10 thousand local government and services workers. Morale in the health sector is

The Dail has been told an issues which prevents the use of some stretchers onboard the new Coastguard helicopter service is being addressed. The AgustaWestland AW189 is used by Bristow Ireland Limited, the company which has wom the contract to operate search and rescue missions, and provide HEMS, helicopter emergency medical services. The new service

The Dail has been told that Housing Minister James Brown’s visit to Donegal earlier this week was significant, and gave the minister a clear picture of the situation faced by defective concrete homeowners and their families. Speaking during a motion on housing and critical infrastructure, 100% Redress TD Charles Ward said that having met with

56% of almost 1,400 sceptic tanks inspected last year, failed, according to figures from the Environmental Protection Agency. 77 tanks were inspected in Donegal, with a failure rate of 51%. Nationally, 82% of failures between 2013 and 2024 were fixed by the end of last year, with that figure mirrored in Donegal. Programme Manager with

Cllr Michael McClafferty has been elected Cathaoirleach of the Glenties Municipal District, his second time in the chair. He was nominated by Cllr Anthony Molloy and seconded by Cllr Brian Carr. Cllr Molloy was subsequently elected Leas Cathaoirleach. Cllr McClafferty says following the death of his mother earlier this year, this is a bittersweet day:

Gardaí in Donegal say they are seeing an increase in the rate of broken windows locally. Garda Niall Maguire says there have been eight incidents this week alone, including vehicles and properties. This type of damage proves difficult for the victim, as often broken windows are not covered by insurance, meaning they are left to

Over €17,500 has been raised to help cover the funeral costs of the two teenagers who died after getting into difficulty in Lough Swilly. It’s understood that 16-year-old Emmanuel Familola and 18-year-old Matt Sibanda were trying to retrieve their ball that had entered the water in Buncrana. Matt passed away at the scene, while Emmanuel

The Housing Minister left Donegal wiser yesterday evening, according to a 100% Redress Party councillor. Cllr Ali Farren was part of two meetings with Minister James Browne. Cllr Farren says two commitments were made, a commitment to listen and a commitment to come back. He told Greg Hughes that it was a step in the

A statue of Red Hugh O’Donnell is to be erected in Lifford. It will be part of the cross-border Riverine Project. Red Hugh O’Donnell was born in Donegal and died in Spain in the 1600s. Donegal County Council’s CEO, John McLaughlin confirmed the news at the awards ceremony of the International Schools Art Competition which

Publicans are calling on the Government to treat them all equally. The Vintners Federation will meet in Limerick today for their annual general conference. The Federation says the majority of publicans do not serve food and will be at a commercial disadvantage if the government moves ahead with its present plan to apply a reduced

Housing Minister James Browne is backing calls for a review of the blanket ban on the construction of homes that front on to the N56, but says road safety must be to the fore in the discussion. Mr Browne was in Donegal for a series of meetings last evening. He says the issue of the

Donegal County Council’s Defective Concrete Block Committee had a two-hour meeting with Housing Minister James Browne in Lifford this evening, with Chairperson Cllr Martin McDermott describing it as a positive and constructive one. While it will take months to get all the promised legislation improving the scheme through the Oireachtas, Minister Browne pledged to expedite

News, Sport and Obituaries on Monday May 12th………….

Nationally, people are waiting just over seven hours to get hospital beds or be discharged from EDs, with Letterkenny University Hospital above the national average at just over eight hours. The latest figures from the HSE show average wait times have increased by an hour compared to 2015. In Letterkenny, that increase was 3.7 hours.

The Bishop of Derry is praising the Donegal community – after hundreds of people showed up to a vigil following the deaths of two teenagers. 16-year-old Emmanuel Familola and 18-year-old Matt Sibanda died after getting into difficulty in Lough Swilly on Saturday. Bishop Donal McKeown led the service in Buncrana………………

Bus Eireann’s confirmed an enhanced timetable for its Route 32 service linking Letterkenny and Dublin will come into effect on Sunday May 25th. The updated schedule will include two extra services, including a midnight service from Letterkenny to service early flights and a quarter past midnight service from Dublin. Bus Eireann says the revised service

Housing Minister James Browne says he wants to drive legislation improving the Defective Block Redress Scheme through the Dail as quickly as possible, but admitted this afternoon the process will take months. Speaking to Greg Hughes in Lifford this afternoon before a meeting with Donegal County Council’s Defective Blocks Committee,  Minister Browne said the legislation

The Stormont Assembly this afternoon paid tribute to 16 year old Emmanuel Familola and  18-year-old Matt Sibanda, the two teens who lost their lives in a drowning tragedy on Saturday. During a short debate in the chamber at Stormont, Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson called for a renewed focus on water safety, and told the people

The Taoiseach’s promising an overhaul of speed checkpoints, following the death of an on-duty Garda. Micheal Martin says more measures are needed to protect Gardai like Kevin Flatley, who was fatally struck by a motorcycle while working yesterday afternoon. The motorcyclist, aged in his 30s, remains in serious condition in Beaumont Hospital. Father of two

The Minister for Housing is to meet with Donegal County Council’s Defective Block Committee later today in Lifford. The chairperson of the committee is hopeful that the talks will act as a catalyst for some much-anticipated progress. As it stands, there have been several lags in getting current legislation updated for homeowners to ensure that