Author name: oisinkelly

The 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 in Donegal is the second highest in the country at 1,021 cases per 100,000 people. The rate of infection in Co Monaghan is the highest and nearly three times the national average, standing at 1,289 compared to a national rate of 458. 332 Covid patients are in hospital today,

A man has been arrested in Derry today as part of a search and arrest operation conducted by the police’s Terrorism Investigation Unit as part of an ongoing investigation into the activities of the New IRA. The 49 year old was arrested under the Terrorism Act and has been taken to the Serious Crime Suite

Letterkenny University Hospital is the third most overcrowded hospital in the country today along with University Hospital Galway as 39 people wait on a bed. 10 people are waiting on a bed in the hospital’s Emergency Department and a further 29 on wards elsewhere. Also in the North West, 29 people are awaiting a bed

A major search operation took place last evening following the discovery of a kayak on Lough Swilly. Lough Swilly RNLI’s Lifeboats and the Rescue 118 helicopter were deployed just before 6:50pm by Malin Head Coast Guard. The search operation was later stood down after a member of the public contacted Lough Swilly RNLI to claim

A status yellow rain and thunderstorm warning is in effect until midday. The alert for the entire country has been in place since yesterday morning with heavy downpours expected. Met Eireann is warning of localised flooding particularly where rainfall is heaviest.

Disability day services are set to go back to 100% capacity nationwide next month. Minister for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte has announced that from October 22nd, all disability day service providers are being asked to provide 100% capacity care, up from 60% currently. There have been a number of issues relating to disability day care services

Two new Sinn Fein MLAs have been selected to represent the constituency of Foyle. Pádraig Delargy and Ciara Ferguson have been confirmed to take over the roles from Martina Anderson and Karen Mullan. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty speaking after the party’s selection convention last night said that Pádraig and Ciara will play a huge role

Police in Derry are appealing for information regarding the whereabouts of Emmett Dillon. The 33 year old is said to have last been in contact with his family on Friday last. He was last seen wearing all black clothing and had a backpack. Anyone with any information that might assist police is being asked to

1,545 new cases of Covid-19 have been announced in the Republic of Ireland this evening. 335 people are now in hospital with the virus, with 56 of those in ICUs. NPHET also has announced a further 43 new deaths from the virus reported within the last week – an average of just over 6 per

Funding totalling €4.2 million has been allocated to the Connacht Ulster Alliance consortium, in order to facilitate upgrades to a number of ITs, including LYIT, as they work towards achieving Technological University status. The Connacht Ulster Alliance consortium consists of LYIT, as well as Sligo IT and Galway-Mayo IT, and they will share the newly-announced

The Burnfoot based firm E&I Engineering is being sold in a deal worth up to €1.7 billion. The BBC is reporting that E&I, which makes electrical switchgear and power distribution systems, is being bought by Ohio-based Vertiv Holdings. The company, which also has a facility at Campsie in Derry, was founded by Philip O’Doherty.

A rain and thunderstorm warning has been issued for the entire country for the next 24 hours. The status yellow alert is in place until midday tomorrow. Met Eireann says scattered heavy downpours and thunderstorms can be expected. There’s also a risk of localised flooding where the rain is heaviest.

Clar funding totalling €100,000 is to be shared by two projects in Donegal. A sensory space and outdoor barbeque area is to be developed within the Bruckless Community Park, while a public allotments and a community garden are to be developed at Ray Community Centre. Each received €50,000. The funding has been welcomed by Minister

Letterkenny’s Port Road is to close for major resurfacing works over the next two to three nights. The road will close to the public between Station Roundabout and Polestar Roundabout tonight and tomorrow, with a provision to extend the closure into Friday night. Depending on progress on Wednesday and Thursday, Donegal County Council say the

Former DUP leader and First Minister Arlene Foster is to leave the Assembly by the end of this month. In a statement last night, she indicated the process to select her successor in the Fermanagh South Tyrone constituency has already begun. It’s expected that Deborah Erskine, a Fermanagh and Omagh District councillor and former DUP

The HSE has suspended walk-in Covid-19 testing at all centres across the country. The health service says the decision has been taken to “reduce queues” after demand increased by 35 percent in the past 48 hours. It says its online self-referrals system remains open, and is encouraging people to book through the portal at www.hse.ie

1,470 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported this evening in the Republic of Ireland. The five-day average of cases here has fallen to 1,382 – which 16 per cent less than a week ago. Counties Monaghan, Donegal, Cavan and Leitrim have the highest 14-day incidence rates in the country currently. 367 Covid patients

The number of people receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the Republic of Ireland is now just over 140,000, as the rate of the payment is set to be cut from today onwards. In County Donegal, 4,102 people are now receiving the PUP payment, down 2.7% on the previous week’s figures. The top two rates

27 patients are awaiting a bed in Letterkenny University Hospital today, as the lastest INMO trolley watch figures show LUH is now the fifth-most overcrowded hospital in the Republic today. 21 patients are waiting for a bed on wards in LUH, the highest figure in the country, and unchanged from yesterday’s figure. Meanwhile 6 patients

Just over 55,000 students have received their CAO round 1 offers this afternoon, as points requirements across the country have risen again. At LYIT, while many course options stayed similar to 2020, such as Law and Computer Science – increases were seen in the high-demand area of nursing. For Level 8 General Nursing, the points

Gardai in Buncrana say the West End Road is now open again to traffic, after a brief closure earlier this afternoon due to an “occurance”. Gardaí did not provide a reasoning relating to the road closure, but they say that it is now open to the public once again.