Author name: oisinkelly

The Arts Minister’s refused to reveal who within Fine Gael asked her to consider John McNulty for a place on the IMMA board. Heather Humphreys says she appointed Mr. Mc Nulty because of his skillset and regional balance he could bring to the organisation and says she takes ‘full responsibility’ for it. Minister Humphreys has

The Chairperson of the IFA in Donegal says the theft of cattle and sheep remains a major problem in the county. PJ Mc Monagle was speaking after 75 beef cattle were seized yesterday in the Castleblayney area of Monaghan as part of an ongoing cross border operation Searches have taken place in Donegal, Mayo and

Hill and Commonage farmers say it seems that commitments made to them about regulations governing their management of commonages will not be followed through. Farmers had been told that a proposed requirement that a large percentage of farmers on a commonage would have to agree a management structure before payments were made would be eased.

EU Commissioner in waiting Phil Hogan is appearing before the European Parliament Agriculture Committee. He’s facing some tough questions, not least from two of the three Midlands North West MEPs on the committee, Independent Luke Ming Flanagan and Sinn Fein’s Matt Carthy. Here are two of the exchanges during this morning’s hearing, first, with Matt Carthy…..

The Finance Minister has told his Fine Gael colleagues to move on from the McNulty affair – or face the consequences at the next election. The parliamentary party met for over two hours last night – with John McNulty’s appointment to IMMA and Seanad nomination dominating the agenda. Taoiseach Enda Kenny told his backbenchers that

A Donegal Deputy has called on the Health Minister to immediately reinstate rheumatology services in Donegal. Currently upwards of 200 Donegal patients with arthritis have to travel to Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim for treatment. Last year the Health Minister James Reilly gave a commitment that the rheumatology services would be reinstated, and Mary Coughlan gave a

  A Donegal Deputy has refuted claims from the Tanaiste that people who emigrated during the economic crisis are now returning. Social Protection Minister Joan Burtons comments came as new figures from the Central Statistics Office – showed a further fall in the numbers on the Live Register. The CSO says there were 370 thousand

It’s been confirmed that the Environmental Protection Agency has issued Court Summonses against Irish Water and Donegal County Council in relation to the main Letterkenny Supply. The case, which is due before the court next week relates to inadequate treatment for Cryptosporidium and also excessive levels of chemicals called THMs. The issue is being highlighted

A number of businesses and residences in the Port Road and Ballyraine areas Letterkenny are without water as a result of a water mains problem. Ballyraine National School has also been affected. The problem has been identified close to the Public Services Centre in Letterkenny, and it’s anticipated it will be resolved by 2 o’clock.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs is concluding his first official trip to the US with a series of meetings in Boston. Charlie Flanagan will meet the Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick and the President of the State Senate, Therese Murray, among others. Minister Flanagan’s visit to Boston comes just weeks after two high profile visits

  Derry City Council is to embark on a new phase of development works at the City Cemetery in the coming weeks. The works, which are expected to commence during October, will exploit the remaining undeveloped area of the cemetery, to provide for a further 700 burial plots. The proposed development works will consist of

Junior Minister Joe Mc Hugh says there is a sense of annoyance within the Fine Gael organisation in Donegal at the way John Mc Nulty’s situation has been handled, but he’s welcomed the Taoiseach’s apology. On Mr Mc Nulty’s stated desire to contest the next General Election, Joe Mc Hugh says assuming they both secure

Calls have been made for Donegal County Council to compile a plan to upgrade roads along the Wild Atlantic Way in the county. Cllr Marie Therese Gallagher says a plan should be drawn up and presented to the Department. The Wild Atlantic Way has seen thousands of more tourists visit the West coast over the

  Gardai are warning elderly people in the county after they recieved reports of bogus salespersons targeting rural areas. In recent days local Gardai have been received reports of Salespersons turning up at the homes of elderly persons and persons living alone in isolated areas. These persons are offering sales of equipment, furniture, electronic items

  A Donegal County Cllr says he fully supports anyone who tries to stop Irish Water engineers from installing water meters in the county. Water charges will come into effect today but just 400,000 households have actually been metered around the country – a quarter of the total needed. Meter installation will take place in

Statement from the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD: I wish to address a number of issues in relation to the appointment of John McNulty to the Board of Directors of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). I appointed Mr McNulty and Ms Sheila M O’Regan to the board of

John McNulty has claimed that the decision to withdraw from the Seanad by-election was completely his own and he wasnt pushed. The Fine Gael candidate says he no longer wants people to vote for him – because his election would be a distraction for the government. His withdrawal comes eight days after it was revealed

Fine Gael’s candidate for the Seanad by-election has dramatically pulled out of the race. John McNulty, who has been at the centre of a cronyism row for the past week, informed Taoiseach Enda Kenny that “under the circumstances” he is asking the TDs and senators not to vote for him. It is too late to

The owner of the Glenfin Estate has said that deer poaching has become so serious in Co Donegal that someone could be killed. Donegal accounts for 60% of deer poaching in Ireland. And Chris De Magary, who owns the Glenfin Estate with his Simply Red bandmate Mick Hucknall, says poaching has become a serious issue

There has been a two car collision in Lifford this morning. The accident happened at the turn-off just outside the Rossgier Inn. It’s understood there was no serious injuries.

Gardai have confirmed that a man has been charged with assault and a public order offences following an incident in Convoy last night. Gardai were called after a woman, believed to be the man’s mother, sustained a knife injury to her hand. We understand the injury was slight, and did not require hospitalisation. Gardai later

  The health campaign group “Patients First” will hold a public meeting in Letterkenny’s Mount Errigal Hotel tomorrow evening, calling for health services to be protected and improved. Local councillors, TDs and senators are being invited to the meeting in the Mount Errigal Hotel to hear, first hand, from past patients, relatives and hospital staff

The Public Expenditure Minister will brief his colleagues on plans to reform State board appointments today. Brendan Howlin will bring a memo to Cabinet this morning – in the wake of the nomination of Kilcar man John Mc Nulty  to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art just days before he was nominated to

Representatives of the Parades Commission will be in Castlederg tomorrow for a number of meetings as part of their review into parading in the area. Among the groups meeting the commission will be a deputation from Sinn Fein, led by local Cllr Ruari Mc Hugh. He says they’ll be raising the issue of the frequency

Asking prices for houses across the country are continuing to rise, but are unchanged in Donegal. According to a latest report by MyHome-dot-ie, residential property prices across Ireland increased in the third quarter of this year. The property website’s figures for the third quarter put the average asking price of a three bedroom semi in

A Donegal County Councillor has said the local authority must put pressue on the Minister for Communications to improve broadband and mobile phone coverage in the county. It was claimed at this weeks Council meeting that rural areas are recieving next to no broadband or mobile phone coverage. Despite this Eircom estimates that by 2016, 91%

The Sinn Fein grouping on Donegal County Council has called on Irish Water to meet with elected members immediately. The calls come almost a year after similar calls were made last year. Calls have also been made on the Minister for Environment, Alan Kelly to also meet with Council members. Cllr Albert Doherty said it

Another contender for the Seanad By-election is seeking legal advice this afternoon concerning John McNulty’s bid for election to the upper house. The Kilcar man is mired in controversy after his short lived involvement on the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, which allowed him to seek the nomination. Gerard Craughwell – a former

Calls have been made for Donegal Co Council to hold a public inquiry into a right of way to a beach being obstructed at a beach in Carrigart. Work is ongoing at a 180-acre beach resort and golf course at Aughadahor Beach in Carrigart. T&G Properties Limited has erected two gates at the building site

The Tánaiste says she spoke at length with the Taoiseach this morning over the Seanad by-election and State Board’s appointment controversy. Kilcar man John McNulty’s candidacy to fill a seat in the upper house for Fine Gael has been causing controversy for a week now after his short-lived appointment to the board of the Irish