Author name: oisinkelly

There has been another spike in the level of overcrowding at Letterkenny General Hospital. Figures compiled by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show almost 30 people without a bed at the hospital. According to the figures, 19 people are on trolleys either awaiting treatment or being treated – a further 10 are in wards. […]

Dr John Killeen has taken over as interim chaor of West / North West Hospitals Group. He replaces Noel Daly who resigned from the position last week. Noel Daly’s resignation came amid controversy about his company, the Health Partnership, being asked to review maternity services across the west Northwest region. The union IMPACT welcomed the

A study on education funding commissioned by Donegal County Council has concluded the skills and knowledge base within the county could be eroded if there are more cuts in resources. The “Profiling Challenges to the Education Sector in Donegal” report is based on 2012 figures, and was carried out by the council’s Research and Policy

  An East Derry MLA says unless the 100-short term Department of Social Development posts offered to Driver and Vehicle Agency staff in Coleraine become permanent, the move will be seen by some as “the greatest exercise in exploitation”. DSD Minister Nelson McCausland announced last evening that 100 short term call centre type jobs would

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs is in Washington today to highlight the plight of the 50-thousand undocumented Irish people living in the US. Well over a thousand of them are estimated to be from Donegal. Eamon Gilmore will attend a series of meetings over the next two days to push for reform of

The parents of a Derry man, who blinded himself while in Maghaberry Prison, have said they want a full investigation into what happened. Sean Lynch, had been remanded in custody facing assault charges. The 23-year-old is currently in hospital receiving treatment after he cut his wrists and throat, mutilated his testicles and finally gouged his

Two men in their 20s are due in Derry Magistrates Court in connection with a number of incidents in the city on Monday night. The PSNI say a 26 year old man has been charged with several offences, including GBH with intent, common assault, robbery, intimidation of a witness and two counts of criminal damage.

The government needs to drastically change its budget policies and abandon any more plans to cut public spending. That’s according to Sinn Féin, which says the Fiscal Advisory Council’s notes on public spending must be taken seriously. Finance Spokesman Pearse Doherty says public services simply can’t cope with the level of cuts the government is

A cash reward has been offered after vandals caused thousands of euros of damage to the new Carndonagh boxing club house.  It is believed that the incident took place between 7pm and 9pm on Sunday night, and the boxing club have issued an appeal for information with a cash reward. The two front doors have

Father Ambrose o’Gorman Ireland’s oldest living priest has died. He was born a fortnight after the Titanic sank and said in the past that his most treasured memory was the summer’s day in 1940 when he returned home to Ballyshannon after being ordained in England and the whole town had turned out to greet him.

New statistics show that over half the population of Donegal has a full medical card. An analysis by The Irish Times show that just under 55% of people in the county have a full medical card a marginal reduction on the figure for 2012. The next highest is in Mayo with 49%, then waterford with

The Social Prescribing for Health and Wellbeing Programme is available in six areas in Donegal. The programme aims to support the health and wellbeing of people by using community-based activities and supports, such as Mens Sheds, Walking in groups, Community Gardening , dancing art and other creative activities. There are also opportunities to attend self-help

Strabane District Council has confirmed plans for a new leisure centre in the town. The money needed will be borrowed over a three year period starting in 2015. A location for the new centre has yet to be confirmed and it is understood as many as five sites are being examined. An assessment of these sites

There’s controversy over plans for a stripper to perform at a Leaving Cert party in Dublin. Tomangos in Portmarnock is hosting a blow out bash to celebrate the end of exams with Chelsea Ferguson due to appear at the nightclub on Wednesday night. A spokesperson for the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre says it is not

According to an online survey carried out by an insurance company, pedestrians using their mobile phones are in danger of falling into a zombie like trance while crossing the road. The survey by AA Motor Insurance states that two thirds of people in Ireland are in favour of on-the-spot fines to deter “reckless” jaywalkers from

A Derry mother has said she is shocked and angry after her 18-year-old son was shot five times in the legs. Gareth Fisher was the victim of a paramilitary style attack on Thursday night, in the Rathlin Drive area of Creggan. He was shot twice in his left leg and three times in his right

The fight-back to create employment and slow down the acceleration of emigration from Arranmore island has begun according to the Chairman of the newly formed local  island council. Mr Jerry Early joins the Shaun Doherty Show to discuss the publication of new figures that show how the population of the Island has dropped from 1,451

A Derry mother has said she is shocked and angry after her 18-year-old son was shot five times in the legs. Gareth Fisher was the victim of a paramilitary style attack on Thursday night, in the Rathlin Drive area of Creggan. He was shot twice in his left leg and three times in his right

Police attached to the PSNI’s Serious Crimes Branch say they have recovered two suspected pipe bombs in Strabane. The discovery was made during a search in the town last evening, 24 hours after two suspected handguns and a number of petrol bombs were found. The searches were carried out as part of an investigastion into

A 41-year-old man has appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court in connection with the finding of what police describe as a haul of drugs valued at £125,000. Richard Callaghan of 7, Rathmor Crescent in Derry was charged with possessing class B drugs namely cannabis, possessing the drugs with intent to supply and being concerned in the

Independent Council Nicholas Crossan has been elected the Cathaoirleach of the new Inishowen Municipal District Committee. He was nominated for the position as was Sinn Fein Councillor Jack Murray – Councillor Crossan was elected to the chair by 7 votes to 2. He has described it as a great honour and believes one of the main

  Joe Hart screams at ballboy after Free-Kick – England vs Italy – World Cup.

The Revenue Commissioners has begun writing to 70,000 people to collect the household charge from those who haven’t paid it in the last two years. The 100 euro fee for every household only applied for the year 2012 – but tens of thousands of homes still haven’t paid up. The Revenue says arrangements are now

The Ombudsman Peter Tyndall has announced that he will investigate how public hospitals handle complaints. The wide-ranging investigation will look at how public hospitals across the State manage and investigate complaints from patients and their families. Mr Tyndall said that we are just not a nation of complainers  officially, anyway. “Despite the high number of

The aim of the campaign is to reduce littered gum by raising awareness that dropping gum on the ground is littering and that it is subject to a €150 fine. The GLT encourages the public to dispose of their used gum responsibly. In previous years, the campaign has been a huge success with a baseline

UCD Professor of Psychiatry, Patricia Casey, has today called for an inquiry into former psychiatric institutions. Writing in her “Mind and Meaning” column, in todays’ Irish Independent,  she says that internationally psychiatry has a very poor record of treating those with mental illness with dignity and has often acted towards them in a manner that

Gay Byrne has denied he had a serious row with the former Garda Commissioner over penalty points revelations. Gay Byrne says he spoke with Martin Callinan about resources, and also discussed John Wilson and Maurice McCabe’s evidence about the quashing of penalty points. There was a disagreement, he says, but no “blazing row”. The broadcaster

The Chairperson of the Trout Anglers’ Federation of Ireland says the ongoing dispute over fishing rights on the Gweebarra should never have been allowed to fester as long as it has. Yesterday, anglers held another protest on the river, catching and releasing a number of salmon. There were observers there from Inland Fisheries Ireland and

Lissadell House in county Sligo is to reopen. The house was closed to the public in recent years after a lengthy legal battle over rights of way through the estate.  Today, the owners, Barristers Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy, who bought Lissadell in 2003, announced that the historic building is to reopen to visitors. The

Sinn Féin’s Finance spokesperson says the only way to progress the banking inquiry is for the two senators appointed to the committee by the government to step down. It comes as Independent TD Stephen Donnelly announced over the weekend that he is to resign from the committee after the coalition added two nominees to the

  Junior Gaeltacht Minister Dinny McGinley has invited groups in six more areas to begin the language planning process that could determine their future status. The areas of Donegal included are Clouganeely, including Gortahork, Falcarragh and Magheraroarty, as well as the gaeltacht area of South Donegal. Groups have two months from today to submit expressions

Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle says last week’s announcement of €148m for the fisheries sector is not enough to ensure a thriving seafood sector for seven years. Deputy Pringle acknowledges that the allocation from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund is double what was received in 2007, but he says it still doesn’t do

Two suspected handguns and a number of suspected petrol bombs have been discovered in county Tyrone. Detectives from PSNI Serious Crime Branch -investigating dissident republican activity- carried out a number of searches in the Strabane area earlier today. A spokesperson for the PSNI says searches are ongoing.

A 45 year old man has died in a diving accident in Donegal. The alarm was raised at around ten to eight this morning, when a group of divers, about four miles North of Malin Head, told the coastguard that one of their crew had got into difficulty. The men – who are all of

Martin McGuinness’s Ministerial car has been vandalised. A Sinn Fein statement this afternoon says the car used by the North’s Deputy First Minister was vandalised in an attack outside his home in Derry last night. Mr McGuinness described the incident as “pointless” and said that it will not prevent him from carrying out his ministerial

Junior Arts and Heritage Minister, Dinny McGinley, today said he believed Ireland’s legacy of surviving archaeological monuments is unparalleled in Europe. Speaking at the opening of an archeological heritage seminar entitled “Lost and Found” Minister McGinley paid tribute to the crucial role played by farmers and landowners, saying those in the rural communities should be