Author name: oisinkelly

The Government’s drawing a halt to the controversial review of discretionary medical cards that has seen children with down syndrome asked to verify that they are still sick. It’s being suspended while the H-S-E carries out a review of policy aimed at issuing cards on the basis of condition and not income. The decision was […]

The Emergency Department at Letterkenny General Hospital has issued a statement asking the public to avoid attending the emergency department this evening. The Emergency Department at the hospital is said to be currently extremely busy with above average numbers of very ill patients requiring admission to the hospital. The public are asked to avoid attending

Gardai have designated today a “Crime Prevention Day of Action”, with an emphasis on thefts from cars. Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Paul Wallace says there’s been a 47% increaze in such crimes in Donegal. That reflects a year on year increase across the board, with 24 reports in Buncrana compared to six over the same

Midlands North West MEP Marian Harkin has paid tribute to Pat The Cope Gallagher who has lost his seat following a four day count which saw the two of them separated by 275 votes. A recheck of votes began yesterday morning, and when, by 4 o’clock this morning, it became clear that the gap would

A former Irish soldier has pleaded guilty at Derry Crown Court to biting a man’s nose during an unprovoked assault in Derry last year. 25-year-old Barry Fitzgerald, from Doire House, Carrigans admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The incident happened outside a fast food takeaway on 14 April 2013. Fitzgerald, who has resigned from

The Health Minister says he has no intention of downgrading maternity services in West and Northwest insisting instead that he wishes to see them further developed and improved He was speaking during a Fianna Fáil motion in the Seanad calling for the protection of obstetrician-led maternity services at regional hospitals. It follows claims that a

Marian Harkin has been returned to the European Parliament after a recheck of ballots in the Midlands North West constituency. After four days of counting and 18 hours of a recheck, Fianna Fáil’s Pat the Cope Gallagher conceded defeat at 4 o’clock this morning – securing Marian Harkin’s election to the European Parliament. Ms Harkin

A further 18 primary care and health centres in Donegal will introduce a tobacco-free campus policy from next Tuesday. It follows 18 primary care and health centres in the county becoming smoke free in December of last year. The latest centes to become smoke free zones are Cappry, Cloghan, Killygordon, Stranorlar, Newtowncunningham, Raphoe, St Johnston,

The Derry regeneration company ILEX is expressing concern following another incident of vandalism on the Peace Bridge. In the early hours of Monday mornin, a glass panel overlooking the railway line was smashed. Paul Doherty is Facilities Manager with ILEX. He says while the reinforced glass panels are shatter resistant, they are not designed to

Two men have been charged following a drugs seizure in the city yesterday. The men, who are aged 40 and 30, were charged with being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug; cultivating cannabis; obstructing police; and possessing a Class B drug. They were charged to Derry Magistrates Court today. The charges follow

Gardai will be focusing on speed over the bank holiday weekend, with gardai in Donegal saying there will be several checkpoints on national primary roads in the county, starting on Friday morning. Because of the high frequency of fatal collisions between Ballybofey and Donegal Town since the beginning of last year, gardai say there will

A Donegal woman has died in a tragic accident while on holidays in Greece. Mother-of-two Bernadette Donaghey, from Arlands, Burtonport, was in Greece with her family for her nephews wedding. Ms Donaghey who was in her mid-40s, fell down a flight of steps a fortnight ago, she later died in hospital from her injuries. Police are

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A Donegal man who logged into his ex-girlfriend’s Facebook page and posted an insulting status has gone on trial for falsely imprisoning and raping her. The man, who cannot be named, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the false imprisonment and rape of his ex-girlfriend at her home in the early hours

Ireland ranks third in the EU for the number of drug-related deaths. Confirmation of the statistic comes just days after health officials warned people to steer clear of a batch of potentially lethal drugs under the names ‘Double Cross’ or ‘Double Black’ drugs. Their potential involvement in an incident at weekend house party in St

Invest Northern Ireland have confirmed that seven businesses are still interested in locating at an empty business park in Strabane. In December 2012 Invest NI released a similar statement, but the business park on the Melmount Road still remains vacant. Last evening a Sinn Fein delegation met with officials, and were told by the Chief

A full recheck will take place this morning in the Midlands Northwest European constituency – following the announcement of the eighth count in Castlebar last night. After the distribution of Matt Carthy’s surplus, Independent Marian Harkin stands on 106,520 votes with Pat the Cope Gallagher on 106,245. The recheck process starts at 10 this morning.

Pat The Cope is now 31,003 votes behind Marian Harkin in the battle for the final European seat in the Midlands North West constituency. Fianna Fails Thomas Byrne was eliminated after the sixth count, his 64,057 votes will now be distributed. Independent Luke Ming Flanagan and Fine Gael’s Mairead McGuinness have both been elected. There are

The result of the fifth count in the Midlands North West European constituency has elected Fine Gael’s Mairead McGuinness for the European parliament. Ms McGuinness has 135,698 votes after she got an astonishing 72% of Jim Higgins’ available transfers – 28,009 out of 38,429 transferrables – to put her ahead of Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy

The Fouth Count has been completed in the Midlands-North-West constituency, with outgoing Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins eliminated. Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy is less than than 5,000 away from the quota of 129,290, with Fine Gael’s Mairead McGuinness 20,000 votes away. The final seat will be between outgoing MEPs Marian Harkin and Pat The Cope

A St Johnston Priest has said that the village has been left devastated by the death of 22-year-old Oisin Crawford. Mr Crawford died in a flat at Main Street, in St Johnston, in the early hours of yesterday morning. It is believed he died during a party and that four of his friends were taken

Senators from all sides are being urged to support a Fianna Fáil motion in the Seanad this week calling for the protection of obstetrician-led maternity services at regional hospitals. The motion condemns proposals contained in a confidential HSE internal report to dismantle obstetrician-led maternity services in the West and North West region, and calls for

Strabane Cllr Patsy Kelly has confirmed that he is still a member of the SDLP. Rumours were rife on social media over the weekend that Cllr Kelly was no longer a member of the party. Another Strabane SDLP candidates wife had stated on Facebook that she was disappointed that the party had no Cllrs elected

The HSE is warning drug users to avoid a new batch of dangerous ecstacy-type pills – known as “Double Cross” or “Double Black”. It comes as gardaí investigate the death of  22-year-old Oisin Crawford at a house party in St Johnston . It is believed officers are looking into whether he had taken the drug or

It’s now certain that Sinn Fein will have four MEPs, Lynn Boylan. Liadh Ne Riadha and Matt Carthy in the three constituencies in the Republic, and Martina Anderson in Northern Ireland. Last night, she retained her seat after topping the poll there, and as the count continues, it looks as thought it will be “as

A Former Donegal Labour Councillor has said the resignation of Eamon Gilmore as the party’s leader is too little to late. He’ll stay on until a successor is elected and says he wants to contest the next election. Deputy Gilmore says he takes full rersponsibility for Labour’s disastrous performance in the local, European and Dail

Counting in the European Elections Midlands Northwest constituency will resume at 9 o’clock this morning. Independent Luke Ming Flanagan was the first MEP for the region elected yesterday – meaning there’s now three seats left to be filled. Speaking in Castlebar after his election last night, Luke Ming Flanagan said his campaign was about people

A 22-year-old man has died and four others have been taken to hospital following a house party in St.Johnston. A second man is in a critical condition. 22-year-old Oisin Crawford was found dead in a flat at Main Street, in the village of St Johnston, in the early hours of this morning. Four people were

The HSE Public Health Department in the North West has become aware of a number of people with serious illness requiring medical treatment/intervention as a result of taking substances including an ecstasy like substance known as Double Cross and/or Double Black. The Public Health Department is advising that people should not take these substances and

A 20-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a fellow Polish national in Letterkenny last May. Krzysztof Gregorski of 35 Hazelbrook Crescent, but currently in custody, appeared before yesterday’s sitting of Letterkenny District Court where evidence of his formal charge was heard by Judge Paul Kelly. Sergeant Michael Galvin gave evidence that he

Gardai are investigating after a 21-year-old man was found dead in St Johnston in the early hours of this morning. Three men and a woman are also in hospital and one of the men is in a critical condition. All four are all around the age of 20 and 21, it’s believed they were celebrating

The relationship that Terri-Louise Graham had with Greg Logue began with caring words and compliments, but it ended with her screaming to police officers battering at the door for help to stop the punches, kicks, bites and sexual assaults she had endured in a six-hour beating. July 12, 2011 was the final time Logue carried

A 20 year old man is expected to appear before Letterkenny District Court this morning charged in relation to the murder of Bogdan Michalkiawicz just over a year ago. The body of Mr Michalkiawicz was discovered at 15 Westside Apartments, Letterkenny on the morning of Wednesday May 15th last year. He had last been seen

After a lengthy count, the Letterkenny Electoral Area count has concluded, confirming the final make up of Donegal County Council. The last seat went to a battle between Independent Donal Cullen and outgoing Cllr Mick Quinn following the distribution of Jimmy Kavanagh’s surplus of 258. Independent Councillor Michael Mc Bride returns, and outgoing town councillor

Fianna Fail   Sean Mc Eniff (Donegal) Seamus O’Domhnaill (Glenties) Enda Bonner (Glenties) Martin Mc Dermott (Inishowen) Rena Donaghey (Inishowen) Paul Canning (Inishowen) Liam Blaney (Letterkenny) Ciaran Brogan (Letterkenny) James Pat Mc Daid (Letterkenny) Patrick Mc Gowan (Stranorlar) Gerry Crawford (Stranorlar)   Fine Gael   Barry O’Neill (Donegal) Terence Slowey (Glenties) Bernard Mc Guinness (Inishowen)

Outgoing Cllrs John Ryan and Martin Farren have been returned to Donegal County Council, with outgoing Cllrs Rena Donaghey and Paul Canning also deemed elected without reaching the quota. Sinn Fein’s  Ciaran Mc Laughlin lost out by 117 votes. After the 11th count in the Inishowen Electoral Area, FG Cllr Bernard Mc Guinness has been

Pat The Cope Gallagher says he is still hopeful about his prospects of securing a Euro parliament seat in the Midlands North West constituency, with a first official count not expected until lunchtime. Luke Ming Flanagan is expected to romp home with the first seat, and Mairead McGuinness is thought to be a shoo-in for