Author name: oisinkelly

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton will meet with local businesses at an open forum in Letterkenny tomorrow morning. The event at the Station House Hotel begins at 8 o’clock, with businesses invited to attend and discuss their concerns and issues with the minister. Donegal North East Deputy Joe Mc Hugh says he wants this to be […]

The recipient of this year’s Tipp O’Neill Diaspora Award will be the President of the Massachusetts Senate Therese Murray. The award is a joint initiative of Buncrana Town Council and Donegal County Council to pay tribute to one of Inishowen’s most famous descendants. The award is given to a selected person or people who are

Three Donegal schools have been selected for additional accommodation and emergency works. Junior Gaeltacht MInister Dinny Mc Ginley has confirmed funding for the three projects. Gweedore Community School has been allocated a new classroom of 49 metres square and the doubling of accommodation in the Arts room, Gleneely National School, Killygordon has been given approval

Donegal County Cllr Seamus O’Domhnaill has called on all local election candidates to declare their stance regarding windfarms. He said he was fully behind the motions which would place turbines at a defined set back from homes and would exclude them from sensitive environments. And he said there was a need to protect the public,

A County Tyrone teenager who killed his father will spend at least ten years of a life sentence in jail. 19-year-old Sean Hackett, was cleared of murdering his father, 60-year-old Aloysius, at their family home in Augher in 2013. Instead, he was convicted of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. The judge said that Hackett

The PSNI has confirmed that it is re-examining the case of the IRA murder victim Lexie Cummings who was gunned down more than three decades ago. A part-time member of the UDR, the 39-year-old was fatally shot in Strabane, Co Tyrone in June 1982. No-one has ever been brought to justice. In March 2012 DUP

With no clarity from government on what the level of water charges will be, a Letterkenny area election candidate says once the people accept the principle of water charges, then the costs could rise sharply in future years. Billy Banda, who is contesting the election for the People Before Profit Alliance believes an initial charge

The EU Commission is being asked to address an anomoly in Irish law which means VAT is charged on equipment bought by mountain and lowland rescue teams, and also on defibrillators purchased by charities, community groups, and sports clubs. North West MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher is one of a number of members who made

  One of two candidates contesting the local elections in Donegal for Direct Democracy Ireland is pledging that of elected, people will be consulted on what issues should be raised in the council chamber and what the priorities of the council should be. Eilis Haden, who is contesting the election in the Inishowen area says

The woman who was recorded being left at the roadside by police in Derry last month has been remanded in custody for breaching her bail conditions. 23-year-old Bridget Mongan, from Stanley’s Walk in the Bogside area of the city had been on court bail charged with assaulting her brother in Altnagelvin Hospital’s high dependency unit

A Stranorlar area councillor says residents of housing estates who are experiencing sewerage problems should not pay water charges. Cllr Gary Doherty says a number of estates in the Finn Valley area have effluent running down their estates. He says he was in St Johnston at the weekend and he witnessed human excrement and used

The public consultation on the A5 dual carriageway gets underway tomorrow after the project was stalled for over a year following a successful legal challenge. The first reports will be publicly available in the DRD and council offices in Omagh, Strabane, Derry and Dungannon from tomorrow until the 13th of June. They are also available

Donegal County Council has had it’s last meeting before next months local elections. Voting will take place in the local elections on May 22nd. The county house in Lifford was packed out today as dozens of candidates handed in their nomination papers. Verteran Cllr David Alcorn will not run in the elections, and today could

Donegal County Council’s finances are secure for the next year. The County Manager Seamus Neely told members that the next council budget will have no effect on frontline services. There has been a number if cuts to staff and services over the past 5 years. Although the council was told today that there will be

Letterkenny solicitor Dessie Shiels has announced that he’s to run in the local elections. He’ll run as an independent candidate in the Letterkenny electoral area. He received over 2000 votes in the elections for Dail Eireann in February 2011. Speaking to Highland Radio News as he handed in his nominations at the County House in

Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin says he believes the party can take two European seats in the Midlands North West constituency. Mr Martin, who is campaigning with local election candidates in the Letterkenny Electoral Area tpday was speaking after a Millward Brown poll in the Irish Independent at the weekend shows Pat The Cope Gallagher

An Udaras board member and local election candidate in Falcarragh says there’s no question of job opportunities being lost if Udaras supports the development of an addiction clinic in Ballyconnell House. Fine Gael’s John Curran, a supporter of the Cuain Mhuire plan, says he doesn’t believe there is a groundswell of opposition, as was claimed

The Taoiseach has promised that the upcoming water charges will be fair and affordable. The coalition’s due to decide this week on what tariffs will be imposed on the public. The charge kicks in this October, with the first bill arriving in the post in January. Speaking in Co. Wicklow last night, Enda Kenny said

The IFA President in Donegal is backing calls for legislation which would force Ireland’s largest retailers to display the amount they pay to farmers for certain foods. An Taisce says the legislation should cover Tesco, Dunnes, Supervalu and Centra, Aldi, Lidl and other retailer whose market share exceeds 5%. It would oblige them to display

A Letterkenny area Local Election Candidate says it’s unacceptable that just weeks before the Town Council is abolished, staff have no clarity about their future. Peter Cutliffe, who is contesting the poll on an Independent ticket, says he’s been approached by a number of staff members who are concerned about what may be around the

Gardai have indicated they are no longer treating the sudden death of a man in Buncrana as suspicious. Its understood the body of the man in his 60s was found in the hallway of his home last night, and garda experts examined the scene today. The man’s body was removed to Letterkenny General Hospital earlier

A Derry councillor says a family living in the Kylemore area of Derry city is being “tormented” by a gang of at least 10 youths. Councillor Shauna Cusack says the family, whose elderly mother resides at the home, has been plagued by anti-social behaviour outside their home for a number of nights. She claims the

Gardai believe that an elderly man whose body was recovered from the sea may have died as a result of a tragic accident. It’s been confirmed today that the body recovered near the Nun’s Walk in Bundoran was that of 73-year-old retired farmer Jim Kelly from Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh. His parish priest, Fr Michael McGourty,

A new opinion poll has shown Sinn Féin on course to make a major breakthrough in the European elections, with sitting MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher from Donegal facing a battle to save his seat. Sinn Fein candidate Matt Carthy looks set to top the poll in the Midlands North West constituency, with the Irish

Police in County Derry have charged a 33 year old man with breach of a sexual offences notification requirement. He is expected to appear before Derry Magistrates Court later today. The man was detained yesterday by police investigating an alleged indecent exposure incident at Anderson Park in Limavady on Tuesday last the 22nd of April.

A Donegal man who racially abused a mother and daughter on a bus in Derry has received a suspended jail term. Tony Walls, of Summerhill, Moville, pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour and common assault. The charges relate to an incident on October 2, last year. Derry Magistrates Court heard the 53-year-old Donegal man got on

Ireland is continuing on an upward trend when it comes to tourism. A new survey by Tripadvisor has put Ireland in third place as a dream destination for American tourists. Australia ranked in first place with Italy in second. CEO with Tourism Ireland, Niall Gibbons, says 2014 is shaping up to be a good year…………

Bus Éireann has announced that it is to replace all of the School Transport Scheme bus services that were operated by Lough Swilly Bus Company in County Donegal prior to it ceasing to trade. The company says that it plans to have the new services in place in time for the return to school on

A Local Election candidate in the Glenties Electoral area has said there is little to no oppostion to a proposed addiction clinic in Falcarragh. A petition and protest has taken place this afternoon at the Crossroads in the village against the addiction clinic proposals at Ballyconnell House. But it’s understood that only a couple of

A family from Co Wexford who were visiting the county for the weekend have been left badly shaken after their jeep was stolen in the early hours of this morning. At around 4am the house the family were staying in on McBride Street in Raphoe was broken in to. The intruders then subsequently stole their jeep, which was

Gardai are trying to establish the identity of a body found washed up against the cliffs in Bundoran this morning. The middle-aged man’s body, believed not to have been in the water for long, is the second deceased man discovered in the seashore in Bundoran within the past 10 days. Gardai say this morning’s body,

A protest and petition signing will take place at the Crossroads in Falcarragh this afternoon as opposition grows to the proposed location of an addiction clinic at Ballyconnell House. The protest at 2 o’clock is being organised by local people who claim the proposed clinic may lead to restricted public access to Ballyconnell House and

Differences have emerged between two Independent Local Election candidates in the Glenties area over whether people in Donegal should prevent Irish Water contractors from installing water meters. Following successful campaigns in Cork and Dublin this week, Government Ministers have appealed to the public not to target contractors, but to treat them with respect. However, Micheál

Donegal County Council is being asked to look at restoring the River Finn to its former position as one of the best salmon rivers in the country. Local Cllr Patrick Mc Gowan says a combination of restrictive regulations and neglect have seen the fortunes of the Finn decline over the past number of years, particularly

It’s been confirmed that the European Commission will investigate the closure of Setanta Insurance in Ireland. The issue was raised in the parliament this week by North West MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher, who said he was contacted by a major insurance company in Donegal and told that several policy holders in Donegal, many of

An Independent Local Election candidate is calling on the people of Donegal to block Irish Water contractors from installing water meters. Irish Water staff have again been prevented from installing metres by protestors at housing estates in Cork and Dublin this week. Government Ministers have appealed to the public not to target contractors working for

The number of anti-social behaviour incidents reported to police in Foyle in the last financial year dropped by almost 900, the Area Commander has said. In 2012/13, 5,462 incidents were reported to police. In the 12 months to March 31st 2014, 4,571 had been reported, a fall of 16.3 per cent. Chief Inspector Jon Burrows

A man is today recovering in hospital after being punched and left unconscious in Rosemount in a sectarian attack. The incident happened close to the place known locally as the ‘Zig Zag’ between Rosemount and the Glen Road area at around 3pm yesterday. The victim was walking through the area when he was approached by

A crackdown on people using mobile phones whilst driving is underway in Donegal today with the launch of the National Mobile Phone Operation. If a driver is caught texting on their phones they could face a fine of up to €1,000 for a first offence, increasing to €2,000 if it is a second offence, with

There is speculation that Bus Eireann will issue a statement in the next 24 hours on the future of school transport routes previously operated by the Lough Swilly Bus Company. Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue says he’s been in regular contact with Bus Eireann, and he believes that the company is close to

A Letterkenny Councillor has hit out at what he says is a plan to privatise the Local Community Development Programme. Cllr Gerry Mc Monagle says Minister Phil Hogan plans to put the programme out to tender for next year. Up until now, it’s been delivered on a not for profit basis by local development companies.

Gardai in Buncrana are investigating after a number of cars were broken into in the town in the early hours of yesterdays morning. Four cars were broken into in the Summerhill area sometime between midnight and 5am. Wallets, handbags, purses, mobile phones and a small amount of money were stolen from the vehicles. Garda forensics

Work has started on a 20,000 sq ft extension at Letterkenny’s CoLab Building which hopes to create dozens of new start-up jobs. Preparatory works have got underway at the new building which will house scores of new small businesses and the Northwest Regional Science Park. The extension will double the size of the CoLab which

A committee has been formed to lead the bid to save Lettermacaward Post Office, with its first meeting set for tomorrow night. It follows a packed public meeting in the local hall last night, at which outgoing postmaster Brian Cannon urged all present to stand together and fight for their community. An Post has set

Three men arrested in relation to dissident republican activity in Derry have been unconditionally released. The men, aged 44, 55 and 61, were arrested in the city yesterday morning, with a house in the Creggan area of Derry was searched as part of the investigation. The men were freed last night.  

A Donegal County Cllr has called on those responsible for illegal dumping on the Killea Road to stop immediately. Old mattresses, furniture, broken tvs and electrical equipment and used Christmas decorations were dumped along the road at the weekend. The litter warden from Donegal County Council has been notified, and they are to clean up