Author name: oisinkelly

The President of the Irish National Teachers Organisation has been meeting with Donegal local election candidates seeking support for a reversal of budget cutbacks which is threatening small schools. The INTO says that some small schools have already last a teacher with more to follow, they claim it is an untenable situation which will force […]

It’s emerged that up to 30 people in Limavady have lost tens of thousands of pounds in “serious and sophisticated” banking fraud in the past two months. Detectives have said a gang has used telephone and computer scams to divert money from bank accounts. In many cases, hoax callers claim they are from banks or

The Pharmacy Department at Letterkenny General Hospital has reopened today with what’s been described as one of the most up to date and modern facilities in the country. The unit was opened by Junior Health Minister Alex White, who also toured the hospital and was briefed by management on the progress being made to restore

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was in Donegal this morning for a number of engagements. He  turned the first sod of the 4.5 million euro North West Science Park at Letterkenny Institute of  Technology, before traveling to the new Colaiste Ailigh building at Carnamuggagh, which he officially opened. The North West Science Park is a cross border

Letterkenny Town Council holds its final meeting tonight with one councillor describing it as a dark day for Letterkenny. Councillor Ciaran Brogan is now proposing that the setting up of a forum in the town including community groups, Letterkenny Chamber, the Tidy Towns Committee and the Gardai. He says the forum would help address the

A month long public consultation on windfarm policy in Donegal has ended with the delivery of over 2,600 submissions to the county council by the Glenties Windfarm Information Group. The public were asked for their views on the placing turbines ten times their tip height away from homes, and also the proposed change of zoning

  The orgainsers of this years North West Garden Show have expressed grave concerns about their ability to promote the event this year because of the large amount of election signage that has been erected. The event which runs on the 24th and 25th of this month and is organised by the Castlefinn Partnership Initiative

In Derry, an 18 year old man has been charged with aggravated vehicle taking causing damage to vehicle, going equipped for theft, theft and burglary. He was arrested after a car was found on fire in the  Ringfort Road area of the City early yesterday Saturday morning. The 18 year-old is expected to appear before

An inquest into the Real IRA murder of a Derry man will begin next week. Kieran Doherty’s body was found dumped on the Braehead Road on the outskirts of Derry on February 24, 2010. The 31-year-old had been stripped and bound before he was shot dead. reports The dissident republican group, the Real IRA, claimed

The African community in Donegal is holding a protest in Letterkenny this afternoon in support of the more than 200 girls abducted in Nigeria. It has been claimed the Nigerian army were aware a raid by Islamic militants in a school would take place – but did nothing about it The girls were taken over

Figures show that new car sales in Donegal saw an increase of 32.9% in the first quater of this year. The Donegal figure is above the national average increase of 27%. The review, compiled by economist Jim Power using data from SIMI and DoneDeal, looks at all aspects of the motor industry and the socio-economic

Over 1,000 people people have taken part in The Pieta House, Darkness into Light walk for suicide prevention in Letterkenny. The 5k fundraising event got underway at quarter past four this morning at 39 venues across the country. 80,000 people took part across Ireland, with members of the Irish Diaspora also taking part in events

The Justice Minister says a Commission of Investigation will be held and the Cabinet will hold first discussion on it on Tuesday. Frances Fitzgerald has also accepted there were deficiencies within the Department that must be addressed. And she says it is clear that the operation practices and procedures within the Garda force were inadequate

The official launch has taken place today of the new biomarine plant in Killybegs which, when completed will create in excess of 50 jobs for the area. Flagged earlier this year, this morning Bio-marine Ingredients Ireland held an Information Meeting this morning to give more details of the €35 million state-of-the-art plant. It will generate

The Ulster Unionist Party’s West Tyrone MLA Ross Hussey has slammed the Irish Taoiseach for his failure to meet with representatives of the Derg Valley Victims Voice. The group believes victims of the Troubles in Castlederg and district have been neglected by the peace process. The Taoiseach has been forwarded a portfolio detailing attacks on

The Donegal Branch of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says it will be stepping up the campaign for increased staffing at Letterkenny General and other hospitals. Local representitive Edel Peoples is at the INMO conference in Kilkenny, where a national campaign has been launched to improve staff to patient ratios, with nurses quoting research

A Fine Gael MEP candidate has said independent radio should receive a portion of the licence fee. Simon Harris says RTE is not the only broadcasting outlet that provides a public service and that Independent radio plays a vital role in the area. Over 2.5 million Irish people listen to local, independent radio stations everyday.

The Carndonagh Community Hospital Liaison Group has welcomed the publication of the latest HIQA assessment of the hospital which reports significant improvement. The inspection in Janurary focused on nine outcomes and encompasses a review of the hospital’s compliance programme since July 2013. It found improvements in the delivery of safe and quality care, and while

A consultation process is being launched for towns to be designated Gaeltacht Service Towns. The towns will be situated in, or adjacent to, Gaeltacht language planning areas and have a minimum population of 1,000. Junior Minister Dinny McGinley says his department is seeking recommendations for towns to be designated. Selected areas will have a period

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has asked that Donegal County Council withdraw a motion calling on officials not to cooperate with the Gateway scheme, but the councillor who moved the motion says he will not do so. The motion was passed unanimously when it was moved earlier this year, and the council has advised the

Donegal Local Development Company has expressed grave concern at the possible impact of government plans to change how local development funding is managed and distributed. DLDC says the changes proposed by Government under the Alignment process are likely to put DLDC’s work under the control of a Donegal County Council-led committee, or to private contractors

City of Derry Airport could be facing strike action next month after two unions at the airport decided to ballot members on industrial action. This afternoon, representatives of both NIPSA and Unite attended a joint meeting of members which unanimously backed a call for a ballot. The unions say the action will oppose recently announced

President Michael D Higgins leaves today for his second official visit to the United States. The trip includes official engagements in Chicago, where he will meet the Mayor; and state governor of Illinois. Mr Higgins, who’s accompanied by his wife Sabina, will also meet members of the Irish community. President Higgins has a message for

An investigation is underway after a 69 year old man was killed in a road collision in Donegal. He was driving a motorcycle which was in collision with a truck at Loughmor, Barnsmore Gap, on the Donegal town to Ballybofey Road at ten to twelve. The motorcyclist was a marshal for the Cycle Against Suicide,

Two bars were broken into in Buncrana overnight. The two pubs on Main Street, Huttons Bar and O’Dohertys Bar were broken into in the early hours of this morning. The intruders got into Huttons Bar through the sky light. Dozens of bottles of spirits were stolen from both bars, its understood no cash was stolen.

Donegal County Cllrs were paid over €1.8 million between 2012 and 2013. On average each Cllr was paid €32,000 in 2012, and €29,000 in 2013. Donegals highest paid politician between 2012 and 2013 was former Mayor Cllr Frank McBrearty, who earned just over €92,000 in two years. In 2012 Cllr Frank McBrearty earned €47,030, while in

British detectives have arrived in Portugal overnight – to prepare for a new phase in the investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance. Earlier this week, they were given permission to dig at sites close to where she vanished in a holiday resort in the Algarve in 2007. Sky’s Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt is in Faro.

A new Minister for Justice will be named this morning after the shock resignation of Alan Shatter yesterday. The Taoiseach will announce the appointment in the Dáil at a quarter to eleven. A number of current Ministers are favourites for the position. With both coalition parties keen not to spark now a wide reshuffle of

A legal challenge by retired RUC officers against a report citing police failures over the ‘Good Neighbours’ bombing in Derry has been dismissed. In July of last year, the Police Ombudsman found that officers failed in their duty in relation to an IRA 1988 booby-trap bomb which killed Eugene Dalton, Sheila Lewis and Gerard Curran

Alan shatter has resigned as Justice Minister. The announcement was made in the Dail this evening. The resignation follows the Government’s receipt of a report by Seán Guerin that was critical of the Department of Justice’s response to the allegations made by Garda Maurice McCabe. It also comes only a day after the Data Protection

The road between Donegal Town and Ballybofey has reopened following an earlier fatal crash at Barnesmore Gap. The crash, thought to involve a lorry and a motorcycle happened at McGrory’s Brae. The motorcyclist, a man in his 60s, has died. Garda investigations are continuing, and a forensic examination of the road has now been concluded with the

 A local election candidate has said the introduction of water charges will be the last straw for many struggling families in County Donegal. It was confirmed yesterday that households will pay an average of 240 euro per year for their water. There will be a free allowance for all households, with an extra allowance for children, and a

Donegal County Council has secured over €1.5m for Unfinished Housing Developments. The council made 10 applications to government under the Special Resolution Fund Initiative and was awared funding for eight of the applications. The total amount of funding received was €851,101 and this will in turn leverage additional private investment of €680,288. The money will