Author name: oisinkelly

The Tánaiste is insisting the Justice Minister did not mislead the Dáil in relation to the GSOC bugging claims. The comments from Eamon Gilmore come ahead of an appearance by Alan Shatter before an Oireachtas Committee on Wednesday where he will answer questions. But the coalition is continuing to reject calls for an Independent inquiry.

SuperValu, Aldi and Lidl are increasing their sales as other retailers lose their share of the retail market. While Tesco is still the biggest supermarket chain it has seen a drop of 6.6 percent of the market share. Kantar Worldpanel, which compiles the figures, says Supervalu has been the big winner over the last 12

A third of Irish women do not use any form of contraception. That is according to a Behaviour and Attitudes survey on behalf of Bayer Healthcare. The study also found just over a quarter of women use condoms, with the same figure relying on the pill. Dr. Shirley McQuade from the Dublin Well Woman Centre

A man in his early 20s has been charged in relation to a number of burglaries in Buncrana over the weekend. A number of cars were broken into on the Cloncool estate in the town on Friday night and following a Garda raid on a house yesterday morning, two men were arrested. The man will

A delegation from the Donegal Truckers Group will head to Stormont and the Dail in the coming weeks, to express concerns over the proposed Road User Charge. That’s according to the groups spokesperson Christopher Gallagher, who was speaking following a meeting in Letterkenny on Sunday afternoon. From April the 1st, hauliers in the south will

A man in his 40s has been released without charge in relation to the murder of Andrew Allen in Buncrana two years ago. The man was arrested on Wednesday as part of the investigation into Andrews murder, however was released from custody on Thursday night without charge. Recently Gardai stated that they believe they have

Met Eireann is warning that temperatures are due to dip below freezing tonight as many people still remain without power. Around the country, 60-thousand homes still have no electricity, while some will be forced to endure another night of the cold and darkness as ESB networks warns many faults won’t be repaired this weekend. In

A Derry councillor is urging people to be careful about what they flush down their toilets after NI Water yesterday dealt with a serious blockage in the Galliagh area. Cllr Brian Tierney says a crew spent much of yesterday clearing blocked drains at homes in Glencaw Park and Leafair Gardens, after several days of blockages

The IFA is urging the Agriculture Minister to process environmental and weather related payments to farmers as quickly as possible. The association’s Donegal Chair PJ Mc Monagle says the extreme weather since the start of the year, coupled with the start of the lambing and calving season, is making conditions for farm families around the

Fine Gael has added Buncrana Mayor Cllr Peter Mc Laughlin to the ticket in Inishowen for the forthcoming local elections. Cllr Mc Laughlin left a selection convention earlier this month claiming he had been shafted, after it emerged that approaches had been made to Independent Buncrana Cllr Nicholas Crossan to run on behalf of the

Three weather warnings are in place from Met Eireann this evening. An orange flood warning is in place for the entire country, with almost two inches of rain forecast within 24 hours in some areas. Parts of Leinster, Ulster and Connacht are also under a snow and ice warning, with over an inch of snow

A Donegal County Cllr is reiterating his calls for a independent judicial public inquiry at Letterkenny General Hospital after a report showed significant evidence of non-compliance with HSE procurement policy at the hospital. An internal HSE audit has found several areas of non-compliance, the report found that the hospital breached compeition and transparency rules between

Met Éireann says an Orange flood warning is in place across the country with yet another Atlantic storm set to hit Ireland today. Further heavy rain and strong winds are expected – and there’s a snow and ice warning in place for higher ground. Meanwhile, over 75-thousand people were still without power overnight after Wednesday’s

Medical experts are hailing a new early-warning system as a major breakthrough in diagnosing Irish cancer patients. The National Quality Assurance Intelligence System is being used to review and improve the accuracy of tissue testing when diagnosing cancer. The system was established after a number of cases in the last decade where cancer wasn’t spotted

The North’s Justice Minister has praised the work being done by the Omagh Street Safe project, after attending a training session with volunteers this week. The project offers support to those who may be vulnerable while socialising in Omagh town centre on Saturday nights, and is being extended to Friday nights from tonight. Minister David

A pensioner has been beaten and robbed in his home here in Co Donegal. The latest incident happened between 6pm and 7.30pm on the Station Road in Glenties last evening. The elderly man was left in an extremely distressed state. Gardai in the town are investigating the attack. Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the

The future of Bunbeg Post Office is to be raised in the Dail later this month as part of a motion being moved by the Technical Group. Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle says the motiion will outline how the government can help preserve rural post offices by opening up the possibilty of more banking

Derry Magistrates Court has been told today that post mortem and forensics reports are not yet available in a murder case. 58 year old Kieran McLaughlin of 60, Elaghmore Psrk in Derry is charged with murdering Barry McCrory on October 10. He is also charged with maliciously wounding a man two days previously. A solicitor

The Minister for Health has admitted that there is a particular difficulty in filling vacant senior posts at Letterkenny General Hospial. Concerns over staffing at the Hospital, and the resulting impact on services, was back on the agenda in the Dail this morning when the issue was raised by Donegal Fianna Fail Deputy Charlie McConologue.

Public consultation into the delayed A5 dual carriagewat will begin April. The news was this week confirmed to West Tyrone MLA Declan McAleer who sought assurances from the  that the Executive remains committed to the A5 project. In response to a question from Declan McAleer, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness stated that the Executive remains

A new Summer School is to open to honour the principal of the Four Masters of Donegal who drafted annals which tell the history of Ireland from the earliest times. A simple Franciscan Friar, Brother Mícheál Ó Cléirigh, is to be honoured at a school in Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal, close to his birthplace in 1590

 The communities of Manorcunningham and Dromoghill have said they will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with those targeted in a recent spate of break ins. Over a thousand people turned out for a public meeting in Manor Community Centre last night. The meeting was so packed, that people had to stand outside the main hall in

The Minister for Justice is to be asked to explain what he intends to do, to deal with allegations of bugging at the headquarters of the Garda Ombudsman Commission. The Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight is to invite Alan Shatter to appear, as a matter of urgency. TDs have also asked GSOC to hand

Derry City Council has agreed a rates increase of 2.58%. The rate was struck last evening following what a council spokesperson described as intense negotiations between officers and elected members. Derry City Council says it is facing unforeseen financial costs and economic difficulties while trying to meet growing expectations following the success of 2013. Policy

A Strabane SDLP Cllr has denied suggestions that there is a split within the party in the town. Cllr Patsy Kelly supported a rates increase in the councils district rate for the coming year of 2.5%, which is an increase in the domestic rates bill of £18 in the coming year. However his fellow party

Donegal and the Northwest escaped the worst of the severe weather conditions last night as parts of the country were battered by storms. The ESB says customers hit by yesterday’s storm should make preparations for being without power for a number of days. 190,000 homes and businesses are without supply this morning and crews are

More than 2,000 ESB engineers are working to restore power to 190,000 homes and businesses who are without power around the country. The crews are being assisted by staff  from Northern Ireland Electricity. However ESB is warning it will be late into this evening before supply is restored to most areas and a large number

UCD looks set to become the World leader in the study of rogue waves. Freak waves or rogue waves kill close on 50 people around the World every year and sink as many ships. Last year a rogue wave measuring 23 metres was recorded off the coast of County Donegal. Frederic Dias of UCD, who

Gardaí investigating the murder of Andrew Allen in Buncrana two years have today arrested a man in Donegal. Andrew was shot dead on the 9th of February 2012 at Links View Park, Buncrana. A man in his 40s was arrested in Donegal this morning in connection with the investigation and is currently detained under Section

There are calls for an investigation after it emerged on Highland Radio that a PSNI Landover  crossed the border into Lifford this morning . A witness told the station that the vehicle crossed the bridge into Lifford and drove around the roundabout before returning across the bridge into Strabane. Councillor Frank Mc Brearty has described it

It has been claimed that some facilities at the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny discriminate against those with a disability. The local council this week heard calls for a hand rail, at head height, to be installed in the centre’s pool following complaints from a Letterkenny disability group. It is understood that a rail was

A Donegal Deputy says recent high profile controversies have had a serious effect on the morale of frontline Gardai and has called on the public to support them. Padraig MacLochlainn, Sinn Fein’s Justice Spokesperson, says the penalty points scandal and claims of bugging at GSOC are not the fault of ordinary gardai who seem to

Driving conditions in many parts of the Northwest are described as treacherous after overnight falls of snow and freezing conditions. A number of minor collision have been reported as ice and snow affected many areas. Conditions will not improve much as Wednesday progresses with more wintry showers set to hit the Northwest. Met Eireann has

A Castlefin Councillor says the community has been shocked to learn of the major seizure of cannabis in the area. €400,000 worth of cannabis was last night seized as part of an intelligence led operation involving the Garda National Drug Unit, Customs Revenue Enforcement Officers, and the Divisional Drug Unit Donegal. A man in his

Strabane District Council has agreed to increase its district rate for the coming year by 2.5%. This means that local ratepayers will see an average increase in their domestic rates bill of £18 in the coming financial year. It’s the second year in a row there has been a rates increase in the town, last

Young farmers may be forced off the land because the government isn’t doing enough to support them. That’s according to Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue, who questioned the Agriculture Minister on CAP reform in the Dail last evening. Under the provisions of the package, there are supports for young farmers under the age

A Letterkenny Town and County Councillor has expressed regret at a recommendation from the County Manager that the Council not buy the former Rockhil Barracks in Letterkenny. The Department of Defence has offered Rockhill and Liffird barracks to Donegal County Council for a total of 1.2 million Euro over six years. However the Council will

Representatives from the Garda Ombudsman Commission will appear before an Oireachtas Committee today to discuss allegations of bugging at the GSOC headquarters in Dublin. In an RTE interview last night, Commissioner Kieran Fitzgerald said a security breach could not be definitely ruled out – but the Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said there is no

  An estimated  €400,000 worth of cannabis has been seized in Castlefin. The drugs were seized as part of an intelligence led operation involving the Garda National Drug Unit, Customs Revenue Enforcement Officers, and the Divisional Drug Unit  Donegal. The seizure was made shortly after 8pm on Tuesday evening. One male in his early 30’s has been

The Taoiseach says there’s no evidence of any bugging at the Garda Ombudsman’s office in Dublin. Enda Kenny has told the Dáil that the Justice Minister’s briefed the Cabinet on his meeting with the G-S-O-C yesterday evening. He says no particular incident led to the Garda Ombudsman Commission looking for bugging devices, but that it

Update 6.45 – A lorry has become stuck at Mc Grory’s Brae on the Donegal Town side of Ballybofey, and the road is impassable at present. Traffic is asked to avoid the area. ——————————— Donegal County Council is urging all motorists to take extra care on the roads as showers of sleet, snow, rain and

The problem of homelessness in Donegal was highlighted during a meeting of Letterkenny Town Council this week. The council’s monthly meeting was briefly interrupted by a man who said he was homeless and unable to get accommodation. The man, who is in his 40s, entered the chamber of Letterkenny Town Council during this weeks meeting

A new video from Letterkenny man John D Ruddy, which explains World War 1 in just 6 minutes has gone viral. The video has only been online a few days and has already amassed almost 80,000 views from across the globe. John is best known for his involvement in many theatre productions, his most notable