Author name: oisinkelly

The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church is to publish its audits of eight church entities today. It will also look at the response by Christian Brothers to allegations of child sexual abuse in day schools over the past 38 years. The audit reports are the fourth instalment made by the Irish […]

A Donegal County Councillor has said that Irish Water must meet with Cllrs within the next fortnight. Irish Water will takeover water services from local authorities on January 1st. The Councils Director of Environmental Services gave a presentation yesterday outlining the takeover. Cllr Ciaran Brogan said he still has huge concerns surrounding the takeover:

The sentencing of two women who pleaded guilty to trying to smuggle cocaine out of Peru in August has been postponed. Michaela McCollum, from Dungannon, County Tyrone, and Melissa Reid, from Lenzie near Glasgow, both 20, admitted trying to smuggle cocaine worth £1.5m. Prosecutors demanded more information on the gang the women said had coerced

Donegal County Council has been branded a ‘circus’ by a number of members of the public who attended yesterdays Council meeting. Council meetings are open for the public to attend, although this rarely happens. But up to 10 people packed the public gallery yesterday. Highland Radio News spoke to a number of them after the

The Mayor of Donegal Cllr. Ian McGarvey and the County Manager Seamus Neely have today signed the Donegal County Council Book of Condolence in memory of Mr. Nelson Mandela. The books of condolence will be available for signing at all Public Service Centres and at the County House in Lifford from 9am to 5.00pm Monday

Letterkenny Hospital says it is experiencing an increase in the number of patients with diarrhoeaand vomiting. The hospital says that as it is usual for norovirus or winter vomiting bug to circulate in the community at this time of year, visitors to Letterkenny Hospital are being asked to follow advice issued by the hospital. People

Cllr Marie Therese Gallagher has described the Council’s position on the sewage problems in Altan Housing Estate in Burtonport as completely unacceptable. Tenants in Altan say they have been inflicted with sewage problems since they moved in to the Estate a few years ago. In reply to an official question by Councillor Gallagher, the council

Donegal County Council has given a presentation to Cllrs outlining the handover protocol of water services to Irish Water. Irish Water will takeover water services from local authorities next month. Donegal County Council says local authorities will act as agents for Irish Water from January 1st. The duration of the initial service level agreement will

Sinn Fein candidate for the E.U. Northwest / Midlands constituency has accused the current sitting MEP’s of being absolute failures for the northwest. Matt Carthy is in Donegal to meet local groups and businesses and will this evening launch the party’s discussion document, Standing Up For Rural Ireland. Mr Carthy says the document lays out

The twin towns of Ballybofey and Stranolar are hosting a boxing club fight night to help raise funds for Console, the National Suicide Charity. The Fight Night at Jackons Hotel, Ballybofey takes place on Sunday, December 15th, doors open at 7pm and boxing begins at 8pm. “Console hopes to open a full time centre in

A former director of a local charity in Derry has been sent for trial on a series of fraud and forgery charges. Eddie Kerr stepped down as Director of the Seeds Charity last year – it was set up in 2005 to provide support to migrants who moved to the area. The 59 year-old of

Gardai are investigating claims that a woman and her daughter were the victims of a drive by shooting in Letterkenny at the weekend. The two were working at a chip van in the Newmills area of the town when a shot was fired at their vehicle by a passing car. They were not injured but

Drinking out on Christmas night could be a thing of the past throughout Donegal this year. The news comes after Garda opposition to a Christmas night extension made by a club in Bundoran. Speaking in Ballyshannon District Court on Friday, Garda Inspector Dennis Joyce, stated that judge Paul Kelly was refusing applications to sell drink

“Support your local economy by shopping local.” That’s the message from Sinn Fein councillor Ciaran McLaughlin in the build-up to Christmas. The festive period is generally the busiest time of the year for retailers. Last year saw a strong Christmas trade in many towns around the county, and the Buncrana Town councillor has called for

A Donegal County Councillor has criticised the levels of policing in rural areas throughout the county. Councillor Gerry Crawfords comments come after a number of homes were burgled in the Raphoe area over the weekend. At around 5 o’clock on Sunday morning, four homes were burgled in the Dromore and Ballyholey area. A quad bike,

ESB workers say they won’t proceed with strike action that would have left one in four homes in darkness. The announcement follows a breakthrough this evening in LRC talks between staff and management at the electricity supplier. ESB workers had set a deadline of Monday December 16th as the date that they would down tools,

Marks and Spencers in Letterkenny is closed today – as workers have gone on strike. The industrial action is part of a national campaign by workers and Mandate Trade Union, in a row over the company’s defined pension scheme. Over 2,000 workers at 17 M & S stores around the country have walked off the

An arts project highlighting the issue of domestic violence has been launched at the Public Services Centre in Letterkenny. The 16 Days Against Violence campaign is an annual event, to raise awareness and educate people about what is happening and what needs to be done to tackle it. North West MEP Marian Harkin launched the

It’s been confirmed that there will be a Donegal Gathering next year, with Donegal County Council’s Director of Culture and Enterprise saying a momentum has been created which the council intends to utilise and build on. Speaking after an event to mark the end of the nation Gathering this week, Michael Heaney said the Donegal

A Sinn Fein Councillor in Strabane has accused an SDLP representative of reckless scaremongering for claiming that rural schools could close in West Tyrone. Speaking on Highland Radio News during the week West Tyrone MLA, Joe Byrne claimed that 40 rural schools in Tyrone were under threat. And he claimed that schools who didn’t have

A man jailed for the manslaughter of Derry musician Jim Gilchrist was today sent back to prison for failing to comply with the probation aspect of his sentence. In 2008, 26 year old Daniel Young of no fixed abode was sentenced to ten years detention and two years probation for the manslaughter of Jim Gilchrist

A West Donegal councillor says the contracts for the Dungloe and Glenties Sewerage Schemes should be signed in the next few days, with work beginning in the coming weeks. Yesterday, the Dungloe Action Group expresed grave concern that following the green light for the contract in August, nothing had happened, and no start date had

It has been confirmed that the Donegal Marathon is to return in 2014. A full marathon and half marathon are scheduled for Sunday August 24 of next year marking the first marathon to be held in Donegal since 1981. A route and other details are still being finalised. The move is off the back of

The Glenties Windfarm Information Group is calling on the County Council to investigate after part of a Wind Turbine blade was blown off a turbine at Corkermore. The group says the windfarm is within 500 metres of residential property. In March a turbine collapsed at a windfarm in Maas near Ardara, a report has yet

Central Statistics Office figures show there were 19,556 people on the Live Register in Donegal at the end of November, 1,020 down on the same period last year, but 36 up on the previous month. That represents a year on year reduction of almost 5% in the numbers signing on in the county at the

Tributes are being paid to former South African President Nelson Mandela who died last night. The 95-year-old anti-apartheid icon passed away peacefully at his home in Johannesburg. His body has now been taken to a military hospital in Pretoria. South Africa’s first black President will receive a full state funeral and flags will remain at

It’s been claimed that 40 rural primary schools could close in Tyrone if a proposal to introduce a minimum pupil number goes ahead. The North’s Education Minister is being urged to rethink plans to implement a 105 pupil requirement, with a West Tyrone MLA saying it would threaten the future of many rural communities in

A new Pathway for Peace has been created next to Derry’s Guildhall. It features peace pledges from young people in 70 local schools from Derry and Donegal and is aimed at fostering respect right across the community. Each pledge has been written with a maximum of 25 words and made into tiles used to create

The Finale of The Gathering was marked in Donegal with a ceremony during which individuals, business and groups which contributed to The Gathering were presented with certificates signed by President Higgins. The year was hailed as a major success, with County Manager Seamus Neely saying The Gathering had benefited the economy and improved community spirit

Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn has for the second time in a week hit out at sections of the media claiming he was stitched-up on a recent episode of  Tonight with Vincent Browne. Sinn Fein’s Justice Spokesperson appeared on the show on Wednesday night to discuss the findings of the Smithwick report. During the debate Deputy

The Energy Minister says any strike by staff at ESB would be “out of proportion” with the scale of the pension dispute at the company. Pat Rabbitte last night asked the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) to intervene in a final effort to avert strike action and power outages in the run-up to Christmas. Both sides

Donegal North East Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn has been criticised over remarks he made last night in relation to the Smithwick Tribunal report. The Smithwick Tribunal report found that collusion between members of the Gardai and the IRA took place in the killing of two senior RUC officers, Harry Breen and Pat Buchanan, after they left

A 50 foot Christmas tree has been brought down in Carndonagh as a result of the strong winds last night. The tree, which towers over the roof tops of houses in the town, was brought down by winds around 845am this morning. It took residents in the town two weeks putting the tree up and

The Health Minister is being told that the recruitment moratorium in the health service must be relaxed to allow for people on maternity leave or long term sick leave to be replaced. The call has come from Donegal Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill, who says waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in Co Donegal have soared by

 The Dungloe Action Group says it now has serious concerns that the proposed Dungloe and Glenties Sewerage schemes will not go ahead. In August of this year, Minister Dinny McGinley says the final hurdle had been passed which would allow the schemes go ahead in ‘a matter of weeks’. However as 2013 draws to a

The Chair of Strabane District Council has criticised the Parades Commission for placing no restrictions on this weekend’s Apprentice Boys march in Castlerderg. Saturday morning’s march has been granted unrestricted access through the mainly Nationalist Ferguson Crescent. A second parade will take place Castlederg on Saturday evening. Earlier this year restrictions were placed on a

Up to 50 jobs are to be created in Co Tyrone by a Canadian based gold mining company. Dalradian Resources are to extend an existing gold and common metals project near Gortin. The company already employs 20 people at the site. The Norths Environment Minister, Mark H Durkan, says it great news for the area

There’s still no clarity on how the Leader programme is to be administered into the future. Environment Minister Phil Hogan has yet to spell out his plans for a greater alignment between Leader and local authorities. At present, Leader in Donegal is administered by Inishowen Development Partnership, and Donegal Local Development Company in the rest

Aer Lingus passenger numbers fell by 5 percent last month when compared with November last year. Short haul numbers decreased by 4.7 percent, while long haul passengers saw a bigger drop of 6.9 percent. The company says the numbers are in line with their expectations and say they are not forecasting any improvement in short

Seven out 34 Ministerial advisers are in breach of the government pay cap. Four of the most senior advisers to the Taoiseach and Tanaiste are earning a salary of nearly double the 87,000 cap. Ministers can apply to the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform to pay staff above the set limits on

The justice minister says over 30,000 people have applied to join the Gardaí. Alan Shatter says advertisements seeking a new batch of Garda recruits will be published next week. He says the number of people who’ve expressed an interest in joining the force is over three times more than usual. And he says it’s possible

The number of people signing on has dropped again – with 3,400 less people claiming the dole in November. While 406,200 people are still on the Live Register, it’s the lowest total since June 2009. The Live Register has now declined by 25,400 so far this year. Emigration is widely acknowledged as contributing to the

The first ever review of childcare costs in Ireland finds more than half of lower earners with young children can’t afford to work. The independent report finds Ireland has the second highest cost of childcare in the OECD, as a percentage of the average wage, and a person on that income would spend most of

Almost 50 jobs are to be created in Derry with two companies expanding their businesses in the city. Derry-based IT firm, HostSure Northern Ireland is expanding its workforce – creating 14 new jobs. While Domino’s Pizza is creating 30 new jobs with the opening of a store in the city side. Derry City Cllr, John

The CEO of Donegal Local Development Company says the vast majority of Gaeltacht projects left without funding following the collapse of MFG have now had their grants finalised. MFG Teo ceased trading in September 2011, and DLDC was appointed to administer its Leader portfolio the following July. Caoimhin Mac Aoidh was speaking following the launch

Police have confirmed that eight people have been arrested as part of a crackdown on illegal drugs in Derry. 70 officers carried out 19 searches throughout the city yesterday in the Creggan, Strathfoyle and Galliagh areas. There were five seizures of herbal cannabis, one of cannabis resin and seven of suspected methadrone. Area Commander Chief

  Donegal County Council has this week launched a new Interactive Roads Gritting map as part of its ‘Be Winter Ready campaign’. The map provides motorists and road users with up to date information on routes to be gritted and basic statistics on the length of roads to be gritted on a given night. It