Author name: oisinkelly

Plans for a major upgrade of the Derry to Coleraine railway line have been delayed for a further year. The second stage of a 22 million pound upgrade was due to be completed by 2015, however this has now suffered a setback, due to problems with procurement of equipment. The overall upgrade to the line […]

 Sinn Féin’s holding its annual think-in today. The party’s TDs and Senators are meeting at Carlingford in Co Louth to plan their strategies for the year ahead. Members are likely to focus on the party’s plans for the forthcoming Seanad referendum, in which it’s recommending a Yes vote. They’re also likely to consider the party’s

A group representing Irish businesses says water and waste water charges continue to rise despite the recession. That’s according to a new report from IBEC this morning, ‘Addressing the challenge of local authority costs’. It finds that many business are continuing to pay boom times rates despite the financial pressures which they are facing. Donegal

Junior Health Minister Kathleen Lynch has said she has no idea who decided to use the air ambulance to transfer her from Letterkenny General Hospital to Cork last month after she was suddenly taken ill. Ms Lynch was on an official visit to Letterkenny Hospital on July 31st to view first hand the damaged caused

ESB wind development Limited is appealing a decision by Donegal County Council to refuse it permission to construct a major wind farm in South Donegal. ESB wind development Limited sought a ten year planning permission for the development consisting seven wind turbines, access tracks, transformer station and all associated site works. Each wind turbine would

Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD has expressed shock at the revelation that some 14,721 repossession letters have been sent by the four banks that appeared before the Oireachtas Finance Committee this week.   Deputy Doherty said an additional 2,439 requests for voluntary surrender were sent out. Speaking after the final committee meeting of

An Bord Pleanala has given the Butt Hall Committee green light for the construction of a major new discount food store in Ballybofey. The bord backed a Donegal County Council decision to allow the development go ahead on the Chestnut Road beside Finn Park despite objections. Butt Hall Committee was granted permission by the council

A convicted rapist from Northern Ireland who went on the run in Donegal  has admitted breaching the terms of the police sex offenders register. 29 year-old Joseph McCabe  pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court to failing to notify police of his intention to travel outside the UK. Released from jail last April, McCabe and another

A man and a woman have pleaded guilty at Derry Crown Court to charges in relation to a robbery on Derry’s Peace Bridge in February. 20 year-old Louise Swords of the Strand Foyer and Robert Gannon who is 26 and from Dunvale Close both in Derry were charged with a number of offences in relation

 The Chairperson of Strabane District Council is set face a motion of ‘no confidence’ next week. Ulster Unionist Derek Hussey says he will table the motion against Sinn Féin’s Ruairi McHugh at Monday’s monthly meeting – its only the third time in history such move has taken place. The move is off the back a

According to new reports published today, Donegal is one of the three counties with the lowest recorded rate of Suicide in Ireland. Across the country, the rate of suicidal behaviour has stabilised but we still have the fourth highest rate of death by suicide among young people in the EU. Three reports on suicide and

A former mayor of Derry is calling for the demolition on the old St Peter’s School in the Creggan after the roof of the school was badly damaged in an arson attack last night, the second at the school in less than ten weeks. The blaze was reported at around 8.30 and brought under control

Donegal County Council has served an enforcement order on the directors of Loughderryduff windfarm. The order was attached to the entrance gate of the windfarm between Ardara and Glenties yesterday. The enforcement order relates to the alleged erection of a wind turbine without planning permission, apparently to replace a turbine which collapsed at the site

An innovative tourism initiative is being launched in Ramelton this afternoon which will allow visitors explore the village’s cultural heritage at their own pace. The Ramelton Audio Heritage Tour is a free audio guide to the built and cultural heritage of the village, which can be downloaded from Donegal County Council’s website. The script is

The Health Ministers in Stormont and Dublin are being urged to examine the possibility of creating a North West Connected Health Innovation Corridor to promote digital medicine in the region and maximise the potential of electronics and information technology. Foyle MLA Maeve Mc Laughlin says a conference in Derry in May heard that such a

Police and the fire service in Derry believe an overnight fire at a former school in the Creggan area was started deliberately. The roof of St Peter’s High School has been seriously damaged in the blaze, which at its height was fought by nine fire appliances and 50 firefighters. At one point, local residents were

It seems increasingly likely that the old Waterside Station in Derry could be restored to give the city a new railway base The Into the West rail campaign group is welcoming indications that Translink’s preferred option is the restoration of the Old Waterside Station. As well as campaigning for this outcome, Into the West spokesperson

The government has announced 2.5 million euro in EU funding to renovate Irish lighthouses to boost tourism in Ulster. The project will see operational lighthouses – which are now unmanned – transformed into tourist accommodation. The Fanad Head Lighthouse in Fanad and St John’s Point Lighthouse Killybegs are included in the trail. It’s expected the

The Vice-Chairperson of the Agriculture Committee at Stormont says the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is in need of urgent reform. West Tyrone MLA Joe Byrne, who is also the SDLP Agriculture Spokesperson says the farming and food processing sectors in the North will only progress if DARD reconnects with the people it should

Donegal people who oppose the Government’s policy on addressing the financial crisis are being encouraged to attend a mass ”Peoples Assembly” in Dublin later this month. Members of the protests groups in Donegal including Donegal Action Against Austerity and CAHWT are expected to be well represented at the protest at the gates of the Dail

Community groups and Local Authorities across Northern Ireland and the border areas of the Republic of Ireland that want to tackle signs of sectarianism and racism in their communities now have the opportunity to benefit from an investment of £3.125 million. The ‘Building Peace through the Arts – Re-Imaging Communities’ funding programme will support arts

 The head of Bank of Ireland will appear before the Oireachtas Finance Committee this morning. Richie Boucher will face questions from TDs and Senators about the banks performance when it comes to meeting Central Bank targets on dealing with people in mortgage arrears. Yesterday, the head of AIB, David Duffy told the Committee that his

A Letterkenny Councillor is pressing for funding to replace storm pipes in the Glencar area of Letterkenny, and alleviate flooding problems in the Glenwood Park and Beechwood areas. Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh says the natural watercourse from Glencar runs through Glenwood and Beechwood via undersized storm pipes, which are not capable of  moving the volumes of

New figures show that Primary schools in Donegal are among the most overcrowded in the country. Over 20 percent of school children in are being taught in classes with over 30 pupils, 65 percent of children in the county are in classes with 20 to 29 pupils while 14% are in classes of 20 or

Donegal County Council is to serve an enforcement order on a wind energy company instructing them to cease preparatory work to erect a wind turbine in West Donegal. The turbine became trapped today while being transported on the Maas to Ardara road ; it is understood that the turbine, which is worth over 1 million euro,

Northwest MEP Jim Higgins says he believes new cross-border efforts could eliminate illegal fuel laundering. He says authorities are working together on a cross-border basis in order to effectively wipe out fuel laundering by implementing a new fuel marker system. Fuel laundering is a particular problem in border areas with customs raiding a number of

There’s been condemnation of a threat to six young people who were ordered to leave Derry at the weekend. Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey says self appointed vigilantes cannot be allowed act in this manner, and these type of threats have to be dealt with by the PSNI. Mr Ramsey says if these young people have

A Donegal County Councillor has claimed that a wind turbine, which became trapped while being transported on the Maas to Ardara road, was going to be erected without planning permission. It is understood that the turbine, which is worth over 1 million euro, was to replace a turbine which fell over in high winds on

 Sinn Féin has launched its campaign in favour of scrapping the Seanad. The party says that although the Dail is in need of reform, the Seanad will not be reformed if it’s saved. The party says it would have preferred to see the Constitutional Convention consider the matter first. But its Finance Spokesman Pearse Doherty

A Unionist MEP from Northern Ireland has called on the European Commission to take action against Republican parades. Diane Dodds from the DUP says the annual parade in Castlederg, to commemorate two members of the IRA, is an insult to its victims. The parade commemorates two IRA members who were killed by the premature explosion

Motorists are advised the Maas to Ardara road is expected to be closed for most of the day. It is after a lorry transporting a wind turbine left the road at Loughnagurragh. No one was injured. A crane is on route to the scene to clear the blockage. Local diversions are in place.

 77 new cars were sold in Donegal in August, compared to 73 last August, an increase of 5%. For the year however, new car sales were down 9% on last year (1,570 v 1,729) Nationally, new car sales were up again in August. 3,698 cars were sold, compared to 3,092 last August, an increase of

 Fianna Fail’s Charlie McConologue has described a proposal by the Labour Party to cut chaplaincy services from VECs and community schools as the latest front in the party’s Culture War. Fianna Fail’s  Education Spokesperson said it was part on ongoing attempt by the Labour Party to remove all trace of religious faith from public life

The Irish Medical Organisation will today discuss a strike action plan after junior doctors voted to down tools due to working hours. Trainees say they are working shifts of up to 100 hours a week, despite EU regulation guidelines of 48 hours a week. The Health Minister, James Reily is being urged to take a

Derry’s District Judge Barney McElholm has said that there should be better links between the criminal law system and the medical profession so that people with addiction or mental health problems can get the proper care they need. He was speaking during a bail application from 35 year old Alan Luukas of Foyle Park in

 The consultation period on the proposed transfer of over 300 driver and vehicle licensing jobs from Coleraine to DVLA headquarters in Swansea ends one week from today. I’s been confirmed that the North’s Envioronment Minister Mark H. Durkan will visit the Coleraine centre on that day to show solidarity with the staff. Local MLA John

West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty says he is fully backing residents of Sion Mills who are trying to block a proposal to site an anaerobic digester in the grounds of the former Herdman’s Mill site in the village. The application was submitted by the Donegal-based firm Connective Energy Holdings. Pat Doherty says while they are

 A number of buildings in Donegal are being illuminated this week as part of the Light it Up Gold campaign. The campaign has been set up to raise awareness, among the public of Ireland, about the inadequate facilities for childhood cancer patients. Buildings in Letterkenny, Buncrana and Donegal town will be lit up gold in

 Highland Radio’s brand new APP is now available to download for Apple and Android devices. The new APP has been designed specifically for Highland Radio listeners making it easy to listen live while getting the latest news and obituary updates. The APP is free to download and access worldwide. Getting the APP is easy, search

The Minister for Education says new legislation on enrolment procedures will ensure schools will no longer be able to turn away children with learning difficulties. Ruairi Quinn this morning published the proposed new rules to make the process of enrolling a child in school fairer. The legislation will also bring an end to the practice

Seamus Heaney is being laid to rest this evening in his native Co Derry. Hundreds of people attended the poet and playwright’s requiem mass in Dublin today. The 74 year old writer – died last Friday morning – after a short illness. The Church of the Sacred Heart in Donnybrook was full to capacity for

The latest survey in the Anti-Litter League by business group Irish Business Against Litter shows Letterkenny to be ‘cleaner than European norms’. This is a vast improvement on its ‘littered’ ranking back in 2011, when it was last in the League. Of 42 towns and cities surveyed this summer, the town is in 20th position.

Randox Laboratories have announced that 60 new jobs will be created over the coming week as part of the companies international expansion plans. The company, whose headquarters is in County Antrim and currently employs 850 people there. Randox has had a presence at Meenmore in Dungloe since 2008, and two years ago, announced it was