Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal County Council’s Director of Finance says the council’s new Income Collection Unit is working well, and revenue from charges is up on last year. Gary Martin was speaking after the council confirmed this week that after the new unit launched a major campaign to bring in outstanding non-domestic water charges in July, there was […]

Two of the men killed in the single vehicle collision near Rathmullan in the early hours of this morning have been named locally as Shaun Graham – 19 – from Ballymacool in Letterkenny, and Matthew Crawford – 19 – from Elmwood Downs in Letterkenny. Two other men who were in the vehicle at the time

Letterkenny General Hospital is to provide support to GPs and the NowDoc service to allow minor injuries to be treated away from the hospital. Details of the initiative were confirmed at a lunchtime press briefing today. Meanwhile, mobile x-ray and scanning equipment arrived at the hospital last evening. Work to commission that equipment is now

Police in the North have arrested DUP councillor Ruth Patterson over comments she made about a planned republican parade in County Tyrone. In a conversation on Facebook, she had responded to someone else’s post about an imaginary attack on the parade in Castlederg in which several people including Sinn Féin figures are killed. reports This

The junior finance minister says Ireland should plough ahead with more austerity than is strictly needed. Brian Hayes says Ireland should try to surpass the EU’s budget targets for 2014 – a move which will mean a bigger budget and more austerity. The minister says Ireland has built up a reputation of always beating its

Education Minister Ruasri Quinn says he wants to see full employment again within eight years, and the government must do all it can to make that happen. Speaking at the MacGill Summer School last evening, Mr Quinn recalled how, during the period of the Rainbow Coalition in the mid 1990s, a similar goal was set

Donegal County Council’s Finance Director says there’s been a surge in the payment of non-domestic water charges, and is warning that water disconnections now loom for outstanding accounts. July saw a major campaign initiated by the council’s new Income Collection Unit. Garry Martin says in early July, the council issued approximately 3,000 arrears reminder letters

The Mayor of Donegal says he is keeping up pressure on both sides of the border to ensure the A5 upgrade goes ahead. Cllr Ian Mc Garvey was speaking after he and a deputation of councillors and officials from Donegal, Derry and Tyrone met with the North’s Roads Minister Danny Kennedy. He says there are

Thousands of students were unable to apply for their third level grant yesterday after the online system SUSI collapsed. The deadline has now been extended until midnight on Monday. SUSI was due to stop accepting applications at midnight last night, but because of technical problems with the online system the deadline has been extended. Last

The Manager of Letterkenny General Hospital has said there is no guarantee that the hospital will now flood again. The hospital was devastated by flash flooding this day last week, taking out 40% of the hospital’s capacity. Heavy rain has been forecast for the Northwest this weekend, and speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show a

The Parades Commission has decided to allow a republican parade to march through Castlederg later this month, but with restrictions. The parade is to commemorate Tyrone’s republican dead, including two IRA members killed by their own bomb in 1973, and is backed by Sinn Féin. Earlier, a DUP councillor’s apologised for comments she made on

Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams said this afternoon it could take a year before all services are fully restored at Letterkenny General Hospital, and the HSE and the government must commit themselves to provide all that is required to allow that happen as soon as is safely possible. Mr Adams visited the hospital along with

The Secretary of the Donegal Down Syndrome Association had a brief meeting with Education Minister Ruari Quinn in Glenties this afternoon . Gina Grant says MInister Quinn was receptive, and has promised further discussion on their call for more supports for children starting school. Ruari Quinn is addresing the MacGill Summer School this evening on

A Donegal man accused of murdering four British soldiers in the 1982 IRA bombing in London’s Hyde Park has been granted conditional bail. 61 year-old John Downey from Creeslough was charged in Britain with detonating a bomb in Hyde Park in 1982 causing the deaths of four soldiers. Despite being told in 2007 that he

North West MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher says he’ll be investigating what options are available for securing funding from Europe to assist with the restoration of services at Letterkenny General Hospital. Mr Gallagher says Europe has no competency in health related matters, and there is no direct budget from which funds could be drawn down

A “recluse” convicted of sexually abusing a young boy in Ballyshannon in the 1960s and 70s has been jailed for two years. He was also convicted of indecently assaulting the boy’s younger brother. 63 year old Brian McMahon of Temple Street, Sligo, had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 35 charges of

Junior Minister Kathleen Lynch is receiving treatment in Cork University Hospital this morning after she collapsed while visiting a hospital in Donegal yesterday. The Minister was visiting Letterkenny General Hospital when she took ill. She was admitted to intensive care in yesterday and then transferred to Cork by air ambulance- for further tests and treatment.

The head of AIB says he spoke to Small Business Minister John Perry about his financial difficulties with Danske bank. Last week, the Fine Gael TD faced criticism that he abused his position, when it emerged that he made contact with David Duffy and the head of Bank of Ireland Richie Boucher over his debts

The Minister for Health has paid his second visit to Letterkenny General Hospital since Frioday’s flooding, this time to visit his Junior Minister. Kathleen Lynch was admitted to the hospital earlier today. She was visiting the hospital to inspect damage caused by last week’s flooding when she was taken ill. A spokeswoman for the Department

A “recluse” convicted of sexually abusing a young boy in Ballyshannon in the 1960s and 70s has been jailed for two years. He was also convicted of indecently assaulting the boy’s younger brother. 63 year old Brian McMahon of Temple Street, Sligo, had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 35 charges of

Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin says the priority for the hospital is to restore all services as quickly as possible in a way that maximises patient safety. He was speaking after a visit to the hospital this morning, during which he met senior management and medical personnel, as well as touring the areas affected by

Met Eireann has issued a flood warning for western coastal regions including all parts of Donegal for today and tomorrow. More southern parts of the West will be affected by heavy rain this afternoon, while Donegal will see heavy showers later this evening and tomorrow. An Garda Siochana has reminded motorists to drive with caution

Dungloe based MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher has today welcomed news that five beds will be re-opened in the local Community Hospital within the next week. A number of beds were closed at the hospital earlier this year as a result of HIQA standards earlier this year. A rally was held last month in support

Management at Letterkenny General Hospital have said that no jobs will be lost as a result of Fridays flooding. Services have been severely affected as a result of the flash flooding at the facility on Friday evening. As a result of some services being cut back because of the flooding, fears had been raised about

  Donegal County Councillor Ciaran Brogan has said that Letterkenny General Hospital must return to the great facility it was as soon as possible. Cllr Brogan, a member of the Regional Health Forum, has also called for the setting up of a review group into the running of Letterkenny General Hospital in the wake of

Fianna Fáil is calling on Enda Kenny to intervene in the John Perry affair. Its leader Micheal Martin wants the Taoiseach to move Deputy Perry out of his position as the junior minister for small business. Last week Mr Perry and his wife were the subject of a High Court judgement for nearly 2.5 million

A UUP MLA has said Sinn Féin’s rerouting of a controversial parade is trying to defend the indefensible. Sinn Féin has announced that it would re-route the parade it is holding in Castlederg in August. The march commemorates the death of two IRA men who died in 1973 when their own bomb exploded prematurely. After

The general manager of Letterkenny General Hospital has said that the hospital faces a huge challenge in the aftermath of Fridays flooding that has destroyed parts of the buildings. Speaking at a press conference in the Mount Errigal Hotel this afternoon Sean Murphy said it will be months before the hospital will be back to

The recipient of this year’s Tipp O’Neill Diaspora Award will be Governer Brian Schweitzer of Montana. 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 actively working on

The Western Health and Social Care Trust says it continues to provide support to Letterkenny General Hospital, and continues to accept critically ill patients from the Letterkenny catchment. In a statement this afternoon, the trust says since Friday, Altnagelvin has received in excess of 100 blue light patients, and admitted 41. We understand the bulk

It’s emerged that 200 jobs will be created during the construction of a new power plant in Derry. Evermore Renewable Energy will says it has secured more than £80m in funding for a wood-fuelled power plant to be built at Lisahally Port outside Derry. Construction work is set to start in the next two months,

Senator Jimmy Harte has assured the Management and staff of the Hospital that the required funding to bring the services back to normal is in place Senator Harte says following a meeting with Hospital manager Sean Murphy, and senior HSE officials yesterday, he was in contact with Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore and Public Expenditure Minister Brendan

Donegal County Council has given the go ahead for the provision of a new reservoir at Fintown, which will form part of the West Donegal Regional Water Scheme. The development was approved at the July meeting of the Glenties Electoral Area, with the work forming part of the wider scheme which has gone to tender.

The remains of the 25 year old Carndonagh man whose body was found in Scotland last week will be brought home today. Barry Doherty had been reported missing after he was last seen on Monday July 15th, and a major search followed, both on the ground and through the online social media. His body was

Trade Unions representing workers at Letterkenny General Hospital have commended staff for their tremendous response to the disastrous flooding that has closed large parts of the facility. In a joint statement, Donegal Officials from IMPACT, SIPTU and INMO say the quick thinking of staff and management following the flash flood on Friday evening certainly saved

Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue has called for a clear commitment from the government that emergency funding will be released to reinstate all services at Letterkenny General Hospital. The Donegal North East Deputy says any delay in repairing unprecedented flooding damage and replacing essential equipment could have major implications for the hospital, and for the health

Police in Derry have confirmed they have dealt with an instance in the early hours of yesterday morning in which lifebelts were being thrown into the Foyle from the Peace Bridge. Last week, former Mayor Cllr Kevin Campbell said he was becoming very worried about the frequency of such incidents, saying lives were being put

HSE Monday Morning Update –    In its latest statement following Friday’s flooding at Letterkenny General Hospital, the  HSE  says it is expected that the extensive clean-up operation and contingency arrangements will continue for the coming weeks. A Contingency Management Team is in place and is managing the situation. Regular updates will be issued on

Two Golden Eagle chicks have fledged in Donegal in recent weeks. There were three territorial pairs in Donegal this year with a further 5 territories occupied by single birds. Golden Eagle Trust Project Officer Lorcan O’Toole is warning that the Golden Eagle population in the county remains at a vulnerable level, reflecting what he termed

It’s been confirmed that the new management structure under which Letterkenny General Hospital becomes part of the Galway Roscommon Group of Hospitals has been brought forward following Friday’s floods, and the new structure is now in place. Speaking to Highland Radio News today, hospital manager Sean Murphy described what happened on Friday afternoon last as

The Mayor of Letterkenny has described the devastation caused by Friday’s flooding at Letterkenny General Hospital as “desperate”. Cllr Pascal Blake had been abroad, and returned home yesterday morning. He says he went straight to the hospital, and was shocked at what he saw………..