Author name: oisinkelly

Oireachtas Committee:Social network bullying not soley responsible for teen suicides

A new report says there is no direct connection between online-bullying and suicide. Last year – Erin Gallagher in Ballybofey and Leitrim teenager Ciara Pugsley took their own lives after alleged cases of bullying on a social networking site. However the Oireachtas Communications Committee says research from the US indicates the issue is rarely the

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Donegal businessman says commercial rates will be made a local election issue

A Twin Town’s businesses man has rejected claims from Councillor Cora Harvey that a cut in rates can’t come from Donegal County Council. The Twin Town’s Chamber of Commerce wants a 25% cut in commercial rates to help struggling businesses, but Councillor Harvey says local services would lose investment if it came from the local

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Foyle MLA says the time is right for an All-Ireland Tourism Authority

Foyle MLA Meave McLaughlin is renewing calls for an All-Ireland Tourism Authority, saying that recent Northern Ireland Tourist Board figures would indicate the ‘Our Time, Our Place’ tourism strategy isn’t working. Ms Mc Laughlin says while a specific analysis of the strategy isn’t yet available, figures would indicate that that overseas tourism into Northern Ireland

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Harvey wants radical overhaul of rates legislation as chamber seeks 25% cut

A County Councillor has backed calls from the Twin Town’s Chamber of Commerce for a significant business rates cut but says in reality it can’t come from Donegal County Council. The Chamber of Commerce wants a 25% cut in commercial rated to help struggling businesses but Councillor Cora Harvey says local services would lose investment

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Mc Conalogue concerned at possible dilution of government broadband commitments

A Donegal TD says it’s very worrying that the government is considering diluting the Rural Broadband Plan. The plan initially envisaged connection speeds of 30 megabits per second being made available to every household in the country, but now Communications Minister Pat Rabbittee is indicating that may be a maximum rather than a miniumum target.

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Almost 10,000 euro allocated for upgrade of the Parish Hall in Kilcar

Tá fógartha ag Donnchadh Mac Fhionnlaoich T.D., an tAire Stáit sa Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, go bhfuil deontas de €9,072 ceadaithe aige do Choiste Halla na Paróiste i gCill Charthaigh, Co Dhún na nGall chun cur ar a gcumas trealamh cistine agus ranga a cheannach. Ag fógairt an deontais seo, dúirt an tAire Stáit

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Jury fails to reach verdict in Donegal man’s defamation case against the Irish Times

A High Court jury has failed to reach a verdict in a defamation action brought by a Donegal over an article by Sunday Times columnist Brenda Power. The jury was discharged today after deliberations lasting almost eight hours resulted in no agreement. The case will be relisted for another hearing before a new High Court

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Husband of Lisa McGowan, who went missing over a week ago, makes another emotional appeal

The husband of a woman missing from her County Tyrone home for just over a week has made another emotional appeal for her to return. Eight days ago, Lisa McGowans husband Paddy returned to their home in Drumquin, after working in Dublin – but his wife was nowhere to be found. Police have been searching

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North Donegal MABS has longest waiting times and waiting list in the state

It’s emerged that the the North Donegal Money Advice Budgeting Service (MABS) has an average waiting time of 20 weeks, the longest in the country and five times the state average of four weeks. North Donegal MABS also has the highest number of number of people awaiting their first appointment at 160. In contrast, waiting

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Delayed social welfare payments should reach accounts by Wednesday morning

The Department of Social Protection says its confident a social welfare payment error won’t be repeated. Almost 33 thousand people did not receive their allowances today – due to a processing issue. The payments – which include maternity benefit and jobseekers allowance – will be made by 8 o’clock tomorrow morning. Sean Reilly from the

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Minister confirms advice being sought on how to investigate irregular planning decisions in Donegal

The Minister responsible for planning says she’ll have to organise a second inquiry into irregular planning decisions. Jan O’Sullivan said a new inquiry team would be appointed in the coming weeks. Last month, the Department of the Environment agreed to a High Court order overturning its own findings of no evidence of wrongdoing in the

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Former Senator Joe McHugh to lead NW campaign for Seanad abolition

Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh will lead the government’s charge in the north and west for the Abolition of the Seanad. The former Senator has been appointed the North/West Director for the Seanad Abolition Referendum On his appointement, Deputy McHugh described the Seanad as ‘shockingly undemocratic’ with just 1% of the population voting to elect the

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Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan named Northern Ireland’s new enviroment minister

Foyle assembly member Mark H Durkan is to replace his SDLP colleague Alex Attwood as environment minister. Mr Durkan was elected to the assembly in 2011 and had been the party’s social development spokesperson. Speaking to Highland Radio News monents after he was informed of the news,Minister Durkan said it was a very proud day:

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Hundreds of euro taken by Leck Graveyard thieves – victims family speaks out

It has emerged that thieves who targeted a car at Leck Graveyard on Sunday escaped with hundreds of euro in cash. There has been strong condemnation of thieves who broke into two cars at different graveyards in Letterkenny at the weekend. The first incident took place at Leck Graveyard on Sunday as two ladies were

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Homebase goes into examinership – Letterkenny store not on closure list

Homebase has gone into examinership. The company has 15 shops in Ireland, including a store in Letterkenny and employs over 550 staff. The home improvement store says the purpose of the examinership is to re-structure and to put the business on a sustainable footing. Homebase has suffered a one third reduction in sales since 2009.

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Cope welcomes EU commitment to move on Icelandic sanctions

The EU Fisheries Commissioner is promising to move on imposing sanctions on Iceland and the Faroes for overfishing of mackerel. Commissioner Maria Damanaki said last night mackerel stocks could be destroyed by the unilateral setting of quotas by Iceland and action will be taken within the next month. Marine Minister Simon Coveney described the Icelandic

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Donegal chiropractor to be sentenced for breaking into ex-girlfriend’s home and assaulting her

A Donegal chiropractor will be sentenced next week for breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home and then dragging her back into the house and assaulting her. Helen McEvily (33) was at home after a night out when Kevin Ginty (46) climbed in through her sitting room window. She managed to leave the house and call the

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Bus Eireann confirms that Letterkenny to Dublin Route will be fully wheelchair accessible

Bus Eireann has confirmed that its route between Letterkenny and Dublin will be fully wheelchair accessible by the end of 2013. It is after the issue was raised at Letterkenny Town Council’s meeting last week by Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh. It was argued that in the absence of a rail service, the route was widely used

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Funding announced to revamp derelict buildings in Strabane

The Norths Environment Minister, Alex Attwood has announced £200K in funding to revamp derelict buildings in Strabane. In total fifteen Northern Ireland councils will £1.5m from the Department of Environment to tackle decay and dereliction in their areas. Earlier this year similar funding was announced in February, but Strabanes application was deemed unsuccessful. SDLP Cllr

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Telephone services affected as cable is stolen close to Manorcunningham

It’s emerged that a stretch of ‘live’ telephone cable has been removed from poles between Manorcunningham and Newtowncunningham. The wire has been removed at Drumbarnett, close to Colm Dillon’s car showroom, and a number of homes and businesses have had their services affected as a result. Eircom crews are due in the area shortly to

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First meeting of the Donegal Education and Training Board takes place today

The first meeting of the Donegal Education and Training Board takes place this afternoon. The body replaces the County Donegal VEC, one of only three in the country not to be involved in a merger of two or more Vocational Education Committees. This afternoon will see the confirmation of outgoing VEC CEO Shaun Purcell as

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‘Let Me be Me’ disillusioned and saddened as the HSE rejects special needs proposals

  The HSE has rejected the Let Me, Be Me Campaign’s Threshold of Decency Statement. The statement called for the retention of St Agnes’ Special Needs Pre-School, Donegal Town and a  commitment to retain Ballaghderg Special Needs Pre-School, Letterkenny beyond 2015. A number of other measures were proposed. In a statement to Highland Radio this

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Hogan wants Donegal County Council to build more local authority housing

The environment minister says he wants county and city councils to start building more local authority housing. Phil Hogan says councils stopped building homes in the Celtic Tiger years, handing responsibility to private builders. But he says the current waiting lists for council housing are too long – and the government is spending too much

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