Author name: oisinkelly

Update: Elderly woman hospitalised during Raphoe burglary – gardai appeal for witnesses

Gardai are investigating a burglary at the home of two elderly sisters in Raphoe during which one was knocked to the ground and hospitalised. At around 5 o’clock yesterday (Monday) evening 3 males called to the home of the sisters at Freddyglass who are aged in their 80’s and 90’s. They entered the premises knocking […]

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Derry Man arrested with two samurai swords and a knife remanded in custody

A martial arts expert who told the police he “had the urge to hurt people” has been remanded in custody at Derry Magistrates’ Court. Shane O’Kane, 39, from Bleach Green, Dungiven, County Derry, was arrested when he armed himself with two samurai swords and a knife. The court was told that police received a call

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Latest Anglo tapes released

The latest recordings from Anglo Irish Bank have turned the spotlight on AIB. The tapes, published in today’s Irish Independent, reveal a conversation between the then CEO David Drumm and senior executive John Bowe. Mr. Drumm says Bank of Ireland believed that AIB and Anglo were “lending money to every cowboy in town”. Deputy Business

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Property Tax collection no longer the responsibility of Donegal County Council

Those who did not pay the Household Charge now owe revenue 200 euro. Donegal County Council has today pointed out that responsibility for collecting the charge no longer lies with the local authority, Now, any arrears of Household Charge will become a Local Property Tax, the collection of which is the responsibility of the Revenue

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Councillor wants answers over Riverine Project funding loss

A Donegal County Cllr has said that an explanation is needed on why funding has been pulled for the Riverine Project along the Donegal/Tyrone border. The cross border initiative was aimed at regenerating the Strabane/Lifford border riverside area. Among the proposals were a network of cycle paths and a pedestrian bridge linking Strabane and Lifford.

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PSNI criticised for stalling some HET probes to facilitate new Bloody Sunday investigation

There’s been widespread condemnation of a PSNI decision to put a number of Historical Enquires Team investigations on hold, so that the HET can carry out an investigation into the actions of British soldiers who caused the deaths and injuries on Bloody Sunday. The Bloody Sunday Trust says when Chief Constable Matt Baggot announced that

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Tanaiste to raise John Downey arrest with British Secretary of State

A Sinn Fein Deputy has raised the continued imprisonment of Donegal Republican John Downey in Belmarsh Prison, with the Tánaiste. 61-year-old, John Downey, from Ards was arrested in May charged with murdering four soldiers in the 1982 Hyde Park IRA bomb blast. He was arrested despite receiving assurances from the Northern Ireland Office that he

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Members of Donegal Action Against Austerity file complaint to Gardai over Anglo tapes

Three members of Donegal Action Against Austerity have filed a formal criminal complaint with Gardai – over the behaviour of Anglo Irish Bank officials. The anti-austerity campaigners attended Buncrana Garda Station yesterday. They are hoping that other people around the country make similar complaints at their local Garda stations. One of the people who filed the

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Strabane District Council to spray paint dog poo bright pink in bid to curb problem

Strabane District Council are to spray-paint dog dirt bright pink in a bid to get people to clean up after their pet. It is also hoped the initiative will encourage residents to report offending dog owners. While the scheme has been trialled in England and Scotland, it has never been rolled out in Northern Ireland

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Donegal County Council unsure of how they will accommodate extra Councillors next year

Donegal County Council still do not know how they will accommodate Cllrs with the increase in numbers next year. Donegal is to get an extra eight county councillors under proposals from the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee. The changes would bring the number of members sitting on the council to 37. There are currently 29

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Fianna Fail motion on special needs cuts to be voted on in Dail tonight

The Government will vote on a motion opposing the cuts being made people with special needs. The private members bill is being led by Donegal Northeast Deputy, Charlie McConologue. Yesterday he Education Minister announced an increase in 500 resource teachers for pupils with special educational needs – in an apparent reversal of previous cuts. But

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Council refers expenses claims of three members to SIPO

The Standards in Public Office Commission has confirmed that it has received files from Donegal County Council in relation to expenses claims submitted by three councillors. The files relate to claims submitted by the three members between 2006 and 2009. Last year, dossiers containing documents and a covering letter signed by a “concerned taxpayer were

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Carndonagh group says a national community hospital campaign is needed

The secretary of the Carndonagh Community Hospital Liaison Group says a national campaign is needed to highlight the plight of the community hospital sector in light of recent HIQA reports. Joe Hegarty says while private nursing homes have the flesibility to respond by recruiting staff or making radical changes, that’s not possible in the community

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Schools criticised for failing to reduce the cost of putting children through school

The Oireachtas Education Committee has criticised schools for failing to reduce the cost of putting children through school. It’s published a new report calling on schools across the country to introduce generic uniforms, ban workbooks and start book rental schemes. The Committee says patron bodies are suffering a ‘vacuum of leadership’ – and calls on

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Group calling itself ‘People against Drugs’ issues threats in New Buildings

A group calling itself ‘People against Drugs’ has issued a number of threats in the New Buildings area to people they have described as drug dealers. The UUP received a letter addressed to its Derry office, and contained in the letter is a threat to a number of unnamed individuals. The UUP have condemned the

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Government reverses planned cuts to Special Needs Education

The Education Minister’s received Cabinet approval for extra resources to reverse planned cuts to special needs education from September. A massive rise in applications for resource teaching services had meant students were facing a cut in teaching hours. But Ruairi Quinn’s been given permission to allocate an extra 500 teaching posts in September – on

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Update: Letterkenny SNA protest goes ahead despite government u-turn

The Education Minister’s received Cabinet approval for extra resources to reverse planned cuts to special needs education from September. A massive rise in applications for resource teaching services had meant students were facing a cut in teaching hours. But Ruairi Quinn’s been given permission to allocate an extra 500 teaching posts in September – on

Update: Letterkenny SNA protest goes ahead despite government u-turn Read More »