Author name: oisinkelly

A spokesperson for Letterkenny Community Childcare has said she found last nights Prime Time Investigates programme, which showed children being manhandled, as deeply upsetting. The programme “A Breach of Trust” focused on three creches in Dublin and Wicklow, showing footage of children being flung onto mattresses, manhandled, shouted and cursed at and strapped into chairs […]

Sinn Fein are accusing the SDLP of a ‘cop out’, after they said they would not block a bill barring ex-prisoners from becoming special advisers at Stormont. SDLP leader Alistar McDonnell announced yesterday that his party would not sign a petition of concern which could have prevented the Special Advisers Bill becoming law. It’s believed

Donegal County Council is looking at reducing the development charge for new ‘one off houses’ by as much as half. Councillor Seamus O’Domhnaill has raised the issue stating that with the Local Property Tax, Septic tank charges and road tax the Development Charge at its current rate is unjustifiable. He has welcomed a council commitment

There is anger in Inishowen that there seems to be significant progress on plans to build a second bridge across the Swilly in Letterkenny while construction of the Cockhill project in Buncrana has still not begun. That’s according to Councillor Jack Murray who made the comments as he called for a footbridge to be provided

The property tax collection will be the focus of the Finance and Public Expenditure Committee meeting later today. Members will meet with the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners Josephine Feehily to find out details of the contract service providers and the cost of administration of the local property tax. Meanwhile, revenue announced last night that

It is estimated around 80 per-cent of the Gaeltacht primary schools across the country have four teachers or less. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection will meet today to consider pupil/teacher ratios in small Gaeltacht schools today. There are worries among communities that these schools are particularly vulnerable to changes in the

The number of mortgages being approved has increased by 36 per cent, in the past 6 months, according to the latest figures from the Irish Banking Federation. The Housing Market Monitor also shows the number of homes listed in the first quarter of this year has dropped 15 per cent, with a significant shortage of

Education Minister Ruari Quinn has admitted mistakes were made when the SUSI system was introduced to process student grants. He was being questioned in the Dail about the centralised system for the payment of third level grants last year. SUSI – Or Student Universal Support Ireland – was marred by months of delays in issuing

Detectives in Foyle are appealing for information following an aggravated burglary in the Greenfield Park area of Strathfoyle around 1 o’clock this morning. Police say two men with their faces covered forced their way into a house and assaulted a man inside before making off over a grass area towards Butlers Wharf. Anyone with information

Breast check has been extended into Inishowen for women aged between 50 and 64. The National Breast Screening Programme is currently inviting women living in Buncrana, Carndonagh, Straid, Ardmalin and Greencastle for a free mammogram in the BreastCheck mobile digital screening unit located at the Shorefront Car Park in Buncrana. If the appointment time or

North West MEP Marian Harkin says the government must take action to address regional disparities in Ireland. Speaking after the publication of a comprehensive Quality of Life by the CSO last week, Ms Harkin said it’s clear that the BMW region in general, and Donegal in particular, are lagging behind the rest of the country, and Dublin

The Abbey Hotel in Donegal has been fined €300 and ordered to pay €919 prosecution costs for a breach of the smoking ban last year. The hotel was also banned from selling tobacco products for seven days. Donegal District Court was told that HSE Inspectors discovered a number of people smoking in a prohibited area

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has revealed how his experience with Celtic has helped him to become a better coach. McGuinness now splits his time between Donegal and the newly-crowned SPL champions after joining the backroom team with Celtic after last year’s All Ireland final victory over Mayo. McGuinness says that being able to observe professional

Veteran County Councillor Ian McGarvey is expected to be Donegal’s next Mayor. The Independent grouping on the Council will nominate the 83 year-old to succeed Mayor Frank McBrearty Junior. Independent Michael McBride will be nominated as Deputy Mayor replacing Councillor Martin Farren. Providing there are no counter proposals, the two Independents will take up their

The Can’t Pay Won’t Pay group is being urged to take down its protest signs to give Tidy Town’s committees across the county the best chance of success in this years competition.   Councillor Paul Canning has made the appeal highlighting estate agents signs as another area of concern.   He is calling on the

  Donegal County Council has unanimously opposed any HSE plans to close the special needs preschool in Letterkenny. One facility has closed in Inishowen with services to be withdrawn in Donegal Town later this year – it is feared that beyond 2015, the facility in Letterkenny will suffer the same fate. The council has agreed

Donegal County Council has called for the immediate release of Hyde Park bombing accused John Downey. The 61 year-old from Creeslough is in prison in Britain having been charged with detonating a bomb in Hyde Park in 1982 causing the deaths of four soldiers. Despite being told in 2007 that he was not being sought

A book of evidence was today(Mon) served on a Chinese national, accusing him of possession of cannabis and cultivating 300 plants worth €240,000 at a Donegal farmhouse. Pui Lam Sam, 64, was sent forward for trial to Donegal Town Circuit Court starting on Wednesday. Sam, of no fixed address, was accused at Donegal District Court

A Donegal Councillor has repeated calls for a full investigation into the collapse of a wind turbine near Ardara eight weeks ago. The 245 foot turbine came down in high winds at Loughderryduff. Last week, it’s component parts were broken down and brought to Derry for a full investigation. Cllr Terence Slowey says people must

A 30 year-old man who died following a two car collision over the weekend has been named as Seamus McGroary from Frosses. Mr McGroary was killed after his van collided with car at Brenter, Dunkinelly  at around 11 o’clock on Saturday night. The 21-year-old driver of the car, believed to have be from Laghey, was

The 87 year-old man who died in a house fire yesterday has been named as Jimmy ‘Tom’ McClafferty. The blaze broke out overnight in his house at Glasserchoo outside Gortahork. Fire services from Gweedore and Falcarragh attended the scene after the alarm was raised at around 7.20am yesterday morning and recovered Mr McCafferty’s body. His

As the campaign to preserve and enhance services at Dungloe Community Hospital is stepped up, Donegal County Council has passed a unanimous motion calling for all beds at the hospital to be reopened. At the weekend, a number of local politicians met to discuss the issue with hospital management and Junior Minister Dinny Mc Ginley.

It’s been confirmed that Relay for Life will be held again in Donegal in 2014. Bad weather didn’t stop thousands from taking part in this weekend’s event at Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Addressing the Closing Ceremony last evening, John mc Cormack, the CEO of the Irish Cancer Society said initiaitves such as the Daffodil Centre,

Funding of €995,000 has been granted to both Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council for improvement works in both Strabane and Lifford. The environmental improvements works are hoped to enhance the connectivity and attractiveness in both towns. The funding  has been granted by the Eurpoean Union’s Interreg IVA Programme, through the North West Region

A Donegal Deputy has expressed his surprise at the valuation of a derelict house on Gola Island. Pictured above, the house has been valued for The Local Property Tax in the 100 – 150k category. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty was informed of the valuation given to Gola natives  the Gallagher family. The Sinn Fein representative  took

The Irish International Immigrant Center in Boston  has apologized to the young Donegal it turned in to U.S. authorities after they claimed she had worked on a second job.  However ‘Amanda’ still faces a deadline to leave the U.S. Amanda is in the US on a year-long J-1 Visa and was working as an intern with

North West MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher says it may be possible to have five beds reopened at Dungloe Hospital in a matter of weeks following a meeting with hospital management and the HSE yesterday,. Mr Gallagher, along with Cllrs Mary Therese Gallagher and David Alcorn will this afternoon meet with Junior MInister Dinny Mc

A major Peace Conference continues in Derry today. Politicians, business leaders, peace makers and activists are amongst those who have gathered to look at making, building and embedding peace from a local and international perspective. The continues today in the Millenium Forum before moving to the Magee Campus. Professor Brandon Hamber is the Director of

Eight objections have been lodged against a Government decision to grant prospecting licences in Inishowen to Rio Minerals. Based out of Vancouver, Rio Minerals describes itself as a a versatile mineral exploration and geotechnical consulting firm specializing in full project management. The Government intends to award the company prospecting licences for silver,gold and mercury in

Junior Gaeltacht Minister Dinny Mc Ginley says the Wild Atlantic Way will be a major draw for tourists once it becomes established. The Donegal South West Deputy was speaking after returning from Malta, where he addressed a major tourism conference. The 2,500 km route which stretches from Inishowen to Kinsale in Cork includes 156 strategically

An Independent MEP says the Minister for Agriculture should access special EU funds to help farmers affected by the fodder crisis. Marian Harkin is strongly criticising Simon Coveney’s efforts to ease the fodder situation. The North West MEP says that Minister’s pledge of one million euro to assist farmers is completely inadequate-and she says his

It’s been confirmed that work has begun on the Daffodil Centre at Letterkenny General Hospital, which is being funded with some of the monies raised during Relay for Life 2012. The work got underway on the eve of Relay for Life 2013, which takes place tomorrow and Sunday in the grounds of Letterkenny Institute of

Donegal man John Downey has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with the murder of four British solders in the 1982 Hyde Park IRA bomb blast. The 61 year-old from Cresslough was arrested at Gatwick Airport on Sunday – he has been remanded in custody. He was accused of being responsible for a car bomb

A Donegal woman has been ordered out of the United States of America after a Irish Migrant Group reported her for allegedly breaching her visa. The woman is in the US on a year-long J-1 Visa and was working as an intern with the Irish Central news outlet – she revealed in an article that

Donegal Senator Jimmy Harte has called for a 32-county solution to diesel laundering, saying it’s a problem from Donegal to Dundalk, and has now extended into Dublin. The Labour representative told the Seanad he knows of a case in Donegal where the garage owner was convicted but the garage continued to operate and everyone knew

A Foyle MLA says any attempt to divert A5 money into Northern Ireland wide projects would be a further betrayal of people west of the Bann. The SDLP’s Colum Eastwood has voiced concern at Minister Jonathan Bell’s comments that money originally allocated to the A5 road project could be redirected towards the construction of Shared

Some of the biggest names in music will be performing in Derry this weekend as the ‘One Big Weekend’ gets underway this afternoon. Over 40,000 music fans will descend upon the city between now at Sunday night. Calvin Harris, Biffy Clyro, The Script, Bruno Mars and Ollie Murs are just a few of the names

Health Minister James Reilly is being asked to give assurances about the future of Carndonagh Community Hospital. Three weeks ago the HSE confirmed that four beds were being closed at the Hospital as a result of staffing pressures but insisted the move was temporary. But three weeks on, the beds remain closed. Donegal North East

A Donegal man charged with the murder of four soldiers in the 1982 IRA bombing in London’s Hyde Park is due to appear at the Old Bailey in London today for a bail hearing. A preliminary hearing of the case is set for June 5th. John Anthony Downey of Ards, Creeslough is accused of being