Author name: oisinkelly

Letterkenny solicitor Dessie Shiels will have to pay Donegal County Council’s legal bill for his unsuccessful case against the local authority. The High Court action against Donegal County Council was over the co-option of Michael McBride to replace Senator Jimmy Harte. It was dismissed in November. Dessie Sheils brought forward the challenge on the basis […]

A British Navy serviceman has been sentenced to eight years in prison for trying to pass nuclear submarine secrets to Russian spies. 30-year-old Edward Devenney, who is from Strabane, contacted the Russian Embassy offering information and later met two men he thought were spies in London. Solicitor Richard Cannon read a statement on Edward Devenney’s

A motorist has today pleaded not guilty at Donegal Circuit Court to dangerous driving causing death on the main road at a turning leading to Murvagh Golf Club near Donegal town. Paul Murrin, 48,denied before a jury that he caused the death of Daithi White by dangerous driving at Ballybulgen, Ballintra, on January 24 last

A Sligo senator says the proposed removal of animal blood testing services from Sligo will cost jobs and create delays for farmers across the North West. Senator Marc Mac Sharry has called on the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney to immediately reconsider plans to transfer the services from Sligo to Cork. Senator Mac Sharry says

The Dáil’s was  suspended for 45 minutes ealier today, because a DonegalTD refused to leave after being suspended. Pádraig Mac Lochlainn had tried to raise remarks by the Taoiseach to Gerry Adams yesterday, during leader’s questions. Enda Kenny had suggested that the Sinn Féin leader might tell the truth about the tragedy, and the remorse

Former Garda Superintendent Kevin Lennon has said there are very fundamental and serious issues involving still serving gardai which have never been investigated. In a statement issued through his solicitors to the Donegal Democrat last night, Mr Lennon, said these issues should be properly and fully investigated in the public interest. Mr Lennon was speaking

A Sinn Fein motion of no confidence in the government will conclude tonight. The debate was opened last night by Donegal South West Deputy Pearse Doherty, who said having promised an alternative, Fine Gael and Labour behaved just like Fianna Fail as soon as they go into office.

Police in Derry are investigating two attempted car hijkackings in the Waterside last night. Around a hundred loyalists had gathered to protest at last week’s decision to restrict the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall. In Limavady, Sinn Fein members had to be given a police escort out of the local council

Letterkenny Town Council has been told that two years after commitments were made, upgrades have not yet been implemented at Letterkenny Post Office. Cllr Ciaran Brogan said that an An Post deputation ruled out a second post office in the town, but more staff and counter space were promised in the existing post office to

Visiting restrictions at Letterkenny General Hospital have been extended to all parts of the hospital after the spread of symptoms of vomiting and diarrheoa across a number of wards. Yesterday, the hospital imposed restrictions at Surgical 1 and Medical 3, but visiting is now restricted on all wards with the exception of parents and fathers

Letterkenny based training company, the Swilly Group has announced the creation of ten new jobs as part of an expansion. A recruitment drive has begun with a view towards starting in early 2013, following the securing of a number of new contracts. The company says it is looking for highly qualified tutors in the areas

You’ll now get penalty points for driving while texting… It’s one of the new measures contained in the new Road Traffic Bill that’s been signed off by the Cabinet. The Bill will see an increase in the number of penalty points you’ll get for speeding, not wearing a seat belt and using your mobile phones.

The Revenue Commissioners has published its latest list of tax defaulters. It details 113 settlements in the three months to the end of last September totalling 21.35 million euro. There were 7 settlements in Donegal totalling just over 800 thousand euro. The single biggest settlement in Donegal was for almost a 250 thousand euro and

The HSE has confirmed an outbreak of the Winter Vomiting Bug. Visiting restrictions were imposed on Surgical 1 and Medical 3 yesterday afternoon after a number of patients began showing symptoms of vomiting and diarrheoa. At the time, the hospital confirmed to Highland Radio News that the infection control team is meeting regularly, but a

Donegal Deputy Charlie McConalogue has said the cuts to various farming schemes announced in the Budget are further evidence of the Agriculture Minister’s disregard for smaller farmers across the North West. Deputy McConalogue said Minister Simon Coveney has targeted low and middle income farmers for the bulk of the cuts at his Department next year.

A Donegal diver has agreed with the County Council that Lough Salt should not be used for recreational diving. Donegal County Council has warned the publicity that has recently been in the media around diving for rare golf balls in the lake may attract recreational scuba divers. But local diver Gus O’Driscoll has said that

Donegal County Council says it is extremely concerned about the recent reports in the media on diving activity in the waters of Lough Salt for recreational reasons, and in particular the retrieval of artefact’s from the bottom of the lake. The council Lough Salt is one of the main sources of drinking water for Letterkenny

Letterenny Town Council has been told that many businesses in the town could benefit from online trading if there were a clear e-commerce strategy in place. Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh says the council has a level of know how in IT, and could come together with Letterkenny Chamber, LYIT and other bodies to develop and implement

Anyone taking to the roads this morning is being warned that ice and frost may still be affecting conditions. Temperatures dropped to as low as minus 3 in some areas, with ice expected to remain a factor on many routes this morning. In Donegal, drivers should take care in particular around secondary roads in Letterkenny.

Almost one quarter of the Irish population is living in a jobless household. The finding is contained in a report to be published today by the Economic and Social Research Institute. The report also found that children and people with disabilities account for more than half of those who are living in jobless households. This

The Director of Nursing and Midwifery at Letterkenny General Hospital says at present, the hospital is not declaring an outbreak of the Winter Vomiting Bug. It follows the imposition of visiting restrictions on Surgical 1 and Medical 3. Speaking to Highland Radio News, Dr Anne Flood said the infection control team is meeting regularly and

Visiting restrictions have been imposed on two wards at  Letterkenny General Hospital as a result of a suspected outbreak of the Winter Vomiting Bug. In a statement, the hospital says there’s been an increased incidence of diarrhoea or vomiting on the Surgical 1 and Medical 3 Wards. To help curtail the spread of this, the

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service are in Donegal this week as their pre-Christmas appeal for donations is launched. The service will be in Jacksons Hotel in Ballybofey from tonight until Wednesday, and in the Holyrood Hotel, Bundoran on Thursday.. Operations Manager Paddy Bowler says extra stocks are much needed at this time of year………

Three family members have died in a house fire in Co Leitrim over the weekend. The bodies of a couple 75-year-old Desmond McDonald, and 77-year-old his wife Patsy, and their daughter 34-year-old Patricia, were removed from the scene at Lisnabrack. It is understood that a taxi driver driving past the house saw the fire and

Three men have appeared in court accused of possessing a rocket in the Creggan area of Derry last week. 42-year-old Jason Lee Ceulemans, of Lecky Road, 47-year-old Neil Christopher Hegarty, of Sackville Court and 47-year-old Damien Harkin, of Westland Avenue, are jointly charged with possessing explosives with intent to endanger life and possessing a walkie

Donegal North East Deputy Joe McHugh has confirmed that he is one of a dozen Fine Gael Deputies putting pressure on the Government to reverse the cut to the respite care grant. A number of senior Government figures have insisted that none of the cuts in the budget will be reversed. But Deputy McHugh said pressure must

Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle says it’s vital that the campaign against the new Property Tax intensifies before legislation is passed transferring responsibility of the tax to the Revenue Commissioners. Deputy Pringle says it will be more difficult to resist the charge once Revenue are in charge, particularly for the PAYE sector. Around 500

Three men in their 40s are due to appear in court in Derry later charged with terror offences. It follows the discovery of a home-made rocket in a car stopped in the city on Thursday night. The men are charged with possession of explosives, conspiracy to murder and having articles for use in terrorism. A

Detectives investigating dissident republican activity in Derry have charged three men with the possession of explosives, conspiring to murder and possession of terrorist equipment. It follows the recovery of an armour piercing rocket in a car stopped by police in the Creggan area on Thursday evening. The men, who are in their 40s, are due

A Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay rally in Letterkenny this afternoon has been told by a former Assetco worker that she and others may have no choice but to emigrate as a result of Wednesday’s budget. The call centre, which was located at Lisfannon in Buncrana closed without warning last month after Assetco’s parent company lost

A 22-year-old traveller who assaulted his girlfriend in a seaside resort was described by a judge as an “extremely violent” man. The Court was told  that Jason McDonagh attacked his girlfriend in his caravan in Bundoran. His girlfriend 21-year-old Angela Ward,was forced to flee through a broken window. The judge said at Ballyshannon District Court

A Ryanair passenger who became involved in a row with another passenger in a flight was given a suspended three-months jail sentence yesterday following his arrest in Letterkenny. Guitar teacher Gareth Forsyth who is unemployed admitted insulting behaviour and threatening a breach of the peace on a flight from Bristol to Dublin. The 32-year-old appeared

The Donegal All County League Final Relegation Play-Off between Dungloe and Gweedore, due to take place tomorrow has been postponed due to a bereavement.

In the wake of the Government saying the Budget will not be reversed, a Donegal woman, who has a child with special needs, has called on one of the County’s Government Deputies to come and spend a day in her shoes. Brid, who is from Letterkenny, says that the cut to respite care will have

Seven businesses have shown an interest in locating at a new business park in Strabane. The first phase of the new Invest NI business Park at the Melmount Road will open in the new year. Work at the 40 acre site has been now ongoing for the past number of years. And West Tyrone MLA

The Tanaiste is defending the budget – insisting it stands and will not be unravelled. 3.5 billion euro in tax hikes and spending cuts were announced on Wednesday – in the sixth austerity budget in four years. Eamon Gilmore says in an ideal situation, no cuts would’ve been made – but he says the decisions

Letterkenny has failed in its bid to be named Ireland’s first ‘Tourism Town’. The town was one of ten named at the Tidy Towns Awards earlier this year. This afternoon, Bord Failte confirmed the title has gone to Portmagee in County Kerry. The Tourism Towns Award was designed by Fáilte Ireland to promote those Irish

The public is being encouraged to report any suspicious activity they may notice around financial institutions, particularly in the run up to Christmas, to notify gardai. Inspector David Murphy is leading the investigation into yesterday’s armed robbery of a post office in Burt. Two armed and masked men escaped across the border with a sum

Donegal County Council is still waiting for a meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny to discuss the A5 improvement and the link from the new A5 to Letterkenny via Strabane and Lifford. Irish Government commitments to provide significant funding for the A5 are on hold, while the planned upgrading of the Lifford to Letterkenny link remains

A bomb has been found in a car stopped by police in Derry overnight. The car was stopped in Westway in the Creggan area – four men, all aged in their 40s, were arrested. Some residents were forced to leave their homes while the Army dealt with the bomb, which was described as a viable

The Carers Association says its members are determined to fight the cut to their Respite Care Grant. The grant was reduced by almost 20 per cent – to 1-thousand-375-euro – as part of Budget 2013. Around 100 carers will protest outside the Dáil at noon on Friday, to put pressure on the government to reverse

Sinn Fein are to host a series of public meetings across Donegal to mobilise opposition to Budget 2013. A meeting will be held at 8 o clock tonight in Gallaghers Hotel, Letterkenny there is a meeting in  Dungloe tomorrow night, Donegal Town on Sunday and  Ballybofey on Monday. A further meeting will be held in

Donegal County Council is to look into how it can support two divers who are currently undergoing specialist training which will allow them dive to depths of up to 100 metres. At present, divers are limited to 45 metres, but when fully qualified, Gus O’Driscoll and Eoin Fogarty will be able to go more than

Two jobs saved in Letterkenny following successful tender of the AVIVA insurance market in Donegal. Face2Face Insurance Solutions, led by Letterkenny woman Sharon Roarty is the new tied agency for AVIVA in Donegal – it open its doors for business earlier this week. Following the re-structuring of AVIVA Insurance Ireland earlier this year, 10 jobs

Discussions in the Dail and elsewhere today have been dominated by Budget 2013, with opposition parties criticising the harsh measures in it, and the government countering that they had no choice. Donal Kavanagh has this special report…………

As a cross border investigation continues into an armed robbery at Speenogue Post Office in Burt this morning, Gardai have confirmed this evening that a car used in the robbery was found earlier today. The  Skoda taxi had earlier been hijacked in Derry. It was found intact in the Burnfoot area at 1.10pm this afternoon,

A cross border investigation has been launched following an armed robbery of a post office in Burt. At around11.30am this morning two armed and masked men entered the post office in Speenogue, threatened staff and demanding money. At least one of the men was carrying a suspected hand gun. They escaped in the Bridgend direction

North West Regional College in Derry says a College Improvement Plan has been drawn up to address what it terms critical issues on the functions and operation of the College. The plan is being welcomed by Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey, who is calling for what he termed a robust employee relations strategy to be included

Donegal Deupty Thomas Pringle today attacked the government on its decision to remove the PRSI exemption threshold describing it as a “grossly unfair targeting of low income earners”. He says low earners are left again to bear the brunt of cuts and have the Fine Gael Labour coalition to thank. Deputy Pringle spoke earlier during