Author name: oisinkelly

It’s hoped the Gathering initiative next year will boost tourism numbers by 5 percent. According to the latest report from the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, there were close to 6.5 million visitors from overseas in 2012. There were 2 percent increases recorded in those coming from Europe and the US, while the British market suffered […]

A new survey shows children are unsupervised for 80 per cent of the time they’re online. Three-hundred 10-to-15 year olds were polled by Niall Mulrine – a computer expert, who gives anti-bullying lectures. Another study – of more than 200 16-to-18 year olds – found almost ALL of their time online was unsupervised. The research

The University for Derry group is urging the Northern Ireland Executive and the University of Ulster to take the necessary steps to fully implement the One Plan programme for the expansion of Magee campus, to 9400 full time equivalent students by 2020. U4D say they’ve been told by the Stormont administration that the University of

A North West MEP is warning that many young people are now using the internet to source synthetic drugs which were previously available in head shops. Jim Higgins says a European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction report which has just been completed shows that Irish young people aged 15-24 years are the highest

The man who died in a single vehicle collision on the N15 between Stranorlar and Lifford on Christmas night was 26 year old Luke Peeks from Inver. The tragedy happened at around 11 o’clock at Treanamullin outside Stranorlar. Gardai say Mr Peeks’ Renault Clio car left the road and came to a stop in a

The Road Safety Authority is warning drivers to be careful today with more gale force winds expected in many areas. Met Eireann says the outlook for the weekend is extremely windy – with very strong southerly and southwesterly winds – and a risk of stormy conditions in the North and West. Brian Farrell is the

Police and the family of missing person, 56 year old Limavady man Alexander McKee, are becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare. Mr McKee was last seen on Sunday 23rd December at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. He is described as being approximately 6′ tall, and has thinning greying ginger hair. When last seen he was

Five months after reopening the investigation into the murder of Michaela McAreavey, police in Mauritius have reportedly identified a suspect. Investigators of the Central Criminal Investigation Department (CCID) have compiled an interim report in the criminal investigation, and that document has already submitted it to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Michaela McAreavey was murdered in

A man has died following a single vehicle collision on the N15 between Stranorlar and Lifford. The tragedy happened at around 11 o’clock last night at Treanamullin outside Stranorlar. Gardai say the man was in his mid 20s, and died after his car left the road and came to a stop in a field. A

Santa has set off on his epic journey to deliver presents to children all around the world. The man in the red suit has 24 hours to visit 2.3 billion children in more than 200 countries and leave them a little something for Christmas. At the moment (2pm), Santa is just leaving Russia and has

The HSE is urging people to think before using the NoWDOC service over Christmas. The HSE says Now Doc’s primary concern is to provide urgent GP care to patients of participating GPs who become ill outside of regular surgery hours. If patients call for non-urgent or routine matters, the HSE says, it prevents the system

Normal visiting has resumed at Letterkenny General Hospital after the outbreak of the winter vomiting bug was declared over this morning. IN a statement just issued by the HSE, the hospital says – The norovirus outbreak at Letterkenny General Hospital has been declared ended. Visiting restrictions have been lifted.

It’s been confirmed £50 million of the budget for the planned A5 upgrade has been ringfenced at Stormont pending a legal challenge. Asking questions about the issue last week, West Tyrone MLA Declan Mc Aleer was told the assurance was given to the Finance Minister by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Mr Mc Aleer

The High Court has ruled in the long running Gweebarra Fishery Dispute, with both sides claiming a measure of victory. The case was brought to court by Inland Fisheries Ireland which claimed it had the rights to manage, control and regulate access to state owned lands which included sections of the Gweebarra river. The dispute

It’s been confirmed that Donegal has the lowest level of septic tank registration in the state. Latest figures show that up to last Wednesday, 26% of Donegal tank owners has paid reguistration fees, compared with 81% in Kerry. The Local Government Management Agency, almost 259,000 properties had been registered up to last Wednesday, with a

Police in Derry have today charged two men in connection with an assault in the Ebrington Street area of the city in the early hours of yesterday morning. Three masked men assaulted the victim with hammers and bats shortly after 2am. The man was treated in hospital for serious head and facial injuries which are

A 26-year-old man is in a critical condition in hospital after being hit by a car in Derry. The incident took place on the Victoria Road at the junction of Prehen Park at around 2.40 this morning. Police investigating the collision have said that a green Saab car was involved. They have appealed for anyone

A Town Cllr has said if Buncrana Town Council is scrapped it will cost the Government more money in the long run. Buncrana Town Council have passed their budget for 2013 yesterday. It was revealed yesterday that less than 1% of its total budget goes towards members expenses. Cllr Nicolas Crossan said scrapping Buncrana Town

A Warrenpoint man who was a student at Magee University in Derry has been sentenced for possessing indecent images of children. 23 year-old Brendan Murphy of 25, Meadowlands Avenue, Warrenpoint was charged with 23 counts of possessing images and videos. The court heard how a fellow student noticed some images on Murphy’s computer and the

Buncrana Town Council has passed its budget for 2013. Town Cllrs and Management met this afternoon to formally pass the budget, with a freeze on commercial rates one of the key features agreed. The Budget totals just over 3 million euro. Speaking to Highland Radio News at the meeting, Town manager John McLaughlin said the

Nightclubs in Donegal today(Fri) lost a tradition of opening for late extensions on Christmas night. In most areas of the country clubs don’t open on Christmas Day but there has been  tradition in Donegal for about three decades of opening that night. Judge John O’Hagan upheld a District Court order refusing extensions from one minute

Environment Minister Alex Attwood has today announced decisions on five major retail applications in Derry, with an ASDA store on the Waterside getting the go ahead, but four others refused. The Asda supermarket will be developed on the site of the current Homebase at Crescent Link on the Waterside. Three other applications for Crescent Link,

Two men were arrested after a security alert yesterday in Derry. A 35 year-old man’s been released on bail, and a 28 year-old man’s still in custody. The army bomb squad had to attend the scene on Hawkin Street. Residents were allowed back to their homes last night.

GAA plans to develop a major Centre of Excellence in Convoy have received a boost today with confirmation of a government allocation of 300,000 euro towards the dressing room complex. Sports Minister Michael Ring confirmed the allocation this morning, saying progress on the Convoy plan would cap what’s been a very successful year for Donegal

Buncrana Town Council will meet this afternoon to adopt it’s budget for 2013 with a freeze on commercial rates is one of the key features that has been agreed. It will be the fourth year in a row that Council has opted to freeze business rates in the town. The Budget totals just over 3

Letterkenny Town Council has passed its budget for 2013 at the first time of asking. County Manager Seamus Neely said that collaboration has been an important element of Letterkenny Town Council’s relationships with other groups and bodies in the town, and that is particularly evident in the adoption of a retail marketing fund which will

There has been a significant step forward in the Letterkenny, Bonagee link Road project. Through Donegal County Council the NRA has aquired a key piece of land for the project which houses the ‘Martin’s Great Gas’ Filling Station and a house. The Bonagee Link is seen as crucial in aleviating traffic delays in and out of

The Health Minister has said it is unacceptable that a Letterkenny mother had to drive to hospital while a paramedic treated her child in the back of the car. It emerged last month that an ambulance was called out by the mother – but it was only staffed by one paramedic because another had phoned

There is disruption to traffic in Derry this afternoon. Following a fire in the area, Carlisle Road in Derry is now down to one lane. The lane heading from Craigavon Bridge to Foyleside Shopping Centre is closed to traffic. The other lane is open. And following a search of a house at  Hawkin Street –

A murder inquiry into the Bloody Sunday killings in Co Derry is to begin in the New Year. Senior commanders from the PSNI briefed relatives of the 14 people who died after British paratroopers opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the city in 1972. Earlier this year, police signalled an intent to investigate the

Strabane town centre has now reopened after there was a suspected gas leak at an Indian Take Away in the Abercorn Square area earlier this afternoon. The Abercorn Square, Market Street and the pedestrianised area of Castle Street had been closed to the public and commercial premises in the area had to be evacuated for

The government says Ireland has won important concessions on fishing quotas from Europe. Negotiations on the quotas took place overnight, and only wrapped up at 7 o’clock this morning. The end result means Ireland’s been granted a 216-thousand tonne fish quota for 2013. The European Commission was proposing drastic cutbacks, but the Minister for the

There is renewed hope that the North’s Department of Agriculture could be relocated to Strabane. It was announced in September this year that the existing 800 civil service jobs would be moving from Belfast to Ballykelly at the site of the former Shackleton Army Barracks. But in October a leaked memo revealed that Strabane actually

The Mayor of Donegal Cllr Frank Mc Brearty has published a Christmas message to the people of Donegal at home and abroad, wishing all a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous 2013. In a video published this morning on YouTube, Cllr Mc Brearty urges people to visit lonely people in the county over the Christmas, and

Letterkenny Town Council will meet tonight in a bid to pass its own budget, with a freeze on commercial rates proposed. In his introduction to the budget, the County Manager says the Council is conscious of the difficult times that the business community are experiencing at present. Seamus Neely adds that ratepayers represent a significant

The Government has been fined two million Euro by the European Commission for failing to regulate the installation and use of close on 500-thousand septic tanks. In addition, from yesterday the EU is imposing a daily fine of 12-thousand euro per day for breach of a 2009 ruling until the issue is properly addressed. Independent

A 69 year old man has died in a house fire close to Letterkenny. The fire was spotted at 9.30 last night at Glenkeogh, Killyclug. When emergency services got to the house, the body of the man, who lived alone, was found inside.. Gardai have confirmed the scene has been preserved and an investigation is

Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein have been accused of taking a 400 thousand euro gamble by failing to support Donegal County Council’s draft Revenue Budget for 2013. Despite 14 hours of debate and almost a dozen adjournments Donegal County Councillors were unable to agree on the budget proposals and will have to come back to

A woman has staged a sit-in during a pay protest at a community development organisation which was once given a boost by Environment Minister Phil Hogan. Ann McGowan, who once highlighted a cancer campaign on the Joe Duffy radio show, said she was prepared to remain locked in overnight at the Atlantic View Community Development

It’s not clear if Donegal County Councils budget for 2013 will be passed this evening. Cllrs from Fine Gael and Labour have outlined their support for the budget, while Sinn Fein have comfirmed that they’ll be voting against it. It’s still unclear if Fianna Fail and the Independents on the Council will vote for or

It’s now looking increasingly unlikely that the proposed €2  increase in rent for those living in council owned property will be included in Donegal County Councils budget for 2013. The council had been proposing a rent increase of just over 100 euro per house per year. But in last few minutes, Fine Gael whip on

17,958 babies were born in Ireland during the second quarter of this year, that’s down 2 point 3 per cent on the same period last year. Just over a third of those births were registered outside marriage or civil partnerships, an average reflected in Donegal. There were 520 births in Donegal during the second quarter,

The Minister for Mental Health has said the guidelines for reporting on suicide need to be strengthened. Kathleen Lynch made the comments at the launch of the Samaritans Ireland Impact Report for 2012, which reveals a 3 per cent increase in the number of calls to the helpline in the past year, to just over

County Manager Seamus Neely has told Donegal County Council that an ‘exceptional’ approach is needed for what is a hugely challenging budget. A small number of protestors stood outside County House in Lifford as members arrived to begin their discussions of Budget 2013. Following a comprehensive briefing this morning, the political discussion will get under

A Strabane District Cllr has raised concerns about a new roundabout on the Melmount Road in the town, after there were two car accidents on the road since Friday. Cllr Patsy Kelly says that there could be a fatality on the road if roads service does not put in place proper signage to make people

The Committee on Fisheries in the European Parliament has voted by 13 to10 in favour of amending the Common Fisheries Policy, including a provision to provide more resources and quota allocations fopr the small scale sector. Ireland’s member on the Committee, North West MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher, says it’s a first but significant step.

A Donegal Senator is calling for 75% of Ireland’s overseas Aid budget to be frozen for three years with the money instead diverted to Families, Carers and Child Benefit. Senator Brian O’Domhnaill says that’s the proportion of Ireland’s Aid budget goes to the EU, UN, World bank and other institutions including corrupt Governments. He argues

Donegal Action Against Austerity is to picket outside the County House in Lifford today as Councillors meet to agree the Revenue Budget for 2013. There are a number of controversial measures contained within the budget – amongst them an increase in rent for council house residents which Sinn Fein has already said it will oppose.

It’s reported this morning that the mother of sisters Erin and Shannon Gallagher is planning to sue the County Donegal VEC, and possibly also the HSE at a future stage. A letter from Lorraine Gallagher’s soliticors had already been received by the Donegal VEC on the 4th of this month, befopre the death of her

The Fisheries Council is meeting in Brussels this week to discuss the total allowable catches and quotas for next year. The negotiations are crucial to the Donegal fishing industry as is sets out what fishermen can catch, how much they can catch and for how many days in the year they can do so. Sean