Author name: oisinkelly

As Oireachtas members in Donegal North East begin the process of quarterly meetings with IDA Ireland  Deputy Joe Mc Hugh wants other individuals and groups to become inv9lved. He says the recent KeyedIn investment in Letterkenny was secured after one LYIT lecturer intervened, and he wants other people and groups to consider what they can […]

Detectives investigating the murder of a police officer in Omagh have been carrying out searches in England. Constable Ronan Kerr was killed when a bomb exploded under his car in April last year. Anti-terror officers are taking part in the operation in Cumbria, while searches are also being carried out in Omagh.

The Government has been again asked by the former employees of Assetco in Lisfannon to take up their cause and assist in them fighting for the redundancy they believe they are entitled too. 29 people lost their jobs earlier this month when Premier Fireserve, formerly Assetco lost its contract with the London Fire Brigade. The

Donegal North East Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn says while he has no issues with the IDA personnel on the ground in the North West, he has serious issues with the leadership of the authority and the Enterprise MInister. He was speaking after Oireachtas members met with the authority at the weekend to discuss the fact

A woman remains in a serious condition in hospital this evening after she was struck by a vehicle on the Coneyburrow Road, Lifford last evening. The woman in her 40’s was struck by a car at approximately 7.15pm on the Castlefin to Lifford Road. She was rushed to Alnagelvin Hospital for treatment. The occupants of

The Government has been again asked by the formers employees of Assetco in Lisfannon to take up their cause and assist in them fighting for the redundancy they believe they are entitled too. 29 people lost their jobs earlier this month when Premier Fireserve, formerly Assetco lost its contract with the London Fire Brigade. The

Five of the seven wards evacuated during Friday night’s fire at Altnagelvin Hospital have now reopened. 120 patients where evacuated when a fire broke out on the top floor of the hospital building causing a pipe to burst which presented a flooding risk. Two other wards remain closed and patients are being cared for in

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to a serious injury collision which occurred at Coneyburrow Road, Lifford, Co Donegal on Saturday evening.. At approximately 7.15pm a female pedestrian aged in her 40s was seriously injured when she was struck by a motor car. She was taken by ambulance to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. The occupants of

The Western Health Trust has confirmed that all planned operations due to take place today at Altnagelvin Hospital have been cancelled due to an overnight fire. 120 patients were moved from their wards in a major evacuation operation at the hospital following the fire which broke out on the top floor. It is now thought

It has emerged that safety concerns had been previously  expressed about the ‘tower block’ at Altnagelvin Hospital which was last night the scene of a fire. It is understood that a fire on the top floor resulted in water tanks collapsing – this lead to 120 patients being evacuated from the top floor to floor

Donegal County Council is being urged to highlight Donegal’s unique needs to those responsible for deciding the new Electoral Area Boundaries. The Committee forms part of the next step in implementing the Action Programme for Effective Local Government and in reforming local government structures. Donegal’s Town Council’s will be replaced by a new system of

There are calls for funding to be allocated to provide public toilets in Rathmullan. Local Councillor Ian McGarvey says with tens of thousands of people visiting Rathmullan, new public toilets are essential. He says portaloos which are provided are not sufficient and present a particular challenge to those with a disability, The Councillor has already

Police and fire service personnel are currently attending a fire at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. The entrances to the hospital have been closed to all non-emergency personnel Police have confirmed that the evacuations of several wards has begun. There are no reports of any injuries at this time. It is thought the fire may have

Freezing temperatures will lead to dangerous driving conditions overnight (Friday). Met Eireann is forecasting that temperatures will dip as low as minus 4 degrees. It’ll lead to a severe and widespread frost – and icy patches are likely on untreated roads. Motorists are being advised to take particular care. Eoin Sherlock is with Met Eirean

The widow of a man who was killed when he was struck by a car near Ballyshannon in September has appealed to the driver of the car to come forward. Eunan McDevitt was killed on the N15 road near his home at Parkhill, Ballyshannon in the early hours of Saturday, September 29th.. Gardai believe he

Sinn Fein Deputy Pearse Doherty has been accused of reacting to Fianna Fail’s budget proposals with ‘near hysterics’ Sinn Fein’s Finance spokesperson has described Fianna Fail’s budget proposals as ‘dishonest’ claiming that over a third have been previously proposed by Sinn Fein. He says the proposals would also heap further financial pressure on low income

There has been a broad welcome to an EU vote that paves the way for conservation measures imposed on inshore and island fishermen to be eased. Efforts have been ongoing to remove and amend what many see as outdated and unworkable fishing constraints such as area and gear restrictions, which date back to 2009. From

A death threat which had been made against the brother of Andrew Allen, who was murdered by Republican Action Against Drugs, has been lifted. Daniel Allen was told last month that he must leave Derry or he would be shot. His brother Andrew was murdered by RAAD when he was killed in front of his

Strabane Courthouse is to remain opened for the foreseeable future. The Justice Minister in the North, David Ford announced that four court facilities across Northern Ireland are to close, but Strabane is not one of them. The courthouses in Bangor and Larne will be shut by next April with facilities in Magherafelt and Limavady to be closed

A meeting will be held in Donegal tonight in protest at the possibility that EU leaders impose cuts on CAP payments. The Common Agricultural Policy budget is just one of the items up for discussion later, when EU leaders meet for an EU Summit in Brussels. It’s proposed that CAP payments could be cut by

Parents and teachers need to be aware of just how distressing cyber-bullying can be for victims – and what signs to look out for. Cyber-bullying has been making headlines in recent months, after being linked with the deaths of two teenage girls in counties Leitrim and Donegal. A conference in Dublin today – being hosted

Sinn Fein has described Fianna Fail’s budget proposals as ‘dishonest’ claiming that over a third have been previously proposed by Sinn Fein. The party’s Finance Spokesperson, Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty, says the proposals would also heap further financial pressure on low income families and see capital spending drastically cut. Deputy Doherty says he was also

Donegal County Council has been urged to set a target of years end to award a contract for the construction of the Dungloe/Glenties sewage schemes. 5 tenders were returned by the due date of 08th November and have now been forwarded to the Councils consultants who will prepare the tender report for the contract. Welcoming

A 39-year-old man charged in connection with the shooting dead of an RUC constable in 1993 in Derry has been released on bail. Christopher O’Kane of 107 Kular Court in Derry faced a total of five charges. O’Kane was charged with assisting offenders in the killing of Constable Michael Ferguson between January 23 and 25

Fianna Fáil’s proposed a raft of new taxes in an alternative budget. The party says it would tax salty and sugary foods, put a 10 percent levy on all off-licence sales, add 75 cent to a bottle of wine, increase DIRT tax so you’ll spend your savings, increase some motor tax rates, regulate the price

The family of a new bride who was strangled in the bath on her honeymoon, are to sue a newspaper for printing crime scene photos of her body. Michaela McAreavey was killed in Mauritius just 12 days after her wedding in January 2011. Her family are suing a local Mauritian paper for nearly 500-thousand euro,

SIPTU home help workers and their supporters from Donegal and across the west of Ireland will march this Sunday in Castlbar. The protesters are to assmble at the Chapel carpark in Castlebar on Sunday at 130pm and march towards the Taoiseachs office. SIPTU organiser Martin O Rourke is calling on home help workers, their families

The government has allocated €50,000 to local festivals in Donegal for 2013. The money comes through the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and will help fund 11 festivals across the country will amounts ranging from 4,500 euro to 7,000. The Guth Gafa receives the highest level of funding at 7,000 euro – there are

The prospect of campaigners from a number of different Donegal austerity groups running in the next local elections has taken a step closer. Support for fielding candidates has come at a number of campaign meetings in the past week, after no elected representatives turned up. Currently in Donegal there are a number of anti-austerity groups,

A moratorium should be imposed on all fracking, that’s the demand from the Independent MEP Marian Harkin. She says EU states should not allow any more fracking until all of the environmental protection laws are fully in place as the damage caused by it could be detrimental. MEPs this week voted in Parliament for robust

Groups in Donegal have until the end of this month to apply for funding to assist in hosting a Gathering event next year. Fund amounts will range from €500 to €2,500 with applications being taken up until the 30th of November on Donegal gathering dot com. Sarah Meehan is the Donegal Gathering Marketing Coordinator –

It has been confirmed at the North South Ministerial Council meeting in Armagh that the establishment of a radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin is still on time. The meeting was told the unit remains on track for a 2016 opening. Delegates at the North South Ministerial Council meeting were told that the business planning process is

The Agriculture Minister is to seek more consultation with farmers groups before he sends out guidelines to farmers sharing commonage. Donegal has the second largest commonage ground in Ireland with one quarter of all arable land designated in this way. It has been feared that the penalties for non-compliance with the proposed new rules may

It’s speculated the Education Minister may propose the introduction of a State-backed student loan scheme – or a graduate tax, when he outlines his vision for Higher Education reform later this morning. Ruairi Quinn will meet with the Heads of the country’s Universities and Institutes of Technology at the Department of Education. Recent figures show

An earthquake with a 2.7 magnitude was recorded off the northwest coast of Ireland earlier today. The deep tremor in the Atlantic ocean was noted by the British Geological Survey at about 9.08am. It was recorded at a depth of 34km. The centre of the earthquake was marked 150km from the Donegal coast. This isn’t

Donegal North-East Deputy Charlie McConalogue has said it is ‘extremely worrying’ that the Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has no plans to meet with SUSI officials face-to-face. The Fianna Fáil Education Spokesperson says it comes in the wake of the failure of the Minister to express confidence in the Dail that the tens of thousands

Police in the North investigating the murder of prison officer David Black have arrested two men. The 52 year old father of two was shot dead as he drove to work on the M1 motorway in Co. Armagh earlier this month. The men, aged 34 and 42, were detained in Coalisland, Co Tyrone. They’re being

A Donegal based independent activist has called for widespread international opposition to the G8 summit which is planned to take place next year in County Fermanagh. Criticising the event, Michael Mac GiollaEasbuig said it was important there was mass opposition to the summit and he said such events were the starting point for many of

Donegal must take advantage of the announcement that the G8 summit is to take place in Fermanagh next year. It was confirmed yesterday by the British PM, David Cameron that the event would take place at the Lough Erne golf resort. And Labour Senator Jimmy Harte says it’s a huge opportunity for tourism in the

A Donegal North East Deputy is hitting out at the Government after it was confirmed that the standalone units of the reserve defence forces are to close in Carndonagh and Milford. Minister for Justice Alan Shatter is reducing the size of the Reserve Defence Force and cutting its funding by 50 per cent following a

MEPs in Strasbourg have called for better ways to tackle cyber bullying and other forms of online abuse of children. They voted yesterday in Strasbourg in favour of proposals to introduce measures to curb illegal and unsuitable content on the internet. They’re recommending that teachers and parents become more educated about how best to protect

The Standards in Public Office Commission has confirmed that it is to formally investigate allegations relating to travel and subsistence claims by Fianna Fáil Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill. Upon receipt of the allegations originally earlier this year, SIPO appointed an inquiry officer to look at the matter. The commission considered that report and has now

The Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs has said that the nomination of Cllr Alcorn to Udaras is currently on hold. Dinny McGinley said he’s making no judgement or reflection on anyone, and he said the decision was taken after taking legal advice. And the Donegal South-West Deputy said the position would remain unfulfilled until

The British Prime Minister says he couldn’t think of a better place than Co. Fermanagh to stage the G8 Summit next year. Earlier he confirmed that leaders from some of the world’s biggest economies will attend the event at the Lough Erne golf resort in 2013, as it is the UK’s turn to host. The

The nomination of Donegal Councillor David Alcorn to the new board of Udaras na Gaeltachta has been deferred, pending an investigation into expenses. It follows the receipt of an anonymous letter two weeks ago by a number of media outlets and public bodies detailing a number of claims. There are two Donegal representitives confirmed on

A public meeting of the County Donegal Joint Policing Committee has heard calls for the introduction of new laws to regulate and licence scrap metal dealers. It follows a significant increase in thefts of copper, lead and other metals across the county, with empty houses now the latest target. In some instances, this has led

Letterkenny Town Council has passed a unanimous vote of no confidence in Environment Minister Phil Hogan. Fine Gael Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh was not present at the time. Members hit out at the minister after it emerged that no correspondence has been received from Mr Hogan or his department since the announcement last month that town

City of Derry Airport has published a draft Master Plan which sets out the Airports vision for future development. The airport and Derry City Council say the document is intended to grow the Airport and deliver the widest possible economic and social benefit to the North West Region. The document is stressing the airport’s importance

The Mayor of Letterkenny is proposing that more use be made of the plaza outside An Grianan Theatre. Speaking at last night’s meeting of the Town Council, Cllr Dessie Larkin said it’s time to explore how best to use it as a public space. There have been concerts and events there in the past, and

Buncrana Town Councillor Lee Tedstone has hit out at the apparent reluctance of the county council to fund a spur from Project Kelvin into Buncrana. Cllr Tedstone says a spur could be of huge benefit to the whole of Inishowen, and reap significant rewards down the line. However, he says the reluctance of the executive