Author name: oisinkelly

The government will today move to formally ratify the European Stability Treaty. It follows the failure of a legal challenge by Indpendent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle. Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled that the European Stability Mechanism is fully compatible with the Constitution – paving the way for ratification of the treaty. The Government will today […]

The Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness, has said the Claudy bombings of 1972 were “indefensible and appalling”. Today the 40th anniversary of the IRA bombings in which nine people were killed. The Sinn Fein minister said the deaths and injuries were wrong and should not have happened. He said they should motivate

Fianna Fail is reacting angrily to a suggestion from Cllr John Campbell that the party will capitulate if it comes to voting on cuts to reflect a 13% reduction in Donegal County Council’s funding from government. SF and Cllr Campbell say the council shouldn’t do Phil Hogan’s dirty work, and should, if necessary, force him

A West Tyrone MLA says he believes work can begin on the upgrade of the A5 within two months, with two stretches being started, one linking Strabane and Newbuildings, the other linking Ballygawley and Omagh. It follows the green light for the project this morning from the North’s Regional Development MInister Danny Kennedy following the

The Supreme Court has refused to stop the Government from ratifying the ESM Treaty. The challenge against the treaty which provides for a permanent bail out mechanism was brought by Independent TD Thomas Pringle. The court has rejected his claim that the treaty involves a transfer of sovereignty that makes it incompatible with the constitution.

Regional Development Minister, Danny Kennedy, today announced his decision to proceed with two stretches of the A5 Western Transport Corridor dual carriageway project. This follows consideration of the Inspector’s Report into the A5 Public Inquiry, which was held last year. The Inspector’s Report and the Department’s Statement on the way forward have now been released.

NAMA has listed 16 Donegal properties  as the subject of enforcement orders with 12 available from the National Asset Management Agency for sale. The agency is offering land, houses, golf courses and a nursing home for sale in Donegal. NAMA has revamped its website giving the public access to crucial details including prices and pictures

An Independent Councillor in Donegal is predicting a fudge if a special meeting is called in September to discuss a 13% reduction in Donegal County Council’s local government funding. If there isn’t a major upsurge in Household Charge payments, then the council may have to agree spending cuts to reflect the loss of just over

Donegal County Council has backed a motion rejecting any move to introduce abortion in Ireland. Cllr Rena Donaghey moved the motion that the council act in keeping with the will of the Irish people as emphatically expressed in the referendum of 1983. Cllr John Campbell moved an amendment that the referenda of 1992 and 2002

Controversial plans for a change use from industrial unit to end of life vehicle and scrap metal recycling facility in Letterkenny have been given the go ahead by An Bord Pleanala. There was a similar type application from Kelvin McElhinney in 2010. On that occasion, permission was granted for retention, but overturned by An Bord

Donegal County Council is to lobby for the reintroduction of the bus service for Donegal patients attending appointments at hospitals in Dublin. The motion, signed by a cross party group of councillors, calls for a meeting with Minister James Reilly. Cllr Gerry Crawford, one of the signatories of the motion, says rather than refer to

The Supreme Court is to rule on whether to grant an order stopping the Government from ratifying the ESM treaty, which provides for a permanent bail out mechanism. The challenge has been brought by Independent TD Thomas Pringle, who disputes the urgency of ratification. His lawyers argued that Germany won’t sign off on the Treaty,

People with big houses could have to fork out more for the upcoming property tax. According to the Irish Independent, the government’s considering imposing a so-called ‘super property tax’ on those with large, expensive homes. An expert report on a property tax was handed over to the Environment Minister Phil Hogan last month. It’s understood

A man has appeared in court in Derry charged with assaulting, kidnapping and falsely imprisoning his wife of ten days. Martin McDonagh, 21, from Iskaheen View in the Waterside, denies the allegations. The city’s magistrates’ court heard that the incident is alleged to have happened on Saturday. A police officer told the court that police

Donegal County Council is to seek a deputation to Environment Minister Phil Hogan in the wake of the 13% reduction in the county’s share of the Local Government Fund. Meanwhile, the council is expected to meet in special session September to decide what adjustments need to be made to the budget. Donal Kavanagh is in

A recovering alcoholic who raped his partner on the day they bought an engagement ring together has been sentenced to eight years. The accused pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape, aggravated sexual assault and assault of the woman in their Donegal home on August 17, 2008. Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced the

Donegal County Council has been told its allocation from the Local Government Fund is to be cut by 13% to reflect the number of people in the county who haven’t paid the Household Charge. A letter from the Department of the Environment and Local Government circulated to members today says the initial grant of just

Donegal Olympian Chloe Magee has been reacting to Bill O’Herlihy’s controversial comments made after her opening badminton group game in the London Olympics. Speaking on RTE the veteran broadcaster stated that when he was growing up badminton was “considered a Protestant sport.” Chloe Magee spoke earlier on the Shaun Doherty Show – she said that

A section of the railway linking Belfast and Derry – has been closed for the next nine months. The track between Derry and Coleraine is closed for major engineering works and will not reopen until April 2013. A replacement bus service is in place for those using that part of the line. The closure will

A farm-worker who has rarely been outside Donegal and who has never been in Dublin, is more than half-way through a 320-kilometre charity  tractor run. 41 year-old Alan Robb from Raphoe has been leading a five-strong convoy of 60-year-old tractors out of Maynooth aiming to reach Donegal today. Alan, who collects vintage tractors, bought his

Emergency meetings are being called for Gweedore and Bundoran this week following the decision by AIB last week to close 8 of its rural branches in Donegal. Business leaders have claimed that decision has been ill thought out – AIB says there will be extra services provided at Post Offices but some say this presents

A protest will be held at today’s meeting of Donegal County Council by the Can’t Pay Won’t Pay Campaign group who oppose the Household Charge and any charges for water or septic tanks. There were stormy scenes the last time a group protested on these issues in Lifford, the council chamber was entered with the

A 21-year-old man is due to appear in court in Derry City this morning,  charged with false imprisonment, kidnapping and assault. It is understood the charges are in connection with an assault on a 19-year-old woman at Eskaheen View, in Derry, over the weekend. At around 5 o’clock on Saturday evening, she was put into

A Donegal Councillor has claimed that the Environment Minister Phil Hogan does not live in the real world but a bubble and should resign. Sinn Fein Buncrana Town Councillor Ciaran McLaughlin was reacting to newspaper reports that Minister Hogan ran up a 9,000 euro expenses bill on a one day trip. Councillor McLaughlin says this

The SDLP’s Assembly Group will visit Omagh tomorrow taking in a site visit at the former Lisanelly Barracks. Members will meet with various representatives from the local business sector. It has been proposed that the old barracks will be used to develop a new school campus. West Tyrone MLA Joe Byrne says he’s hopeful that

There has been sadness at the death of leading Donegal businessman Frank Grimes. The founder of the Four Lanterns fast-food chain passed away on Saturday after a long battle with illness. Mr Grimes became a huge business success following the establishment of the Four Lanterns which had outlets in Letterkenny, Donegal Town, Ballybofey and Buncrana.

A 21-year-old man has been charged with false imprisonment, kidnapping and assault in Derry. It is understood the charges are in connection with an assault on a 19-year-old woman at Eskaheen View, Derry, at about 5 o clock yesterday evening. She was put into a van which was driven towards Newbuildings. Police stopped the van

A public meeting is being held in west Donegal on Monday evening to discuss the decision by AIB to close its branch in Gweedore. Businesses in the area have been angered by the decision which means money must now be lodged locally at the post office in Dungloe ,with claims its inconvenient and presents security

The ‘Can’t Pay Won’t Pay’ campaign group are taking their protest to Lifford on Monday where the County Councillors will gather for their last monthly meeting before the summer break. The group are asking to public to join their demonstration which takes place at 12 noon. Can’t Pay Won’t Pay have said that the proposal

Some of Northern Ireland’s dissident republican paramilitary groups are to come together under the banner of the IRA, a statement has claimed. The statement “signed army council IRA”, said a number of organisations were unifying under one leadership. It said there had been a failure among Irish nationalist leaders and there was a “necessity for

Emergency services have attended the scene of a road traffic collision close to Kilmacrennan. The multi vehicle crash happened shortly after 5 o’clock this (Friday) evening. At lease three ambulances, along with gardai, attended the scene. There are understood to be no serious injuries.

The AIB has defended its decision to close eight of its rural branches in Donegal. The Milford branch will close between October and December, while early next year, branches will close in Dunfanaghy, Lifford,  Moville, Gweedore, Raphoe, Falcarragh and Bundoran. Management say they incurred an operating loss of 1 point 1 billion euro in the

A man has appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court charged with handling goods stolen from a school in Drumkeen in Donegal as well as other items stolen from a council depot in Newtowncunningham and a burglary in Manorcunningham. John McDonagh (47) of 5, The Daisyfield in Derry was charged with making threats to kill against a

A 26 year old man has appeared before Derry Masgistrates Court charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances and possession of articles likely to be of use to terrorists. He was arrested following a search operation on July 12th. William Martin Mc Donnell of

Planning permission has been granted for a new school building for St Mary’s National School in Stranorlar. The new school will be built on a site opposite the Finn Valley Centre, with over 500 pupils being catered for. The new school was approved in 2010, but has lost its place because it wasn’t ready to

AIB is to close eight of its rural branches in Donegal. Limited AIB services will be offered through the An Post network, and there will also be a mobile banking service in the county. The Milford branch will close between October and December, while early next year, branches will close in Dunfanaghy, Lifford, Moville, Gweedore,

A security alert is continuing on Derry’s Waterside after a pipe bomb device exploded outside a house in Heron Way shortly after 1am this morning. No one was in the house at the time and no one was injured. Police cordoned off the area and a number of homes were evacuated. Army experts were deployed.

The Agriculture Minister is being urged to withdraw plans to change the qualification rules for the Disadvantage Area Scheme by increasing the stocking density required. Deputy Charlie McConalogue says it’s unfair to force Donegal farmers to extra stock onto their land given the recent wet weather. This week the European Commission has already agreed to

The Public Prosecution Service in the North has asked Chief Constable Matt Baggot to order4 out further investigations into the death of Derry teenager Daniel Hegarty in the Creggan in July 1972. The 15 year old was shot twice in the head by a soldier close to his home during Operation Motorman. In December of

A 26 year old man arrested in Derry is due in court today charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances and possession of articles likely to be of use to terrorists. It’s believed the charge relates to a major Operation in the Derry area

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar made an unannounced visit to Malin Head Coastguard Station during a visit to Donegal yesterday. After addressing the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Mr Varadkar travelled to Inishowen with Deputy Joe Mc Hugh. Once again, the fututre of the coastguard station is in doubt after the publication of a consultants’ report

Independent TD Thomas Pringle has said he is “extremely pleased” that the Supreme Court has today decided to refer three questions to the European Court of Justice on the validity of the ESM Treaty. Pringle had argued the ESM treaty, which provides for a 500 billion euro permanent eurozone rescue fund, breaches the Irish Constitution,

A District Judge has said he will consider granting anonymity orders in drugs cases. District Judge Barney McElholm made the comment during a preliminary enquiry by 41-year-old Daniel Gerald Doherty at Derry Magistrate’s Court this morning. Doherty, of Liscannor Park, is charged with possession of Class A and Class B drugs with intent to supply

A senior Government Minister says he plans to spend his summer holidays learning Irish. The Transport Minister Leo Varadkar says he’s hopes to spend some time in the Gaeltacht in Donegal next month. He says he’s doing it so that he’ll be able to do more media interviews and debates as gaelige in the future…

More than 82-thousand people, under the age of 25 were unemployed in Ireland in April of last year, with Donegal having the second highest level of youth unemployment in the state. Youth unemployment in the county was 49%, just 1% less than Limerick City. That’s according to figures published from the 2011 Census. The wholesale

It’s been confirmed that the Permanent TSB branch in Donegal Town is one of 16 which will close over the next four years as part of a major restructuring programme. Elsewhere, four branches will close in Dublin, four in Cork and three in Tipperary. Branches will also close in Kildare, Wexford, Mayo and Waterford. The

The HSE has confirmed that officials are exploring cross border options for service delivery at Lifford Community Hospital. It emerged yesterday that a consultation process on the future of the hospital which was to have begun this week has been deferred. In a statement to Highland Radio News today, the HSE says while this work

A new initiative aimed at increasing accessibility for people in Donegal and Tyrone is being launched in Strabane this morning. The “Change a Little, Change a Lot” programme encourages businesses and comm unity organisations to make small changes in their premises to allow easier access to their premises by people with a disability. Supports will

A fresh investigation into the murder of Michaela Mc Areavey is underway in Mauritius Police on the island have begun DNA testing of hotel staff working on the day of the murder 18 months ago. Detectives are at the former Legends hotel today to collect samples from 216 employees. These will be compared with traces