Author name: oisinkelly

Measures to boost trade between Britain and Ireland will be on the agenda during a meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly today. The co-chairmen of the Assembly, Deputy Joe McHugh, and Laurence Robertson MP, have said that building trade opportunities between Britain and Ireland is key to economic growth. Taoiseach Enda Kenny will speak on

A fire at the weekend destroyed one of the oldest houses in Letterkenny. Units of the fire brigade were called to the scene on Saturday afternoon at Kiltoy House in the Gortlee area of the town. The site, which forms part of the old unifi factory site, had been unoccupied for a number of years.

The Community Relations Council in Northern Ireland says sectarianism remains deeply rooted in society there, despite the progress made in the peace process. The issues are to be discussed at a conference in Belfast this week aimed at tackling division. When the GFA agreement which led eventually to the power sharing government at Stormont was

Two men being questioned about dissident republican activity have been released unconditionally. The men, aged 41 and 47, were arrested in Strabane on Friday. Five other people arrested on Saturday – four men and a woman ranging in age from 33 to 46 – are still being questioned. Police carried out searches in Toome, County

Felix Healy has resigned from his position as Director of Football at Finn Harps. In a statement released on the clubs website this morning, they said he had resigned due to other commitments. The club stated that they will release a statement regarding the new management structure as soon as possible. Finn Harps were beaten

Police have arrested four people over alleged dissident republican activity. The three men and a woman were detained in Toome, County Antrim and Pomeroy, Carrickmore and Omagh in County Tyrone. Houses in all four places are being searched. The three men are aged 33, 44, and 46, while the woman is 37. They are currently

The Sisters of Nazereth says it has worked with HIQA to resolve issues highlighted in a report published today which was triggered after a number of residents of Nazareth House died of suspected flu. The two inspections were carried out by the Authority in early April after seven residents of Nazareth House in Fahan died

Two men have been arrested in Strabane in relation to dissident republican activity The men aged 41 and 47 were arrested during an operation in the town earlier this afternoon. They have been taken to the Antrim Serious Crime Suite for questioning. These are the latest in a series of arrest in the Strabane area

Comedian Brendan O’Carroll says he is edging closer to entering the world of politics and has not ruled out running for a seat in the Dail. The Mrs Brown’s Boys Star has a political heritage – his Mother Maureen was a TD in Dublin for the Labour Party. Speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show ,

A HIQA report has found that the there were some deficits in the standard of cleanliness and hygiene at Nazareth House in Fahan. The report also found that there appeared to be no established procedure to enable early detection of influenza in the nursing home. The two inspections carried out by the Authority on 2,

A Donegal GP has said ‘it is no wonder Ireland is broke’ given the cost the state is paying for medicine Dr Paul Armstrong is a GP in Lifford and was a key player in the founding of the NowDoc service. He has used the example of a major cholesterol-lowering drug which is now out

Donegal County Council’s Gum Litter Awareness campaign was launched in Letterkenny today by Cllr Noel McBride Mayor of Donegal and Cllr Gerry McMonagle Mayor of Letterkenny. Run by the Gum Litter Taskforce in association with local authorities throughout Ireland, the National Gum Litter Awareness campaign aims to reduce littered gum. It hopes to do so

North West MEP Marian Harkin says she believes if the referendum on the Fiscal Treaty is postponed, the government will have a better chance of getting it passed. Ms Harkin called for the postponement in light of the recent change of president in France, and in particular the decision by the German Bundestag to defer

The River Links Project linking East Donegal and West Tyrone is being formally in Doneyloop this afternoon. The project involves neighbouring communities aliong the banks of the Finn and the Foyle working together on projects with funding from the EU interreg programme. Initiatives include a community centre in Stranorlar, a walkway linking Clady and Doneyloop

Software company Kainos is set to create around 60 new jobs in Derry. The firm has announced it is investing £10m in its operations. Kainos is one of Irelands most successful, indigenous ICT companies and employs more than 300 staff across its offices in Belfast, Dublin, London and Gdansk in Poland.

Buncrana Town Council has been told it would not be viable to introduce a 30 minute grace period for pay and display parking in the town. The issue was raised by Cllr Ciaran Mc Laughlin, who said he’d like to see a system similar to the one agreed in Letterkenny last year. However, officials say

Foyle MLA Martina Anderson may be on the way to Europe. She was selected at a convention in Derry last night to go forward to replace Barbara De Bruin as one of Northern Ireland’s three MEPs. She must now be ratified at a Northern Ireland convention, for which she is, so far, the only nominee.

Software company Kainos is set to create around 60 new jobs in Derry. The firm has announced it is investing £10m in its operations. The North’s Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said most of the software engineering posts will pay above the private sector median, contributing £1.6m a year to the Northern Ireland economy. Kainos is

The Taoiseach has ruled out delaying the referendum to ratify the EU Fiscal Treaty – despite Germany saying it’s putting off ratification until next month. Enda Kenny says there’s a legal obligation on us to vote on May 31st and therefore the date of the referendum will not be postponed. He’s also ruled taking part

The discovery of a mysterious object in the river Foyle, has turned out to be a rock outcrop. Divers inspected the site last week and despite poor visibility, no evidence of a reck was found. It was thought that the mystery wreck could have been a submarine or U-boat. But Environment Minister Alex Attwood said

Donegal North East Deputy Joe Mc Hugh has told the Dail that the history of the extension at Letterkenny General Hospital will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many sub contractors who got burned and lost money on the project. Deputy Mc Hugh was supporting Senator Fergal Quinn’s Construction Contracts Bill which is

A private members motion expressing concern about cuts to the domiciliary care allowance and the effect on people with disabilities has been defeated in the Dail by 81 votes to 41. The Independent TD Catherine Murphy, who tabled the motion on behalf of the technical group, said there was evidence that children, particularly those  with

Buncrana Town Council’s finances are moving in the right direction, according to Mayor Cllr Nicholas Crossan. Cllr Crossan was speaking after the council approved a draft unaudited financial statement for 2011, showing that while the council did have a deficit of €335,000 last year, it fell for the third year in a row, The council

It’s emerged that the Western Health Trust is to carry out a formal review of the treatment and care of a baby who died from pseudomonas in Derry. Caolan Burke died from the infection at Altnagelvin Hospital when he was 10 days old. In a letter to the baby’s parents, the Western Health Trust said

Over six years after its first planning bid, the development company Jansu has submitted a scaled down application for a mixed development at the site of the old Fruit of the Loom dye house in Buncrana. An initial application submitted in 2006 was rejected by Buncrana Town Council, but a revised application was cleared by

A 19 year old woman has been stabbed in Milford,  a man’s been arrested. Gardai in Milford have confirmed they are investigating the circumstances of a stabbing incident at a dwelling at Lough Rd, Milford at approx. 7.30pm last night. The woman is being treated at Letterkenny Hospital for her injuries they are not believed

There’s been another shooting incident in Derry, this time in the Glendara area. Police say at approximately 10.30pm last night it was reported that a 39 year old man answered a knock to his door and was confronted by two masked men. As he attempted to close the door three shots were fired at him,

Police in Derry have renewed their appeal for witnesses to a fatal road traffic collision on the Racecourse Road, Ballyarnet in the eatrly hours of last Thursday morning. 25 year old Sean Paul Cullen died in the collision. Last night, police revisited the scene between the hours of midnight and 1am, stopping motorists and passing

A human foetus has been discovered outside a property at Brenter, near Dunkineely. The foetus was found at about 5.15pm yesterday and taken to Letterkenny General Hospital where tests confirmed an age of approximately 13 weeks. Gardaí say it is unclear how the foetus came to be there, but they are concerned for the welfare

The Government’s guaranteeing the cut in the lower rate of VAT to the end of next year. It was reduced to 9% last year for certain tourism and leisure businesses as part of the jobs initiative. The VAT rate applies to a range of services in the tourism sector, including hotels, restaurants, leisure centres, and

A man who shone a laser at a police helicopter was told his action could have had ‘catastrophic consequences’. 28 year old Jagpal Irwin of 22, Ard Na Smoll, Dungiven admitted the offence which occurred on January 30. The court was told that at 10.30 that night, police were on an operation in Dungiven. A

Gardai are investigating the discovery of a foetus near a house in the greater Dunkineely area of Co. Donegal. The foetus, aged between 12 and 16 weeks, was found on Tuesday afternoon. Gardai said they are trying to establish the identity of the mother as a duty for her care and well-being.

The HSE in Donegal has been accused of again putting Killybegs health services on the back burner to facilitate shortages in staff in other locations. The area has been without a physiotherapist for the past number of months as the person providing the service was moved to Ballyshannon to cover maternity leave. Local TD Thomas

Gardai are appealing for information after three holiday homes at The Beaches in Rathmullan were broken into between Monday and Tuesday this week. A quantity of items were taken including TVs and DVDs. Anyone with  information is asked to contact to gardai in Rathmullan or Milford Meanwhile, owners of holiday homes in Downings are being

Nurses and midwives from Donegal will join others from around the country  in Kerry for the INMO’s annual conference. 50 motions are up for debate amongst the delegates over three days, covering areas like the recruitment moratorium, overcrowding and cutbacks. New figures this week have given an update on the level of absenteeism in the

A Donegal Campaigner who is seeking to host an impartial debate on the EU Fiscal Treaty Referendum says no politicians who back a ‘Yes’ vote are willing or available to take part. Joe Murphy, who hit the headlines when he walked to Dublin from Inishowen in protest against Austerity measure, plans to host the public

A Donegal man who suffered serious facial injuries after he fell through a glass door following an incident outside a nightclub has been awarded €100,600 in High Court damages. The award was made to 37 year-old Paul Brady of The Beeches, Ballybofey. Mr Brady was left with severe facial disfigurement after he tried to break

A large crowd turned out at a recent  Letterkenny meeting to hear Northern Ireland’s former Water Minister, Conor Murphy outlining his alternatives to water charges in the republic. Last Month Phil Hogan predicted that by the time billing commenced in 2014, up to 95% of Republic households would be metered with the remainder being assessed

Martin McDermott who was convicted of killing Garda Gary McLoughlin has had a four-month prison sentence imposed on him after his arrest in Derry upheld at an appeal in the city. McDermott (26) whose address was given as c/o Maghaberry Prison in the North was arrested in Derry after he absconded from a prison in

Gardai are investigating a number of break ins and car thefts in the Killylastin and Glencar Scotch area of Letterkenny over the weekend. Details are today beginning to emerge about the thefts, which are believed to have taken place in less than an hour on Saturday night. Jewellery, handbags and electrical items were taken by

There are renewed calls for the HSE to locate an ambulance in Buncrana. The calls followed a weekend incident in which a young man playing sport suffered a broken leg – it is claimed that it took over 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. A rapid response unit was based in Buncrana for a

An MLA in Fermanagh says he believes cannabis found in the county over the weekend would have been sold in Donegal, Tyrone and Leitrim. Phil Flannagan was was speaking after a suspected cannabis factory was found close to the Donegal border at the weekend. Around 130-thousand pounds worth of cannabis was uncovered when police searched

Parents from the Domiciliary Care Allowance Warrior Group are in the Dail today to raise the issue of allowances for the families of children with disabilities, partiuclarly those with autism.. They claim that reviews of their payments by Department of Social Protection staff are designed to cut or reduce the allowance wherever possible. Tonight, Donegal