Author name: oisinkelly

A County Councillor has accused Labour and Fine Gael’s representatives on Donegal County Council of having little interest in the concerns of those that elected them, and says Fianna Fail are not providing effective opposition. Sinn Fein’s Mick Quinn was speaking after he failed to secure support recently for a motion condeming the government’s 1.25 […]

The first sod is being turned this afternoon at the site of the long awaited Twin Towns swimming pool. Junior Tourism and Sports Minister Michael Ring is turning the sod at the Finn Valley Leisure Centre site. He’ll also visit the site of the new Finn Harps Football Club Stadium. Later this afternoon, Minister Ring

The average nationwide rent of a property now stands at 821 euro, according to the latest report by Daft.ie. The survey by the property website shows that the highest rents are in Dublin, averaging at 1,057 euro, compared to an average of 542 euro in Donegal. The last three months of last year saw an

A Donegal Councillor has described as “embarrassing” the lack of public toilets in Donegal Town. When Councillor Brendan Byrne raised the issue with Donegal County Council he was told that because of the government recruitment embargo the toilet’s caretaker, who retired last year, cannot be replaced. Councillor Byrne says with the summer season approaching, the

Hundreds of people from across the globe last night watched the online launch of the Donegal Gathering project. The Gathering will be a series of events in the coming months to strengthen the link between Donegal and the disapora, invite people back to the county for a series of events, and continue to explore what

Government proposals to offer new tax breaks to attract skilled workers to Ireland have been criticised by Sinn Fein. The measure – which is contained in the newly published finance bill – is designed to ensure that investors in Ireland can get the skilled employees they need to create jobs here. The Finance Minister Michael

A number of Donegal Community Employment Scheme supervisors are among 500 from across the country are meeting in Portlaoise this evening over cutbacks to the sector. The Government signalled in the Budget that it intended to reduce participants’ training and materials grants funding by 66 per cent. The Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has

Three busses from the Republic used to transport pupils to and from schools in Derry have been found to be unfit for service. The spot checks were carried out at Oakgrove college. Nine vehicles in total were taken off the road in the city following a day of checks by the DVA. They say faults

The public spat between the current and a former boss of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation rumbles on today. Yesterday the current chief, Sean O’Donoghue, hit out at Joey Murrin over his claims that Donegal’s income from Mackerel could be down 30 million euro in 2012. Mr Murrin has also suggested not enough is being done

People, particularly women, are being urged to take extra safety precautions in the wake of an increase in carjackings. That is the message from Derry City Cllr John Boyle who has condemned those responsible for robbing a woman in the car park of a retail store in the Buncrana Road area of Derry last evening.

A Donegal man is preparing to march to the Dail to protest about austerity cuts and fuels price hikes. And he wants members of the public to join him. Joe Murphy, who last year staged a “25 mph protest” when he drove from Inishowen to Dublin to protest about rising fuel prices, has been a

Speed limits are set to be slashed on rural roads across the country following a massive overhaul of the current system. Every speed limit on every road is to be scrutinised in a drive to reduce accidents and deaths on our roads. The core aim is to improve road safety and to ensure that limits

The murder trial of a man whose admitted killing a teenager in a bar on Arranmore Island over two years ago has heard he was suffering from a psychiatric disorder, which diminished his responsibility. Stephen Boyle of Austen House, Cambridge Road, Kilburn Park in London has admitted killing but denies murdering Paul Boyle at Early’s

A Sinn Fein Cllr in Castlderg has said there is no argument to keep Castlederg Police Station opened. Just last week Ulster Unionist Cllr Ross Hussey said that the Castlederg Station should remain open on security grounds. The stations closure is to be discussed at a public consultation meeting in the Derg Valley Leisure Centre

Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh says the biggest challenge facing this term of the Dail is tackling what he describes as the sickness of bureaucracy and red tape. He was speaking in the Dail having raised the issue of a delay that some teachers are encountering when trying to obtain accreditation from the teaching council. Deputy

The murder trial of a man whose admitted killing a teenager in a bar on Arranmore Island over two years ago has heard he was suffering from a psychiatric disorder, which diminished his responsibility. Stephen Boyle of Austen House, Cambridge Road, Kilburn Park in London has admitted killing but denies murdering Paul Boyle at Early’s

The head of the Killybegs Fisherman’s Organisation has rejected claims that Donegal’s income from Mackerel could be down 30 million euro in 2012. Sean O’Donoghue was reacting to the claims by Former Chairman of Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Former CEO of the KFO Joey Murrin. In a statement Mr Murrin doesn’t mention the KFO by

Members of both the Catholic and Protestant Churches have united in opposition at plans would could see small schools in Donegal either shut or amalgamated. Fr John Joe Duffy and Reverend John Dean have come together to oppose changes which could see small schools across the country with four teachers or fewer start to close

The “Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay” campaign in Donegal is claiming today that last night’s announcement of reduced registration charges for septic tanks is an indication of government panic. Francis Mc Cafferty of the “Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay” campaign says the reduced charge is an attempt to ensure that people register. He believes the low level

The IMPACT trade union North West Spokesperson has described HSE West as “dysfunctional” after meetings to discuss how to manage retirements at the end of the month were cancelled. Richy Carrothers, IMPACT’s Assistant General Secretary says the meetings in Galway and Donegal were an opportunity to ensure that the disruption from the retirements will be

Last year was another busy year for the RNLI lifeboats. According to the organisation’s annual statistics, the organisation received almost 1000 calls – and rescued 905 people. In Donegal, there were 87 launches from the county’s three stations, with 84 people assisted. Lough Swilly was Donegal’s busiest lifeboat station in 2011, with 41 launches and

There’s been mixed reaction to the Environment Minister’s announcement last night that new septic tank charges are to be cut. Phil Hogan has revealed that the registration fee for septic tanks will be reduced to 5-euro, for the first 3 months, down from the proposed 50-euro. The move is an attempt to reward those who

Donegal County Council will not be targeting private wells for payment of water charges. The reassurance comes following a meeting between senior Donegal ICSA members and the Donegal County Manager Seamus Neeley. ICSA County Chairman, Malcolm Thompson says he’s satisfied with the assurances they have received……

A man who has admitted killing a teenager in a bar on Arranmore Island crashed his car into a wall to try and do away with himself a month before the incident, a court was told. 41-year-old Stephen Boyle has admitted killing but denies murdering 19-year-old Paul Boyle (19) at Early’s Bar, on Arranmore on

Gardai in Letterkenny are warning businesses to be aware that fake 50 euro notes may be circulating in the town. A number of notes have been detected by a number of taxi drivers over the weekend. The fake notes have a number of features that make them easily identifiable when held up to a light.

A Co. Donegal hotel where Hollywood stars stayed and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair spent his childhood holidays has been put on a list of distressed properties for sale by auction. Management and staff at the Sandhouse Hotel in Rossnowlagh,who claimed a good season in 2011, were stunned when told today that liquidators KPMG

A 50-year-old Derry woman has been released on bail this afternoon after she was charged with attempting to murder her son at the weekend. Teacher Treasa Doherty was charged with trying to kill her son Sean O’Connor after an incident in their Garden City home on Saturday night. He is on a life-support machine in

The North’s bus and rail company Translink has acknowledged that efficiencies have been implemented at Waterside Railway Station in Derry. The statement comes after the rail lobby group “Into The West” expressed alarm at cuts in staffing and opening hours at Waterside station. Responding, Translink say they are continually reviewing service provision in all areas,

Environment Minister Phil Hogan is being urged to clarify his plans for town councils. The Mayor of Letterkenny says he intends meeting with Environment Minister Phil Hogan at the AMAI conference at the end of this week to discuss the issue. Yesterday, the Mail on Sunday quoted Minister Hogan as signalling he would be bringing

The North’s bus and rail company Translink has acknowledged that efficiencies have been implemented at Waterside Railway Station in Derry. The statement comes after the rail lobby group “Into The West” expressed alarm at cuts in staffing and opening hours at Waterside station. Responding, Translink say they are continually reviewing service provision in all areas,

A representative from the IMPACT trade union says front line services should not be affected by the public sector retirement scheme. Around 8,000 civil and public servants have opted to retire under the plan – prompting fears that front line services will suffer. Locally, IMPACT are set to hold a series of meetings with senior

Donegal South West Deputy Pearse Doherty says while the government talks a lot about job creation, there’s no evidence that it is doing anything to address the issue. Commenting on Live Register figures which show a fall in the number signing on in Donegal at the end of last month, Deputy Doherty said were it

The rail lobby group “Into The West” has expressed alarm at cuts in staffing and opening hours at Waterside station. The group says that jobs have been cut in the past week and others are under threat, with some workers with 30 years plus service let go. The group says at a time when the

Members of the Donegal Mountain Rescue have taken part in an emergency exercise with colleagues from Sligo, Leitrim and Mayo. Two Army Aer Corps helicopters and 10 personnel came to Finner Camp for the weekend event, which saw mountain rescue responders dropped off and picked up and dropping off both in daylight and in the

Hundreds of people today attended the funeral of Malin head Willie McKeeney. The 57 year old died in hospital after he was attacked in Glasgow in the middle of January. Two people have been charged with his murder. He had been living and working in Scotland for a number of years. St Mary’s Church, Lagg,

There were 21,567 people siging on the live register in Donegal at the end of last month, down 268 on January 2011, and practically unchanged since December. The numbers signing on rose in two of the county’s social welfare officers in the year since January 2011, while the biggest year on year decrease was in

The funeral is taking place this morning of Willie McKeeney, Drimdoo, Malin Head. The 57 year old died in hospital after he was attacked in Glasgow in the middle of January. Two people have been charged with his murder. He’ll be buried after 11 o’clock requiem mass in St Mary’s Church, Lagg, Malin. Mr McKeeney 

The first all-Ireland meeting of anti-fracking campaigners takes place in Enniskillen at one o’clock this afternoon. Activists will demonstrate against plans by Australian firms Tamboran Resources to start drilling for gas in the north-west by the year 2014. The company has claimed that with an investment of six billion euro, it could harvest 40 years’

Police still haven’t named the man who shot himself in a hairdressers in Dungannon yesterday afternoon. It’s understood the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene,  was in his 20s and from the Brantry area. He shot himself in the premises on Carland Road shortly after 4.15pm yesterday. Police are investigating, but have stressed

Families of some of those killed in the Omagh bombing say new evidence on the atrocity has emerged, which strengthens calls for a cross border inquiry into the attack. 29 people and unborn twins died in the bombing in 1998. Tony Rice reports………..

Junior Finance Minister Brian Hayes has defended the expense claims of TD’s – saying politics is not a cheap business. Six million euro in expenses has been claimed by all TD’s since the 31st Dail first sat last March. The lowest amount claimed by a Donegal TD is €18,063 claimed by Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley

Controversial septic tank legislation has now passed through the Dail and Seanad, with Donegal Senator Brian O’Domhnaill saying the Government has escaped answering the most fundamental questions about how the charges will affect people. MInister Phil Hogan says the only charges are a €50 registration fee, and inspections are free. However, Senator O’Domhnaill, Fianna Fail’s

Ballyshannon’s Rory Gallagher Festival has been named among the Best Festivals in Ireland. The tribute event picked up the award for best National Medium Festival for attendances between 10,000 and 30,000 The festival claimed the award holding off competition from the Cork’s Live at the Marquee, Galway Arts Festival and Kilkenny Arts Festival. The Electric

A courthouse earmarked for closure by the Court Service had a £120,000 refurbishment less than a year ago. A councillor said the money spent on Strabane Court to upgrade security, refurbish holding cells and redecorate “defies logic”, given that it is one of the five courts whose economic viability is currently under consideration. Security upgrades