Author name: oisinkelly

Senator Harte says sorry for Twitter outburst in wake of Magda story

Donegal Labour Senator Jimmy Harte has apologised for remarks he made on Twitter responding to criticism for his comments the ‘Magda’ controversy. According to the Journal.ie Senator Harte was heavily criticised on Twitter for his comments on an Irish Independent Independent story which mistranslated a Polish woman’s account of life on the dole in Donegal.

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Donegal priest says parents should reduce spend on Communions and Confirmations

A Donegal priests says families should not put themselves under financial pressure when it comes to children’s Communions and Confirmations. Fr James Sweeney was commenting as the government’s decided cut to exceptional needs payments for Communions and Confirmations. The Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore said the decision was made to slash the payment – in order to

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Portnablagh Caravan Park will remain after appeal fails on a technicality

A Caravan Park in Portnablagh will be allowed to stay and be expanded after an appeal to An Bord Pleanala failed on a technicality. Donegal County Council awarded the Derry based owners of Rockhill Caravan Park permission to retain the caravan site and to add additional homes, that decision was unsuccessfully appealed to the planning

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‘Magda’ says she loves Donegal and wants to open her own business here

The woman who was misquoted as slating Donegal in an Irish Independent article has come forward to clarify her comments. An initial translation of an article which appeared in a Polish newspaper accused ‘Magda’ of claiming she was living the high life on the dole. The Independent’ article also claimed that Magda described Donegal in

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SF Cllr calls on Senator Jimmy Harte to apologise over Polish comments

There are calls for Labour Donegal Senator Jimmy Harte to apologise for comments he made yesterday regarding an article which appeared in the Irish Independent. They reported yesterday that a Polish woman claimed she was living the good life in Donegal on social welfare payments. Senator Harte responded to the story by saying that he

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Polish Ambassador says Polish Community more optimistic about country’s prospects

The Polish Ambassador to Ireland says the Polish community here can be more optimistic about the country’s prospects than Irish people. Marcin Nawrot yesterday hit out at a newspaper article which suggested a Polish woman was living ‘the good life’ on the dole in Co. Donegal, saying the original article had been translated incorrectly. Up

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Cllr Paul Canning hits out at road allocation for Donegal North-East

A Donegal Councillor says the allocation of money for Regional and Local Roads by the Department of Transport this week is a joke, and claims political influence undermined Donegal County Council’s input in the process. Minister Leo Varadker is being urged to investigate and comment. According to Cllr Paul Canning, councillors and officials had spent

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Northwest MEP demands referendum to be held on new fiscal treaty

The Independent MEP Marian Harkin is demanding a referendum be held on the new fiscal treaty brokered in Brussels last Monday. The issue will be discussed by the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs today, after a group of TDs yesterday announced plans to petition President Higgins to intervene. Marian Harkin says linking the treatys ratification

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Polish Ambassador writes to paper about “Dolce Vita” article

The Polish Ambassador to Ireland has written to the Irish Independent, concerning an article it published today. The article, quoting from a report in a Polish newspaper,  claimed that a Polish woman – using the pseudonym Magda –  has been boasting about living the good life, on the dole,  in Donegal. However, the Polish Ambassador

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Arranmore priest urges people to support schools’ protest outside Dail

A Donegal priest is asking people from the county based in Dublin to join teachers, parents and others from rural communities in Ireland, served by smaller schools who will be holding a demonstration outside the Oireachtas this evening. The demonstration, from 6.30, coincides with a vote on a FF motion.pm this Wednesday evening. Arranmore based

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Polish Embassy says article on woman claiming benefits contains many inaccuracies

An article in today’s Irish Independent has caused quite a stir – claiming that a Polish woman is living the good life on the dole in Donegal. But members of the Polish Community have moved to clarify the matter – saying ‘Magda’ – the woman named in the article – has been misquoted. The Polish

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Deputy Pringle leads technical group which is to petition Preisident for referendum

A group of TDs from the Dáil technical group is planning to petition the President for a referendum on the new EU fiscal compact treaty. The group of Independent and United Left Alliance TDs says that if the agreement is passed by the Oireachtas without being put to the people, it will ask President Michael

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Polish woman claims to be living the ‘good life’ on benefits in Donegal

A Polish waitress living in Donegal has claimed she is living the good life on Irish welfare benefits. Speaking to a Polish newspaper the woman describes her life in Donegal as a ‘Hawaiian massage”. She says welfare payments here are €182 more every week than back in her native Poland, and she states that she

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Concerns over Government plans to introduce central water authority

Concern has been expressed about the lack of detail in Government plans to introduce a central water authority with fears that they could seriously diminish the quality of water supply in Donegal. A National Water Company is to be established to take over the water responsibilities of the country’s 34 County and City councils –

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Donegal star Kevin Cassidy pleads guilty to affray charge

A Donegal GAA footballer, who was dropped from the Counties panel late last year, has appeared before Letterkenny Circuit Court charged with affray. 30-year-old Kevin Cassidy, of Derrybeg, Gweedore, appeared in court yesterday to face the charge. The player and former captain of the Donegal senior team pleaded guilty to threatening unlawful violence during the

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Fianna Fail says Fine Gael has serious question to answer over Mayor’s trip

A Fianna Fail Councillor says Fine Gael has serious questions to answer alleging that the party tried to sanction a St Patrick’s Day trip for the Mayor behind Councillor’s backs. It is claimed that Fine Gael attempted to sanction an overseas trip for the Mayor Noel McBride, his Deputy, Barry O’Neill and a council official

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IMPACT seek HSE meeting to discuss future of health service provision in North West

The IMPACT trade union is seeking an urgent meeting with senior HSE management to discuss the future of the health service provision in the North West. The unions regional spokesperson Richy Carrothers says the situation is worrying, particularly as the HSE’s National Service Plan was published a fortnight ago, but there’s still been no clarification

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Donegal could lose 70 primary school teachers due to Government cuts

It’s claimed at least 70 primary school teachers will be lost in Donegal due to government cuts. Donegal County Council has joined the INTO in calling on the Government’s planned cuts to small primary schools be reversed. It’s feared that funding cuts and a change in staffing schedules for small schools will mean less teachers

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Donegal County Council told plan to cut CE schemes is “shortsighted”

Cuts to community employment schemes are already impacting on Donegal groups and communities. That’s according to councillor Patrick McGowan who is calling on government to reverse any plans to cut FAS schemes. Donegal County Council has been told of the positive work carried out through the schemes in schools, community associations and in assisting tidy

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Mc Eniff says control of tourism promotion should be returned to Donegal

Failte Ireland has been accused of deserting Donegal with claims that northern Ireland and other areas are getting better treatment. Councillor Sean McEniff says that since  Northwest Tourism stood down in 2006 its replacement, Failte Ireland northwest, has completely failed Donegal. Councillor McEniff says the views of local representatives in the industry are being ignored

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