Author name: oisinkelly

Sinn Fein says it will publish a plan in the coming weeks to reduce Ireland’s deficit – while growing the economy. The party says the four year budgetary plan – outlined by the Government today – is anti-jobs, anti-growth and pro-austerity. It says the 12.4 billion euro programme of tax hikes and spending cuts is […]

A man accused over a rifle seizure allegedly linked to dissident republicans in Derry must remain in custody, a judge ruled on Friday. 43-year-old Anthony Taylor, of Farmhill, Derry, was detained with another suspect in August. Taylor, who is a  member of the pressure group Republican Network for Unity, faces a charge of having a

A 38 year-old Chinese woman has appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court accused of murdering her husband. Shuwei Shang, of 61 Frances Street, is charged with murdering 51 year-old Damien Keenan on Tuesday November 1. Deputy District Judge Des Perry asked the woman, through an interpreter if she understood the charge, to which she replied ‘yes.’

Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle today welcomed a commitment from the Government to examine ways of allowing traditional fishing methods in Inver Bay. commits Deputy Pringle has been lobbying on behalf of a number of fishing families who want to fish for sprat and mackerel in the bay using methods which are more than

Bank of Ireland has appointed receivers to a Northern Ireland property development firm which had been planning a major housing development in Donegal. Carn Properties had been given permission for the development of over 200 units of housing in Letterkenny just two years ago. Permission for the Letterkenny development was granted in 2009 – the 

At a meeting of the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in Killarney today a number of projects were approved. 64 new jobs are to be created through a total investment of €6.5 million when fully implemented. It is not clear if Donegal will benefit from the announcement with further information to be confirmed at a

Letterkenny Business man Jason Black has been granted permission by An Bord Pleanala to retain changes he made to his premises when turning it in to a nightclub. Mr Black had to seek permission from An Bord Pleanala to retain an area of the Voodoo premises which was transformed from a Volleyball Court in to

Letterkenny has been earmarked by the IDA as the first location for a number of planned centralized alternative energy centres. It is proposed that the multi million euro renewable energy centre will be built on the Letterkenny Business and Technology Park where a site on a 7.4 acre site. The project must include the provision

A garda file is almost ready for presentation to the Director of Public Prosecutions on the murder of Republican double agent Denis Donaldson. Garda Superintendent Michael Finan, who is head of the Glenties Garda District, told an inquest that he expects the DPP to decide within six months if he has enough evidence to prosecute.

The Special Criminal Court in Dublin has reserved judgment on legal issues in the trial of a Strabane man accused of murdering Andrew Burns in Donneyloop over three years ago. Mr Burns body was found by a group of teenagers in the car park of a church at Donnyloop in 2008. It is the prosecution

The Government will announce later that it’s cutting growth prospects for next year by as much as one per cent – due to the continuing global crisis. The coalition is also expected to announce savings of 3-point-8 billion euro in the upcoming budget. We’ll also hear the extent of tax hikes and spending cuts necessary

A new route to Donegal has been added to Dublin Airport’s schedule. Scottish airline Loganair is now operating twice daily flights to Donegal. The new contract is for a three year period –  renewal of  the contract  in 2014 will depend on how extensively the service is used and the state of  the public finances.

The Junior Finance Minister says the Government may have to use its influence if some banks covered by the bank guarantee scheme choose not to pass on yesterday’s ECB rate cut to customers. Some banks – like Permanent TSB – have already confirmed the reduction will be reflected in their rates – while others have

Around 120 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in Donegal, but 90% of them face good chances of recovery if they are treated early. That’s according to consultant Kevin Moran, who is addressing an Irish Cancer Society meeting in Letterkenny tonight. The meeting in the Mount Errigal Hotel will hear from a number

A Senator claims that people in Donegal could face bills of up €12,000 to upgrade their septic tanks, according to new legislation published by the Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan today. The legislation includes a registration charge, multiple inspection charges and possible significant upgrade charges. Senator Brian O’Domhnaill says parts of the bill are

Donegal North East TD Joe Mc Hugh says he believes funding will be found to reinstate the Foyle Ferry service linking Greencastle and Magilligan. Deputy Mc Hugh says the issue was addressed at a recent North South Ministerial Council meeting, and discussions are ongoing in Stormont and Dublin. He says the suspension  of the service

A hi-tech scanner has proved unsuccessful in the search for missing Lifford man David Colhoun. It was the first time the equipment has been used in the Northwest. The 22-year-old has not been seen since escaping from police custody after being arrested for minor offences in Strabane in May. Hundreds of locals, Gardai, the PSNI,

Donegal County Councl has announces details of its Free Household Hazardous Waste Collection service for November. You can despose of Cleaning Agents including bleaches, Waste Medicines, Antifreeze, Herbicides (weed killers), Pesticides, Adhesives, Old Paints, Paint stripper/thinner, Aerosols, Inks, Waste Engine Oil. The Council will not accept empty paint tins.  All containers, bottles, etc, must be

It emerged last evening that Laghey Post Office would not be reopening. It had been closed for some time due to what An Post described as ‘unforeseen circumstances’. A local group had recently expressed hope that the services would be restored, but those hopes have now been dashed. An Post released a statement to Highland

At Tipperary man who posted a video of himself driving recklessly on YouTube just two days after the death of 8 people in a crash in Inishowen has been sent to jail. 22 year-old Aaron Stanley from Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was tracked down by gardai after he appeared on YouTube recklessly driving around east Clare

Police in Derry have launched a murder investigation after a stabbing victim died from his injuries in hospital. The 51-year-old man was attacked in the Francis Street area of the city at 1.30pm on Tuesday – he was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in a serious condition where he died last evening. A 34-year-old woman was

Some Donegal potato farmers face going out of business because poor weather means next year’s crop is in serious danger. A report this week from Teagasc shows that up to 2,500 acres of the crop, or 80 per cent of the total, is still in the ground. Wet weather, and little prospect of an improvement

It’s been confirmed by An Post that Laghey Post Office will not be reopening. The facility was closed in July due to what was described by An Post as unforeseen circumstances. A group was formed to campaign for its re-opening claiming that its closure was a major blow to the area and meant locals had

A retired Garda’s son, who hopes for a future as a professional rugby player or coach, was warned by a judge yesterday that if he appears before him again he will go to jail for a long time.. 19-year-old  Darrath Farragher was fined €400 when he admitted disorderly conduct. The court heard that last March

Donegal South-West Deputy, Pearse Doherty has accused the Government of lying to the public. The Sinn Fein Finance spokesperson said in the Dail yesterday evening that it was “absolute nonsense” that Ireland would face sixteen years of austerity if they were to receive a write-down on their debt. Deputy Doherty said Greece have been offered

Donegal Deputies Pearse Doherty and Padraig MacLochlainn were today amongst a group of Sinn Féin and Independent TDs who staging a Dail walkout over the Government’s refusal to burn former Anglo bondolders. This afternoon, almost three quarters of a billion euro has been repaid to unguaranteed bondholders at the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. The Taoiseach’s

A 31-year-old man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court in Derry charged with murdering his uncle. James Healy from Hollymount Park in the Gobnascale area of Derry wept as he appeared in court this morning. 56-year-old Christopher McGaughey, was stabbed in the early hours of Sunday morning. The joiner was given medical

New figures show that a huge number of  Donegal people either submitted spoiled papers or invalid votes in the two referendums held last week. The figures show that between the referendum on Judges pay and the Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries Referendum a total of 3,716 votes were either spoiled or invalid. In Donegal South

Gardai say they are not treating the death of a man in Dungloe as suspicious. The man’s, thought to be in his 30’s, was found dead on a property on Chapel Road last evening. Scenes of Crimes Officers were in Dungloe this morning and determined that the man’s death was not suspicious.

Young people are being encouraged to move in pairs following reports that a teenage girl has been raped by a man wearing a Halloween mask in Derry. The attack happened in Edenmore Street near the Northland Road shortly before 1am yesterday morning. Police say the man wore a Scream-type mask with blood over the face

A Ballyshannon Town Councillor has accused the media of portraying his town in a bad light to fill time and column inches. At last nights council meeting  the former Mayor of Ballyshannon Fine Gael Councillor Brendan Travers stated that he was very angry and concerned that Ballyshannon is getting tarred with a bad name. He

The body of a male has been discovered at a house at Chapel Road, Dungloe on Tuesday. Gardaí have sealed off the area near the rented premises awaiting the arrival of scenes of crimes officers. A spokesman at the Garda Press office last night confirmed that the body remains at the house and that the

A man is in a serious condition after being stabbed in the Francis Street area of Derry. Police say the 51-year-old man was stabbed shortly before 1:30pm yesterday afternoon. It’s the second stabbing in the city in the past week.

Efforts to crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour in west Tyrone move will forwards with the launch of 3 new Neighbourhood Watch schemes in Castlederg later this month. This will mean that Strabane District Council area will have 5 Neighbourhood Watch schemes. The 3 new schemes cover the Castlegore, Hospital Road and Millbrook Gardens

The former finance director of Anglo Irish Bank, who was arrested at his Co Dublin home yesterday morning, has been released without charge. Donegal born William McAteer was arrested in Rathgar by detectives from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation. He was questioned at Irishtown Garda station

Detectives are appealing for information after a report of an alleged serious sexual assault in Derry in the early hours of this morning, Tuesday, 1st November. Shortly before 1am, it was reported that a teenage girl was sexually assaulted by an unknown male in the area of Edenmore Street and Northland Road. The male is

Donegal farmers have given a warm welcome the the news that Donegal Creameries has agreed the sale of its milk market to Connacht Gold. The deal, which includes Donegal Creameries Retail business, is worth 13.5 million euro to the company but could rise to almost 21 million depending on how the business performs. Pj McMonagle

75 year-old Castlederg man Pat O’Loughlin yesterday completed his 32nd Dublin City Marathon, today he says he may try and keep his record going next year. He ran the course in 5 hours 42 minutes, quicker than the time he recorded last year. Mr O’Loughlin ran the marathons to raise money for MS Research, in

Third level students in Donegal are being urged to make contact with Fine Gael Deputies Joe McHugh and Dinny McGinley to protest against increases in college fees and grant cuts. The Union of Students in Ireland has taken out ads in several national newspapers criticising the government for reneging on pre-election promises. The full-page ads

Gardai are appealing for witnesses following a weekend armed robbery at a service station in Muff. The robbery occurred at 10pm on Sunday – two men entered the Texaco filling station at Muff, one is believed to have produced a firearm and demanded money. The pair left the premises with an undisclosed sum of cash.

Donegal Creameries has struck a deal to dispose of its Milk Business and Retail Stores Business to Connacht Gold Co-operative Society Limited. The deal is worth 13.5 million euro to the company but could rise to almost 19 million depending on how the business performs. The deal will see Connacht Gold take over the drinking

Police say that 15 witnesses have come forward following the murder of a man in Derry at the weekend. 56 year-old Christopher McGaughey was stabbed to death at Hollymount Park in the Gobnascale area of the city at about 1am on Sunday moring. A woman also suffered minor injuries in the attack. Police have been

A man who died after being stabbed in Derry has been named as 56-year-old Christopher McGaughey. Mr McGaughey was attacked at Hollymount Park in the Gobnascale area of the city at about 1 o clock this morning. A woman suffered minor injuries in the attack. A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Gay Mitchell and Martin McGuinness have been eliminated in the Presidential election count. It means Michael D Higgins will be confirmed as the ninth President of Ireland later this afternoon. After the third count Michael D Higgins was still some 90,000 votes shy of the quota. That then led the Presidential returning office (Rena Ni

Dana Rosemary Scallon says she does not regret entering the Presidential election. The Independent candidate – who also contested the 1997 race for the Áras – was eliminated along with fellow Independent Mary Davis, after the first count last night. Dana – who’s not ruling out contesting for the Presidency a third time – admits

Michael D. Higgins is accepting that he may win the election on the first count. That will come some time this evening – and the Labour candidate is expected to have a comfortable lead over Independent Sean Gallagher. Speaking to Galway Bay FM, Micheal D. says he is quietly confident of finishing in first place:

While it won’t effect the outcome of the Presidential Election nationally, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has topped the poll in Donegal North East. The figures are academic to the result with Labour’s Michael D Higgin’s set to be elected the country’s 9th President, probably on the first count. This is how the candidates fared in

Deputy Pearse Doherty has predicted that Martin McGuinness will top the poll in Donegal South West. He told Barry Whyte that the former Deputy First Minister’s entry in to the race broadened the debate: There was controversy this morning at the Aura leisure Centre where complaints were made that those who had planned to tally

Lawyers for a Donegal business man sentenced to over six years in jail in a Czech court say he will appeal. William Harkin, known as Billy, was tried in absentia for taking out a series of loans that he said were for investment in  Moravan Aviation company, which he bought in 2007. According to the