Author name: oisinkelly

Comments today from the chief executive of Derry’s Chamber of Commerce underline the severe impact the government’s 2% VAT increase may have on Donegal businesses Sinead McLaughlin said a quarter of cars in the city’s Foyleside shopping centre car parks last weekend had Republic of Ireland registration plates, most of them from Co Donegal. Ms […]

Highland Radio News has learned that a planning application for a major nursing home development outside Letterkenny has been withdrawn. Donegal County Council had granted planning permission for the nursing home on the outskirts of Letterkenny near Coolboy. The plans included the construction of 68 bed nursing home, access road, retention of a partially built

The Donegal spokesperson for People With Disabilities Ireland has said a government decision to cut 100% of its funding will effectively wipe the group out. James McLean was speaking following the confirmation from the Department of Justice that from January of next year the PWDI group will no longer get funding from goverment. The news

Donegal South-West Deputy, Dinny McGinley has said the Government cannot not give any guarantees that Lifford Community Hospital will not close. An internal HSE document lists it as one of 10 across the country which may close – ten beds  in Buncrana, two in Ramelton and four in Carndonagh are also under threat. Deputy McGinley

A group set up in Donegal in protest against the proposed Septic Tank Legislation have said they want Senator Brian O’Domnhaill to publish what proposals his party has. The Can’t Pay Won’t Pay Group believe that Fianna Fails proposals include a 200 euro charge on every household, every seven years. Group spokesperson  Danny Brown says

Derry building firm O’Neill Brothers has closed after more than 50 years in business. More than 20 people were employed by the firm, which was based in Pennyburn Industrial Estate. O’Neills opened in 1956, and built many high-profile buildings in Derry, including the council offices on Strand Road and the O’Doherty Fort. Foyle MP, Mark

Largo Foods increased its profitability last year despite a €4 million decline in turnover. Latest accounts for Largo Food Exports Ltd show that the company increased its pretax profit to €2.56 million in 2010 from €1.96 million in the previous year. Turnover declined to €84.1 million from €88.2 million in the period. In the past

Plans to create up to 1000 jobs along the Strabane/Lifford border have taken a step closer today. The company behind the proposed project, Riverside Building and Development Ltd, says all that remains is a green light from the Government. The £50m Three Rivers project will include a sports centre, wildlife centre, hotel, employment park and

Lifford Councillor Gerry Crawford, a paramedic by profession, says the closure of Lifford Hospital and cuts elsewhere would have a significant impact on the General Hospital. He says pre election promises were made by the parties now in government, and they should be honoured. Cllr Crawford says a year and a half after the threat

Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle has expressed his dismay at the closure of the Library in Killybegs claiming that other council run libraries are now also under threat. The library in Killybegs has closed as the council is prevented to employ another part-time librarian by the government’s recruitment embargo . There are fears the same fate

There are further concerns over the future of Donegal’s three smaller Town Council’s this morning. The Donegal Democrat quotes a local Fine Gael source who states that Buncrana, Ballyshannon and Bundoran town council’s could be abolished as part of the review of local government. While there are fears Ballyshannon and Bundoran Town Counci’s could be

A Derry businessman has revealed details of how he and his family have been threatened at gunpoint in their Bridgend home. The incident  happened at the property of Kevin Doherty at Carrowreagh on Sunday evening. Three armed men broke into Mr Doherty’s home at 7.30pm. Mr Doherty ,his wife and their 18-month-old daughter were held

It has been confirmed that NRA officials have allocated €545,000 to have the N56 between Falcarragh and Gortahork Re- Surfaced In welcoming the confirmation local councillor Seamus O’Domhnaill stated “This funding represents a major boost to the Local Area of Cloughaneely as this work is very much needed. I am pleased that  through lengthy negotiations

Community hospitals arcross Donegal could be under threat of closure according to an internal HSE document. Lifford Community Hospital is under threat of full closure with the loss of 20 beds Long-term care hospital beds at community hospitals in Buncrana, Ramelton and Carndonagh could be closed. The hospital are on a list being circulated among

A defence solicitor yesterday claimed that Senator Brian O’ Domhnaill should also have  been charged in a case in which two men are accused of assaulting him. Paudge Dorrian was speaking during a prosecution application to alter the name of a townland in summonses being prepared for a trial in a higher court. He told

A woman fought back tears as she told a judge yesterday of a vicious attack by a teenage girl who only knew her to see and stole her handbag, mobile phone and passport. 29-year-old Sarah Kerr, said that she was set upon violently by 17-yearold Nicola McLaren in Main Street, Milford. Ms Kerr told Glenties

A pub run by an All-Ireland football captain was still open three minutes before 2 a.m. but raiding gardai were told clients were waiting for taxis home although fresh drinks had just been poured for them, a court was told today. Anthony Molloy, Donegal captain when the county won it’s only All-Ireland title in 1992,

The Donegal Domestic Violence Service are to recieve funding from the Government for a purpose built shelter. The current refuge had to turn away 33 women and 27 children last year as they didnt have enough spaces in their current refuge. The Manager of the Centre, Fiona Doherty, speaking in todays Shaun Doherty Show, said

The father of missing Lifford man David Colhoun says he believes a tracksuit bottom and shorts found in the river between Strabane and Lifford belonged to his son. Speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show to mark six months since his son went missing in May, Joe Colhoun said he is convinced David’s body is between

The court of appeal in Belfast has ruled that a judge who found a County Monaghan man liable for the Omagh bombing did not clarify what weight was put on his later conviction for Real IRA membership. Senior judges have set out their reasons for directing a retrial in the case of Seamus Daly, one

One man has been brought to hospital and another arrested following what gardai are describing as an altercation on Letterkenny’s Lower Main Street this morning. It’s alleged that an iron bar was used during the incident which happened close to Oldtown Bridge just before 9.30. Gardai say they are investigating the incident, with initial indications

There were 15 patients on trollies at Letterkenny General Hospital this morning according to figures released by the INMO. The overnight situation was so serious that three clinics were cancelled at the hospital’s Out Patients Department this morning. Patients are being contacted to make alternative arrangements, and people are being asked to avoid A&E unless

The Donegal IFA Chairman is calling for a retro fit scheme to be added into new legislation governing the inspection and possible replacement of Septic Tanks. New environmental rules are being introduced which it’s feared will leave thousands of rural dwellers having to replace non-compliant septic tanks, possibly at a cost of several thousand euro.

Two brothers have gone on trial in Derry charged with sexually abusing their sisters and niece for a 25-year period. The men – who cannot be named – face 27 charges of rape, buggery, gross indecency with a child, and indecent assault. The offences are alleged to have taken place when the sisters were between

Donegal North East TD Padraig Mac Lochlainn is welcoming today’s protest outside the Dail to highlight proposals to close rural Garda stations. The government is believed to be considering the closure of up to 200 Garda stations, with speculation that anything between 14 and 23 of them may be in Donegal. The Justice Minister is

IMPACT in Donegal is urging all Oireachtas members in the county to attend a special meeting on Friday, saying uncertainty over the future of the NoW DOC service needs urgent political intervention. The HSE is currently planning on redeploying Receptionist and Call Handler staff in Carndonagh, Derrybeg, and Mountcharles. The centres in these places will

A number of Out Patient clinics have been cancelled at Letterkenny General Hospital after what’s been described as a particularly busy night in in the A&E Department. The affected clinics are Dr Patel’s ENT clinic and Dr Steele and Dr Mohammed’s Medical Clinics. The fracture clinic will go ahead as usual. Patients are being contacted

Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal in Letterkenny will reopen again tomorrow after it was forced to close today because of a fire. The school was forced to close this morning because of a fire which started outside the building. Materials being used in a the ongoing construction project at the school were set alight. Meanwhile, Gaelscoil

Donegal fishermen are being urged to make their views known before the EU Fish Councils quota negotiations next month. The meeting will take place in Brussels on the 15th and 16th of December. The Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney will represent Ireland in the negotiations. Donegal North-East Deputy Joe McHugh is encouraging fishermen from Inishowen

It’s emerged that money earmarked for the redevelopment of Ebrington barracks in Derry may have been spent elsewhere. The development of Ebrington is a flagship project in the city, and the site will host several UK City of Culture events in 2013. According to the BBC, money from the sale of Magherafelt Barracks should have

Detectives in Derry have arrested a 32 year old man on suspicion of causing grevious bodily harm with intent and possession of a firearm with criminal intent. The arrest follows a shooting incident in the Creggan Road area on Sunday night last in which a 22 year old man sustained a number of gunshot wounds

The AA is predicting that the price of diesel will go above the price of petrol within the coming weeks, possibly hitting a high of around 1euro 55 cent a litre in Donegal. Speaking on today’s Shaun Doherty Show, Spokesperson Conor Faughnan said VAT and carbon tax increases in next months budget could worsen the

A garda investigation is underway after Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal in Letterkenny was forced to close this morning because of a fire outside the building. There is an ongoing construction project at the school, one of the biggest national schools in the county. Board of Management Chairperson Fr Eamonn Kelly says it appears the fire

Deputy Charlie McConalogue says  a 2% increase in VAT will put serious pressure on businesses in border towns and villages. The Donegal North East TD says Ireland is at the mercy of global economic factors when it comes to currency fluctuations, but we do have complete control over our own domestic VAT rate. Taoiseach Enda

Buncrana Leisure Centre could be faced with closure if it doesn’t recieve immediate funding. Staff at the leisure centre have started an online petition calling on the Town Council and Donegal County Council to make funding available. Management at the facility say it’s vital that they receive support from the councils. Buncrana Leisure Centre currently

New figures out today show that 31 secondary schools across the country send 100 per cent of their students on to third level education, 20 of them fee-paying schools. Only one school in Donegal acheived 100%, St Columba’s Comprehensive in Glenties. Next comes St Catherine’s in Killybegs on 84%, Colaiste Colmcille, Ballyshannon on 80%, Carrick

Donegal North East Deputy Joe Mc Hugh has responded to Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue’s claim that his suggestion that Europe may provide some funding for the  A5 is “loose talk”. Deputy Mc Hugh says while Deputy Mc Conalogue has a responsibility to hold the government to account in opposition, it’s also important that local politicians

Ryanair’s CEO says Donegal will benefit from an expansion of its service at Ireland West Airport Knock in Co Mayo. Four new routes have been announced today, linking Knock with airports near Barcelona, Frankfurt, Milan and Paris. Ryanair says its 14 routes from the airport will deliver over 500,000 passengers a year – sustaining over

There’s been widespread condemnation of a paramilitary style shooting in Derry last night in which a man in his early twenties was shot in both ankles. The man is recovering in hospital after the shooting which happened just before 7.30 last evening at a house in Creggan Hill. A young mother and a group of

Deputy Charlie McConalogue has accused Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh of ‘loose talk’ on the issue of the A5 and expressed his concern that the project may never go ahead. On Friday it was confirmed at the North South Ministerial Council that the A5 upgrade would not be axed- instead the Irish government has set in

The Mayor of Buncrana says the town has been devastated by the news that over forty jobs are under threat at Flanagan’s Furniture. The company closed its doors on Friday. Buncrana Mayor Nicolas Crosson said the news came as a great shock but the owner of the company, Brian Flanagan is making every effort to

Publicans fear more jobs could be lost within the sector – if the Government approves the Finance Minister’s proposal to increase VAT by 2 per cent in next month’s budget. The move to push the VAT rate up to 23 per cent would add an extra eight cents to a four euro pint of beer.

A man in his mid twenties was taken to hospital after being shot in a punishment style shooting in Derry on Sunday. The shooting occurred after 6 p.m. in a house in Creggan Hill. The young man is believed to have been shot in both ankles,  a young mother who was with her young children

A teenage girl has been raped in Derry. The girl was raped at about 315am this morning in the Temple Grove area of the city. Police have released details of the man responsible for the attack. He is believed to have been wearing a dark trench coat and lace-up boots. It’s the second such attack

Over 200 people have attended a public meeting on the proposed Septic Tank charges in Donegal Town. The meeting, which was organised by Senator Brian O’Domnhaill, heard from members of the public who are opposed to the proposed legislation. The meeting was Chaired by Cllr Sean Mc Eniff and a detailed presentation was made by

It has been confirmed that Flannagan’s Furniture has gone in to liquidation. Staff were informed of the new on Thursday, HIghland Radio News contact management on Thursday and Friday to get confirmation of the shock development, however at that time no comment was given. The company recently extended its number of stores to 5 and

Detectives are appealing for information following a report of a serious sexual assault in the Templegrove area of Derry in the early hours of Saturday 19 November. It is believed that at approximately 3.15am, a young woman was assaulted by an unknown male, described as being of medium build, approximately 6’0″ tall, with long hair