Author name: oisinkelly

The Donegal man behind a campaign against rising fuel costs has said he and his supporters are prepared to block the country’s ports if necessary. John McLoughlin, who owns haulage company JML, was speaking having taken his protest to the Dail. With the agreement of gardai over 20 lorries and trucks drove to the gates […]

Tanaiste and Health Minister Mary Coughlan says she has been given a guarantee that Rheumatology services will be returned to LGH. A full time consultant has been appointed to Letterkenny, but there are not adequate facilities at Letterkenny General to accomodate clinics, so patients currently have to travel to Manorhamilton. Following a meeting with Cathal

Four of the five independent candidates in the Donegal North East constituency have issued a joint statement criticising what they say is the the attitude of the national media towards independents and smaller parties. Following what they are terming snubs from both Newstalk and RTE,  Independents Ryan Stewart, Betty Holmes, Dessie Shiels and Cllr Ian

Donegal County Council has formally signed the contract for the Letterkenny Sewerage Scheme. The government last year gave approval for the awarding of the €25.8m contract to Response/Severn Trent Consortium for the Scheme. The project includes a new Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sludge Treatment Plant, pumping stations, new stormwater treatment, some trunk mains and a new

A 46-year-old man will appear in court this morning charged with murder and attempted murder following an incident at a house at Derry. The man will appear at Derry Magistrates Court charged with the murder of 49 year-old Paddy Harkin and the attempted murder of a Paul Mythen. 39 year-old Mr Mythen who has an

Islanders off Donegal will go to the polls today, two days before mainlanders cast their votes. The Islands off Donegal form part of the Donegal South-West constituency. 760 ballot papers have been carried to polling boxes in Arranmore, Tory, Inishbofin, Inishfree and Gola. Ferries and small boats have carred 523 papers to two polling booths

Fianna Fail Donegal South West candidate Brian O’Domnhaill is denying that his party leader has intentionally avoided certain constituencies on the campaign trail. With just 2 days until polling day the party leader has yet to visit Donegal. Brian O’Domhnaill says he had asked Michael Martin to join him on the campaign trail in Donegal.

It’s been confirmed that the Managing Director of Gallaghers Bakery has agreed to buy back the fresh bread section of the company, with production staying in Ardara. In 2007, the bakery was sold to IAWS by the Gallagher family, with Declan Gallagher staying on as Managing Director. Last month, the company announced it was moving

Labour’s Education Spokesperson Ruari Quinn has moved to assure voters that the party will not  downgrade Letterkenny General Hospital. Deputy Quinn was in Donegal today when a row broke out between his party’s Donegal North East candidate Cllr Jimmy Harte and Fianna Fail Cllr Charlie Mc Conalogue over Labour pledges to enhance services in Sligo.

Up to seventy jobs may be saved at Gallagher’s Bakery in Ardara after its former owner bought back the Fresh Bread section of the business. Dublin company IAWS acquired the Gallagher’s Bakery in 2007 from the Gallagher family, IAWS was subsequently bought by a Swiss company which last month  announced it was transferring operations to

The Gweebarra Conservation group has said a decision to allow the construction of a wind farm in Glenties will destroy Donegal’s cultural traditions. An Bord Pleanala granted permission for the wind-farm despite 10 parties having expressed opposition or concerns about the development including the Irish Peatlands and Conservation Group. Pj Malloy had initially applied for

The Prime Minister of New Zealand says the death toll from an earthquake in the city of Christchurch may rise. 65 people have so far been confirmed dead, but up to 200 are still trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. Because the quake struck at lunchtime, the streets and shops were crowded. Mary Dunne

A new report has shown an increase of 5.4% in violent crime recorded in Strabane. The information was contained in the PSNI’s 9 monthly performance report on policing in Strabane presented to the Strabane District Policing Partnership It showed that despite the overall increase in violent crime, there was a significant reduction in most offences.

Fianna Fail’s Donegal North East candidate Charlie McConalogue has called on Labour to come clean about it’s plans for Letterkenny General Hospital. Councillor McConalogue claims there have been suggestions within the Labour Party that patients in Donegal could travel to Sligo for breast cancer treatment. Last week Labour leader Eamon Gilmore told an audience in

The Tanaiste has rejected claims by Sinn Fein that she is failing the school children of Donegal by not introducing a major school building programme. That claim was made by Donegal North East candidate Padraig MacLaoghlanin says Sinn Fein. A spokesperson for the Tanaiste says Padraig MacLoughlainn ‘couldn’t haven’t have got it more wrong.’ It

281 people in Donegal contacted the Irish Cancer Society’s Cancer Information Service in 2010 according to figures released by the society today. 88 nights of care were provided in Donegal last year, at a cost of €30,800, while over €24,300 in financial aid was provided to people in the county in 2010. The figures were

The JML diesel protest, which saw hundreds turnout in Letterkenny on Saturday, are set to take their demonstartion to Leinster House on Wednesday. A convoy of 45 trucks left Letterkenny at half past four this afternoon to make their way to Dublin. More and more people are expected to join the convoy on their travels,

Sinn Féin has accused Tanaiste Mary Coughlan of failing the schoolchildren of Co Donegal by not introducing a major school building programme. And Donegal North East candidate Padraig MacLochlainn says Sinn Fein in Government would promise a dedicated list of schools each year to revitalise the county’s dilapidated school buildings or prefabs. He says rather

A report into Ilex, Derry’s urban regeneration company, has said that stakeholders consider it’s performance “disappointing”. The report, by independent consultants BDO, highlights a number of concerns including a lack of delivery on two sites at Ebrington and Fort George. It also flags up delays in a regeneration plan for Derry. SDLP Foyle MP Mark

A man has appeared in court in Derry in connection with a weekend attack in Derry’s Bayview Terrace which left one man dead and a second critically ill in a Belfast Hospital. The dead man was 49 year old Paddy Harkin, the injured man was 39 year old Paul Mythen, who has an address at

The Donegal branch of Claiming our Future will host a discussion and debate with all the Donegal North East election candidates in Letterkenny tonight. The event in the Mount Errigal Hotel is being run in conjunction with the East Donegal Forum. Organiser Annette Patton says it’s clear that while candidates have a local focus, the

A man is still being questioned about the murder of 49 year old Paddy Harkin in a Derry flat in the early hours of yesterday. A second man, 39 year old Paul Mythen with an address at Leck Cottages in Letterkenny, is critically at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. The incident happened in the

More Than 25 people were evacuated on Sunday from a supermarket when gas canisters started exploding in a blaze outside. Thirty domestic gas canisters against a wall outside the Supervalu supermarket in Market Square, Bundoran, exploded as the blaze reached towards them from a parked delivery van. Flames reached more than 30 feet when fire

Police investigating the death of a man in Derry have upgraded their inquiry to murder. The victim, who’s been named as Paddy Harkin, was assaulted in the Bayview Terrace area near Strand Road PSNI station. Another man remains critically ill in hospital. One man is being questioned about the incident.

Truckers from all over the country descended on Letterkenny on Saturday to join a protest against the rising cost of fuel and the impact it is having on the haulage industry. The protest was organised by John McLaughlin. The protestors gathered outside Letterkenny before moving into the town where a crowd of around 200 people

Police  are investigating the death of a man whose body was found in the Bayview area of Derry city. Another man is being treated for serious injuries. The PSNI say one man has been arrested in connection with the investigation and the area around the Bayview Terrace Road has been closed.

Road Hauliers from across the country are in Letterkenny today to protest over the spiralling cost of fuel and the impact it is having on the Haulage Industry. John McLaughlin first muted the idea this week, since then he says, he has been overwhelmed by interest in the protest. He is urging Hauliers, farmers, taxi

Concern is being expressed at long delays for neurology referrals at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. It’s emerged today that it is taking up to a year for what are being referred to as routine neurology referrals to get appointments. However, Foyle MLA Pol Callaghan says the recent radiology scandal has shown how possible urgent cases

An Bord Pleanala has given planning permission for the development of a controversial wind farm in Glenties, with clearance given for 13 turbines, significantly less than the original number applied for. 10 parties had opposed or expressed concerns about the development including the Irish Peatlands and Conservation Group. Pj Malloy had initially applied for permission

The young man critically injured in the early hours of yesterday morning on the outskirts of Letterkenny has died. 20 year-old Shane Bonner, from Convoy was on a life-support machine after being hit by a truck at Lurgybrack Hill  at around 4.20am yesterday morning. It is understood his family allowed his organs be donated. Shane

Friday 18th of February  – Donegal South West In studio was Mary Coughland FF, Thomas Pringle IND , John Duffy GREEN , Pearse Doherty SF and Stephen McCahil IND Part one Part two:

Former TD Dr James Mc Daid has said the collapse in support for Fianna Fail is embarrasing, but he remains a member of the party and is campaigning for Charlie Mc Conalogue in Donegal North East. Speaking on today’s Shaun Doherty Show, Dr Mc Daid said while he lost the Fianna Fail whip in the

The detection of animal and human waste in public drinking water supplies halved between 2008 and 2009 according to figures published today by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, the report finds that, despite improvements, contamination levels of E.coli are still five times higher than found in comparable supplies in England and Wales. In Donegal, there

It’s reported this morning that a 28 year old Donegal man arrested as he tried to board a flight from JFK Airport on Wednesday night has confessed to a hit and run in Pennsylvania  which has left a 32 year old woman seriously ill in hospital. According to the Donegal News, Damian Crossan from Trentagh

Donegal County Council will have a total of 3.1 million euro for Housing Adaptation Grants this year. That includes 500 thousand euro set aside by the council in its budget. The grant is available where changes need to be made to a home to make it suitable for a person with a physical, sensory or

The North’s Roads Minister Conor Murphy has given an assurance that he remains absolutely committed to the A5 project and that it is included in the North’s budget for the next four year term. The proposed stretch of motorway will run from Aughnacloy to Derry completing the A5 between Derry and Dublin. The Irish government

The People Before Profit Alliance has called on Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy to order work to begin immediately on upgrading the Derry-Coleraine rail line. The group claims the project has been postponed twice stating that is not good enough. Alliance spokesperson Eamon McCan says two assurances already from the Minister have come to nothing.

There are fears for the future of the International Fund for Ireland with a crucial vote due to be taken on Thursday evening. Republicans in the US House of Representatives want to withdraw their country’s government contributions, as part of a raft of money-saving proposals. The 25 year old fund was set up by the

The Letterkenny Chamber is offering the public an opportunity to put their question directly to candidates standing in the Donegal Northeast constituency. The Chamber is holding an election debate featuring the majority of candidates for Donegal North East on Friday morning. Chamber president Toni Forrester says business people in Letterkenny and the wider public are

The latest TNS/ MRBI listenership figures show that Highland Radio continues to be the most listened to local radio station in Ireland. Of those that listen to  Radio on weekdays, 67% choose Highland Radio – that is 9% higher than the second most listened to local radio station in Ireland. Highland Radio also has the