Author name: oisinkelly

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

Taking part in this debate are Labour’s Jimmy Harte, Sinn Fein’s Padraig MacLoughlain,  Independents Betty Holmes and Dessie Shields and Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh – The Green’s Humphrey Murphy was unable to attend. Part one: Part two:

Letterkenny Town Council is to hold a special meeting to discuss how to deal with future cold snaps. The issues on the agenda will include how salt for the treatment of roads can be brought in and controlled by the council. Modifying existing equipment to help keep footpaths clear is also being explored. Chief among

Fianna Fail could be wiped out in Donegal North East, according to a new poll. The first major poll taken for the forthcoming general election locally appears in todays Tirconaill Tribune newspaper. The phone-poll which canvassed 800 voters over Thursday and Friday of last week shows Sinn Fein’s Padraig MacLochlainn with 28% of the vote

A man in his early 20s is fighting for his life in Letterkenny General Hospital folllowing a collision on Lurgybrack Hill close to the Dry Arch. We understand the man was hit by a truck as he walked up the hill.  The accident happened at around 4.20 this morning, with gardai appealing for witnesses to

Wednesday 16th – Donegal North East Fianna Fail’s Charlie McConalouge, Fine Gael’s John Ryan, Independents Ryan Stewart, Dara Blaney and Ian McGarvey. Part one: Part two: Part three:

Donegal man James McClean has been elected national chairperson of People with Disabilities in Ireland. Mr Mc Clean says his first priority will be to push the incoming government to fully implement the national disability strategy. He says the situation facing many people with a disability is becoming intolerable, but the bottom line must be

Labour’s Northeast election candidate has rejected claims that sub post offices in Letterkenny would damage trade on the town’s main street or cost jobs. Councillor Jimmy Harte was responding to concerns expressed at this weeks Letterkenny Town Council meeting at which councillors opposed calls for sub post offices for Gortlee and Glencar. This despite over

Letterkenny Town Council is to examione the possibility of backing new tourism projects in the town. Up to 75% funding is available through Failte Ireland for projects, with the council calling on officials to sit down with the business community to see how potential projects can be identified and developed. The issue was raised by

MEPs have approved new EU rules that will mean greater rights for bus and coach passengers who experience delays or cancellations on trips over two hundred and fifty kilometres. From 2013 will be entitled to compensation and ticket refunds if their trips are delayed over two hours or cancelled altogether. Passengers will also be entitled

A 2011 Tourism Industry Briefing held today in Letterkenny has been told that tourism in the North West can recover in 2011. The event outlined Failte Ireland’s plans for the year, the current tourism outlook and how it is working with the industry members in the North West region. CEO Shaun Quinn says in 2011

Independent Election candidate for Donegal South West Stephen McCahil has called for a change in the way rates are applied to businesses claiming the current system is unfair. Mr McCahil says that as it is, the Central Valuation Office sends an inspector from Dublin who decides what the rate a business will pay based on

Strabane District Council has adopted its rate for the year, coming in with the lowest rate set in Northern Ireland The rate is 1.79% than last year. All parties have welcomed the cut which will  offset to some extent an expected rise in the regional rate which is set in Belfast. Ulster Unionist Cllr Derek

Over the next four days we will host a series of debates ahead of General Election 2011. On Tuesday the focus of our attention was Donegal South West – four candidates were in studio for the debate – Fianna Fail’s Brian O’Domhnaill, Fine Gael’s Dinny McGinley, Labour’s Frank McBrearty and Independent Ann Sweeney. The Green’s

Donegal North East is the only constituency in the whole country that has yet to have a count centre confirmed. The John Bosco Centre in Donegal Town will host the count on the 26th of February for South West, while a number of locations are still being considered for Donegal North East. The returning officer

Letterkenny Town Council has been briefed on its roads programme for the year, with long awaited surfacing on the Kirkstown Road due to start within the coming weeks Meanwhile, members have been told that €30,000 has been made available for safety works on the Circular Road. Cllr Gerry Mac Monagle says that when other funding

A new cross border project  providing health-focused education and training programmes to vulnerable and ‘at risk’ groups across the border counties has recieved a funding boost. €2.2 million in funding has been secured for the multi agency programme from the European Union. The 3-year project aims to improve the health and wellbeing of groups such

A new group seeking to forge closer business ties between Derry and London is inviting firms in Donegal and Tyrone to come on board. London~Derry Connections say in 2006, Greater London purchased over £123 billion worth of goods and services from the rest of the UK and Ireland. The group wants to network with business

Letterkenny Town Council has come out against the idea of sub post offices in Gortlee and Glencar, with a majority of members saying they favour improving facilities at the Main Street post offices, particularly after sorting and parcel services move to a new centre. A lengthy discussion followed a motion from Cllr Victor Fisher that

Derry City Council has increased its rates by 2.25%. For the average household this represents an increase of £20 per annum. The meeting to discuss the rates came on the day it was confirmed that  £8.6m of funding has been allocated for safety works at City of Derry Airport. Chairperson of Policy and Resource Committee,

The INMO has published a five year analysis of A&E performance and trolley numbers over the past five years. The figures show a drop in the number on trolleys at Letterkenny General Hospital over the five years. There were a total of 3,059 patients on trollies in 2006, while last year, the figure was 469.

Independent election candidate for Donegal North East Ryan Stewart, says he does not wish to be seen as a single issue candidate. Mr Stewart has been in the publicly eye, for the most part in his objection to the government’s VRT on cars which he believes is contrary to spirit of EU law. He says

The North’s Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy today has announced that a Public Inquiry will be held into the proposed A5 Western Transport Corridor dualling project. The recent formal consultation attracted over 2,000 objections, and Minister Murphy says it’s important that these issues are fully discussed and debated. The inquiry will be held at a

Letterkenny Town Council is being asked to provide temporary car parking facilities at the site of the old mart in the town. Motions have been tabled for a town council meeting tonight by both Cllr Dessie larkin and Cllr Jim Lynch. Cllr Lynch says the mart in the long term, the mart site can play

A Donegal councillor appointed to the Higher Education Authority by Tánaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan says he will not accept the €8,250 annual fee and suggests others should follow suit. Cllr Brendan Byrne’s appointment last week was condemned  by unions, with TUI General Secretary Peter Mc Menamin calling it “blatant croneyism”. Critics say such

Police in County Derry are appealing for witnesses to a road crash outside Limavady yesterday. 22-year-old Ronald Moore who was from the town died from injuries sustained when the car in which he was travelling crashed on Bishop’s Road at around 3pm. Three teenagers who were also in the car were injured – but not

An Omagh based developer with projects in Tyrone and Donegal has been declared bankrupt. Seamus P Leonard runs Leonard Brothers Construction, one of the best known building firms in west Tyrone. He owns a variety of completed projects and undeveloped sites mainly around Omagh. One of his firm’s most ambitious projects was the Ros Mor

It has been confirmed that people living on the islands will go to the polls on the 23rd of Febuary, 2 days before those on the main land. 760 people have the right to vote on Donegal’s 5 islands of Arranmore, Gola, Inishboffin, Inishfree and Tory. Meanwhile the bookmakers are released their latest odds, reflecting

Jamie McGrenaghan has been sentenced for a total of seven years in jail for dangerous driving causing the death of Garda Robbie McCallion 19 year-old McGranaghan, from Cashel, Kerrykeel, was given five years for wreck-less endangerment of Garda Shane Lavelle and Garda Joanne Doherty on the same occasion. He was also sentenced to three years

The fire service has brought a large fire at a farm in Porthall, on the outskirts of Lifford under control. Ten fire appliances and officers in breathing apparatus extinguished the blaze within a couple of hours. Fire engines from Strabane, Derry, Newtonstewart, Castlederg, Stranorlar and Letterkennny helped tackle the blaze.

Minister for Health Mary Coughlan, has asked the Secretary General of her Department to review the rationale for the total abolition of clinical placement payments to student nurses. The Tanaiste has denied the decision is motivated by the upcoming election or is a pointless exercise with a new government to be in power. Protests have