Author name: oisinkelly

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 […]

A Labour party survey has found one in every four primary schools in Donegal have problems meeting demand for spaces. A rise in enrolment figures and a lack of progress on school building projects are being blamed for the reason why increasing numbers of schools are having to turn pupils away or operate at over-capacity.

The mother of a man who had shots fired at him during an attempted abduction in Strabane has told the BBC her son has been “terrified” by the experience. It happened in the Melvin Court area of Strabane at about 9 o clock on Wednesday. The man was walking in the area when he was

Foyle MP Mark Durkan is backing a report conducted by by U4D and the Chamber of Commerce which claims that the draft budget discriminates against Derry and the wider North West. Mr Durkan says the report highlights some of the significant deficiencies in the Budget plans from a Derry point of view, particularly in terms

Jamie McGrenaghan will be sentenced today for dangerous driving causing the death of Garda Robbie McCallion. The 19 year old from Kerrykeel, was found not guilty of the manslaughter of Garda McCallion at Letterkenny Circuit Court last Friday. But he has been found guilty of reckless endangerment of Garda Shane Lavelle and Garda Joanne Doherty

A Donegal councillor is calling for more support for festivals in the county, psrticularly from the County Council and Failte Ireland. Cllr Barry O’Neill was speaking events in Donegal took two of the top three prizes at the National Festival Awards Ballyshannon’s Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival won the National Medium sized Festival Award, defeating

There has been a broad welcome to the news that  approval has been given for the Killybegs Coast Guard station to go to tender. The Department of Transport is providing some €1million in its 2011 budget for the facility. The state-of-the-art facility will consist of a three-bay boat and vehicle store as well as adjoining

Irish Naval officers have spotted the largest ever group of killer whales off the coast of Ireland, more than 100 of them have been spotted feeding close to Tory Island. As many as a dozen killer whales, or orca, were spotted close to an Irish Naval Service vessel on patrol 30 miles off Tory Island

It is hoped a new initiative will allow Donegal tap in to the lucrative sailing tourism market. Sail West is a multi million euro initiative which includes West Scotland and the north west of Ireland. 750,000 euro has been allocated to help promote Donegal and the northwest as a sailing desrination and to help fund

It has emerged that Inishowen will be left without a litter warden due to the government’s recruitment ban. Buncrana Town Council has heard that the current litter warden’s temporary rolling contract will not be renewed leaving Inishowen the only electoral area in the county without a warden. Raising the issue, Buncrana Mayor and General Election

The NowDoc service in Donegal has secured a Quality Assurance award from the Royal College of General Practitioners in Northern Ireland. The award praises the additional care taken to ensure that patients with access issues, sensory problems and disabilities are well cared for. It also says the GPs on call were very professional, engaged well

An Bord Pleanala has refused a retention application for an unauthorised mixed used development in Bundoran. The application, in the name of Damien Connolly, involves the retention of 49 apartments, 2 retail units, restaurant and various amendments to a previously approved planning application. The appeal had been lodged by local activist Patricia Mc Cafferty. An

MacDara Blaney, the youngest son of the late Neil T Blaney has confirmed he is going to contest the General Election in Donegal North East. McDara is a member of the new-vision alliance, as is his brother Eamon Blaney who is contesting the election in Dublin. Mr Blaney, who is Dublin based, says he will

Nominations to contest the General Election closed at noon today, with 20 candidates contesting the election in Donegal. Candidates now have until noon tomorrow to withdraw their names before the ballot papers are finalised. There are 11 declared candidates in Donegal North East They are, in alphabetical order – Dara Blaney – Independent Cllr Jimmy

Donegal County Councillor Patrick McGowan has hit out at Sinn Fein for confirming that a cross-border initiative has been granted €4 million in EU funding. Councillor McGowan says this annoucement was premature, although he believes the initiative will go ahead eventually. The Stranorlar based councillor says there is half a million euro shortfall at the

4500 people will emigrate from Donegal in the next two years according to Donegal South West candidate Pearse Doherty. And the ESRI says that countrywide 100,000 of our citizens will go abroad in the next two years in search of work. Across Donegal, bars are witnessing a resurgence of the so-called American wakes of the

The Green Party  has confirmed it is running two candidates in Donegal. In Donegal North East, Business Consultant and part time lecturer Humphrey Murphy will represent the party, while in Donegal South West, solar panel installer and former Donegal footballer John Duffy will run. Speaking to Highland Radio News, John Duffy says while job creation

The people of Falcarragh are being urged to attend a public consultation meeting tomorrow to discuss the proposed new sewerage treatment plant for the area. It is hope that work on the 2.5 million euro project can begin in 2012. This will be the first phase of the scheme which will alleviate pollution in to

Letterkenny Councillor Dessie Larkin has confirmed he will not be running as an Independent candidate in Donegal North East, and intends remaining on as a member of Fianna Fail. Last week, it was widely believed he would be added to the ticket after Deputy Niall Blaney indicated he would not be going forward again. However,

Tanaiste Mary Coughlan has moved this morning to allay fears that the footpath leading up to the new Finn Valley School will not be completed on time. Mayor of Donegal, Cora Harvey, had called on the Government earlier to provide more money for the path. But the Education Minister says although time will be tight,

The High Court  has continued for another four weeks an order restraining a company owned by Francois de Dietrich from reducing its bank account in Ballybofey to €1.7 million. According to the Irish Times the order was granted to two Co Donegal businessmen, who are among a large number of people who invested substantial sums

Letterkenny based solicitor Dessie Sheils has also confirmed that he is to run in Donegal North East. The 34-year-old will launch his campaign in the Raddison Hotel in Letterkenny at 8 o clock tomorrow night. And he says that there is a perception that the “so-called” big parties will dominate Election 2011, but he believes

Independent Donegal County Councillor Ian McGarvey has also decided to run in the General election in Donegal North East. Cllr McGarvey has been a member of Donegal County Council since 2004. He also ran as an Independent in the 2007 General Election. He says he’s believes Independent candidates can represent the needs of small communities,

The Chairman of the Ardara Town Traders, Stephen Mc Cahill(Cathal) has confirmed that he will run as an Independent in Donegal South West. The decision was made at a meeting in Ardara last night. The 51-year-old has been involved in community life in Ardara and the surrounding area for many years. He says he’s running

The Mayor of Donegal is calling on the government to provide more money for a new footpath at Drumboe. The new Finn Valley College campus is nearing completion, and will be open by September. However, Cllr Cora Harvey says there is growing concern amongst parents that the footpath leading up to the new Finn Valley

A Donegal building contractor who ‘faked’ a set of invoice books and failed to make VAT returns of more than €110,000 has been jailed for nine months. Alan James Hynes from Sheercloon, Raphoe, claimed he panicked and had made a false set of books for a four month period between November 2005 and February 2006

One of the Directors of the Bayview Hotel in Killybegs has insisted the hotel is solvent and was closed due to an alleged robbery of cash and goods in excess of 300 thousand euro. There were fears that the appointment of a receiver was imminent after the guest were moved from the hotel last night

The Killybegs Fisherman’s Organisation has backed calls for a cull of seals of the Donegal coast if is found their population needs to be controlled. Fisherman are complaining that an increase in the grey seal population is such that they are decimating fish stocks. There are growing fears that the seals will be culled illegally

Independent candidate Ann Sweeney launched her election campaign for the Donegal South West constituency yesterday unveiling a controversial election poster. At the launch, Ms Sweeney, whose self designed her own election poster, delivered a scathing condemnation of the main party politicians at the launch. Ms Sweeney’s poster contains a word which some people may find

There are conflicting reports coming out of Killybegs following the sudden closure of the Bayview Hotel this morning. Last night, residence of the hotel were moved to a neighbouring hotel and this morning staff were told the hotel was closing. Local Councillor and Independent election candidate Thomas Pringle says he has been told that a

Meanwhile the Co-operating for Cancer Care North West group has confirmed it will not be fielding a candidate in the General Election. The group says it is  being directly asked by members of the public and indirectly by members of political parties if we are going to contest the coming election and has moved to

Highland Radio News understands that efforts are continuing to persuade Fianna Fail Councillor Dessie Larkin to contest the General Election in Donegal North East as an independent. His supporters have spent the weekend gauging support for the Councillor who was expressed his shock at a Fianna Fail decision not to run him as a candidate

Sinn Fein says it would restructure Ireland’s banking debt  in a bid to make the country’s deficit problems more sustainable. The party hit out at what it called the ‘corrupt elite’ in society, blaming cronyism for the collapse of the economy. It says it will endeavour to ensure that taxpayers are no longer taking the

A man in his 50s has died in a road traffic incident  in County Derry. He was a front seat passenger in a car that left the Duncastle Road in Newbuildings and crashed into a wall   at around 11 o’clock this morning. The driver was taken to hospital, but his injuries are not thought to

The has been condemnation of those behind a hoax bomb alert in Sion Mills last night which saw a number of families evacuated from their homes. The alert started around 9pm last night and was declared a hoax after midnight after no device was found. SDLP Chairman of the District Policing Partnership Eugene McMenamin is

It has been revealed that up to 50 jobs will be retained at Gallagher’s Bakery, Ardara following confirmation of the sale of the fresh produce section of the bakery. That information was revealed at a public meeting held in the town last night called in the wake of the news that at least 124 jobs