Author name: oisinkelly

HSE West has issued a statement saying that due to adverse weather today and over the coming days, it may not be possible for the HSE to deliver a full range of care services, including services in people’s own homes. The HSE says Services will be prioritised and those considered essential will be delivered first, […]

Derry Magistrates Court has been told how, on two occasions this week, a 45-year-old Derry man walked into a police station with a knife. William O’Kane of no fixed abode was charged with possessing a knife on Wednesday, and possessing a knife and making threats to kill on Thursday. On December 15th,  O’Kane walked into

Roads across Donegal are in a very dangerous condition tonight, as snow continues to fall in the county. The Back of Errigal and Carndonagh / Drumfries Roads are closed, with problems also reported on the Lifford Castlefinn Road as well. Gardai and council officials are urging people to travel only if absolutely necessary.

The following is a statement received this evening from Donegal County Council – Lough Mourne Water Supply Update – 17th December 2010. Water supplies throughout the Lough Mourne network are under severe strain due to the current weather conditions and Donegal County Council wish to inform the public that the following reservoirs in the Stranorlar Electoral

Donegal County Council has said it has done all that can within its power to boost the county’s salt stocks. From noon today, the council implemented a restricted treatment service on the county’s roads. As reported last evening, the priority list has been split into red and green routes. Only the red routes, most of

SECONDARY SCHOOLS Colaiste Ailigh, Lkenny Carndonagh Community School & musical also cancelled Deele College, Raphoe Errigal College L’kenny Gairm Scoil Chu Uladh, Ballinamore Fintown Loreto Community School Milford Loreto Convent L’kenny Mulroy College Milford PCC Falcarragh Pobhail Scoil Gweedore Derrybeag Rosses Community School Dungloe Royal & Prior Raphoe & exams due today now on Tues

Road conditions across the north and west are treacherous this morning. Overnight snowfall, which persists this morning has left most routes in a very dangerous conditions with a number of minor incidents reported across the county. In the North the PSNI is advising drivers against making any un-necessary journeys. Many schools across Donegal have confirmed

75 new jobs are to be created by the Zeus company in Letterkenny. The company is investing €10m in an expansion and creating 75 new manufacturing jobs over 3 years. The expansion of its facility at the IDA Business and Technology Park, Letterkenny, Co Donegal is supported by IDA Ireland. Its local spokesperson is Joe

City of Derry Airport is currently open and all remaining flights for today are expected to operate normally. Flight disruption is possible over the next few days as snow and icy conditions return. Passengers due to travel over the next few days should check with their airlines for the latest updates. Passengers should check in

Likely coalition partners in the next government, Labour and Fine Gael, are at odds as to whether or not the republic will help fund the A5 dual carriageway project linking Derry and Aughnacloy via Strabane. Labour election candidate Jimm Harte says the money is not there for the project but Fine Gael’s Joe Mc Hugh

Children’s Minister Barry Andrews is being urged to investigate how best to alleviate the uncertainty surrounding the future of Donegal Youth Council. Yesterday it was confirmmed that the council’s coordinator has been reappointed until next March. Senator Cecilia keavney raised the issue in the Seanad last night, asking the minister to outline how youth councils

The Manager of Letterkenny General Hospital says he remains convinced that the new A&E and Medical Unit at the hospital will open as planned in April next year. The unit was very close to completion when Mc Namara Construction, the main contractor on the multi million euro contract went into receivership. Speaking on today’s Shaun

A 25-year-old man accused of unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl has been found not guilty. The offence was alleged to have happened in the defendant’s car when he was 18 on 25th October 2003 in a south County Donegal car park. He admitted at Donegal Circvuit Court this week that he had sex with

Donegal County Council says a greatly reduced salting service will be provided from tomorrow, with the priority road list broken into red routes and green routes. From tomorrow, only the red routes will be salted, with the green routes just being spread with sand and grit. The list was published this evening after a lengthy

The judge has begun his summing up to the jury in the trial of a 25-year-old man accused of illegal sex under anti-rape legislation with a 13-year-old girl. It’s the third day of the trial at Donegal Circuit Court where the man has pleaded not guilty. The offence was alleged to have happened in the

An Bord Pleanala has granted permission for the development of an Equestrian Centre and apartments in Malin. Donegal County Council had already granted permission for the development on the outskirts of the town but that was appealed to An Bord Pleanala on a number of grounds. The planning application for the development on the Lagg

Donegal’s Chief Fire Officer has rejected suggestions that low water pressure hindered the tackling of a major blaze in Raphoe last evening. A number of families had a lucky escape when a house-fire in St Eunan’s Terrace sent smoke passing through their shared attic space – almost choking them. One man was rescued by passers-by

It has been confirmed that a body  found on Lough Swilly Beach yesterday afternoon was that of missing Letterkenny women Una Boyle. The 43 year-old had been missing since last Friday, she was last seen in the Port Bridge area of the town. A major search operation was launched and continued until yesterday afternoon. The

County Councillors meet today having been called to an emergency meeting to discuss the county’s dwindling salt stocks with another big freeze on the way. Council sources say there is only enough salt to treat 1/3 of the county’s roads. It is understood the National Roads Authority has instructed the council cut down their use

A number of families had a lucky escape in Raphoe last night when a house-fire sent smoke passing through their shared attic space – almost choking them. One man was rescued by passers-by after the blaze broke out in his home at St.Eunan’s Terrace around 5pm. But there was uproar among residents when firefighters were

Fears over the future of the Donegal Youth Council have been eased after it was confirmed that the council’s  coordinator for Donegal Youth Council has been reinstated. Youth Council members expressed their concerns for its future last week when the youth council was suspended after the coordinator’s contract expired. However Mayor Cora Harvey has confirmed

The visiting restrictions which have been in place in Surgical Ward 2 of Letterkenny General Hospital since Monday have been lifted. Hospital management is reminding visitors who may be unwell or have had vomiting or diarrhoea recently to not visit any part of the hospital. Similarly, children and those with some other serious illness should

The north west’s two Institute of Technologies have been awarded over €2m in grant aid Sligo IT will receive €1.2million while over €940,000 has also been approved for Letterkenny IT. The funding will facilitate the provision of small-scale building works and high-tech equipment upgrades on both campuses. LYIT President, Paul Hannigan, says the fundning is

Almost 300 new jobs are to be created in Derry. Waterford-based firm Rigney Dolphin, which provides customer service centres for other companies, is to establish a new base near Altnagelvin Hospital. The company has received £1.2m from Invest NI, and is expected to generate over £4m annually over the next three years. Derrys Deputy Mayor,

Three men from the North arrested after gardaí received a tip-off that dissident republicans were about to carry out a “tiger kidnapping” in Co Donegal earlier this year were jailed for membership of the IRA at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today. 46-year-old Gerard McGarrigle of Mount Carmel Heights, Strabane, 58-year-old Desmond Donnelly of,

Northern Irelands Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has confirmed that money will be available for the proposed Radiotherapy Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. Delivering his draft budget to MLAs at Stormont today Mr Wilson said even in the most difficult financial situation, health service funding will be ring-fenced. Recently there were growing concerns that the

It is expected that Donegal County Council will announce a major overhaul of what roads in the county are to be treated during the expected cold snap. Sources suggest the local authority will only salt about 370km per night, this compares to 1200 km when salt stocks are full. It is understood the National Roads

A Fianna Fail County Councillor has called on responsibility for maintaining Donegal’s salt stocks to be returned to the council with NRA’s response to the recent cold snap being described as abysmal. Forecaster predict another cold spell in the coming days, however the Council has admitted that salt stocks are low, despite appeals to the

It is being claimed that EU recognition of an emerging fishery could prove to be good news for Donegal. In Brussels overnight EU fisheries ministers hammerred out a difficult compromise deal over the allocation of quotas for 2011. In the whole, the industry was facing a 22% reduction in quota however there will now be 

The trial continues today at Donegal Circuit Court of a 25-year-old man accused of unlawful sex with a girl when she was 13 years of age. The offence is alleged to have happened at a South Donegal beach on a date in October, 2003. The man has pleaded not guilty. The girl is now aged

Patrick McGinley has been selected as the new President of the Letterkenny Chamber replacing out going president Paul Byrne. It follows the Chamber’s AGM last night  at which a new Chamber Council was also elected. Patrick McGinley said his new role will be challenging, predicting the intense negative effect of the economic downturn will continue

A Derry couple have won £24,000 in damages and costs after a European Court ruled that UK law breached their right to marry and enjoy religious freedom. Judges at Strasbourg’s Court of Human Rights said they had “grave concerns” about the UK law designed to stop sham marriages. Nigerian national Osita Chris Iwu and his

The Inishowen Tourism Society will be awarded the retention of their manager and 4 and a half full time posts. Welcoming the news Senator Cecilla Keaveney said the job potential of the tourism sector will be supported by this announcement. Senator Keaveney says she believes there is now scope for Inishowen tourism to fulfill it’s

There has been a warm welcome to the news that Irish television stations including RTE Digital are finally being made accessible to audiences in Northern Ireland. The Irish television stations RTE and TG4 will be available on Freeview. It is part of a deal which is also expected to include greater access of BBC services

Donegal County Councils salt levels are currently low, but they say they are trying to manage as best they can. The gritter lorries will be out on the Countys roads tonight and over the next number of days as another cold snap is set to hit the NorthWest again. Senior Engineer with Donegal County Council,

Sinn Fein has condemned the Labour Party’s warning that a  funding commitment from the Republic for the upgrading of the A5 to dual-carriageway status may have to be reviewed. Labour TD Joe Costello said the party, if it is in power after the next general election, will have to look at all major infrastructure projects,

The trial has opened today at Donegal Circuit Court of a 25-year-old man accused of unlawful sex with a girl when she was 13 years of age. The offence is alleged to have happened in south Donegal on a date in October, 2003. The man has pleaded not guilty. The girl is now aged 20.

It is reported that Buncrana Town Councillor Lee Tedstone has quit the Fine Gael party. It is understood the town’s former Mayor has already tendered his resignation to Fine Gael and will formally notify his fellow Councillor at this weeks monthly meeting of the council. Councillor Tedstone has so far declined to comment or to

The Minister for Older People says the abuse and neglect of older people uncovered in last night’s Prime Time programme is totally unacceptable, very upsetting and most disappointing. The programme has prompted many calls for urgent regulation of the home care sector and the HSE is now conducting a review into the standard of care

Letterkenny Town Council is being asked to allow a second planning application to be submitted at a site where a previous application was turned down. At present. there is a derelict house at the corner of College Farm Road and Convent Road, and a previous application to allow apartments at the site was turned down

Wreckage at a Garda station and on a Garda car has been recounted at Donegal Circuit Court when a man admitted violent disorder and criminal damage. Sgt Jim Collins recalled that Paul McBride phoned twice seeking his van keys when his brother was held at the station for drink-driving. At 4.50 a.m. on August 30,

Changes to the primary school bus transport qualifications will interfere with the education of local students, according to Donegal North-East TD Joe McHugh. He is to challenge Education Minster, Mary Coughlan, in the Dail this week to clarify the changes to the distances for qualifying primary school students for school transport. Deputy McHugh says the

Donegal Circuit Court has heard how three teenagers set fire to the furniture in a gate lodge house in Mountcharles, south Donegal causing €60,000 in damage. One of them, a girl who was 15 at the time,  and now has a nine-months-old baby girl, Donegal Circuit Court was told. The girl, who cannot be identified

Motorists get one half hour of on street free parking in Letterkenny from today, with charges then kicking in after the first 30 minutes. Last night, Letterkenny Town Council adopted its new parking by-laws, with notices to be published in the press outlining changes before the new laws can be implemented. However, because the issue