Author name: oisinkelly

A number of students protesting against increases to university fees have forced their way into the Guildhall in Derry. According to the city’s mayor, the peaceful protest was only disrupted by “a very tiny minority within the crowd who were intent on causing trouble and did cause some damage”. Colum Eastwood also said Northern Bank […]

Donegal County Council says all priority roads in the county are open and clear, but continued caution is advised on back roads and untreated footpaths, where packed ice is being covered by a layer of water from melting snow, and that’s causing very slippery conditions. Meanwhile, as forecasters say there’s more cold weather to come,

Donegal Councillor Dessie Larkin is refusing to comment on speculation that he may contest the next general election as an independent. Cllr Larkin is not among the four Fianna Fail nominees who will go forward to convention in Donegal North East early in the new year, and that has fuelled local talk of a possible

Anti-VRT campaigner Ryan Stewart has annouced his intention to stand as an Independent General Election candidate in Donegal North-East. Mr Stewart has led a high-profile campaign  against the motor tax and his facebook page has currently over 12,000 supporters. The quota needed to get into the Dail in the 2007 General Election was 9,637. Mr

Letterkenny General Hospitals unfinished multi-million euro A&E and Medical Unit could be open as planned early next year. Donegal North-East Deputy Niall Blaney says the 22 million euro extension could be complete by April. Work on the new three-storey unit has been stalled since last month when the High Court appointed a receiver to McNamara

Letterkenny General Hospitals €3.5 million deficit will be wiped out and they will be able to start from a clean slate in 2011, according to Donegal North-East Deputy, Niall Blaney. A meeting was held on Wednesday night between Health Minister Mary Harney, Deputy Blaney and Letterkenny General manager Sean Murphy to discuss the hospitals future.

A Donegal Councillor has predicted that next week’s Council of Fisheries Ministers meeting in Europe will see a repeat of the annual spectacle of the Irish Minister and fisheries organisations coming back from Brussels and claiming they have secured concessions and averted threatened cuts. However, Cllr Thomas Pringle says the reality is that quotas will

The HSE is investigating an incident where two children were found looking for food in a bin in Kilkenny city centre. The five year olds were spotted by a local social worker who contacted the HSE directly. The President of the local St Vincent dePaul says she’s been left ‘wordless’ by the revelation. Meanwhile, the

North-West MEP Marian Harkin has slammed the Irish government’s decision to cut state supports for Carers in the 2011 Budget. She says that this move will prove a step backwards from ensuring future prosperity. The Independent MEP said the reduction in the national Carers Allowance and cuts to Carers’ tax breaks might save money in

Donegal County Council says it’s vital that people keep an eye on water supplies in the coming days, and report any leaks or problems immediately. As the thaw sets in, the risk of frozen pipes bursting rises sharply, and Acting Director of Services Joe Peoples says further disruption to supplies is possible, but the council

The are fears for the future of the new A5 dual carriageway linking Derry and Aughnacloy after Labour’s Transport Spokesman said it would not be a priority for the next government. Contracts have been signed, and preliminary work is already underway. However, while the budget this week reaffirmed funding for the cross border project, Labour’s

National Schools Castletown N.S St Johnston closed Thursday Cloughfin National School Gael Scoil Cois Feabhail Moville closed Thursday Glasson National School Creeslough Hollybush Primary & Nursery School closed Thursday Lifford National School Murlog N.S. Lifford closed Thursday Raphoe Central N.S. closed on Thurs 9th Dec Scoil Colmcille Greencastle closed today Scoil Colmcille N.S Greencastle closed

Hundreds of families in Donegal will be affected by the cuts to the student maintainance grant announced this week as part of budget 2011. At the moment, qualifying students attending a college over 24 kilometres from their address receive the full grant. However, the chasnges push the distance out to over 45 kilometres. Donegal County

Donegal Senator Cecilia Keaveney is demanding urgent discussions to resolve the suspenion of the Donegal Youth Council. She wants the County Manager and the Department of the Environment to discuss the next move after the expiry of the youth council co-ordinator’s contract yesterday. The council says the governments recruitment ban is preventing it from acting.

National Schools St Eunans N.S. Raphoe closed till Mon Murlog N.S. Lifford closed Thursday Gael Scoil Cois Feabhail Moville closed Thursday St Mary’s P.S. Cloughcor, Strabane closed until Monday Scoil Eoghain NS Moville closed Thursday St Safan’s N.S Castlefin closed Thursday Castletown N.S St Johnston closed Thursday Teevog N.S Cloughan closed Thursday Hollybush Primary &

A body has been found in a flat on the Quay Road in Dungloe. The discovery was made in the past couple of hours. Gardai said they were awaiting a post mortem report but the death is not thought to be suspicious or weather related.

The Environment Minster has been asked to intervene after it emerged that the Donegal Youth Council has been suspended. The decion was made after the youth council co-ordinator’s contract expired and will not be renewed. Donegal County Council cannot appoint a replacement because of the governments recruitment ban. Now Environment Minister John Gormley is being

Donegal County Council has been told that the operation to clear a pod of over 30 dead whales which were washed up on Rutland Island in November will cost over €10,000. The money will have to come from the council’s own resources. Acting Director of Service Joe Peoples told members the clear up operation would

Donegal County Council says a number of areas linked to the Lough Mourne supply will have their services curtailed again tonight. There is also pressure on the Rosses Regional Water Supply, with restrictions expected in the Bunbeg/Derrybeg from Dore Crossroads and Burtonport village as far the old fire station Dungloe. The council is urging people

One of the harshest budgets in living memory was outlined yesterday by the Finance Minister. Brian Lenihan has unveiled tax increases, cuts in social welfare and bringing more workers into the tax net. Six billion euro is to be taken in by way of 1.5 billion in new taxes and 4.5 billion in spending cuts.

A meeting which was to have taken place this afternoon in Moville to discuss how the area can benefit from Derry’s designation as UK City of Culture 2013 has been postponed until the new year, but the organisers say this gives an opportunity to prepare more ideas. The meeting organisers Moville Inishowen Action say Moville

The Back of Errigal Road is to remain closed until at least tomorrow morning after a county council test showed a number of very dangerous icy stretches. Donegal County Council says two routes in Inishowen, the Carndonagh Drumfries Road and the Birdstown Burnfoot Road will also remain closed until at least tomorrow morning. Senior Roads

National Schools Hollybush Primary school Culmore Derry  closed on  Wed  & the open night for thurs 9th is also postponed Airhill National School Ramelton Barrick Street Boys Primary school & nursery unit Stabane closed wed Castletown National School St Johnston closed Wednesday Convoy Joint National School Closed Wednesday Donoughmore National School Liscooley Castlefin Gael Scoil

Another golden eagle has been found poisoned, this time across the border. The young bird, which was reared in Glenveagh National Park after being brought as a chick from Scotland this summer, was found dead outside the village of Killeter in West Tyrone. This is the third golden eagle which have been deliberately poisoned. Lorcan

The next stage in the budget process happens today when the social welfare bill is introduced in the Dáil. The budget passed it’s first major hurdle last night when the Dáil voted to allow for various measures including the increase in petrol and diesel. Meanwhile,  the Taoiseach has again vowed to lead Fianna Fáil into

National Schools Hollybush Primary school Culmore Derry  closed on  Wed the open night for thurs 9th is also postponed Barrick Street Boys Primary school & nursery unit Stabane closed wed St Mary’s Primary school Cloughcor Strabane closed Wednesday Scoil Mhuire Ramelton closed Wednesday Castletown National School St Johnston closed Wednesday St Safan’s National School Castlefin

Up to 10,000 ESB customers are currently without electricity in West Donegal. Thousands of people are without power in Gweedore, Creeselough and Derrybeg. ESB workers are currently on the ground trying to deal with the issue. ESB spokesperson, Brian Montane, says he’s hopeful power can be restored as soon as possible:

Brian Lenihan has delivered one of the toughest budgets this country has seen in living memory. Substantial tax increases, cuts in social welfare and bringing more workers into the tax net are the key features of Budget 2011. If you are on a low or middle income, this budget is going to hurt you the

The County Donegal VEC Living for learning certification presentation to take place tonight in The Radisson Hotel l’kenny has been cancelled For more information call Martina 086 – 6474122 The celi dancing in the old school Kerrykeel tomorrow night is cancelled until next week Children Irish Class in Sion Mills tonight is cancelled The L’kenny

Road conditions remain dangerous this afternoon, with fresh snow falling in parts of Donegal. Donegal County Council kept three roads closed in the county following sleet and snow falls overnight, and Meenaroy has now been closed again. Senior Engineer Michael Mc Garvey says the conditions this afternoon are worse than had been forecast, and the

A Letterkenny Councillor says the re-alignment of the Station Roundabout in Letterkenny is in desperate need of review, as it causing major disruption to motorists since it came into effect recently. Clle Jimmy Harte says he expects the problems will worsen during the Christmas period unless the local authority re-assess the changes. He says he

Unpublished government records show many local authorities are facing “critical areas of vulnerability” due to funding shortages. The records state that county and city councils are experiencing major challenges this year in collecting enough income from rates and charges to pay for vital services like roads, water and housing. Donegal County Council has been described

An inquest has been told how an experienced diver disappeared just five feet from the safety of rocks after a diving expedition went fatally wrong in 2008. 41 year old Ann Howard disappeared off Arranmore Island. Letterkenny Coroner’s Court heard she was an experienced diver of more than 10 years and had been part of

Donegal County Council is warning of black ice right across the county this morning, with three roads closed. They are the Back of Errigal Road between Termon and Dunlewey and two roads in Inishowen –  Carndonagh – Drumfries and Birdstown – Burnfoot. The council says treatment has continued, and it will take delivery of more

SCHOOL CLOSURES Castletown National School St Johnston closed Tuesday Convoy Joint National School closed Tuesday Drumoghill National School closed until Thursday Gael Scoil Buncrana closed Tuesday Gael Scoil Cois Feabhail Moville closed Tuesday Glenmaquinn National School closed Tuesday Hollybush Primary & Nursery school Ardan Road Derry Knockavoe School Melmount Gardens Strabane closed on Tuesday Lifford

Parent are being urged to discouraged the children from throwing snowing snow balls at vehicles and people’s homes. If follows a case in west Donegal in which an elderly woman was trapped in her home by a group of youths who were hurling snowballs at her property. There are also numberous reports across the county

Gardai have confirmed they are investigating the cause a fire at a farm in St Johnston on Saturday afternoon. The blaze broke out in a shed, and was reported at around half past three. 12,000 square feet of shed space was damaged, as were two trailers and other items of machinery. Around 1,500 bales of

Donegal County Council has annnounced that as a result of fresh snow, Meenaroy and the Back of Errigal Road are closed. The situation will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and it’s hoped the routes can be reopened by 4 o’clock.

Derry Councillor Gerry MacLochlainn has today called for an emergency  Council meeting with DRD Road Services to discuss the current snow and ice situation in Derry and to come up with and implement solutions. Cllr MacLochlainn,  a member of the council’s Environmental Services Committee says responsibilities and roles must be clearly identified between the agencies

Fine Gael in Donegal North East has confirmed that the party locally is recommending a one candidate strategy for the next General Election. The party was to have held a selection convention in Letterkenny yesterday, but it was cancelled as a result of the weather. A new date will be confirmed later. Two potential candidates

Donegal County Council is echoing the advice of gardai, saying that all treated roads in the county are passable with care, The council is stressing that all roads were gritted as normal over the weekend, with claims that a full service wasn’t provided. However, the council says roads on Saturday were gritted as normal, but

National Schools Dromoghill National School Dromore National School, closed till Thurs Text system not working Evish Primary School, Strabane Glassan National School Creeslough Knockavoy School Strabane Lunnagh National School will at 10am Magherabeg national  school Manorcunningham Scoil an Linbh Íosa Carrigans Scoil Colmcille Fintown closed till Wednesday Scoil Eoin Baste, National School Carrigart Scoil Mhuire

Households served by the Lough  Mourne Supply are likely to experience disruption to services tonight, with people across the county urged to conserve water as much as possible. The following is the text of a statement issued by Donegal County Council. Donegal County Council continue to record an increase in demand on a number of water

Donegal County Council is again afvising against unnecessary journeys as compacted snow once again freezes, leaving treacherous conditions on untreatedoads and on footpaths. This is the text of a statement issued by the council this evening. Weather alert issued by Donegal County Council this evening, 5th of December 2010. Donegal County Council are managing their limited

Gardai are advising people to continue to exercise extreme caution on the roads, with black ice now a major problem. Motorists are asked not to make unnecessary journeys, and gardai say people should use public transport where possible. Gardai are urging drivers to be conscious of the safety of pedestrians, and they’re urging pedestrians to

A heartbroken father has told an inquest in Letterkenny how he found his young son floating in a French swimming pool after he left him for just two minutes. John Brady had been holidaying with his wife and four sons in Frejus when the accident happened in May of this year. The jury found in

A shortlist of seven places and events in Donegal has been drawn up by the Western Development Commission, with one of them to be named as one of the “Wonders of the West”. The Donegal shortlist was drawn up from over 1,000 nominations, and now, the public can vote for one of the Donegal entries

Fine Gael’s Donegal North East selection convention, which was to have taken place tomorrow evening, has been cancelled. Constituency Chairperson PJ Hannon has confirmed that two nominations had been received by the deadline last evening, sitting Deputy Joe Mc Hugh and Cllr John Ryan. They are the names that will go before convention, whenever it

The latest tax defaulters lists shows that 2 settlements in excess of 1 million have been made with the Revenue Commissioners. During the 3 months to the end of September last – a total of 72 settlements were made – amounting to over 13 million euro. There were four major settlements in County Donegal the