Author name: oisinkelly

The HSE says there will be no delays for people who feel they need help or counselling in the wake of the tragic road traffic collision near Clonmany in which 8 men died and one was seriously injured. Agencies involved in responding to the Inishowen Road tragedy earlier this month met in Buncrana yesterday to

Unions are being called to a briefing at Letterkenny General Hospital on Thursday morning amidst concern that two wards may be closed in the coming weeks. Last evening, reports started circulating among staff that two wards would close from September 1st, elective surgery would be cancelled for the remainder of the year, and up to

Donegal County Councillor Frank McBrearty has called on the Minister for Justice to hold a public enquiry into the Garda Investigation of the Carrigans Post Office robbery. The Labour Councillor brought a motion on the matter before Donegal County Council yesterday afternoon. Cllr McBrearty claims access to CCTV footage of the robbery which shows three

Senator Pearse Doherty says he’s been told by Health Minister Mary Harney that the outcome of a review into community hospitals should now be known by September. Once that has been completed, the future of Lifford Community Hospital  and The Rock in Ballyshannon should become clear, and an announcement  about their future will be made.

Donegal County Council is to hold a special workshop to discuss the extension of bye laws regarding the use of jet skis. Cllr Martin Farren raised the issue, calling for specific measures to ensure that jet skis can only be launched from designated sites. Earlier this year, a 13-year-old girl was rushed to Derry’s Altnagelvin

Agencies involved in responding to the Inishowen Road tragedy earlier this month met in Buncrana today to review their strategy, with another meeting planned for September The HSE, Gardai and Buncrana Town Council were among the attendees at the meeting, which also looked at how to advance the road safety message in the longer term.

A Donegal County Councillor says come the end of the year, the council could be facing a financial crisis. Council Management stated today, that the majority of businesses in the County have been up to date with their commercial and water rates payments. Adraft audit report was presnted to council members today, but Cllr Barry

A Donegal County Council is calling for a debate on the local authority’s policy of charging people for using the emergency services. Councillor Thomas Pringle fears that people may try to tackle emergency’s themselves rather than calling 999 and subsequently receiving a significant bill. Councillor Pringle, who is against the charge, says that many people

SIPTU says there are increasing fears that 100 jobs could be lost at Letterkenny General Hospital as the HSE takes action to slash costs in the Western area. The country’s largest union is to ballot for strike action over a HSE plan to cut hundreds of temporary contract jobs this after the HSE’s outgoing CEO

The funeral took place this morning of the toddler who died in a tragic accident at her Letterkenny home. 13 month old Lisa Gallagher died last Friday evening after being accidentally struck by a car driven by her father. It is understood her father had been outside mowing the lawn when he decided to move

A Letterkenny Councillor says that a fire started deliberately to the rear of Glencar Shopping Centre in the town could have spread to the shopping centre if it was for the action of the fire service. Councillor Gerry McMonagle has blamed youths for setting fire to bushes describing their behaviour as irresponsible. He is calling

The public is being urged to have their say at two open Consultation meetings to be held by Donegal County Council regarding the N56 Dungloe to Glenties (Kilraine) Road Scheme. The first takes place in  the Council Chamber, Dungloe Public Service Centre on Tuesday, the second at the Highlands Hotel, Glenties on Wednesday. Senator Brian

Latest figures show that 4.9 million euro has been collected so far through the second property tax in Donegal. This is the 7th highest collection rate in the country. In total 120 million euro has been raised across the country, the largest amount, 22.5 million euro in Dublin. There is speculation that the government will

A 13 month old toddler has died after being struck by a car in Letterkenny. 13 month old baby Lisa Gallagher was fatally injured when she was struck by a reversing car in the driveway of the family home at Drumardagh in Letterkenny. It’s understood the car was being driven by a family member. Gardai

The ten day Dungloe festival gets underway today, culminating in the Mary from Dungloe pageant. Thousands of people are expected to visit the area for the duration of the festival. Spokesperson for Failte Ireland Sheena Doyle says visitors can expect a lot of fun..

The mayor of Donegal says some of the proposals in a new document recommending reform of county and city councils fly in the face of what Donegal County Counil is trying to achieve. The Local Government Efficiency Review Group’s report is seeking savings of half a billion euro. One recommendation suggests that the number of

An extra €50,000 is being provided by the National Roads Authority for works on the proposed Bonagee link section of the Letterkenny Relief Road. It’s now hoped that a specialist ground investigation project can begin next month. Welcoming the allocation, Cllr Ciaran Brogan said it’s an important statement of commitment to the relief road at

Arrangements are being made for a meeting of Inishowen Councillors and development agencies to discuss how to attract more investment into the peninsula. It follows a meeting this week between councillors and Labour Affairs Minister Dara Colleary, who viosited the Public Services Centre in Carndonagh for discussions on what’s needed in the area. The MInister

There’s been a widespread welcome for confirmation that two brothers at the centre of an abuse scandal in Donagh, County Fermanagh have been admitted to a psychiatric unit. James and Owen-Roe McDermott admitted themselves on a voluntary basis because a loophole in the law means they cannot be sectioned. They had been allowed to return

A Donegal Senator has described suggestions from Michael McDowell that the republic make the 12th of a July a national holiday as off the wall, but says bank holidays north and south should be harmonised. Senator Pearse Doherty says that such a move would be good for the Island’s economy. He says that in making

Buncrana Town Council has been told that a plan for responding to tragedy needs to be established in the town and across the Inishowen Peninsula. The proposal has been made by the group BCCS, which says a coordinated response from agencies including the HSE and the emergency services. However, the group is saying it would

Buncrana is in line to host a major high profile event next year, but no more details can be revealed at present according to Mayor Padraig Mac Lochlainn. The news emerged as Town Councillors were told every hotel room in the area is now booked out for this year’s Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland

Six men from Donegal are getting on their bikes for a three day charity challenge to cycle the length of the country. They’ll set out from Mizen Head in Co. Cork today and aim to reach Malin Head by Saturday. It’s all in the name of charity.  The group is hoping to raise funds for

Newly qualified teachers at both primary and post-primary levels will have to undergo a new induction and probationary programme. The reform, which will be announced today by Education Minister Mary Coughlan, is to be phased in from September. Aimed at improving teacher quality, it will involve more rigorous assessment and inspection in the nation’s classrooms.

The Gweebarra Conservation Group in West Donegal is calling for changes to planning laws to make it easier for people to view planning applications. The group was commenting after details of an application for a 38 turbine windfarm outside Glenties appeared online this week. Spokesperson Patricia Sharkey says the fairest way to ensure access would

A bus driver has been left badly shaken after a paint-bomb was thrown at him in the Hazelbank area of Derry. A youth threw the bottle into the open door of the bus on Monday night. The bottle did not break, but the driver was left covered in paint. Translink withdrew its service in the

Gardaí are seeking to interview three people in relation to the murder of Andrew Burns who was shot dead outside a church more than two years ago, the Special Criminal Court heard. Martin Kelly, who is charged with the murder of Mr Burns in Donneyloop in February 2008, made a brief appearance at the court

The Community for a Clean Estuary for Moville has hit out at Senator Cecilia Keavney, after she issued a statement calling for progress on the Moville Greencastle Sewrage Scheme. Senator Keavney said the delay in progressing the scheme is hampering development, and could lead to legal action being taken by the EU, as happened in

A Councillor is bring forward a motion before Donegal County Council which he hopes will put an end to unfinished housing estates in the future. Councillor Mick Quinn is proposing a number of measures include the review of the bond system. A bond is paid to the council which can be spent if the contractor

Senator Cecilia Keavney is calling for progress on the Moville Greencastle Sewerage Scheme, saying that delays in improving infrastructure are hampering development in the area. A proposal to develop a treatment plant at Carnagarve as part of the scheme has been vociferously opposed locally, while confusion reigned for years over whether or not an Environmental

The farmer – who shot dead a man for trespassing on his land – says he would consider the same action, if his life was in danger. It follows the publication of the Home Defence Bill, which allows people to use ‘reasonable force’ against intruders to defend themselves, others or their property. There’s been major

Fine Gael has launched the party’s 9 point plan to support employment and economic development in the border region. The plan, which Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh helped formulate, was launched Cavan in light of the recent announcement of job losses at Quinn Insurance. Deputy McHugh says the plan suggest that job creation agencies and others

The American Ambassador to Ireland has said he’s optimistic legislation will be passed to address the issue of the undocumented Irish living in the United States. Daniel Rooney was speaking during a visit to Donegal during which met with local public representatives and business leaders. Mr Rooney says however that the problem of the Irish

Senator Pearse Doherty has proposed a radical change to how the elecoral system works in Ireland suggesting that the age at which people can vote and be elected to the Dail be reduced. He was speaking at the MacGill summer school on the topic of Ireland’s electoral system and political culture and whether or not

The Foreign Affairs Minister Michéal Martin has defended the Government’s decision not to proceed with the Donegal South West by-election. Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties – Minister Martin said the Government is faced with a choice of either preparing a difficult budget in the Autumn or running a by-election. Sinn Fein is

Fine Gael has defended its decision to accept corporate donations from bankers and builders who owe money to NAMA. It follows newspaper reports of a Fine Gael fundraiser the K-Club attended by construction industry bosses and bank chiefs. The party’s director of elections Phil Hogan says Fine Gael will oppose plans by the Government to

A 26 year old man has been jailed for two years for sexually assaulting a 13 year old schoolgirl in Donegal. Leo Forde of Rathnenney, Laghey in Donegal was convicted by a jury of three counts of sexual assault on the girl in a school shelter in September 2003. Leo Forde said he met his

A 42-year-old Derryman arrested under terrorrism legislation on Friday night appeared in court today (Monday) charged with possessing a weapon that was described as a stun gun. Kieran McCool of Laburnum Terrace in the city was charged with possessing the weapon on July 16 last. The court was told that McCool was stopped in a

One of the country’s leading economists has accused the Government, the church and the GAA of showing a lack of leadership leading up to and during Ireland’s ecenomic collapse. Jim Power was addressing the McGill Summer School in Glenties this afternoon on the theme of ‘Steps to Economic Revovery. Mr Powers said the public has

The Bus Eireann evening service from Dublin to South and West Donegal has been reinstated until the end of August. The service was withdrawn a fortnight ago, with the 5pm bus from Dublin stopping in Donegal Town, leaving Glencolmcille and Dungloe without an evening service. Now. Cllr Brendan Byrne says Bus Eireann has agreed to

A tourism leader in Derry is calling for closer cooperation between service and accomodation providers in Derry and Donegal, particularly in the run up to Derry’s tenure as UK City of Culture in 2013. Martin Crossan is bringing over 30 Derry hotel staff to Donegal tomorrow for a briefing on what’s available, and is hoping