Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal North East Deputy is accusing the Department of Agriculture of discriminating against Donegal, as rules coming into force next week on the electronic tagging of lambs for export. However, Deputy Mc Hugh says while such tagging makes sense if sheep are being exported internationally to Europe or further afield, the rule also applies to […]

A leading housing charity is forecasting a sharp rise in the number of people in mortgage arrears  this year. New figures published by the Financial Regulator today revealed a 13% increase in accounts in arrears during the first three months of the year. By the end of March, over 32,000 account holders were not making

The remains of a small bomb have been recovered in Strabane. A security alert in Springhill Park, Strabane, began at half past eleven this morning, following a report of a suspicious object. It’s believed a device was thrown at a house in the area and exploded. The property was unoccupied at the time. A number

Gardai have seized a significant quantity of suspected stolen goods as part of an ongoing investigation into criminality in the Donegal garda division. During an operation in the Isle of Doagh area of Inishowen last evening a number of items were seized. These included a jeep, quad and electrical equipement including tvs, mobile phones and

Donegal’s Veterinary Officer has called on the dog owners in the county to take proper responsibility for their pets after figures released show that Donegal puts down more dogs than any other county in Ireland. Last year 874 dogs were taken with almost 750 of those being put down – of that figure 105 were

The Friends of Lifford Hospital Group have said they are ready to take their campaign national. Earlier this week the organiser of the “Save the Wexford Hospital” protest called on all the hospital campaigns to come together, to organise a mass demonstration in Dublin. Closures of community hospitals throughout the country are expected, although nothing

Ardara based Fine Gael County Councillor Terence Slowey may be about to step down from his seat. Newspaper reports suggest that Councillor Slowey has been asked to vacate his Donegal County Council seat by his party in the wake of an expenses controversy earlier this year. In January Councillor Terence Slowey admitted claiming expenses for

A Fine Gael bill proposing that bye-elections be held within six months of a vacancy arising in a constituency has been defeated in the Dáil. The Government’s side won the vote 72-68. Bye-elections are due in three constituencies: in Dublin South, Waterford and Donegal South West. The Donegal South West seat has remained vacant for

An inquest in Derry has been told how a Castlederg girl choked on an uninflated balloon last year, just two days before her 11th birthday. Dreena Harron wept after hearing coroner John Lecky describe her daughter Clarice’s death as  “absolutely devastating”. The inquest heard how on November 7, parents Gerald and Dreena Harron and daughter

Sinn Féin have confirmed that local community activist Mary Kelly will be coopted on to Buncrana Town Council next month to replace former councillor Darren Lalor, A convention will take place in the town on Tuesday next, with Ms Kelly unanimously nominated as the party’s sole candidate for selection. Cllr Padraig Mac Lochlainn says Mary

Workers in the retail sector in Donegal are being urged to become unionised. The trade union Mandate is organising a major recruitment drive in the county this week, with Divisional Organiser Ciaran Campbell saying many retail workers have experienced significant reductions in living standards through deteriorated terms and conditions. He says in some instances, this

The long-awaited report on the Bloody Sunday killings in Co. Derry will be published in just over a fortnights time. 14 people died after soldiers from the British Parachute Regiment opened fire on crowds during a civil rights demonstration on January the 30th, 1972. Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness says the British Prime Minister has kept

Meanwhile, the HSE says that no decisions have been taken on the future of Community Hospitals in Donegal, with fears that the Ropck and Shiel Hospitals in Ballyshannon are at risk of closure. The issue was raised by Donegal representitives at a meeting of the HSE’s regional health forum in Galway this week. One of

The long-awaited report on the Bloody Sunday killings in Co Derry will be published on June the 15th. 14 people died after soldiers from the British Parachute Regiment opened fire on crowds during a civil rights demonstration on January the 30th, 1972. Reporter Mark White the Saville enquiry has taken a very long time. “12

Repair works are to begin in the coming weeks on the N56, the main road in the Glenties electoral area. The road was badly damaged in places due to the frost during the winter. It was annouced at the Committee meeting for the Glenties electoral area yesterday that 525,000 euro has been allocated for repairs.

People locally are being treated unfairly twhen applying for Job seekers allowance, according to local Councillor Mick Quinn. He has attacked the manner in which the rules governing  the use of habitual residency are being used by the Department of Social and Family affairs to determine someones entitlement to sign on. Councillor Quinn, says its

A Fianna Fail County Councillor has said there will be murder, metaphorically speaking, if the government go ahead with reported plans to scrap town councils. Sean McEniff, who also sits on Bundoran Town Council was responding to news that town councillors are to be ditched in a radical shake-up of local government planned by Fianna

Children in Derry have been warned by Sinn Fein not to get mixed up in so-called recreational rioting this summer. Previous holiday periods and marching seasons have been marred by violence at interface areas on both sides of the city. Brandywell councillor Patricia Logue has appealed to parents in Derry to ensure their children don’t

The north coast of Donegal is currently “teeming” with a record number of basking sharks, according to marine researchers. More than 100 of the world’s second largest fish were tagged by the Irish Basking Shark Study Group off Dunaff and Malin Head within the past week. This compares with 106 tagged during the entire season

North West MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher says the go ahead has been given for the long awaited Glenties Primary Health Centre to go to tender, with construction to begin later this year. The facility has been on the agenda since Mr Gallagher was a Junior MInister in the Department of Health, and last week,

Health Minister Mary Harney has indicated she would consider the development of a new communuity hospital in Lifford, possibly as part of a Public Private Partnership. Senator Brian O’Domhnaill says he spoke to Ms Harney in the wake of Sunday’s march in Lifford, and they plan to meet again in the coming days. He says

A 65-year-old man who was extradited from County Donegal was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life after he pleaded guilty to 25 sexual abuse charges and two counts of assault. He also admitted assaulting his ex-wife on two different occasions. The man who cannot be

Two young men have died in a crash in the Fanad peninsula. One of the men has been been named locally as 18 year old PJ Crerand from Kilmacrennan Road, Milford – he was a front seat passenger of one of the vehicle involved in the collision. The driver of that car, a 19 year-old

Police have seized 20 bags of suspected mephedrone during a drugs operation. The bags of white powder were recovered during a search by police officers in Castlederg, Co Tyrone, on Friday, but details have just been released by the PSNI. The seizure is believed to be the first of its kind in the North West

After thousands turned out for a protest against the possible closure of Lifford Hospital on Sunday, calls are now being made for a national demonstration. The organiser of the “Save Wexford Hospital” protest wants all the hospital campaigns to come together, to organise a mass demonstration in Dublin. Closures of Community Hospitals throughout the country

The decision proposed change to the Letterkenny and Environs Plan allowing for a new bridge over the Swilly at Oldtown has been deferred. A Letterkenny Town Council meeting to endorse the proposal was adjourned today, when it emerged the changes could lead to the demolition of a house, and seriously impact on two other properties.

An Inishowen councillor is to raise the issue of restricting the use of jet-skis on all Donegal beaches after a girl was injured in an accident involving one of the vehicles on Sunday. The girl, thought to be in her early teens, was injured when she was thrown from a jet ski on to rocks

Fine Gael has claimed that government is running scared of holding the Uduras Na Gaeltachta elections for fear that they will lose their representation on the board. The elections were due to take place in April but the government says they will not take place this year because it wanted to finalise a new 20-year

The impact of border service on soldiers, gardai and other frontline services is being explored by a new group which will have its inaugural meeting tonight. The Ex-Border Personnel Association was formed on foot of a research project  looking at the experiences of Irish soldiers who served during the Northern conflict. Areas of concern that

Thousands  of people took part in a protest march in Lifford yesterday against the closure of the local Community Hospital. Organisers of the protest said the huge turnout reflected the sense of anger and opposition to any plans there may be to close the hospital. Our reporter Barry Whyte, was at yesterdays protest and you

Figures published today show that Donegal had one of the biggest wage bills in the country for Councillors. The Figures in the Irish Times show that Donegal County Councillors received a total of 910 thousand euro. Of that the Mayor recieved 43,600 euro while the total amount of gratuities paid was 139,600 euro. Payments recieved

More than 450 people will hear today if they’re facing blood tests as part of a Hepatitis C scare at a number of hospitals in the Northwest and West, including Letterkenny General. A review of patients was undertaken when it was discovered a surgeon who worked at three facilities between 2004 and 2008 had contracted

The family of a woman who was found dead more than two years after she disappeared from a Bray nursing home is being pursued by the Department of Social Protection for €80,000 amid claims she received too much in pension payments. 78 year old Maura Reynolds, originally from Donegal, disappeared from the Tara Care Centre

Police are investigating a suspected pipe bomb attack in Strabane. The device was thrown into a car at O’Nolan Park at around 1 o’clock in the early hours of Sunday. People living close to the scene of the attack were evacuated from their homes while the device was examined, they have since been allowed return

A 25-year-old man has been shot and beaten in an over night attack in Strabane. The man was in bed with his partner when the front door of their Glebe Gardens home was forced and two masked men entered their bedroom. The man was beaten with a bat as he lay in bed. One of

Hundreds of people are expected to converge in Lifford on Sunday afternoon to take part in a protest march against the closure of Lifford Community Hospital. There is great concern that the HSE intends to close the hospital, with the IMPACT trade union going as far as to say that the decision has been made.

A 65-year-old man who was extradited from  Donegal will be sentenced on Monday after he admitted indecent assaults and committing gross indecency on his daughter and his niece. The man who cannot be named for legal reasons appeared at Dery Crown Court where he admitted 19 charges of indecent assault and six charges of gross

A man who is paraplegic has been jailed for three years by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for INLA membership linked to a kidnap plot in Cork. 44-year-old Edward McGarrigle from Strabane was convicted last July of INLA membership in February 2008. His sentencing was adjourned after McGarrigle, who has been confined to a

A 32-year-old man has been ordered, as a condition of bail, to see his doctor to get help for mental health issues. David Howard Mallon, of Mosley Park, appeared at Derry Magistrates Court charged with making threats to kill and assaulting his partner. Derry Magistrates Court was told that 32-year-old David Howard Mallon also faced

The HSE is recalling hundreds of patients in the West and North West for Hepatitis C screening. It follows confirmation that a staff member at three of the regions hospitals was infected with the disease. The healthcare employee worked in Letterkenny General Hospital, University Hospital in Galway and Mayon General between 2004 and 2008. The