Author name: oisinkelly

The Letterkenny Taxi Owners’ Association is backing calls for an all out action by taxi drivers. Spokesperson Hugh Mc Fadden says they are backing the Irish Taxi Council in a dispute with the Taxi Regulator which has seen the regulator’s Dublin office occupied by two ITC members. The taxi council claims its members are being […]

Letterkenny Town Council will this week call on the HSE to immediately employ a Haematology Consultant in Letterkenny General Hospital to replace the one who recently vacated the position. The issue has been placed on the agenda by Cllr Tadhg Culbert, who is himself in remission from leukemia. He says many people in Donegal need

The Donegal Road Safety Working Group has launched its first campaign of 2010, focusing on the dangerous use of mobile phones by drivers. At today’s launch, presided over by Mayor Cllr Brendan Byrne, Donegal Gardai warned they will be increasing their enforcement of existing legislation. Spokesperson Eamon Brown says mobile phone use has now overtaken

The government is earmarking 11-and-a-half million euro for the restoration and upkeep of historical buildings. Minister for the Environment John Gormley is announcing the funding and says over 4 million will go to the Office of Public Works. Newmills outside Letterkenny is the only Donegal project under OPW control to be included. More than 3

Gardai are investigating the death of a 54 year old man near Doochary. The body of the man, named locally as Conal Mc Geehan, was found yesterday at 12 midday It’s understood he had been out on a quad bike which overturned, trapping him underneath. He hadn’t been seen for a number of days previously.

It’s emerged that a quantity of so-called legal highs has been stolen in Letterkenny. Today’s Donegal News is reporting an adult shop was broken into over the weekend. Over €1,000 euro worth of the legal drugs was taken from the adult shop on Letterkenny’s Pearse Road in Friday night / Saturday morning last. Gardai were

A 35-year-old woman has admitted six specimen charges of stealing £64,000 from the residents of a care home on Derry. The woman, Juanita Ferguson of Lower Nassau Street pleaded guilty to the charges relating to the theft which took place in 2005. Judge Des Marinan released the woman on continuing bail but told her that

Senator Cecilia Keaveney has written to Donegal County Council to ask for clarity in relation to the status of the Foyle and Swilly ferries. She says the continual negativity about the Foyle ferry and the lack of an early decision for the Swilly one has had a lasting negative reaction from then to now Senator

A public meeting was held in Carrigart this week to discuss recent job losses in the area and to look at ways the area can move forwards. The meeting was for the Carrigart and Downings area but drew guests from a much wider area Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh says a positive way forward was agreed:

Donegal fire services is to receive eleven new four wheel drive vehicle which the County’s Chief Fire Officer says will improve versatility and the safety of crews. The vehicles will be stationed  across the county at numerous locations. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is funding eight of the vehicles with the

Campaigners opposed to the construction of a telecommunications mast in Drumfries, Inishowen have secured a last ditch meeting with Tetra Ireland, the company responsible for the mast. Hundreds of locals have signed a petition opposed to the mast over health and safety concerns. There has also been calls for the planning process to be more

A Derry group, claiming to be anti-drugs, who have warned they’ll take action on Inishowen drug-dealers, have been told they’re not ‘needed or wanted’. Sinn Fein Councillor Padraig MacLoughlin yesterday sent the message to paramilitary group Republican Action Against Drugs, who’ve threatened to take action against the areas drug dealers. He’s now appealing to them

There is hope that up to 3,000 jobs could be created in Derry. Talks have been ongoing with international investors for a £600 million investment, it is now hoped it is close to fruition. The developer – a company called the Orana Group – is  planning two major developments, one at Crescent Link and one

Donegal Business Week will be officially launched later today. In the coming days a series of high-profile speakers will address delegates. The Donegal County Enterprise Board Assistant CEO is Ursula Donnelly – She says its important that Donegal businesses look to develop new markets. One of today’s speakers is Facebook’s director of online sales and

The government has been unable to give a firm date as to when the long awaited Glenties Primary Care Centre will be provided. It is planned that the centre will provide a wide range of services for local area including GP services, Public Health Nursing and dental services. However despite a site being acquired some

The PSNI in Derry have informed leading members of the dissident republican movement that their lives are under threat. It is understood that at least two dissidents have been approached by the PSNI and told they were under threat. One of the men was informed he was under threat ‘of an unspecified nature’ from members

The Government has failed to fully allay fears over the futures of the Lifford Community Hospital and the Rock Nursing Home in Ballyshannon. Senator Pearse Doherty raised the issue in the Seanad, stating that in recent days concern have been expressed to him that plans are advancing for the closure of the facilities, He said

Leading Derry dissident republican Gary Donnelly was today (Thursday) sentenced to 7 months in prison after he lost his appeal for assaulting a PSNI Inspector. Donnelly (39) from Kildrum Gardens in Derry’s Creggan Estate had been convicted in January of assaulting Inspector John Neal in November 2007 in an incident in which Donnelly sustained a

David Ford is to meet with families of Bloody Sunday victims after he was criticised for calling the Saville Inquiry “pointless”. The Alliance Party leader, tipped to be NI justice minister, made the comment last November in a briefing note which was leaked to the BBC. Sinn Fein had earlier called on him to meet

The Alliance leader has offered to meet the Bloody Sunday families after he was criticised for calling the Saville Inquiry “pointless”. Sinn Fein had said David Ford should meet the Bloody Sunday families. Foyle MLA Raymond McCartney described Mr Ford’s comments as “offensive and hurtful” to the families. He said they would be received “with

The Donegal representative of the Irish Hotels Federation has backed call for a reduction in the minimum wage claiming that overhead costs will force Donegal hotels out of business. Michael Naughten was speaking following The Irish Hotel Federation’ two-day conference this week, it heard how the downturn in tourism and wider economic crisis is creating

A pensioner prosecuted by a council who accused him of running a bar in his garden shed has been acquitted. Donegal District Court heard that Chief Supt Terri McGinn, visited the shed and had no complaints people were being charged by 72-years-old Patsy Brogan at his home in the Bluestack Mountains. Judge Kevin Kilrane said

The Head of the Foyle Hospice has said adults smoking in cars carrying children is tantamount to child abuse and should be a crime. Dr Tom McGinley, Founding Director of the Foyle Hospice, was speaking on this morning ‘Shaun Doherty Show.’ He says it is a widespread problem and you can here his full conversation

A former cabinet Minister has described the speculation over musical chairs among Green party deputies in Government as ‘amateurish’. It’s emerged that party leader John Gormley’s ministerial position could be rotated to Ciaran Cuffe. Donegal Deputy James McDaid says he doesn’t know how a political party could get themselves into such a situation. He doesn’t

A new cross-border agreement is being introduced today that will allow the authorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic to pursue motorists for unpaid parking fines incurred in either jurisdiction. The unpaid fines represent the loss of hundreds of thousands of pounds in revenue. Every year, thousand of drivers who incur parking tickets on either

The Golden Eagle Trust, which was set up in 2001 to reintroduce golden eagles to Ireland after an absence of 100 years, says the project is in serious trouble after another eagle chick was found dead. The eagle, called Conall, was hatched in Glenveagh National Park in April last year and was the first Donegal

The recently appointed Border Regional Director of Enterprise Ireland has said the agency is committed to helping create and sustain jobs in County Donegal. Conor Fahy, has been visiting the county and outlining the range of services available to people in Donegal who wish to start up their own business. Enterprise Ireland has a number

Former Irish goalkeeper Packie Bonner has been announced as the Grand Marshall of this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade. The celebrations take place in Dublin on March 17th. It’s expected that a crowd of over 650 thousand people will line the streets of the cpaital to see the soccer legend take up his role. The

The leader of Sinn Fein on Derry City Council has voiced concerns about the city’s bid to become the UK City of Culture in 2013. Councillor Maeve McLaughlin said she was not opposed to the bid, but she did not support it in its current form. Derry, Sheffield, Norwich and Birmingham have been shortlisted for

It’s been confirmed that work on the Project Kelvin telehouse in Derry will be completed by the end of this month. The Foyle SDLP MP Mark Durkan obtained the update in a written answer from the Norths Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster. The former SDLP Leader says the Northwest will be able to promote itself as

It’s now hoped that the necessary funds will be secured to ensure that Greencastle Breakwater can be completed. North Inishowen Councillor, Charlie Mc Conalogue says he’s confident that a formula has been achieved to save the project. The Government had shelved the project claiming the reason for the decision was that Donegal County Council had

The County Manager has defended his record and has stated that all his actions in his 16 years with Donegal County Council are open to scrutiny. He made his emotional speech to councillors at yesterdays Capital Budget meeting in response to annonymous e-mails that were circulated to councillors. They made a series of accusations against

A rally is being held in Derry this evening to protest against the murder of Kieran Doherty last week. The 31-year-old father of one was gunned down by the Real IRA on the Braehead Road on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday night. Hw was buried yesterday. This evening’s rally has been organised by

The airline Aer Arann has announced a major expansion of its operations at City of Derry Airport. The airline will launch new services to Manchester and Edinburgh which will begin in May. As a result of passenger demand the airline is also moving its morning flight to Dublin from 8.10am to 7.40am The Manchester service

The funeral has taken place  of Kieran Doherty who was shot dead by the Real IRA in Derry last week. The 31-year-old father of one was gunned down on the Braehead Road on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday night. In a statement, the Real IRA said Kieran Doherty had been a senior member

The County Manager is to travel to Dublin to discuss with the relevant authorities the status of the Greencastle Harbour Project. The government has shelved the project claiming the reason for the decision is that Donegal County Council has not provided its share of funding for the 30 million euro project. At a meeting in

It is claimed there is a breakdown in communication between the Gardai and the Office of Public Works in relation to the provision of a new garda station in Carndonagh. From today gardai will operate from the County Council’s Public Services Centre in the town between 10am and 3pm Monday to Friday. This is to

Statistics from the Motorcheck.ie Car Index show that new car registrations in Donegal for the month of February exceeded those recorded last year by 51%. This relates to 335 units for 2010 as compared with 221 in 2009. Total sales for Donegal in 2010 are now 33% ahead of 2009 and with pre-orders building look

Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh has been critical of how the HSE is managing its finances after it emerged that Letterkenny General is to see its budget cut by 16 million euro. The hospital will see the money it has available cut from  114.2 million to 97.8 million euro. Deputy McHugh says the HSE could

A Strabane man who police reported missing and in breach of a court order last Thursday is a former Sinn Fein election candidate in West Tyrone. The PSNI has launched a search operation after 51-year-old Martin Forbes went missing. Martin Forbes, who also goes by the name of Drew, has breached a court order which

The North’s Environment Minister Edwin Poots  is to grant planning approval for the development of an 11.5 hectre Business Park in Strabane The move is being seen as the removal of the last major obstacle in the way of delivering the much needed economic development project for the District. The lack of industrial zoned land

The family of a man found shot dead outside Derry on Wednesday night have issued a statement denying that he was an informer or drug dealer. 31-year-old Kieran Doherty, was found naked and bound on the Braehead Road near the Irish border. On Friday, his family said that he had been the subject of “continuous

Heavy snow fall left roads in a number of areas of Donegal in a treacherous condition on Friday night. Hundreds of motorists were stuck in the Meenaroy area when snow left the road, for a time, impassible. At one stage dozens of vehicle were gridlocked as the road conditions worsened, There were also major delays