Author name: oisinkelly

The Tánaiste says the Government’s being “cautious” about new figures showing the country’s emerging from recession. While the economy has declined in the past year, the Central Statistics Office says there was slight growth in Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter. But when foreign multinationals are excluded Gross National Product shrank by 1.4% between […]

Health Minister Mary Harney has met briefly with Senator Cecilia Keavney to discuss the lack of arrangements for infant post mortem examinations in Donegal. The possibility of a cross border agreement for the sharing of services was one of the issues discussed. The lack of a designated Pediatric Pathologist above the Galway to Dublin line

A Donegal County Councillor has launched a scathing attack on the County Manager claiming his commitment to the county centres purely on Letterkenny. Stranorlar Councillor Patrick McGowen, who has long claimed his area is the poor cousin of Letterkenny, has gone further this time questioning if the county manager has any interest in the rest

New figures show Strabane has the highest percentage rate of unemployment in Northern Ireland. 6.9% of the working age population of the town are claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance. In the Derry City Council area, 6.8% of people are out of work. The figures were published as the Mayor of Derry leads a cross party delegation to

Donegal County Council is to lobby the government to have the country’s islands vote on the same day as the main land in any forthcoming elections. Currently islanders vote a few days in advance of the rest of the country and it is has been claimed that as a result many who work away are

Garda Gary Mc Loughlin who was killed in the line of duty in Co. Donegal has been laid to rest. Hundreds of people turned out in Fenagh in Co. Leitrim to pay tribute to the 24 year old who died from injuries he sustained in a crash on Sunday morning. The Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy

A Scotsman has been sentenced to 12 months jail for trying to hold up a Bundoran bank with a hairbrush during a St Patrick’s weekend binge. Donegal Circuit Court was told that 48-year-old Anthony McNulty was visiting Bundoran with in-laws. After watching Celtic beat Rangers on a pub tv he awoke with a hangover and

Fine Gael has been accused of playing populist politics by calling on Donegal County Council to cuts commercial rates by 8.5% next year. Ahead of the council’s budget next week the party claims the cut, which would cost the council 1.75 million euro in income, would be a much needed boost to businesses and would

There are calls for Donegal County Council to drastically reduce the cost it charges for providing a water metre with claims that small farmers are being driven out of the industry because of high costs. Currently there is a standing charge of 290 euro per metre, this regardless of whether the consumer is a small

The man due to be questioned about the crash which claimed the life of one garda and badly injured another had been banned from driving for 15 years and should have been in prison. Martin McDermott of Raphoe had 79 previous convictions and is expected to be questioned by gardai on his release from hospital

A judge has expressed frustration over the trial of five men accused of a string of sex offences against a girl when she was 12 and 13. Judge John O’Hagan was told at Donegal Circuit Court that the trial earlier this year of a sixth man took two weeks. Judge O’Hagan noted that four Circuit

EU fishery talks have ended in Brussels with fishing groups expressing qualified satisfaction over the result. The issue dominating the meeting from an Donegal perspective was the fallout for mackerel fisheries following the break down of the EU Norway talks last week. The European Commission was initially recommending a 50% cut in the mackerel quota

Letterkenny Town Council is urging officials to get tough on unauthorised developments. A number of council members have raised concerns about an unauthorised development which has been operating in the town in recent weeks. Members said at a time when businesses who pay their rates and water charges are facing unprecedented difficulties, it is utterly

Fine Gael’s Agriculture and Fisheries Spokesperson says Former Marine Minister Frank Fahey should appear before a full Oireachtas enquiry on foot of the Ombudsman’s special report on the Lost at Sea scheme. The report, which recommends that almost quarter of a million euro in compensation be paid to the Byrne family from Donegal who were

A protest took place today outside the council offices in Carndonagh against the erection of a telecommunications mast in the Drumfries area. It’s the latest in a series of protests across the county as Tetra Ireland continues the roll out of  the National Digital Radio Service. Tetra secured the government contract to provide the network

The number of planning permission applications being granted for houses in Donegal has plummeted by almost half in one year. Figures from the Central Statistics Office show a national drop of 53.5 % in the third quarter of the year, compared to the same time last year. In the third quarter of 2009 there were

Donegal’s Crime Prevention Officer has urged people to keep an eye on their neighbours in the run up to Christmas to help avoid crime. There have been a number of reports of people, particularly the elderly, being targeted by callers to their homes pretending to offer a product or a service in an effort to

Its been reported this morning that the 24 year old man involved in the collision, in which Garda Gary McLoughlin was killed, had been banned from driving. The remains of Garda Gary Mc Loughlin have been returned to his native Co. Leitrim. The 24 year old officer died from injuries he sustained in a crash

It’s emerged that planning permission has been granted to Tesco Ireland for a second access road out of Letterkenny Shopping Centre, to connect onto the Port Road. Councillors had previously opposed the application, but were told by County Manager that the application was judged on it’s merits, with the views of councillors taken on board.

Fine Gael’s Agriculture and Fisheries Spokesperson says Former Marine Minister Frank Fahey should appear before a full Oireachtas enquiry on foot of the Ombudsman’s special report on the Lost at Sea scheme. The report, which recommends that almost quarter of a million euro in compensation be paid to the Byrne family from Donegal who were

Fourteen people, nine women and five men, have been returned for trial to Derry Crown Court charged in connection with a protest at the Raytheon arms manufacturing plant in Derry in January. The fourteen with addresses in Donegal, Derry, and Leitrim face an array of charges including criminal damage, assault on police, obstructing police and

Taoiseach Brian Cowen will visit Buncrana Garda Station this evening to pay his respects to the friends and colleagues of a young garda who died last night following a road crash in Inishowen. 24 year old Garda Gary McLoughlin from Co. Leitrim lost his fight for life in hospital overnight, after he was injured in

A special report on the investigation into the ‘Lost At Sea’ scheme prompted by a complaint made by a Donegal family has been passed on to the Dail and Seanad, after the findings were rejected by the Department of the Marine. While the department is free to do so, this is only the second time

A Donegal priest has been refused permission to bring an appeal against his conviction for raping a teenage parishioner in a church sacristy to the Supreme Court. 51 year old Daniel Doherty of Carrigart argued prejudicial evidence was put before the jury at his trial in 2006 at the Central Criminal Court. He was found

The Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy says he’s deeply saddened by the death of a young officer in Co. Donegal. 24 year old Garda Gary McLoughlin lost his fight for life in hospital overnight, after he was injured in a crash while on duty in Buncrana in the early hours of yesterday morning. The crash happened

More than 300 workers at Stream International in Derry are out of work after the company failed to secure any new contracts. Stream , which provides support services for technology companies has struggled to find new business during the economic downturn. In August, the 300 workers at the Derry facility were put on 90-day notice.

Delegates attending a weekend conference on Arranmore Island have signed a decleration calling on the EU and government to lift restriction to allow them to fish. The international conference took place on Saturday and was attended the European Small Islands Network, International fishing organisations and local fishing and political representatives. Local fishermen want laws changed

Key talks between with EU Fisheries Ministers and Irish fishing representatives get under way today on a number of proposed measured which could severely impact fishing industry off the northwest coast. There are proposed cuts in key fish quotas and strict new technical measures which is claimed will effectively mean the closure of the mixed

Politicians on both sides of the border have been urged to support the peace process. The plea from the Taoiseach Brian Cowen, comes as his government meets his Northern counterparts for a series of cross-border talks. Brian Cowen is expected to confirm that, despite the difficult economic climate, the Government will continue funding a number

A 24 year old Garda has died in hospital after he was injured in a crash close if Lisfannon while on duty in the early hours of yesterday morning. Gary McLoughlin, who was stationed in Buncrana, was hurt when a car he and a colleague were pursuing turned around and drove straight at their patrol

Three people, including two Gardai, have been injured in a road crash in Donegal. The two-car collision happened on the Letterkenny to Bridgend Road at Lisfannon at around half past one this morning. The two Gardai were taken to Letterkenny General Hospital where one of them is said to be in a serious condition. The

Four men have been assaulted in separate attacks in Derry. A man was dragged from his van by three men in the Fountain area shortly after 9pm on Friday and his hand broken in the door of the van. In the early hourd of Saturday , a 20-year-old man was attacked outside a shop on

There has been strong condemnation of two punishment shootings in Derry overnight. Shortly after six o’clock last evening two men were taken into an alleyway at Central Drive in Derry’s Creggan area and shot in the legs. When police attempting to help the men they were attacked by groups of youths throwing missiles and fireworks.

Donegal’s Island fishermen have accused the government, EU and fishing representative groups of not doing enough to protect what they see as their right to make a living from fishing. In 2006 the government banned salmon fishing for boats of a certain size, most fishermen took up a buy out scheme to exit the industry

Fine Gael Deputy Joe McHugh has said it is puzzling why the Transport Department has yet to respond to a Donegal County Council application for funding to improve a road in Fanad one year on. On 12th December 2008 the Council sought €1.5m from the Department of Transport for a Fanad roads project that would

Police are appealing for information after a baby girl died after allegedly being assaulted. The 15 month old was taken to hospital following an incident at a house on Thursday night in Enniskillen in Co. Fermanagh. She lost her fight for life yesterday afternoon at the Royal Victory Hospital in Belfast. A 30-year-old man has

The mother of a teenager killed in an accident outside Derry last year has described the sentence handed to the driver of the car as a “joke”. 26 year old Martin Anthony Paul McGonagle from Sandbank Park in the city, was jailed for two years for causing the death of Ciaran Doherty by dangerous driving.

Envioronment Minister John Gormley says his department is reviewing contract documents for the Glenties & Dungloe Sewerage Schemes, and will liaise with Donegal County Council to advance priority schemes. He was responsing after Senator Brian O’Domhnaill told the Seanad that tenders should be sought immediately for treatment works and pumping stations in both towns. Senator

A management scheme to oversee how aquaculture is coordinated on Mulroy Bay has been launched today in Milford. The Mulroy Bay CLAMS iniative is part of a national management plan for the development of local bays and loughs in Ireland for aquaculture. It’s backers say it provides the development of aquaculture in a sustainable manner

Letterkenny General Hospital is one of four around the country which are taking part in an initiative to raise awareness of the extent to which alcohol is a factor when people attend A&E. As part of the programme, people will be asked about their drinking habits when they arrive in the emergency department, and advice

Donegal’s nine Family resource Centres are safe. The local forum of resource centres received confirmation that they are not being abolished, as had been feared. Any funding cuts are being absorbed at national administration level, and budgets locally will be the same as this year. Stephen Mc Namee of the St Johnston / Carrigans resource

The North’s Social Services Minister has asked Henry Toner to return to the Western Trust to verify that all recommendations from his report on the Lammy fire tragedy have been implemented. This week an inquest ruled that Arthur McElhill killed himself and six members of his family because his partner had threatened to leave him.

The University of Ulster has signed an agreement with Foyle and Londonderry College which will enable them to expand into the school’s lands. The sites on the Northland Road will become vacant when the school moves across the river Foyle in 2012.

Motorists are being warned of diversions on the N56 north of Creeslough today an overnight collision at Derryart. Gardai say the diversions are not suitable for HGVs, which should take the Termon/Dunlewey Back of Errigal Road, and then double back on to the N56. One man in his twenties was injured in the single vehicle

There is a crisis of conscience and conduct in the Church. That’s the view of Poet Seamus Heaney. The Derry born Nobel Laureate says the lay church will have to come more to the fore in the future, but significant change, particularly in areas such as education, will be slower than is hoped for. Dr.

The first crucial votes to pass Budget Twenty-Ten passed in the Dáil last night. These reduced the price of drink and hiked up petrol and diesel. Tanaiste Mary Coughlan says the reversing of last year’s half a percent VAT increase and the reduction in excise duties on alcohol will prove very important in Donegal and

Figures obtained by Sinn Fein show that outside of the main populated areas Donegal has by far the largest amount of VEC grant application outstanding. As of the end of last month 1,360 new applications had yet to be processed by Donegal VEC just behind Cork and Dublin. The figures were release in the same

There will be no council backed free parking in Buncrana as was suggested to encourage people to do their Christmas shopping in the town. Councillor Michael Grant had made the suggestion but withdrew his motion at last nights town council meeting following advice from council officials.

Public Service Pay Cuts of more than €1bn in the public service pay bill. There will be pay cuts across the public sector from January 1, starting at 5% for those earning below €30,000 a year. There will be cuts of 7.5% on the next €40,000 and 10% on the next €55,000 after that. Public