Author name: oisinkelly

Deputy Thomas Pringle has called on the Government to change their approach to providing housing in County Donegal. Speaking in the Dail yesterday, Deputy Pringle criticised the Government’s approach to delivering housing in County Donegal, as well as the role or lack thereof the County Council can play in the process. He also criticised the

The Mica Action Group has described the meeting it had with the Housing Minister and other stakeholders on the mica and pyrite scandal today as “positive”. Representatives from local authorities and the Department of Housing also attended the online meeting. The group is set to review the defective block compensation scheme and suggest changes, including

The trial of the man accused of murdering 28 year old Buncrana woman Danielle McLaughlin in Goa in March 2017 will recommence next month. Vikat Bhagat had applied for bail, citing a bleak likelihood of a trial taking place in the near future due to the prevailing pandemic condition. That was opposed by Ms McLaughlin’s

Irish Water has been granted planning permission to install a sewage treatment plant at Ray, close to Brownknowe National School near Rathmullan. Permission has been confirmed despite significant local opposition to the plans. Declan Meehan Chairperson of Ray Action Group has acknowledged that there is a need to treat the wastewater coming from Rathmullan and

Mica campaigners in Donegal say their demands for 100 percent redress for affected homes cannot be ignored any longer. It comes as the Mica Working Group’s first meeting gets underway later, with the Taoiseach and Housing Minister will be in attendance. Working group member Paddy Diver say homeowners in Donegal and Mayo have been ignored

The Delta variant of Covid-19 will ‘almost certainly’ be dominant here in two weeks’ time, according to the director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory. Dr Cillian De Gascun says it made up less than 9 per cent of cases between June 7th and 13th, but rose to up to 55 per cent last week.

Over a fifth of septic tanks inspected last year were a risk to human health or the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency says over 800 tests were carried out by local authorities in 2020, 54% of which failed. In Donegal, 60 tests took place, with a failure rate of 30%. Between 2013 and 2020, 231

A working group, set up to tackle the mica and pyrite building blocks controversy, will meet for the first time later today. The 12 person group includes affected homeowners from Donegal and Mayo, local authority representatives and the Department of Housing. The Taoiseach and Housing Minister are also expected to be in attendance for the

The National Broadband Plan needs to be accelerated as a matter of urgency, a meeting of Lifford Stranorlar Municipal District has been told. The comment was made by Cllr Gary Doherty after a progress report was delivered which he says can be best described as ‘disappointing’. Members were told the NBP will invest €135m in

A West Donegal councillor says a concerted effort must be made to secure funding for a walkway along the Dunfanaghy-Creeslough viaducts, where the old railway track once ran. Cllr John Sheamais Ó Fearraigh says the addition of a rope-bridge or other bridge-type structure where the dilapidated viaducts now stand would be a welcome tourist attraction

South Donegal Deputy Marc MacSharry believes the Taoiseach is afraid to go against the advice of NPHET. Deputy MacSharry has been critical of the Government’s handling of the covid pandemic and says the government has opted to take the painfully scenic route to living with the virus. He told Greg Hughes that decisions being made

Investigations are continuing after a man was injured during an assault in Buncrana on Thursday last. Shortly before 11pm the man was assaulted in the Main Street area by two other men. He received treatment in hospital to injuries which are not believed to be life threatening. Garda Sean Sweeney is appealing to anyone with

A Lifford woman attacked in Strabane is believed to have been targeted in an attempt to steal one of her dogs. The woman was walking in the Golf Links area of the town on Sunday morning when she was set upon by three men who emerged from a white transit van. She managed to hold

Treasurer of the Donegal branch of the Vintners Federation of Ireland says it is a very difficult day for members in Donegal. It comes ahead of an official announcement from the Taoiseach this afternoon to confirm that the reopening of indoor hospitality will be delayed until at least July 19th. NPHET has issued a stark

Agriculture and Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue says the opening of the new Inishowen Vaccination Centre at Carndonagh Community School tomorrow marks an important step in Donegal’s fight against Covid 19. The Carndonagh centre is to be phased in, initially operating one or two days a week by staff travelling up from Letterkenny. Saolta say its

The new Common Agricultural Policy does not step up to the mark regarding climate change, according to a Midlands North West MEP. EU agriculture ministers yesterday backed a provisional agreement that was struck on Friday. The new CAP will start in 2023, and it will eventually involve 25% of payments being set aside for eco-schemes.

West Tyrone MLA Nicola Brogan has presented a public petition of almost 600 signatories calling upon Health Minister Robin Swann to progress the planned and much needed Acute Mental Health Centre for Omagh. Presenting the petition on the floor of the Assembly at Stormont, Ms Brogan said this facility was first announced in 2016 on