Author name: oisinkelly

It’s hoped work will start shortly on a new building for the Little Angels Special School in Letterkenny after a contract was signed today between the Patron Board of the school and the HSE for a site. The new school will be built on land between the Donegal Hospice and the Business Park Road, very

Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan has pledged to raise the issue of compensation payments for Mna Tí, who have lost out for a second year because of the cancellation of courses in Gaeltacht summer colleges. Last year, they were paid a total of €4 per student per day, a sum was described as wholly inadequate.

The Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District says there was no consultation ahead of the installation of parking restrictions at Culdaff Blue Flag beach. There was widespread opposition from the local community following the installation of the large concrete barriers in recent days. Councillor Bernard McGuinness says Donegal County Council did tell him that measures

A Donegal Deputy has urged the Government to speed up the process for people seeking asylum in Ireland. It’s emerged that someone seeking asylum in Ireland today would have to wait up to two years for a decision on their application with more than 5,000 people in direct provision awaiting a first decision. Minister of

The Taoiseach says new regulatory and insurance mechanisms will have to be established to address future building defects and issues. Speaking in the Dail last evening, Michael Martin said the state is addressing a number of issues, including Mica, Pyrite and issues which arose in some Dublin apartments relating to fire regulations. However, he warned

While frustration was expressed following the second meeting of the Defective Blocks Working Group yesterday, work is said to be ongoing to find solutions for affected homeowners as soon as possible. After the meeting, campaigner Paddy Diver who is one of the homeowner representatives on the working group hit out at what he said was

The Department of Education has granted funding to a Carrigart school to test for Mica. Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh has confirmed that emergency works have been approved for Scoil Eoin Baiste, Carrigart for Fabric Defects Testing costs for Mica. 5 schools in Donegal in total have applied to the Department of Education for emergency funding

Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe has confirmed that the LPT exemption for Mica homeowners will last six years. However, speaking during exchanges with Donegal Deputy and Sinn Fein Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty at the Oireachtas Finance Committee, Minister Donohoe was unable to provide details of how homeowners could apply. He promised to get back to Deputy

Crunch talks aimed at facilitating the swift return of indoor dining will take place this afternoon. Hospitality representatives will meet senior government officials to finalise a plan, following exploratory talks earlier this week. Among the measures to be raised are covid passes, which would allow vaccinated or recovered people access indoor dining. Any agreement reached

The government is being accused of delaying the dredging of the harbour at Magheraroarty. In a question to Local Government Minister Darragh O’Brien, Deputy Thomas Pringle asked why Donegal County Council’s application for a Dredging and Beach Nourishment Licence had not been granted, even though the council lodged it in January. The reply, issued this

Large increases in COVID-19 figures in the Inishowen area and South Donegal as well as in Sligo have led the HSE to appeal for the public to exercise extra caution. Inishowen has seen an outbreak resulting in the establishment of an additional pop up, walk-in/no appointment necessary test centre being established for the next three

A Mica campaigner in Donegal has expressed frustration at what he says is a lack of progress being made by the Defective Blocks Working Group established by Minister Darragh O’Brien following last month’s demonstration in Dublin. Paddy Diver of 100% Redress No Less is one of the Donegal homeowner representatives on the working group, which

An Bord Pleanala has approved a Compulsory Purchase order for a site for the long awaited Three School Campus in Buncrana. The site, which is just over 10 acres in size, is opposite what is known locally as ‘The General’s Shop’ on the left of the Causeway Road as you leave Buncrana heading towards Carndonagh.

Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh has welcomed the Department of Education’s approval of the planned extension to Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair to move to construction phase. The project includes an extension to provide a new SEN and general classroom facilities and alterations and refurbishment to the existing school area together with associated external works. Deputy McHugh says

A managed reopening plan is urgently needed to ensure Ireland’s airline industry has a future, according to a Midlands North West MEP. It comes as work continues to restore the Donegal to Dublin regional route previously operated by Stobart Air. The tender process for an interim airline provider is ongoing and a formal announcement is

Donegal County Council is set to begin works on a junction in the Milford area, that has become notorious for a number of road traffic incidents in recent year. €30,000 was recently allocated for the works at the Church Road junction to begin, which will include the tightening of bends and the roads leading to

A special meeting of Donegal County Council will convene on Friday to discuss the ongoing concerns relating to Mica. The meeting was called by the new Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Councillor Jack Murray as an opportunity for Councillors to seek answers to questions raised by constituents and to voice their own concerns over the

The chief medical officer says the rising number of Covid-19 patients in hospital is a ’cause for concern’. The figure has risen by 38% over the past two weeks, and now stands at 54. 397 new cases were also reported yesterday. Latest figures show that the 5 day moving average of cases in Donegal is

The Test Centre Co-Ordinator for testing in Donegal is urging people in the north of the county to avail of a pop up centre opening in Buncrana today. The HSE has raised concerns over an increase in cases of the virus in Inishowen over the past week. The test centre is located at the Carpark