Author name: oisinkelly

The DUP has officially confirmed Jeffrey Donaldson as its new leader following a meeting of its electoral college today. The Lagan Valley MP was the only candidate who stepped forward for the role. 32 members of the party’s electoral college backed his appointment – with just 4 against. He has become the DUP’s third leader

Some health experts say delaying the planned easing of restrictions by 3 or 4 weeks could allow a safer re-opening. Indoor service in bars and restaurants is due to resume on July 5th, with 50 people allowed at weddings. NPHET is due to meet on Wednesday to consider the plans, amid concerns over the fast-spreading

  Donegal TD and Minister for Agriculture and the Marine Charlie McConalogue says the provisional Common Agricultural Policy appears to be fair to all Irish farmers. He’ll attend the EU’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday and Tuesday to sign off on the plan along with the EU’s other agriculture ministers. The

A Donegal Councillor says it’s vital that small coastal communities in Donegal benefit from the Brexit Adjustment Fund. Cllr Noel Jordan says it’s particularly important that applications for funds to repair small piers are supported. Council officials told him they have made a comprehensive submission to the Seafood Taskforce, seeking investment in Killybegs, Greencastle, Burtonport

A provisional agreement has been reached between the European Council and the European Parliament on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. The deal includes provisions to ensure greater support for smaller farms and to help young farmers enter the profession. The proposals will have to be approved by individual member states next week. The

    Health officials need to reconsider allowing the use of the AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson vaccines for younger people, according to the Taoiseach. Micheál Martin believes the Delta variant has changed the balance of risk when it comes to using those vaccines. The National Immunisation Advisory Committee is set to examine changing the

A Donegal restaurant owner says the reopening of indoor dining cannot continue to be kicked down the road. Cabinet is to decide on Thursday whether it will give the green light for the further opening of society in July, amid fears around the Delta variant. Jo Daly, President of Donegal Women in Business and co-owner

The proposals put forward by the Lifford Greyhound Racing Club to re-open the Lifford Greyhound Stadium have been described as “innovative” by the CEO of Greyhound Racing Ireland. The proposals, which state that the track and its operations will be fully self-funded, were approved by greyhound racing’s Irish governing body today, and will allow for

There has been condemnation of the potential return of mobile roaming charges between Northern Ireland and the Republic. At the moment, there are no additional roaming charges within the EU for anyone in the North – but some carriers have announced this will change, with o2 announcing that, from the 2nd of August, any data

The Donegal Rape Crisis Centre has received funding from the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal to provide therapeutic support for young people who are survivors of sexual violence. €6.6m was raised by the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal with €55,000 of that granted to the Donegal Rape Crisis Centre. The project will be a first of its

A Donegal Deputy says an anomaly in the SUSI grant application system means that siblings applying for grants could find their applications delayed. There is a facility for two siblings to link their applications, but this doesn’t happen, and instead, an internal review is initiated, because the system detects a problem. In the Dail, Deputy

Greyhound racing is to return to Lifford. Greyhound Racing Ireland yesterday, approved the granting of a licence to the Lifford Greyhound Racing Club following a lengthy process whereby the Board considered a range of submissions from the club along with a detailed business plan for a three-year period. Gerard Dollard, Chief Executive Officer, RCÉ has

There’s calls for the Garda Commissioner to appear before the Oireachtas Justice Committee over the handling of 999 calls from domestic violence victims. It’s after an inquiry found over 3,100 emergency calls made by victims between 2019 and last October were not followed up on by gardai. Over a third had a valid reason for

The Government shouldn’t rely on the number of hospitalisations associated with Covid-19 when making decisions about easing restrictions next week. That’s according to a Donegal doctor. Cabinet is to decide on Thursday whether it will give the green light for the further opening of society in July, amid fears around the Delta variant. The strain

The head of the HSE says the rising numbers of cases of the delta variant is a concerning trend. It now accounts for 20 per cent of call cases detected here and is responsible for slowing down the easing of restrictions in the UK. But Transport Minister Eamon Ryan says he’s ‘cautiously optimistic’ that indoor

A Sinn Féin councillor on Derry’s Waterside says the appearance of sinister posters in Newbuildings featuring a masked loyalist gunman are a deliberate attempt to stoke up tensions. The poster says “Our forefathers fought for our freedom and rights, no border in the sea or we continue the fight”. Cllr Christopher Jackson says this is

The Donegal Intercultural Platform is one of seven organisations across the country that have been selected to take part in a €1m pilot Community Development Programme. The programme announced by Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, Joe O’Brien, will trial community led interventions that address poverty, social exclusion and inequality,