Author name: oisinkelly

The number of hospital patients with Covid-19 has increased by 15 percent in the past seven days. 127 were receiving treatment last night, while there were 43 in ICU – which has increased by one in the same period. 345 new cases of the virus were confirmed last night by the Department of Health. The […]

The go ahead has been given for a social housing development in Dungloe. The €8.6m development on Chapel Road, Dungloe will involve the construction of 45 homes. The project will now move to design stage. Local Councillor Micheal Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig says it will go a long way towards alleviating the housing crisis in the

A consultation gets underway tomorrow on proposals to introduce weight restrictions on trucks travelling through Clady on the Tyrone Donegal border. Last evening in the Assembly at Stormont, Infrastructure Minister Nicola Mallon said she had met residents to discuss their concerns about HGVs using Clady village as a short cut between the A5 south of

Arranmore has seen its population rise by around 13% since the 2016 census, according to the Chair of the island’s community council. Adrian Begley was instrumental in setting up Ireland’s first island based digital shared workspace to allow the island’s diaspora who can work remotely to relocate home. He says since Covid hit, a number

The Treasurer of the Donegal Branch of the Vintners Federation of Ireland says publicans will be watching closely today as hospitality reopens fully in the North. In Northern Ireland, bars and restaurants can now serve customers indoors for the first time this year and the Vintners Federation of Ireland is encouraging the Irish Government to

There’s renewed calls for a full-time Garda to be reinstated in Kilmacrennan. It comes in the wake of a rise of criminal incidents in the area. Local Councillor Michael McBride says he was told last year that a Guard would be deployed to Kilmacrennan Garda station on a full time basis. He says it’s now

The HSE says it will be watching closely to see if confidential patient data appears online today. The gang who hacked the health service’s network 10 days ago has threatened to publish the data today if a 20 million dollar ransom is not paid. The Government says it has not and will not pay the

Donegal man, Andrew McGinley says he has no doubt his children would still be alive today if he was included as an advocate in his wife’s mental health care. Last week, Deirdre Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of her three young children at her Dublin home in January

Unemployment in Ireland could top 390,000 – the highest jobless rate since 1986. The Social Justice Ireland study expect an unemployment rate of 16.1%, which is higher than the last recession. Over 1.2 million people had their employment impacted by Covid-19 and of these almost a quarter of a million don’t expect to return to

A Donegal Deputy says it’s vital the new Technological University recognises the potential of LYIT’s Killybegs campus. On Friday, the application for a new Technological University which would encompass Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Sligo IT and GMIT came before Minister Simon Harris after TUI members at each college voted in favour of the move. Deputy

A Mica affected homeowner in Donegal believes they need to take their campaign to Dublin. Thousands of people took to the streets of Letterkenny and Buncrana on Saturday in protest for a 100% Mica redress scheme. Mary O’Regan who discovered in 2016 that her home had Mica, told those gathered in Letterkenny that it’s clear

Bars and restaurants in Northern Ireland are now allowed to serve customers indoors for the first time in 2021. Lockdown restrictions have been eased, meaning six people from two households can also meet inside and the ‘stay local’ message has been removed. The Executive is still urging people to be careful to avoid the spread

Data from the HSE cyber attack could appear online today after those behind it indicated a potential dump if a ransom isn’t paid. The Government has always ruled out paying any fee to those who attacked the HSE and Department of Health’s IT systems. The head of the HSE says officials will be concentrating on

The number of patients with Covid-19 in Irish hospitals has risen by six percent in the past week. It’s increased to 116, while there are 43 receiving treatment in ICUs. It comes as 438 new cases of the virus were confirmed here yesterday. A study by Public Health England says the Pfizer injection is as

The Taoiseach’s enjoying a boost in support in the latest political poll. Micheal Martin’s up 6 points to 49 percent, according to the Sunday Times Behaviour and Attitudes poll. The government is up three points to 47 percent support, but Sinn Fein’s still the most popular party in the country. Stephen O’Brien, political editor with

The Government’s set to announce indoor dining can return from the first week of July. The Taoiseach will confirm the next phase of reopening society on Friday following a meeting of NPHET. It’s expected pubs and restaurants will be allowed reduce social distancing from 2 metres to one, and there won’t be a time limit

An infectious disease consultant says more data is needed on the transmissibility of the Indian variant of Covid-19. A UK study has found the two main vaccines can protect against the strain. Two Pfizer jabs offer up to 88 percent protection, while both doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine make it at least 60 percent effective.

Delays to the roll-out of a digital Covid certificate will be bad news for everybody. That’s according to a Midlands North West MEP. Negotiators from the European Parliament and member states reached a deal this week on the so-called Covid passports after intense talks. However, it is yet to be approved in a vote in

The head of the HSE says it’s not up to the health service to pay ransoms to cyber criminals. Hackers are threatening to release stolen patient information on the dark web if they’re not paid by tomorrow. The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau is monitoring underground websites in anticipation of the data being dumped. While

Older people are falling through the cracks of the current Mica Redress Scheme. That’s according to Mary O’Regan, an affected homeowner who spoke yesterday in Letterkenny as people gathered in protest for a 100% redress scheme. Thousands took to the streets in Buncrana yesterday also in a stand against the current 90% Government funded redress