Author name: oisinkelly

  The Education Minister says the phased reopening of schools will only go ahead if Irish society reacts responsibly. Over 300,000 students in the first four years of primary school, and Leaving Cert pupils, will return to class on Monday. The other years are due to return on March 15th and April 1st, after studying […]

  Works are due to commence at The Beeches, Ballybofey, where the road is said to be in such a state that it poses a danger to motorists and pedestrians. Donegal County Council has confirmed that improvement works on a stretch of road in the estate are set to commence in the coming weeks with

A Seafood Sector Taskforce has been established. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue announced the establishment of the taskforce today which aims to make recommendations on measures to mitigate the impacts of the fish quota reductions on Irish fisheries as a result of Brexit. The taskforce will deliver an interim report in

  Seachtain na Gaeilge 2021 gets officially underway later today with a broad programme of online events planned for the week ahead. Events include concerts, conversation groups, classes, International Women’s Day, read and discuss sessions, storytelling and online cookery demonstrations, The launch is taking place this evening at 7pm. Details of the events, which are

  It’s thought the upheaval caused by the pandemic presents a real opportunity for the country to reform. It’s almost a year on since the Covid-19 crisis began which has effectively unravelled nearly every aspect of society. Manager of the Balor Theatre in the Twin Towns, Conor Malone says he doesn’t want to go back

  It’s emerged that a young Donegal couple who are expecting a baby have been living in a caravan for some time because an electrician cannot come out to finish work on their new build due to the pandemic. The caravan, situated in a rural part of the county is said to be damp, and

  Students will have fewer questions to answer in the Leaving Cert this year, if they choose to sit the tests. But the Department of Education announced last night the duration of the exams will stay the same. The department is also advising schools not to run mock exams, as part of the calculated grades

  Ireland’s direct provision system will end in 2024, after being in operation for over 20 years. It comes the first residents of Letterkenny’s Direct Provision Centre are due to arrive in the days ahead. In a new report, the Department of Equality says all existing centres will close on a phased basis over the

  Professor Gabriel Scally says Ireland’s new mandatory hotel quarantine laws are only a ‘half-door measure’. The Dáil yesterday passed legislation that will force people arriving from 20 high-risk countries to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks. A Labour amendment to extend it to all countries was defeated. Professor Scally says he would also

  All elements of the Good Friday Agreement need to be implemented through institutions both North and South before a border poll can be considered. That’s according to Senator Niall Blaney who believes in the aftermath of the recent impasse at Stormont and the effects of Brexit being felt, the everyday needs of people and

  A Donegal Deputy says the Shared Equity Scheme is reckless and will do nothing but push up house prices further. The scheme would provide equity support to households seeking to purchase homes in the private market but unable to secure the full mortgage to do so. He told Green Party leader, Minister Eamon Ryan

Another new variant of Covid-19 has been detected in Ireland. It’s called the B1525 strain, which has been discovered in various countries around the world, including Australia, Denmark and the UK. Dr Cillian De Gascun, the director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, says there’s also now a case in Ireland:

The HSE has raised concerns about more people socialising – with a recent positive case having up to 38 close contacts. It says the positivity rate among close contacts in the community has risen to 27 per cent and 35 per cent for households. There are now 593 people with Covid-19 being treated in hospitals,

The Agriculture Minister has stressed the need for continued communication between Ulster Bank, its customers and staff in the coming weeks and months. The bank’s announcement that it is to leave the Irish market has been described as a major blow to rural communities with six branches currently serving the North West. Minister Charlie McConalogue

The Chairperson of Relay for Life in Donegal is urging people to become involved in this year’s virtual event, which is taking place online in June. Robert O’Connor says the Irish Cancer Society is continuing to spend money in the county, with the night nurse service continuing to operate throughout the pandemic, at a time

  The Transport Minister is being accused of locking the stable once the horses have bolted. The Dáil has been debating new laws that will require people coming into Ireland from high risk countries to quarantine in state-chosen hotels for two weeks. Opposition parties are trying to expand the remit to all passengers entering the

  Local Enterprise Week is going virtual this year with a full programme of online events designed to help Donegal businesses spring back into action. Kicking off on Monday, the week-long series of events is collaboration between Local Enterprise Office Donegal and its partners. Spring Back is the theme for the week, which runs until

  A Donegal Deputy believes all people coming to this island should have to quarantine. Further exchanges are currently underway in the Dáil on the government’s bill to introduce mandatory quarantine in hotels. The legislation was heavily criticised by opposition parties yesterday, who argued it doesn’t go far enough. If introduced, it’ll see arrivals from

  The Director of Public Health with HSE West says there are concerns over the North potentially emerging from lockdown sooner than Donegal and the rest of the Republic. Cross border travel has been sighted a contributing factor to rising Covid case numbers over the course of the pandemic. While both jurisdictions are currently under

  There’s disappointment over a decision to exclude the route from Letterkenny – Burtonport in this year’s Governments Greenway funding. The 50 mile proposed route leading into west Donegal has been long been flagged as having major tourism potential. A number of meetings between Letterkenny and Glenties Cllrs have already taken place in a bid

  It’s been confirmed that work on a youth centre for Strabane town is to start at the end of the year. In the interim, a mobile unit is to be deployed to the town which will cater for young people until a permanent facility is constructed. West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan says Strabane has

  The Vice Chair of the Regional Health Forum West has questioned if capacity in private hospitals was being utilised fully amid the ongoing pandemic. In line with restrictions many procedures at Letterkenny University Hospital have been cancelled or curtailed over the past months which has resulted in lengthy waiting lists. Figures show that since

  The number of patients with Covid-19 in public hospitals has fallen below 600 for the first time since January 1st. While, according to latest HSE figures 10 people in ICU died after contracting the virus – the largest number in a 24-hour period since the start of the pandemic. It comes as 574 new

  More than half of voters say the government is ‘not doing a good job’ in dealing with the pandemic. According to an Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll, the rate now stands at 51 per cent – up 15 per cent since last autumn. Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly also received poor ratings

  A Donegal Deputy has appealed to the Taoiseach and Tanaiste to ensure no stone is left unturned by Police in the North in the investigation into the death of Noah Donohoe. The 14 year old went missing in Belfast on 21st June 2020. His body was discovered in a storm drain 6 days later.