Author name: oisinkelly

  Final preparations are being made for the partial return of special education this week. Special schools will reopen tomorrow, after being closed since Christmas. There will be increased health and safety measures, including the use of PPE, and attendances will be limited to 50 percent of capacity.

There has been a further 68 Covid-19 deaths and 556 new cases. 20 cases have been confirmed in Donegal this evening. 1,104 people are currently in hospital with the disease and 182 are in ICU. The 14 day incidence rate now stands at 319 cases per 100,000 people.

A man wanted in the UK on multiple bestiality charges has appeared before the High Court in Dublin after being arrested in Co Donegal yesterday. Oliver Lown, a former vet with an address at Main Road, Kesgrave in Suffolk, England, is also accused of possessing extreme pornographic material. Sergeant Jim Kirwan from the Garda Extradition

Detectives from the Terrorist Investigation Unit carried out a search in the Creggan are of Derry earlier today as part of an ongoing investigation into violent dissident republican activity. During the search a number of electronic items were seized for further examination. Chief Superintendent Darrin Jones said: “Today’s search is part of an ongoing investigation

275 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours in the North, the lowest number since before Christmas. 10 additional deaths have been recorded. There are 579 patients being treated for the disease in hospitals in Northern Ireland, with 60 people in ICU.

People with a terminal illness will now be entitled to a medical card. The government today expanded the eligibility criteria, which will see cards available to all those who are terminally ill and have a prognosis of up to 24 months. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says medical cards can provide much needed certainty and reassurance

  Today marks the 9th anniversary of the murder of Andrew Allen. The 24 year old was murdered by a group of individuals at his home in at Links View Park Buncrana on February 9, 2012. Andrew was shot in front of his partner at approximately 9.20pm and pronounced dead at the scene. A car

  Twelve people have been arrested for either drug or drink driving in Donegal over the last week. Five arrests were made for drink driving and seven arrested for drug driving related offences. Gardai say that driving under the influence remains a big concern within the Donegal Division. They are warning that they will continue

  An oil burner has been stolen from a house in Culdaff. The theft happened in the area of Dunaillan at some stage between Monday the 1st of February at 6pm and Tuesday the 2nd of February at Midday. The fuel pipes were cut and the burner was taken. Gardai are appealing to residents in

  An investigation is continuing into a car fire in Letterkenny. The incident happened a week ago today in a field in the Glencar Irish area. The fire brigade arrived at the scene also and the fire was extinguished. The car was a blue Renault with partial reg of 07 DL. Gardai are appealing to

  Donegal County Council has advised of a further waiver of Commercial Rates which will apply to specified business categories in the first quarter of 2021. The Government has announced the waiver in order to reflect the current restrictions and to continue the supports available for ratepayers, and in recognition of the impact of the

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Donegal has dropped significantly. 9 cases of the virus have been reported in the county this evening. Meanwhile, a further 6 Covid related deaths and 829 new cases have been confirmed across the country. 1,212 patients are currently being treated in hospital for the virus, 176 of them

Donegal County Council is urging people in Donegal to make necessary preparations ahead of a potential severe weather event later this week. A weather warning is already in place for the entire country for low temperatures, frost and icy patches. The Council, however, says there is a possibility of a weather warning for snow/ice being

There’s been a very slight drop in the number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment in Donegal. A total of €144.6m will be paid out in PUP to over 481,000 people this week. 16,421 people in Donegal will receive the payment this week while 246 people in the county closed their PUP

12 additional Covid related deaths have been recorded in the North. 296 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours. 598 people are being treated in hospital for the disease in Northern Ireland, while there are 60 patients in ICU.

A number of motorists have been caught speeding in the Buncrana area today. The Buncrana Roads Policing Unit detected vehicles exceeding the speed limit this morning in an 80kph zone. One motorist was detected travelling at 101kph and the other at 105kph. Gardai say fixed penalty notices will follow.

  Donegal County Council has launched a process to develop a regeneration strategy for Letterkenny town centre. Letterkenny 2040 is funded by the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, a flagship initiative of Project Ireland 2040 and led by the Councils Regeneration and Development Team. The strategy aims to establish a compelling and ambitious vision for

  People affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can avail of the opportunity to reinvent their livelihoods and careers as a result of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Apprenticeship Scholarship Scheme. Over 50 scholarships worth more than €2,000 each are available to assist people who wish to learn a trade or undertake a new career. The scheme

  A man is recovering from injuries sustained during a weekend incident in Inishowen. It’s understood that it happened at a house in Greencastle on Saturday. In a statement, Gardai say that they attended the scene and a man was taken from the premises to Letterkenny University Hospital be treated for non-life threatening injuries. Gardai

  Temperatures could reach as low as minus five in parts this week as the country is being hit with winds from Siberia. A significant snow event is expected later this week, with a weather advisory for cold weather currently in place by Met Eireann. The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management has crisis

  The Donegal Education and Training Board is to benefit from funding of over a quarter of a million euro. The funding was secured as part of Budget 2021 to support community education for adult learners. The money will go towards providing the Donegal ETB with devices and software to improve their online learning capacity

  Gardai detected two motorists driving while under the influence in East Donegal over the weekend. Gardai attached to the Letterkenny Roads Policing Unit were carrying out a mandatory intoxicant testing checkpoint in the Lifford area on Saturday night. One arrest was drink driving and other for drug driving. Court appearances are to follow.

  Healthcare workers will start to get the first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from today. It’s after the first 21,600 doses of the vaccine arrived in the country on Saturday, although 35,000 were promised by the end of this week. Meanwhile, GPs will start the roll-out of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines from

  A Government Minister has highlighted the responsibilities of dog owners and the vulnerability of sheep to dog attacks, particularly during lambing season. Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys has said dog attacks cause real and serious injury to sheep and can have a negative impact, both financially and emotionally, on the farmers

1,024 more people have tested positive for Covid-19, and 12 more patients with the infection have died. The oldest was ninety years old — the youngest was sixty, all of them passing away in the last week. There were 380 new infections recorded today in Dublin, 70 in Meath and 63 in Cork. While 47