Author name: oisinkelly

  The Teachers Union of Ireland is encouraging Leaving Cert students to sit the written exams in the first instance. Students are being given the option between predictive grades or sitting the exams. Those who decide to sit an exam will get whichever result is higher. Meanwhile, Donegal members of the TUI are due to […]

  A Donegal Deputy says the loss of Ulster bank will be a huge blow to Donegal and other rural areas. Ulster Bank is set to leave Ireland after 160 years, in a decision expected to be made tonight with NatWest, its parent company, deciding on the proposal later today and an announcement due tomorrow.

  A Donegal GP has given reassurances that people in rural areas of the county won’t have to travel long distances to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Earlier this week it was confirmed the LYIT is to become a mass vaccination centre, the only designated centre for Donegal. The move had led to concerns locally over

  Teacher unions have been expressing their concerns over aspects of the plans for this year’s Leaving Cert. Students are being given the option between predictive grades or sitting the exams. Those who decide to sit an exam will get whichever result is higher. General Secretary of the ASTI, Kieran Christie, is disappointed the predictive

  A decision is expected to be made today to wind down Ulster Bank in the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Times says parent company NatWest is likely to sign off on the move tonight – with an announcement due tomorrow. Ulster Bank has 2,800 staff across the country and has been here for over

  The Cathaoirleach of the Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District is calling for urgent action to be taken to address what he says is a serious speeding issue in Lifford. Councillor Gary Doherty says evidence shows that motorists are not adhering to the speed limits on the approach roads into the town. A safety report commissioned by

  A Donegal Deputy is urging the Marine Minister to appeal a potential move by the EU to deduct thousands of tonnes of fish from Ireland’s quota. It’s after an investigation into the State’s implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy found the country’s system for controlling its waters “unsatisfactory”. The review came after an audit

  The Taoiseach has said the government is committed to giving choice to Leaving Cert students. The cabinet sub-committee on education is meeting at the moment to discuss progress in the talks this morning. It’s hoped a solution can be reached today about what this year’s Leaving Cert will look like. Taoiseach Michéal Martin has

  A bill to ban the use of differential pricing and profiling in the insurance industry has been criticised by Government. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty brought the legislation before the Dail today which would outlaw the practice of offering new customers better rates to those who always renew. An initial Central Bank report last year

A former Donegal waste collector has brought a High Court action seeking orders preventing two Donegal waste companies from operating. Jim Ferry claims D&M Services and DM Waste, operating at Labbadish, Manorcunningham is operating what he claims is an unauthorised dump. In a ruling on Ferry’s application, Justice Miriam O’Regan said his motivation in taking

The Minister of Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands says while it’s going to take some time, work is happening on the ground to deliver high speed fibre broadband to Donegal. Minister Heather Humphreys expects the first property in Donegal will be connected to the network as part of the National Broadband

The Agriculture Minister has announced the opening of a new €40m scheme for beef suckler farmers. At Donegal IFA’s AGM last evening, Minister Charlie McConalogue announced that under the BEEP-S scheme, farmers can receive up to €90 per calf. Finishing touches are being put to the scheme with an official announcement expected in the coming

There are calls for Donegal County Council as a whole to meet and establish the implications of Brexit and the potential impacts it may have on tourism in the county. Donegal has long relied on the tourism trade from Northern Ireland. Inishowen Councillor Martin McDermott believes this is more important now than ever going forward

A West Donegal Councillor is seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister with responsibility for the islands, Heather Humphreys to discuss the deterioration of infrastructure on Donegal’s islands. Some island roads are said to be in such a state that it is impacting response times of emergency services. As it stands, work cannot be carried

TDs will debate a new bill being brought before the Dáil today by Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty that would ban ‘dual pricing’ for insurance policies. The practice sees new customers being offered better rates than loyal customers who renew their policies. The Central Bank is considering if it will recommend banning the practice, after finding

A senior EU official has apologised to Ireland after an attempt to trigger article 16 of the Northern Ireland Brexit protocol. Triggering the article could have meant checks on goods moving between Northern Ireland and the Republic. The EU attempted the measure to ensure vaccines were not leaving the EU through Northern Ireland, but quickly

There’s been yet another discovery of deceased animals dumped in East Donegal. Two sheep have been found by a local landowner discarded in the Meenreagh area of Killygordon, close to the border. Local farmers and landowners are said to be enraged by the latest discovery as it comes following the dumping of seven dead sheep

The Education Minister has told the cabinet she’s planning for a phased return to school for all students next month. March 1st has been set as a target date, but talks with unions and other stakeholders are still ongoing. Cabinet also heard that the negotiations on the Leaving Cert are continuing with the Minister hopeful

  Numerous bags of rubbish have been dumped outside a local charity shop. Under level 5 restrictions, charity shops remain closed yet in some cases; people are continuing to leave items at the door for collection. However, in recent days, the Good and New shop in Letterkenny has had to dispose of household waste which

  Gardai say there’s been a huge increase in the amount of older vehicles discovered abandoned or burnt out across Inishowen. Enquiries to date show that young motorists are buying older cars for maybe one or two hundred euro, driving them around for a time and then leaving them abandoned at the side of the

  An investigation is continuing in to a suspected attempted burglary in south Inishowen. It happened at house in the Bonnemaine area of Bridgend in the early hours of yesterday morning. The resident of the house was awoken by the noise and observed a male in a dark hoodie attempting to gain entry to his

  Ark Medical Centre in Letterkenny is one of the first GP practices in Donegal to begin vaccinating those over the age of 85 today. Local people in this age cohort who attend the practice are to be given their first dose of the vaccine in the days and weeks ahead. Dr Finian Bannon, GP

  The Taoiseach is defending the locations of the new vaccination centres. Yesterday, it was confirmed that Letterkenny Institute of Technology will be a such a centre but the move to allocate only one to Donegal has been described as ‘offensive’. Concerns have been raised over the need for two more centres locally, given the