Author name: oisinkelly

The Bishop of Raphoe says we need to let political leaders know that religious services are utterly essential. In a pastoral letter for Lent, Bishop Alan McGuckian says some people feel that by complying with restrictions on religious services that they are acquiescing that such gatherings are not essential. The Bishop of Raphoe in a

The government is hoping final plans for this year’s Leaving Cert can be agreed this afternoon. The cabinet sub-committee on education is scheduled to be updated by Education Minister Norma Foley on the process. Multiple Ministers said yesterday they expect the plans for this year’s Leaving Cert to be agreed today in order to give

The number of patients with a positive Covid 19 test at Letterkenny University Hospital has fallen to 13. It’s the lowest the figure has been since November 1 last year and compares to a figure of 101 a month ago. Four people with Covid are currently being treated in the hospital’s ICU. The latest figures

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Donegal is one of the lowest in the country today. Less than 5 cases have been reported in the county. Nationally, 33 additional deaths and 744 new cases have been confirmed. 861 COVID-19 patients are being treated for the virus in hospital, of which 159 are in ICU.

An independent working group is being set up to examine defective housing. The Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien says its an important step in assisting owners of latent defect properties to access low cost, long term finance. It’s expected that the group will be made up of engineers, architects and surveyors as well as experts

A further 9 Covid-19 related deaths have been recorded in the North. 341 individuals tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours. 474 people are being treated in hospitals in Northern Ireland while there are 55 patients in ICU.

Landowners in Donegal are being reminded that hedge-cutting season comes to an end on February 28th. Almost two-thirds of Ireland’s bird species nest in hedges and these hedgerows provide natural corridors that permit wildlife to move between habitats. From the end of February until the end of August, hedge-cutting is not permitted under the Wildlife

  Some Christmas lights in the Twins Towns have been damaged in a recent collision. The incident happened at the car park on the Main Street in the Town, next to Mc Elhinneys shop in the early hours of Friday the 22nd of January, at approx. 3am. A lorry had been in the car park

  There are currently 24 people with Covid-19 being treated at Letterkenny University Hospital. The number has risen by one on the previous figure of 23. The number of patients in ICU remains the same with four people receiving critical care. Nationally, 861 people with Covid-19 are receiving treatment in Irish hospitals this morning –

  Nominations are now open for this year’s Donegal Garda Youth Awards. The annual awards, in association with Donegal’s Joint Policing Committee, celebrate outstanding young people from the county between the ages of 13 and 21 years. An Garda Síochána in Donegal and the Joint Policing Committee recognise that young people throughout the County of

    . Winds of up to 110 kilometres per hour are possible in the west and north-west this morning as a status yellow warning is in operation. It is in place for Donegal, Galway, Mayo and Sligo until 8am this morning. Met Eireann is warning there is a risk of coastal flooding in these

A bill’s being launched to amend Northern Ireland’s abortion laws. It’s to repeal a specific provision which allows terminations up to birth in cases of serious non-fatal disabilities. Campaigners say the law is discriminatory and allows abortions without time limits for conditions like Down’s syndrome.

  Ireland is to have thousands of tonnes of fish deducted from its quota after an investigation into the State’s implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy. The Irish Times reports the findings of the European Commission found the country’s system for controlling its waters “unsatisfactory”. The review came after an audit in Donegal found serious

  Legislation to allow for mandatory hotel quarantine for some people arriving into the country will go before the cabinet this morning. Under the plans anyone arriving from a list of 20 countries deemed high risk will have to isolate at a state facility. While plans for this had been announced a number of weeks

There are 821 new cases of Covid-19 in the Republic and no additional deaths. 29 cases have been confirmed in Donegal. It’s the first time in nearly two months that no new deaths have been reported. There are 916 patients in hospital with the virus and 157 in intensive care. The 14 day incidence rate

Two Donegal organisations have been announced as finalists in the National Lottery Good Causes Awards. Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter will contest in the Heritage category of the Good Causes Awards while the Raphoe Community Sports Development, are finalists in the Sport category of the Awards. The Awards honour the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of

Donegal County Museum, the Regional Cultural Centre and the Museum and Heritage Service of Derry City and Strabane District Council have commissioned and produced a series of six short video pieces which highlight the experiences of women during the Revolutionary Period (1919-1923). These videos provide snapshots of the period, exploring the stories of women during

The number of Pandemic Unemployment Payment recipients has dropped for the first time since level 5 measures were introduced in late December. Just under 478,000 people will receive the PUP tomorrow, which marks a drop of over 3,600 on last week’s figures. 16,355 people in Donegal will receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment tomorrow while 351

A security alert in the Ballyarnett area of Derry has ended. The alert followed a report made to police yesterday that a device had been left in the Racecourse Road area. The Racecourse Road was closed on Monday for several hours whilst a search was conducted, but nothing untoward has been found. Superintendent Catherine Magee

The number of Covid-19 related deaths in the North has reached 2,000. It’s after a further 4 deaths were confirmed. 234 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past 24 hours in the North. There are 477 patients with the disease being treated in hospitals in Northern Ireland. 59 people are in ICU.

  The Letterkenny Institute of Technology is to become a centre for the Covid-19 vaccination programme. The Health Minister has confirmed locations for 37 such centres across the country for the programme. The LYIT is only listed site for the rollout in Donegal. There’s at least one in every county with a view towards supporting

A tractor driver has been caught driving under the influence of both cannabis and cocaine. Gardaí from Ballyshannon Garda Station stopped the driver of an agricultural tractor on Saturday night at a checkpoint. The driver was found to be in possession of a small amount of suspected cannabis herb and also tested positive for the