Author name: oisinkelly

  The Higher Education Minister is hoping a roadmap for how the Leaving Cert can safely take place, will be outlined in the next few weeks. The Government has repeatedly insisted that it’s their intention that the  State exams will go ahead this year. But students have voiced their concerns about the practicalities of this,

  There are calls for a longer-term cross border healthcare scheme following the end of the EU Cross Border Healthcare Directive. The scheme, which was terminated as a result of Brexit, has been described as a significant success since it began operating in Ireland in June 2014 with the HSE paying out more than €40m

    A Stranorlar GP says people must be patient as it relates to the vaccine roll out. Yesterday the government gave the go-ahead for a 91 million euro deal for GPs and Pharmacists to administer doses. People are being asked not to call the surgeries regarding Covid vaccines and that they will be contacted

  The Public Expenditure Minister has indicated Level 5 restrictions will not be lifted at the end of this month. As of last night, there were 113 patients with Covid-19 being treated at Letterkenny University Hospital – 5 in ICU while there were 90 new confirmed cases reported in Donegal. 1,897 patients were in public

Temperatures are set to plummet in the coming days, with road users being advised to take care. Met Eireann says conditions will be increasingly wintry through the week. There is a weather advisory in effect until Sunday night, with frost, ice and snow likely in places. Met Eireann forecaster, Matthew Martin, says weather warnings are

  Children with special needs will not be returning to the classroom this week after the Government was forced to abandon the plan. The Department of Education says the decision was down to “a lack of co-operation” from teacher unions. The Irish National Teachers Organisation and Forsa had earlier called on the minister to postpone

  A Donegal Deputy has described a proposal to pay student nurses and midwives €100 per week for clinical placements during the Covid-19 pandemic as outrageous. Sinn Féin are bringing forward a motion before the Dáil later, rejecting the proposed Pandemic Placement Grant would cost around €5.4 million if backdated to September as expected, and

  Donegal County Council is to write to the Government seeking a business rates waiver for 2021. A rates wavier was initially introduced in March 2020 as a measure to help businesses following the Covid-19 outbreak. Councillor John O’Donnell believes this should be extended for the entirety of this year. He says it would be

There are calls for the speed limit on the Golf Course Road in Letterkenny to be reduced following a number of incidents where walkers have been hit by passing vehicles. Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh at today’s virtual sitting of the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District called for the speed limit on the road to be reduced to

A deal to get GPs and pharmacists administering the COVID vaccine has been given the go-ahead by cabinet Ministers. From next month they will be able to give people the AstraZeneca vaccine which can be stored much more easily than the others available. The deal is worth around €91m and will see vaccinations done in

  A Donegal Leaving Cert student says pupils feel frightened and lonely over the uncertainty surrounding the exams. The Government has said it’s their intention for the exams to go ahead. Schools are due to reopen in less than two weeks’ time with some claiming February 1st as the big decider date on if the

  A Donegal Deputy has accused the Government of doing the bare minimum over designating extra fishing ports for UK registered vessels. Yesterday it was confirmed that affected fishermen will be permitted to land their catch in Greencastle, Burtonport, Rathmullan as well as Killybegs from February 1st. Deputy Thomas Pringle previously stated that Donegal alone

    The Chief Medical Officer says it’s hoped testing of close contacts can resume as soon as possible. The practice was put on hold at the end of last year due to pressure on the testing system. The HSE has said cases may have to drop below 2 thousand a day before it reconsiders

  The HSE says hospitals are coping with the current levels of Covid-19, but remain under significant pressure. It comes as latest figures show another new record number of Covid patients at Letterkenny University Hospital. As of last night, there were 120 patients with the virus being treated on site at the hospital with six

  Plans to reopen special schools and classes this week have been thrown into doubt. The Irish National Teachers Organisation last night called on the Department to “reconsider” Thursday’s planned return. It says teachers “grave safety concerns” have not been adequately addressed. Further discussions among stakeholders are expected today. Adam Harris, CEO of autism charity

  Leaving Cert Students are suffering ‘drastic effects’ like stress and a dip in motivation due to uncertainty about the exams. The Irish Secondary School Students Union say a decision is needed on the Leaving Cert soon. Education Minister Norma Foley says she would prefer the written exams to go ahead, but has acknowledged ‘differing

  There are calls on the North’s Health Minister to address what has been described as a ‘postcode  lottery’ in terms of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout. A number of GPs in Tyrone have been expressing concern over the unequal and unfair distribution of the vaccine. West Tyrone MP Órfhlaith Begley says she has written to Minister

  The Cross Border Workers Coalition is calling for the cross-border tax legislation to be changed to accommodate new remote working practices. It’s after the Tanaiste announced new legislation is on the way which will give employees the right to request remote working on a permanent basis after the Covid-19 pandemic. THE CBWC has long

There has been a further 2,121 new Covid-19 cases and 8 additional deaths. 34 cases have been confirmed in Donegal where the 14 day incidence rate currently stands at 1373.8 cases per 100,000 people. There are now 1,975 people in hospital with the virus and 200 people in ICU. Meanwhile NPHET says there has been

A Donegal Pharmacist says pharmacy staff must be prioritised in the vaccine roll out. Pharmacists will be expected to administer the vaccine once the roll out gets underway in earnest but there’s concern locally that they themselves may not be vaccinated prior to that. Tom Murray, a pharmacist based in Ramelton says pharmacy staff have

  The Marine Minister has confirmed that Donegal will have four designated ports for international vessels in two weeks’ time. From February 1st , fishermen with UK registered vessels will be permitted to land their catch in Killybegs, Greencastle, Burtonport and Rathmullan. As a result of the initial Brexit deal, Killybegs has been the only

  A Donegal Deputy has rowed in behind calls on the Government to designate more third-country ports in Donegal as matter of urgency to facilitate Irish fishermen who operate UK-registered vessels. Deputy Thomas Pringle believes that Donegal alone needs at least seven ports to ensure the safety and livelihoods of local fishermen. At present, Killybegs

  A member of the National Public Health Emergency Team believes not enough is being done to stop the spread of Covid-19, and there is too much movement nationwide. It comes as the the Chief Medical Officer has once again appealed to employers to allow staff work from home if they can. There have been

  Irish Water has come under fire again over no immediate plans for a total upgrade to the water supply in South Inishowen. It’s after yet another burst in the area of the ‘Slablands’ yesterday which left a significant number of homes and businesses without water for much of the day. It’s understood that in

  The conservation management plan for Grianan of Aileach has been published with renewed hopes that minor improvements can now be made around the site. The iconic landmark in south Inishowen has been a popular tourist attraction but its thought subtle work could be done like installing extra signage to make it more user friendly.