Author name: oisinkelly

  Patients were treated in the car park of the largest hospital in Co Antrim yesterday because of the pressure of the pandemic. It and the neighbouring Causeway hospital in Coleraine treated a record number of in-patients with Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. Yesterday he Northern Trust hospital group had admitted a record 126

  Derry City and Strabane District Council has launched a COVID Reassurance Mark which aims to support local businesses and re-instill confidence among people to return to town centres and support the local economy. The scheme is part of the Council’s ongoing economic recovery and revitalisation plans. Businesses across the Derry City and Strabane District

  British MPs are expected to push back their Christmas break to debate a possible Brexit deal. The Telegraph in the UK is reporting there could be a sitting at the House of Commons on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week and then return on Friday if needed. The paper says Ministers there have ruled

8 more people have died as a result of Covid-19 and 329 new cases of the virus have been confirmed. 34 additional cases have been identified in Donegal. The 14 day incidence rate in Donegal is 236.8 per 100,000 of the population.

The new Covid-19 variant discovered in Britain has NOT been detected in Ireland, according to a NPHET expert. Dr Cillian De Gascun says that’s based on all available data. He’s also the director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory. 1,000 cases of the fast-spreading variant of the virus have been detected in the UK.

There are 486 new cases of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, and another six deaths. Nearly 3,000 people were tested in a one-day period, with a 16 per cent positivity rate. Three of the deaths reported today took place in the past 24 hours, while the other three did not. 444 people are in hospital with

Four people have been arrested in Donegal Town in connection with an early morning burglary in Letterkenny following a Garda chase. Searches were being carried out in the Glenties area earlier today after a car believed to have been involved in the burglary was found crashed in the area. Shortly after 1pm this afternoon, after

Gardai have reissued an appeal for information in relation to an incident of sexual assault. The incident is alleged to have occurred in the Glenview area of Ballybofey at around 8:30pm on Saturday night October 17th. Gardai are appealing to anyone who was in the area of the Donegal Road in Ballybofey or in the

Trolley figures have reached their highest point since the start of the pandemic, according to new figures from the INMO today. 316 people are waiting without hospital beds across the country, the highest figure since March. There 16 people waiting on beds at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, 15 in the Emergency Department. The union

  A follow up HIQA inspection report for Larissa Lodge nursing home in Letterkenny shows vast improvements within the facility. The centre had previously been found to have a number of issues of non-compliance and this latest inspection was to determine if the centre had remedied those concerns. Residents told inspectors that they felt safe.

  It’s been confirmed that Frasers is to replace Debenhams at the Foyleside in Derry with the creation of 200 jobs for the North West. The off-market deal, handled by property advisor, Savills, will see the opening of a new Frasers department store at the centre next year – similar to its anchor store at

Residents in the Glenties area are being urged to check outhouses and sheds for a potential suspect involved in an early morning attempted burglary near Letterkenny. Gardaí are appealing for information in relation to the incident which happened shortly after 3.20am this morning, the 15th of December at the Spar filling station at Tullygay, Letterkenny.

  A tractor and trailer has been stolen from a property in Dungloe. Milford Gardaí are investigating the burglary which happened at some stage between Saturday the 5th of December at Midday and Saturday the 12th of December at 3.30pm. The lock was cut on the entrance gate to the property and the lock on

    An investigation is underway into an attempted overnight break-in at a popular filling station just outside Letterkenny. Kernans Service Station near Glenswilly was targeted in the early hours of this morning. It’s understood that significant damage has been caused to the premises during the incident. Gardai remain at the scene with a forensic

  The Pharmacy team in Letterkenny University Hospital are reminding the public to ‘Know, Check, Ask’ when it comes to managing their medication. In a statement the team is asking the public to know your medicines and keep a list, bringing it to appointments and if admitted to hospital. Check that you are using the

  Homeowners and businesses are being urged to keep windows and doors closed after a fire in Sligo town involving asbestos. A cordon has been set up around a house on Larkhill Road after a blaze was reported at around 5am this morning. People in the area are being told to keep windows closed until

  Santa Claus will be able to deliver Christmas presents for children this year. The Chief Medical Officer has revealed Santa is making appropriate plans for Christmas in the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Tony Holohan says he will be taking all the public health advice into account on his travels:

€35,000 in funding has been sanctioned for Donegal under the CLÁR programme. Minister Charlie McConalogue confirmed that the Donegal branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association is among 26 successful applicants which will share a total funding package of €1.3 million for essential transport services for people with mobility issues. The funding will go towards purchasing

  A man has been sentenced in connection with two bomb hoaxes in Derry. 41 year old Keith McClenaghan was sentenced in relation to 1 count of making explosives, 2 counts of placing explosives causing a Bomb hoax at addresses in Harty Court & Iniscarn Road in Derry and 2 counts of communicating false information

264 new cases of Covid-19 and two deaths linked to the virus have been confirmed. 24 of those cases have been identified in Donegal. It’s been said the significant jump in cases in the county yesterday to 46 was a result of a delay in reporting at a national level. The 14 day incidence rate

Letterkenny University Hospital is extremely busy this evening which the Saolta Hospital Group says has resulted in pressure on bed availability in the hospital. Patients are currently experiencing long waiting times to be admitted from the Emergency Department to an acute bed in the hospital. People are being encouraged to attend the ED only in

A “new variant” of coronavirus has been identified in the UK. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told the House of Commons it’s believed the variant is causing the faster spread in the South East of England. More than 1,000 cases of the new strain have been found. Mr Hancock says it’s spreading faster than the

The number of people on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is down by more than 42,000 this week. 306,000 people will get the payment tomorrow, compared to 348,000 this time last week. In Donegal, 10,991 people will receive the PUP tomorrow, down from 12,375 the previous week. 46,000 people closed their PUP claims in the past

419 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the North in the past 24 hours. Almost 2,000 people were tested in a one-day period, with a positivity rate of 21%. Another five people have also died with the virus. There are 429 patients in hospital with Covid in the North, with 18 in intensive care.

A driver has been arrested after being caught drug driving in the Letterkenny area this morning. Gardaí from the Letterkenny Roads Policing Unit and the RSA were operating a checkpoint earlier today when a vehicle was observed turning back. A roadside drugs test was subsequently conducted and the driver of the vehicle tested positive for

A 25 year old man has been sentenced following an aggravated burglary at a home in the Corgary Road area of Castlederg in February 2019. The man was sentenced to 3 and a half years for Aggravated Burglary and 12 months in total for two counts of Common Assault. He is due to serve 1