Author name: oisinkelly

The need for further development of tourism in East Donegal has been highlighted once again. Councillor Patrick McGowan told Donegal County Council this week that over the years the tourism offering in East Donegal has been ignored. The Council’s Director of Economic Development, Garry Martin has confirmed that going forward, a focus will be placed […]

Senior officials from both sides of the border will meet today to discuss collaborative regional growth projects, Covid-19 and Brexit. The North West Strategic Growth Partnership which is jointly led by Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council will receive an update on ongoing collaborative work being carried out by both councils

The government’s cancelling plans to raise the state pension age beyond 66 for now. Regulations which would have raised it to 67 next year and 68 in 2028 will be repealed in a social welfare bill next week. The Commission on the Pension Age will continue to deliberate on what the pension age should be.

Business owners fear having to spend Christmas filling out forms and recalculating their prices if Brexit trade talks break down. Negotiations are continuing in London today with less than a month to go before tariffs kick in automatically on New Year’s Eve. The Oireachtas Enterprise committee is meeting today to discuss preparations. Donegal Pharmacist Tom

An Oireachtas Committee will hear later that 84 percent of people want to keep some sort of remote work after the pandemic. The research from the Western Development Commission and NUI Galway also found that 23 percent of people are considering relocating. Officials from the Department of Community and Rural Development will also update politicians

There are calls for Donegal’s County Development Plan to be varied in a bid to mitigate against any future bog slippages, similar to that seen in recent weeks at the site of Meenbog Wind Farm near Barnesmore Gap. Concerns were raised over the impact the bog slippage would have on the local environment. A multi-agency

  Met Eireann is warning of much colder spells for the rest of the week. It has issued an advisory warning for the entire country, warning of ‘sharp to severe’ frosts in parts as well as wintry showers. The warning will be in place from tomorrow afternoon until Friday night. Cathal Nolan is from Ireland

There are calls for Donegal County Council to carry out a survey on small country back roads to ascertain the need for traffic calming measures on such routes. Councillor Paul Canning told the latest sitting of Donegal County Council that the issue has become more prevalent due to an increase in the volume of traffic

Gardaí in Donegal are investigating two burglaries last week, one in Letterkenny, the other from the shore of Lough Foyle in Inishowen. On Wednesday night last, a storage unit was broken into on Neil T.Blaney Road in Letterkenny causing substantial damage, while on Thursday, 230 pre-graded oyster bags were taken from Cabry, Quigleys Point. Gardai

It’s emerged that a seismic event picked up on measuring equipment at St Columba’s College in Stranorlar was not local, but actually an earthquake deep under the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile. The readings were picked up on by staff member Brendan O’Donoghue, who says deep earthquakes elsewhere can give initial readings

The Northern Ireland Assembly has heard how a Strabane man upon accepting his battle with Covid-19 was coming to an end, urged people to realise the severity of the virus. Frank Tracey passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning after contracting Covid-19. West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan was contacted by Mr Tracey last

Shops, gyms, hairdressers and places of worship are open again today as level 5 coronavirus restrictions are lifted across the country. People are still being advised to work from home if they can, and not to mix with other households. From today, there’s also a recommendation to wear a face mask outdoors on busy streets.

The Agriculture Minister is urging farmers to take every precaution possible to ensure there isn’t a bird flu epidemic. It’s after five cases among wild birds in the Republic, and two in the North were detected, since the beginning of last month. Ministers from both sides of the border have taken new measures to prevent

A meeting will be held between members of the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District and Government officials on Thursday to discuss the signing of a contract which will see the development of a direct provision centre in Letterkenny. Up to 350 asylum seekers will be housed in former student accomodation on the Port Road in February.

The British government says there won’t be a public inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane. The Belfast solicitor was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in 1989 in front of his family at home. Last year the UK Supreme court ruled there hadn’t been an effective investigation into the murder. Speaking in the House of

Funding for Buncrana Leisure Centre has been officially ring fenced today as Donegal County Council adopted it’s Capital Budget. The Council’s Three Year Capital Programme committed to continue to progress the delivery of the project with architects and consultants already appointed. Plans will see the demolition of the existing building which has been lying idle

  A Letterkenny councillor is urging parents in the Windmill View/Killylastin areas to be vigilant after receiving a number of calls from motorists whose had been damaged. Cllr Gerry McMonagle says young people have been congregating at a site cleared for social housing, throwing mud and stones at passing cars. He says in the long

It is possible the UK will use fisheries as an excuse not to have a Brexit deal, according to the Foreign Affairs Minister. As EU – UK negotiations resume today Minister Simon Coveney believes there is a deal to be done. Control and quotas for fishing in UK waters post-Brexit remains the stand-out issue in

The estimated national 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 now stands at 92 cases per 100,000 people- the lowest it’s been since late September. However, with a rate just under 220, Donegal remains the county with the highest rate, and is now the only county with a rate above 200. It comes as 299 new cases

Residents in the Twin Towns are renewing calls on Donegal ETB to allow the community access to a pathway which leads directly to Drumboe Woods. The path was constructed by Donegal ETB, but locals say a gate was erected, and it’s been locked for over a decade. The route is located in a heavily populated

A Donegal Deputy is asking persons with disabilities to share their opinions with him in the lead up to International Day of Persons with Disabilities this Thursday, December 3rd. Deputy Thomas Pringle believes elected representatives should be creating policies to make this country more accessible, more equal and fairer for everyone of all different abilities.

The Covid-19 vaccine taskforce meet later as the country enters the final day of Level 5 restrictions. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said he expects jabs to be rolled out here in the New Year, with healthcare workers and those with vulnerable conditions expected to be treated first. It comes amid increased calls for pop-up

The British Foreign Secretary’s suggesting post-Brexit trade negotiations between the EU and UK might soon be reaching a conclusion. Dominic Raab says a deal is there to be done and this week could be the last where ‘substantive’ talks take place. He says while fisheries remains an “outstanding major bone of contention”, discussions on competition

A public health expert says the Government needs to rethink its strategy of lockdowns in the fight against Covid-19. The country will begin to reopen for Christmas on Tuesday but the Taoiseach hasn’t ruled out tighter restrictions in the new year. The 14 day incidence rate of the virus per 100,000 people has stayed below

The Government is planning to have over one million people vaccinated against Covid-19 in the coming months. It’s widely believed that the most vulnerable will be given the doses first, with hopes that most of the population will receive it by the summer. The Sunday Independent reports the State’s also hoping to begin the process