Author name: oisinkelly

Financial support package for NI businesses being discussed

  The Stormont executive is expected to meet later to discuss a financial support package for businesses in Northern Ireland forced to close due to new Covid-19 restrictions. From tomorrow, pubs and restaurants will close for four weeks with the exception of takeaways and deliveries. Beauticians, hairdressers and barbers will also have to close – […]

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Council receive less than 50 applications for Mica Redress

  Donegal County Council’s Mica Redress Committee is set to meet in the next fortnight to discuss progress with the scheme so far. A report presented to Councillors this week shows that since the Scheme opened in July, less than fifty applications have been received, with further information and technical clarifications sought in the majority

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Pringle says restrictions should be nationwide as cabinet meets

Cabinet Ministers will meet at 7pm this evening to consider moving border counties to level four restrictions. It comes after a four week circuit breaker lockdown was announced for Northern Ireland. It’s expected further restrictions will be placed on Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan. Independent TD for Donegal Thomas Pringle says he thinks the government should

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Chambers issue joint message as retailers await Level 4 news

The President of Letterkenny Chamber says local businesses are anxiously awaiting confirmation of what is to happen in Donegal in light of the Circuit Breaker lockdown announcement. This week, the chambers in Letterkenny and Derry met on the border in an effort to encourage people in the North West to take on board the public

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Cabinet meeting will discuss moving border counties to Level 4

Senior government officials met this morning to discuss moving Donegal, Cavan & Monaghan to level 4 restrictions. It’s likely that a full cabinet meeting will be called later after today’s Northern Ireland announcement. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says moving border counties to level 4 is under consideration……..

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Latest lockdown will disrupt “crucial” school term – Principal

    The principal of Holy Cross School in Strabane says the first term of any school year is crucial and the latest lockdown will be seriously disruptive to children’s learning. Schools in the North are to shut for an extended Halloween break with the extra week deemed as a holiday. Students both sides of

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Business Matters Ep 15 – Michael Boyd & Stephen Seawright

For this week’s Business Matters, Ciaran O’Donnell speaks to Sligo native, Michael Boyd, who moved to Letterkenny to take up the role of HR manager at IMED in 1990. Nine years later, he set up Boyd HR. Ciaran also talks to Stephen Seawright, Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway Manager, about Donegal Connect 2020 which was held

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Six Donegal heritage projects to share €45,000 in funding

  The Heritage Council has awarded €45,000 in funding for six heritage initiatives in Donegal to community groups throughout the county. The funding announced under the government’s jobs stimulus package is intended to provide much-needed support for the heritage sector. Although the scheme is very competitive, Donegal-based heritage groups secured over 8% of the €540,000

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Tánaiste indicates tighter restrictions for Donegal

  The government will make a decision later today on whether to impose tougher Covid-19 restrictions in Donegal and other border counties. Northern Ireland is to announce plans for a four-week lockdown this morning, with all pubs and restaurants expected to be closed and schools shutting for an extended 2-week Halloween break. A formal announcement

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Covid-19: Fears over long term effect on voluntary groups

  There are fears over the long term impact Covid-19 will have on the likes of sporting voluntary and community groups in Donegal. The pandemic has significantly reduced local group’s ability to raise funds in the same capacity as pre-Covid levels with many struggling to provide their services as a result. These groups heavily rely

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Warning over ‘widespread’ community transmission of Covid-19

  The Chief Medical Officer has warned Ireland is now dealing with ‘widespread’ community transmission of Covid-19. Dr Tony Holohan says it has become ‘a whole population issue’ and has appealed to every individual, family and workplace to act on public health advice. 811 new cases of the virus have been confirmed – spread across

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Irish Water make strides in tackling Donegal’s sewerage problems

    Irish Water has confirmed that raw sewage discharges in County Donegal have been reduced by 60%. The utility says it plans to invest further in Donegal over the coming years to facilitate ongoing improvements to the county’s wastewater treatment infrastructure. Since 2014, Irish Water has built new wastewater infrastructure for Bundoran, Killybegs and

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€20 million for Mica redress scheme included in Budget 2021

An additional €20 million has been allocated to the Mica Redress Scheme in Budget 2021. Almost €40 million will be available under the scheme for affected homeowners next year with €19 million being carried over from this year’s budget. Minister Charlie McConalogue believes the Budget is one which takes account of where the country is

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All border counties have incidence rate of more than 100

  Every county bordering Northern Ireland now has a 14-day Covid-19 incidence rate of more than 100. It comes as the Stormont Executive holds an emergency meeting to discuss potential restrictions. Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan have the three highest 14-day incidence rates in the country, while Leitrim and Louth have a rate of more than

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Female staff member injured during attack at Inishowen takeaway

  A woman has been injured during a weekend assault at a takeaway in Inishowen. Damage was also caused to the premises during the incident which happened in the early hours of Sunday morning. Shortly after midnight, two males entered the Chinese restaurant at Main Street, Clonmany and then became abusive towards the staff within.

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Government urged to address “Gaeltacht Emergency”

  A Donegal Deputy believes that the Government has failed to recognise the emergency that exists in Gaeltachts. Addressing the Dáil, Deputy Thomas Pringle stated that the Official Languages Act of 2003, “hasn’t been fit for purpose for a long time”. There’s concern that a cross-party report, commissioned in 2018 with 20 recommendations has not

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Council to outline Donegal’s Brexit challenges in new document

  A detailed paper, outlining the challenges that Donegal and the wider North West City region faces as a result of Brexit is currently being prepared by Donegal County Council. The document will reflect on the sectors which will be potentially impacted the most and will detail and argue for specific interventions by Government. This

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Donegal’s “decimated” music industry needs more support

  Serious concern has been raised again over difficulties facing the Donegal live entertainment industry with calls for extra support for the sector. The industry is said to have been decimated and one of the worst hit due to the Covid-19 crisis. The Council says it is actively engaging with the industry, ensuring that artists

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