Author name: oisinkelly

  The Stormont executive will hold a special meeting this morning to consider bringing in new Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland. Health officials have recommended a tighter lockdown for four to six weeks, after an average of 880 cases a day over the past week. Donegal Cavan and Monaghan may be moved to level 4 […]

  A West Tyrone MLA has told the Stormont Assembly that a clear and transparent message is vital in tackling the spread of Covid-19. The 7 day incidence rate in Derry and Strabane, where further restrictions came into force last week, is currently the highest in the whole of the UK at 971 per 100,000

Our own Pio McCann has been laid to rest today. He passed away on Friday at his home. Fr Brian Darcy, during his homily spoke of the legend that he was and how his legacy will live on. His son, Aaron paid special tribute to his father today:

Irish Water is being requested to attend the next sitting of Donegal County Council as a matter of urgency. There’s a number of outstanding issues right across Donegal while it’s also thought that more communication between Irish Water and the Council is needed with regard to upcoming planned works. Cllr Michael Naughton says currently, Councillors

This is Social Inclusion Week, with the initiative launched on Highland Radio’s Nine til Noon Show this morning. The event, co-ordinated by Donegal County Council, aims to highlight the very positive work being done, not only by the Council, but also by other statutory and community organisations in attempting to raise awareness of social inclusion

There are further calls on the Marine Minister to ensure a fair and just penalty points system. With a no deal Brexit becoming increasingly likely, fishermen say the penalty points system signed into law last week by Taoiseach Micháel Martin is even more serious. Two weeks ago in the Dail, Sinn Fein Marine Spokesperson Padraig

There are calls for a Covid-19 testing centre to be located  in Inishowen as a matter of urgency. Cllr Albert Doherty, the Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District, says there is particular concern in at the increase in the number of cases reported on the peninsula . Last week, 59 cases were reported in North

The World Health Organisation says the Government’s strategy on coronavirus is risky and it will take weeks to know if it was the right call. 814 new cases were detected here last night, with two more deaths. Three counties now have a 14-day incidence rate of more than 300. The Government and the National Public

A local party representative has said she believes churches should be open for Sunday services under current restrictions. Churches and places of whorship have been closed country wide under Level 3 Covid restrictions, with services advised to move to online service. Meanwhile churches remain open just across the border in Northern Ireland with limited numbers

The Republic and Northern Ireland need to share resources to fight the pandemic — including intensive care beds, according to the chair of the Northern Assembly’s Health Committee. The Derry-Strabane area has the highest fortnightly case rate anywhere on the island. Meanwhile, a circuit breaker could be about to be imposed there in the coming

There needs to be a reduction in infection rates over the next couple of days across the country to show Level 3 is working, according to a Stranorlar based GP. 814 new cases were detected in Republic last night, with two more deaths announced by the Department of Health. 56 of yesterday’s new cases were

814 more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Republic, and two more patients have died. The country’s top public health official is warning the rates of infection in 22 counties have more than doubled in the last week. Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan says it shows “rapidly increasing growth rates across the

A hospital consultant in Derry says they’re “struggling to find beds” for Covid-19 patients in intensive care today. The Derry-Strabane area has the highest rate of Covid-19 infection anywhere in Ireland or the UK. One thousand and sixty-six people tested positive in the six counties in the last 24-hours. Respiratory consultant at the Altnagelvin Hospital,

A government minister says there’s ‘no plan’ to extend school closures at mid term as part of measures to tackle Covid-19. It had been mentioned at cabinet earlier this week that closing them for two weeks as opposed to one at Halloween could help slow the virus down. Junior Minister at the Department of Education

Sinn Féin says hospitals in the Republic should be drawing up plans to receive patients if hospitals in the North come under too much pressure. The party is calling for officials on either side of the border to pool testing and tracing to fight the outbreak on an all-island basis. 906 cases were recorded in

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association wants to see the number of ICU beds ramped up. It says at the moment there are 281 ICU beds available but it wants 400 to come on stream very quickly. HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid will address its virtual annual conference today. IHCA President, Professor Alan Irvine says non-covid

It’s claimed tighter restrictions aren’t being introduced in Northern Ireland for political reasons. It’s after a record 1,080 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the region yesterday. Almost a third of the North’s 18,200 cases have taken place in the past week – but the region still has less severe restrictions than the Republic. Anne

A Donegal Deputy says the government has failed to recognise the emergency that exists in Ireland’s Gaeltachts, and must introduce more radical changes to the Official Languages Act of 2003. The government is bringing forward a new bill, but Deputy Thomas Pringle says the act hasn’t been fit for purpose for a long time, and

A Midlands North West MEP is urging the EU not to be pressured into doing a rushed trade deal with the UK. Sinn Féin’s Chris MacManus made the comments after the European Commission updated Parliament this week. MEPs were warned that time is running out to reach an agreement. Mr MacManus is welcoming EU commitments