Author name: oisinkelly

  The Chief Medical Officer says he’s not concerned about the breakdown in the contact tracing system. The HSE asked 2,500  people who tested positive to do their own contact tracing after the system became overwhelmed. A further 1,066 cases were confirmed last night, along with three additional deaths. The national 14 day incidence rate […]

  A West Tyrone MLA says he believes the A5 can be delivered on time following a speech by the Taoiseach yesterday. In a ‘Shared Island’ presentation, Michael Martin reaffirmed the Irish Government’s commitment to a number of projects including the A5. Daniel McCrossan says this, coupled with assurances he’s had from Minister Nicola Mallon,

  A Midlands-North-West MEP says there’s a lot in the new Common Agricultural Policy that will benefit farmers. CAP has been the focus of debate and division within the European Parliament this week, with MEPs voting on dozens of amendments. Maria Walsh admits it’s a contentious issue, but says there are positives in the package:

It’s emerged that only one nurse and one care assistant have been caring for 27 residents in a nursing home in the west. It’s claimed that 25 out of 27 residents in the home have tested positive for Covid-19, while one of them has died. It was also claimed 7 out of 8 nursing staff

    A Donegal Deputy believes that years of chronic underinvestment in the health service is the root of the contact tracing controversy. Up to 15,000 people may have been affected by issues with Covid-19 contact tracing over the weekend. The HSE has asked thousands of people who have tested positive for the disease to

  There are fears that rural bus operators may be omitted from a new Covid-19 support scheme. The scheme, which was introduced just last week, is being administered through Failte Ireland and aims to give additional supports to bus operators who suffered a loss of income due to the pandemic. Speaking in the Dail Deputy

  A Stranorlar GP is warning while Covid-19 seems to be stabilising in Donegal, there can be no room for complacency. There were 48 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Donegal last night. The incidence rate in Donegal now stands at 320.4 per 100,000 people and currently ranks eighth highest nationwide. Meanwhile the incidence rate

  The Minister for Further and Higher Education says in terms of education, there is a gapping space in the North West that needs to be addressed. Minister Simon Harris was responding to Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle who questioned the Minister on the number of students travelling from Northern Ireland to study in the Republic.

  Royal Mail has confirmed that it will be introducing additional Christmas staff sooner this year in an attempt to address a number of issues facing the service across Tyrone. For a number of weeks, the delivery of post has been delayed in the Strabane area due to a 30% reduction in staff. Meanwhile, grave

Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh has welcomed a commitment from the Department of Education that it is to increase resources for dedicated school teams in each HSE area across the country to assist schools where a Covid-19 case is identified. Deputy McHugh in the Dail last evening, relayed concerns from school principals in Donegal over difficulties

The Taoiseach and Health Minister were only made aware last night that the HSE is asking some people to carry out their own contact tracing. A spokesperson for Stephen Donnelly says the decision was made by the HSE for ‘operational reasons’, adding that it was a temporary measure. Thousands of positive cases from last weekend

  The future of the post office network has been heavily debated in the Dail this afternoon. A large number of TDs from right across the country raised concerns over the viability of the network and what the Government could be doing in terms of enhancing services to ensure its survival. There are on-going fears

  A Donegal Deputy has slammed the Housing Minister for a U-turn on what he had termed ‘bonkers’ co-living plans in opposition last year. Co-living developments see bedrooms, often the size of a disabled parking space, built for single people with shared kitchen and living spaces. Deputy Thomas Pringle addressed the Dáil last night to

  Donegal County Council is to undertake a study of caravan facilities in a bid to address various challenges currently being experienced. It follows concern that some of the beaches and other scenic areas in the county were not able to cope with the huge volume of tourists this year. It has led to calls

  A Donegal Deputy is urging the Government to ‘hold the line’ as it relates to the fisheries sector in the Brexit negotiations. It’s thought that the sector is under the biggest threat in terms of the on-going talks and the increasingly likelihood of a no deal Brexit. Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn

The Donegal GRA representative says Gardai in the county will only fine people as a last resort. Fines of up to 2,500 are to be imposed on people who hold a house party in contravention of Covid 19 restrictions. New laws being drafted by government provide for a 1,000 euro fine for a first offence

  Up to 180,000 jobs have been lost in Ireland’s tourism sector this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. An Oireachtas committee will later hear the industry’s also facing a revenue shortfall of 5 billion euro and the prospect of further difficulty well into 2021. The Tourism Recovery Taskforce will present details of a new

  Donegal County Council is being urged to look at a number of estates in Letterkenny where water supplies are affected by problems with pumping stations. Cllr Gerry McMonagle was speaking after he was told the pumping station at the top of Foxhills is to be recommissioned in the coming days after a number of

  Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will meet with the heads of Ulster Bank later to discuss an ongoing review of its Irish operations. Last month the bank’s owner, NatWest, confirmed a ‘strategic review’ is underway in the Republic, following reports it’s considering winding down. Ulster Bank employs 3,000 people on the island of Ireland –

The Chief Medical Officer believes fines will work in improving compliance with level 5 restrictions. Gardaí are to be given the power to fine people for attending house parties, not wearing masks in certain settings or for going further than 5km from home. It comes as 13 additional deaths and 1,269 new cases have been