Author name: oisinkelly

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 […]

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty feels today’s budget has failed to meet the needs of the people. Speaking during statements on the budget, the Sinn Fein Finance Spokesperson said Covid-19 and Brexit has resulted in a wave of uncertainty right across the country. He says today’s budget has failed to adequately address any of the challenges

  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

  Two influential figures in East Donegal are set to be commemorated with the renaming of buildings at the Old Army Barracks in Lifford. The buildings, known as The Prior School and McIntyre Building are to be renamed after Miss Eleanor Prior and Captain Kevin McIntyre respectively. Parts of the Old Army Barracks site have

  People are being urged to have a rethink when it comes to buying or using fireworks. Gardai say that fireworks and the associated noise can cause great distress to older people who have already suffered a great deal this year because of having to cocoon in their homes. The noise can also frighten family

  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

  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

  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

  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