Author name: oisinkelly

The Labour Party says it’s worrying there will be no social-distancing on school buses. Public transport is operating at 50 per cent capacity, but school buses will carry the same number of students as normal when school returns. The Department of Education says children will have to sit in pre-assigned seats, next to the same […]

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Brian Tierney has urged the management of book chain Eason to meet with him to discuss serious concerns raised by staff since the closure of the Derry store in Foyleside was confirmed last month. Eason’s branches in Letterkenny rebranded as ‘Bookmark’ some months ago, but

A Donegal councillor is seeking to have cars, bikes, quads and other vehicles banned from beaches in Donegal. Cllr Michael Mc Clafferty raised the issue at a recent council meeting, and was told changes to the council’s by-laws can be considered in the context of a review. He expects a review to start later this

The Northern Ireland Exams Body CCEA and Education Minister Peter Weir will appear before the Stormont Education Committee today in light of the release A Level and AS results yesterday. It emerged yesterday that more than a third of estimated grades allocated by teachers to students across Northern Ireland were lowered in the final results.

Simon Harris says he intends to explore the idea of a John Hume Memorial University. The idea for a cross border college has been put forward by his Fine Gael colleague Colm Burke. It would be based in Derry and serve the north and north-west. Minister for Further and Higher Education Harris says it is

Sole traders left out of work by Covid-19 can now apply for a grant of up to a thousand euro to help with business costs. 12 million euro has been set aside for the Enterprise Support Grant, aimed at tradespeople, taxi drivers and others who can’t get the Restart grant. To qualify, a business owner

A Foyle MLA says there are serious concerns for the future of Debenhams in Northern Ireland, after more than 70 redundancies were announced this week, 22 of them at the Foyleside Shopping Centre in Derry. The company is currently in administration, and Karen Mullan is seeking an urgent meeting with the administrators to discuss their

National Heritage Week gets underway tomorrow, with Donegal people being urged to explore what’s on their own doorsteps. The OPW says as what’s become a summer of indigenous exploration comes to a close, this year’s theme is ‘Heritage and Education: Learning from our Heritage.’ Unlike previous years, the bulk of events are taking place online

The Taoiseach says the British Prime Minister has a ‘genuine desire’ to do a Brexit deal by the end of the year. The two leaders met in Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, today, for the first time since Micheál Martin became Taoiseach. They discussed the impact of Covid-19 and relations between the two countries. Micheál Martin

The Taoiseach says Ireland and the UK’s approach to Covid-19 is not exactly ‘harmonious’ after a meeting with Boris Johnson. Micheál Martin and the British Prime Minister met at Hillsborough Castle in Co Down this afternoon, for the first time since Martin became Taoiseach. The Taoiseach says the two countries aren’t exactly ‘synergistic’ on Covid

Two paddleboarders have been found clinging to a lobster pot after a miraculous rescue in Galway. There was a major search after the 23-year-old woman and 17-year-old girl failed to return to shore last night. They’ve now been found off the coast of Connemara, after being in the water for 15 hours. They’ve been taken

Guidance on Covid-19 testing for children is being published very late in the day ahead of their return to school, according to the head of Parentline. The Acting Chief Medical Officer says it’s virtually inevitable that clusters of coronavirus will emerge in schools when they return. Dr Ronan Glynn revealed last night a programme of

  A Donegal sound engineer is warning over a potential rise in ticket prices for concerts and festivals if and when social distancing measures are put in place. A picture of the first outdoor socially distanced gig in the UK was widely circulated online yesterday with concert goers placed in small groups on separate enclosed

  There are calls on the HSE to carry out an investigation into how data breaches have occurred in Donegal. It comes as there were almost 30 HSE data breaches in the county last year with more than half taking place at Letterkenny University Hospital. According to Freedom of Information figures obtained by transparency group

  Thousands of students in Northern Ireland will find out their A-level results later this morning – despite not sitting an exam. They have been graded using calculated marks, while the teacher’s assessment will account for 30 percent. It comes after Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted they “did not get it right” after handing

  A programme of Covid-19 testing for children is being developed by public health officials, ahead of schools planned re-opening later this month. The HSE and the National Public Health Emergency Team is working to give specific guidance to parents next week on when their children should be tested. 40 further Covid-19 cases have been

The Green Party has renewed a call for the development of a band of woodland right across Donegal. Michael White, who contested this year’s General Election for the party, says the announcement this morning of a scheme to fund the creation of native woodland on public land could help make this a reality. Mr White

  The IFA is urging the government to follow through on a promise to ensure that farm families have more equal access to the Fair Deal scheme. President Tim Cullinan says there has to be greater transparency in the cost of nursing home fees, but this must not impact the Government’s commitment to introducing a

A Glenties-based company which produces jam, marmalade and chutney is preparing to export into the US market for the first time. Filligans was established by Sarah and Philip Moss 33 years ago in the family kitchen, has continued to expand. Last year, with eight staff, they moved into a new premises in Glenties. Filligans currently

  The demand for property in Donegal is said to have increased dramatically despite the current climate. There’s reportedly an unprecedented increase in demand for the likes of two bedroom dwellings and holiday homes in the county. Edel Quinn, owner of Edel Quinn properties in Donegal says with 80% of their current properties on the

The current system as to how social welfare payments are being processed through post offices is not working, according to the Executive Member for Donegal on the Irish Postmasters Union. While some payments have returned weekly since restrictions were lifted, the majority are still being paid every fortnight. This is said to be leaving local

  Searches are taking place for an Omagh man who has been missing from Ramelton since Friday. Seamus McCarney was visiting the area with family and was last seen in Milford on Saturday morning at around 9.30am. Gardai received a subsequent report of a possible sighting at Illistrin, on the outskirts of Letterkenny. Efforts are

    A leading health expert claims the government’s current strategy of suppressing Covid-19’s likely to lead to a ‘rollercoaster of lockdowns’. It follows news of a new medium term plan that’ll see colour-coded statuses given to areas depending on infection levels. The Irish Times reports it’ll be red, orange, yellow and blue, with the

  Irish Water has been accused of focusing too much on servicing Letterkenny and neglecting other areas in Donegal. It follows yet another major burst in south Inishowen yesterday which left thousands without water for a time. Irish Water stated that the area may now be prioritised due to the recent high frequency of bursts

  The Higher Education Minister’s reassuring Leaving Cert students Ireland’s calculated grades system is ‘robust’ and will be reliable. It’s after Scotland’s moderation system was suddenly withdrawn yesterday after thousands of students were marked down. Round one of the CAO’s issued on September 11th, four days after Leaving Cert results are due. Minister Simon Harris

  The Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District is urging people to lobby the OPW and the Court’s Service in a bid to secure a quick return of court hearings to Carndonagh. It’s a year since the courthouse in Carndonagh closed pending repairs. a comprehensive study has been done, which concluded significant work was necessary.

  A Donegal Councillor says the attitude of the government to the Donegal’s gaeltacht and islands has been made clear following the announcement of capital grants this week. Minister Caroline Martin and Junior Minister have confirmed just over €279,000 for islands off Cork and €341,000 for islands off Mayo. Donegal’s islands receive €79,500. Cllr Michael

  More than one in four parents are going into debt to pay back to school costs. A new survey from the Irish League of Credit Unions show the average amount parents owe is just under 400 euro. While the cost of after-school care has increased by more than 70 per cent, and stands at