Author name: oisinkelly

    Donegal County Council has unveiled plans today to support the re-opening of businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector through facilitating additional outdoor dining and seating areas. Owners of restaurants, cafés and eateries can apply for a licence from the Council for additional outdoor seating areas that will provide them with extra capacity

  A Donegal Historian says a forum needs to be set up to discuss how best to deal with concerns over monuments. There’s been an outpouring of calls to have various statues removed right across the country which, it’s argued, glorify slavery. While some in the UK have been vandalised or, in some cases, torn

    The clinical director of BreastCheck says it’ll be months before the screening service is back to normal. Professor Ann O’Doherty says there are “huge challenges” in resuming services and that it’s still not possible to give a timeline of when they’ll be back up and running. Cancer screening has been on hold since

A business owner in Letterkenny has defended keeping his tanning salon open after a last minute change to Government guidelines. Tanning salons initially reopened on Monday as part of Phase Two but were advised later that day by the Department of Health to shut their doors again until June 29th. Owner of Bronze Age Tanning

  Marts in Donegal have reopened their doors this week after a period of disruption during the busiest two months of trading in the year. The Taoiseach’s announcement that no livestock sales were to take place from 13th March was said to have been a massive blow to marts and farmers having had to deal

  More talks will take place today between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens in a bid to form a Government. A number of issues remain including the 7 per cent reduction in carbon emissions. Former Green Party advisor John Downing says the decrease is still one of the main sticking points.

  The days of leisurely browsing at shopping centres are gone, according to the National Standards Authority of Ireland. Shopping centres are due to open next week which is earlier than planned. The NSAI says there should be no public seating, no WIFI and limited parking spaces. Spokesperson Paul Turner says customers need to be

  Fianna Fail’s Agriculture spokesperson has told the Dail that the Government’s approach to increase sustainability from an environmental and biodiversity point of view must also be sustainable for farmers in terms of income and employment. Donegal Deputy Charlie McConalogue was speaking during the Annual Transition Statements on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development. He

  Upgrade works to the A5 face yet further delays. It was anticipated that the major project would commence late 2020/ early 2021 however, a late submission of the public inquiry report is the latest stumbling block. It is not yet known when the construction of the Western Transport Corridor will get underway. Foyle MLA

    A Donegal childcare provider has described todays funding announcement as a huge relief for the sector locally. The funding package of €75m for the childcare sector has been agreed by Cabinet today and is designed to help providers to operate with less parental income. Creches are scheduled to open on June 29th with

    The Justice Minister says a number of grey areas means gardai can no longer arrest people if they’d don’t adhere to travel restrictions. Under Phase 2, people can only travel 20km or anywhere within their own county. But it’s emerged, this is only a guideline and gardai can’t prosecute anyone for breaching it.

The Bishop of Raphoe given reassurances to parishioners in Donegal that efforts are on-going to provide a safe environment for when religious services resume at the end of the month. Priests will have to wear face masks when giving out communion and people won’t shake hands for the sign of peace as part of new

  Concern has been raised over salmon fish being struck with a rare disease that has emerged in stocks in the River Leannan in Donegal. Inland Fisheries Ireland is appealing to anglers and others to report sightings of fish infected by red skin disease which shows discolouration, bleeding and ulceration on the underbelly. Dr Paddy

  One of the organisers of a peaceful walk in Donegal in support of Black Lives Matter has defended the event taking place during the current climate. The walk is getting underway at the Back Strand beach in Falcarragh tomorrow evening at 7pm. Participants are being asked to wear face coverings and are also being

  More Masses could be said when religious services resume at the end of the month. Priests will have to wear face masks when giving out communion and people won’t shake hands for the sign of peace as part of new guidelines. The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland Eamon Martin says they might

  Work has recommenced on restoring Swan Park in Buncrana. The popular amenity was badly damaged during the devastating floods of August 2017 and had to be closed to the public. Work had been stalled due to Covid-19 but has started again this week with a focus on flood defence measures. Local Cllr Jack Murray

  Some of Ireland’s leading tour operators are calling on the government to outline when the 2-week self-isolation period for travellers will cease. The Inbound Tour Operators Association wants the government to ease or remove the 2-week quarantine rule for travellers from overseas countries as soon as possible. Their president Rob Rankin says they need

  Councillor Noreen McGarvey has been announced as the new Cathaoirleach of the Glenties Municipal District. She takes over from Councillor John Seamais O’Fearraigh with Councillor Marie Therese Gallagher also confirmed as Leas Cathaoirleach. Councillor McGarvey says it’s a great ending to her first term as Councillor: Elsewhere, Councillor Micheal Naughton has been elected as

  Sinn Fein’s Finance Spokesperson has told the Covid-19 Committee that his Consumer Insurance Contracts Bill would be very helpful for businesses who face a battle in court with their insurers as some refuse to pay out claims for interruption to business due to Coronavirus. The legislation when enacted would increase transparency and strengthen protection

  Donegal has come out on top in this years An Taisce Blue Flag and green coasts awards. The programme aims to raise environmental awareness and promote sound environmental management of beaches, marinas and inland bathing waters around the world. The 80 Irish beaches and 10 marinas that have achieved this accolade must adhere to