Author name: oisinkelly

  An Inishowen Cllr has hit out at those behind littering at beaches and beauty spots over the Bank Holiday Weekend. Gardaí from the Buncrana District described some of the beaches on the peninsula as left in a deplorable state with rubbish after people flocked to the seaside areas during the good weather. Local Cllr

  It looks like a hosepipe ban is on the cards across the country. Irish Water says it’s ‘increasingly likely’ it’ll have to bring it in, as demand for water soars by 20 per cent and the drought gets worse. 16 of the utility’s drinking water schemes are in drought and 38 are at risk

  There are calls for an urgent meeting of the council sub committee on the Mica Redress Scheme. Councillor Albert Doherty say there’s on onus on Donegal County Council to get the scheme off the ground as latest indications show that ‘the ball in now in their court.’ Councillor Albert Doherty say that there must

Coillte says it’s lost a minimum of 150 hectares of forestry to fires in recent days as a status red wildfire warning continues. A new fire broke out at Rockmarshall, east of Dundalk in Co Louth at around ten o’clock last night. Workers at the state forestry agency along with local firefighters and the Air

More than 20 percent of Irish people plan to cocoon in their homes for the foreseeable future. It’s one of the findings in research carried out by Home and Community Care Ireland, who believe new ways of delivering care to people needs to be devised. It wants the Government to set up a group to

Irish Water is urging people in Donegal and in particular Letterkenny and Lough Mourne Water Supplies and surrounding areas, to conserve water as demand continues to increase resulting in decreasing reservoir levels. Ben Finnegan reports:

A Donegal Councillor is calling on Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin and Donegal party members to publicly state the position of the party’s stance on the household tax. Local Councillor Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig wrote to Michael Martin asking if the household tax is central to negotiations in forming the next government. Following the

A Donegal TD has called on caravan park owners who have closed their parks in line with current government restrictions to engage fairly with customers who have caravans on-site. It follows a number of Donegal caravan owners who have received legal letters by some park owners seeking payment for site fees for the period in

Another 2 people with Covid-19 have died in the Republic – a drop from 9 yesterday. Latest figures from the National Public Health Emergency Team show there are 66 new confirmed cases. There are now a total 1,652 Covid-19 related deaths and the total number of people infected is 24,990 Data as of midnight on

A Derry Sinn Féin Councillor has raised concerns over a rising number of incidents in the Galliagh area over the past two weeks. There has been a rise in young people gathering on the streets and being involved in under age drinking, throwing fireworks, and fighting. While local youth staff in the area are restricted

Northern Ireland’s First Minister says measures to control Covid 19 could be needed for up to two years. The North recorded one more death from coronavirus yesterday and 13 new cases. A further easing of lockdown is expected there next month – which could include outdoor weddings with up to ten people being allowed. First

The government’s being warned a rush to ease restrictions could lead to a resurgence of Covid 19. It’s reported the government is considering scrapping the travel limit three weeks earlier than planned. It’s due to be extended to 20 kilometres from June 8th, but might be dropped by the end of next month. Museums, galleries

Údáras na Gaeltachta has approved a €98,000 investment in the Carrigart Digital Hub, as part of the Gaeltacht Authority’s gteic brand. The 168 square metre hub on Carrigart’s Main Street will be developed jointly with Donegal County Council, providing 18 shared spaces for local companies, entrepreneurs and remote workers. Udaras says initial research suggested that

Gardai are reminding people to keep following the coronavirus restrictions over the bank holiday weekend. The force will be patrolling parks, beaches and beauty spots ensuring public health guidelines are being followed. Most of the country is experiencing more sunny weather today, with temperatures set to hit 26 degrees. Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather says

Health officials are urging people to keep a record of who they’re meeting up with this bank holiday weekend. They say it’ll help contact tracing teams if someone develops symptoms and later tests positive. Temperatures are set to hit 26 degrees today and anyone meeting up at parks, beaches or beauty spots are being encouraged

A warning’s going out to people to stay safe on the roads this Bank Holiday Weekend. The Road Safety Authority and Gardaí say there’s been a nine per cent increase in road deaths. 60 people have been killed in crashes so far this year, up from 55 at the same time last year. Road Safety

A Donegal TD says changes to the proposed budget for the Common Agricultural Policy are to be welcomed, but this is only the start of the process. Deputy Charlie McConalogue, the Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and the Marine says it’s positive that the proposal has moved from a proposed cut to a small

Donegal County Council and Water Safety Ireland are urging people to be careful when in and on the water this weekend. They urging people not to swim alone, to have all the safety and communications equipment they need, and to ensure they follow restrictions. Donal Kavanagh has more:  

  Glendowan National School has been sanctioned funding to build a long-awaited pre-school on site. A total of 185,000 euro has been awarded by the Department of the Gaeltacht – 95% of the money needed to complete the project. It’s part of the overall language plan for the Gaeltacht. Education Minister Joe McHugh says its

  The General Manager of Letterkenny University Hospital has said the downward trend in Covid-19 cases at the hospital is encouraging but warned against complacency. The latest HSE figures show two patients with suspected Covid-19 were admitted to the ICU at Letterkenny University Hospital in the past day while the number of confirmed cases has

  The funding and Advocacy Manager at Pieta House has given reassurances that their facility in the North West will not be closing. It ends weeks of speculation over the future of Pieta House North West with reports of staff put on notice and appointments not being scheduled beyond June. However Tom McEvoy has stated

  The Finance Minister has confirmed public sector workers will get a planned pay rise in October. Unions have been campaigning for the increase to go ahead despite the predicted 30 billion euro hole in the state’s finances due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the final stage of the pay deal, around 330,000 public sector

  It’s emerged that more than half of the residents from a Donegal nursing home have died from Covid-19 – the highest percentage of deaths in any nursing home nationwide. The Rock in Ballyshannon was closed a month ago following a suspected outbreak at the HSE-run facility and the 19 residents were moved to a

  A Donegal County Councillor has given a guarded welcome to the Stability fund for Irish Summer Colleges Sector. €4.7m was announced by Government yesterday but it’s understood that Mna an Tis will only see a fraction of this – €4.00 per night per student for which they were meant to accommodate this summer. There’s

  The Labour Party says the Minister for Education needs to start hiring staff and building prefabs to get schools ready to open if social distancing is still in force in September. A roadmap for reopening schools is due to be published next month, but Joe McHugh says it’s hard to see all students back

  A Lifford Stranorlar area Councillor says people in the Ballindrait are losing patience after yet another burst on the Tober Water Supply line yesterday. Cllr Gerry Crawford says it’s the third time in four weeks that the pipe has burst, and while Irish Water have included the line in its latest contract to repair