Author name: oisinkelly

  An Inishowen Cllr says there’s been a big increase in joy riding incidents on the peninsula. Gardai are aware of the issue and are monitoring the routes in question. It’s understood that not all the culprits are from north of the border. Cllr Terry Crossan says the force is under enough pressure with the

    The emergency phase of COVID-19 may be with us for months or years according to the head of the Department of Health. Jim Breslin has said the virus will be an ever-present danger for the foreseeable future. The Dáil’s new COVID-19 committee is holding a series of sessions today. Secretary General of the

  The Foundation Dean of the school of medicine at Magee College in Derry hasn’t ruled out the possibility of medical students coming to Donegal for placement in the years ahead. The Magee Medical School has officially been given the green light with the first intake of 70 students expected in September. The Northern Ireland

The Communications Officer for the North West Greenway project says cycling directly from Inishowen into Derry City Centre would be unheard of – until now. Yesterday it was announced that a planning application has been lodged which would see the construction of a new shared 62-metre long cycle and footbridge between Donegal and Derry. It’s

  A Donegal County Councillor is calling for the powers that be to come up with a creative way in tackling the backlog in driving tests. Tests have been suspended indefinitely since April with over 27,500 learner drivers nationwide now left in limbo. The Transport Minister may further extend the validity period for expired learner

  The Magee Medical School in Derry has officially been given the green light. The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed to establish the graduate entry medical school with the first intake of 70 students expected in September. Foyle MLA Karen Mullan has been welcoming the news. She says, not only will the Medical School positively

  There are calls for a cross-party agreement to end the exclusion of women returning from maternity leave from the Wage Subsidy Scheme. Currently, women returning from maternity leave are excluded on the grounds that, despite being employees, they were not on their employer’s payroll on February 29th. Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn says the Finance

  The chief medical officer and the HSE chief executive will appear before a special Oireachtas Covid-19 committee later, to answer questions over their handling of the crisis so far. It comes as last night’s Department of Health figures show the lowest daily death toll increase since March 27th. 1,547 people have so far lost

Some churches in Northern Ireland will reopen for private prayer today. Some services will also be allowed, as long as those attending don’t get out of their cars. It’s after the Stormont Assembly relaxed more of the Covid-19 restrictions yesterday. First Minister Arlene Foster says it was important to allow churches reopen.

Chambers of Commerce in Donegal say as more businesses begin to open, today has been about learning and addressing issues around how to keep staff and customers safe. Leah Fairman of the Ballybofey-Stranorlar Chamber of Commerce says the experience there has been similar to other towns – There is a sense of excitement, but also

  Ards Forest car park has reopened to the public today as part of the slight easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Coillte’s forest parks will also be free of charge to all those who live within 5km of them. Social distancing measures will be put in place to protect public health and wellbeing and Coillte are

A Donegal restaurant owner says the measures in which they will be allowed to reopen later in the summer will not be unsustainable financially. There are major fears locally that when restaurants are permitted to open their doors again; the majority will be working at a loss. Paddy Mac, proprietor of Mad Hatters Tea Room

  The Donegal Crime Prevention Officer is warning that while phase one of the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions is underway in earnest, Gardai will be continuing their extensive operations. Mammoth checkpoints are on-going across the county while Gardai are also to closely monitor how people are complying with the slight easing of restrictions. Meanwhile the

  A former Garda Sergeant in Donegal mental health problems among Gardai will not go away without proper intervention and counselling. It comes as recent figures show that 13 Gardai have taken their own lives over the past three years. Meanwhile at least 68 officers have had to take sickness absence every year due to

  Serious concern has been raised over what’s been described as an alarming increase in anti-social activity at Shroove in Greencastle. Over the course of the weekend, council bollards were moved, fires were lit with vegetation while dunes and fencing were also damaged. There are also reports that the culprits were driving a quad recklessly

  Fianna Fáil’s calling for meat factories to be closed until staff have tested negative for Covid-19. There are at least 12 outbreaks in plants across the country – and more than 550 cases. Fianna Fáil says all staff in meat factories should be tested even if they have no symptoms of the virus. Agriculture

  Nurses and doctors say we must ensure overcrowding doesn’t return to emergency departments in the coming weeks. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and Irish Association for Emergency Medicine fear the problem may come back. They’re warning that overcrowding and understaffing may lead to increased infection risk, poor patient outcomes, and unsafe workplaces. INMO

  There are calls on Donegal County Council to immediately suspend parking charges until the end of this year due to the current climate. Councillor Michael Naughton says as we face a very difficult period for small businesses in our towns, the move would go a long way to support and encourage people to shop

  A Donegal County Councillor is urging small and micro businesses across Donegal to apply for the new €250m Restart Grant, which will give direct grant aid to help them with the costs associated with reopening and re employing workers following COVID-19 closures. The Grant will be available to businesses with a turnover of less

  Cleaning and sanitation are set to become priority issues for workplaces as parts of the economy prepare to reopen today. Though the workforce will remain significantly reduced, the contract cleaning industry say it is more important than ever to make regular cleaning and personal hygiene a priority. Cormac Shields of the Irish Contract Cleaners

Garden Centres and recycling plants will re-open across Northern Ireland today. The Stormont Executive is expected to announce the lifting of more restrictions this week. Aodhan Connolly, from the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, welcomes today’s lifting of some measures.

Two men in their 20s charged with a number of offences including aggravated burglary and possession of an offensive weapon are expected to appear at Derry magistrates court tomorrow. The charges follow an aggravated burglary at an address on Strabane Old Road in Derry yesterday during which the house was damaged and the male occupant

The Health Minister says Ireland’s now at a ‘crucial moment’ in its fight against Covid-19. Simon Harris’ comments come as the first phase of the government’s plan to ease restrictions comes into effect tomorrow. Latest figures show 54 people are now being treated for the virus in ICU – down from 72 this day last