Author name: oisinkelly

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

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance has said that cutting unemployment supports for those who have lost their jobs would present a massive blow to workers and families who have seen their incomes collapse as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. With more than 600,000 people having lost their jobs, Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty has said

Parents are being urged to monitor their children for symptoms, as concerns grow over a new rare inflammatory syndrome, thought to be linked to Covid-19. 7 children here have already been investigated for the condition, called PIMS, while there are 230 suspected cases across Europe associated with the virus. The inflammatory condition can cause fever,

The Donegal County Library Service is encouraging people to take part in the ‘Get Caught Reading’ initiative. Running throughout the month of May, the library is looking for creative images of parents, children, pets and even toys, capturing the love of reading. While libraries remain closed, library staff say that they really missing interacting with

Residents in an area of Letterkenny are said to be frustrated over their local post box being temporarily sealed off by a fence. The post box at New Line Road is now said to be inaccessible because of works being undertaken by Irish Water with the section of footpath cordoned off. It’s understood that many

  Phase one of the easing of Coronavirus restrictions will begin next week. Cabinet has signed off on the move which will see construction sites, DIY and hardware stores open from Monday. People will also be allowed to play golf or tennis and meet in groups of up to 4 people outdoors. The government has

  The General Manager of Letterkenny University Hospital says a plan is underway to ensure surgeries resume. However, Sean Murphy says safety for patients is critical in the current climate and services must be reinstated accordingly. Letterkenny University Hospital now boasts two new wards – the short stay ward and the new stroke unit –

A County Derry woman has welcomed a move by the Home Office to change how its immigration rules affect people in Northern Ireland. Emma De Souza took a legal case when an application for a residence card for her US-born husband was rejected. Now, British and Irish citizens born in the North will be treated

  A Gaoth Dobhair based company has secured a multi-million euro package of work from Jaguar Land Rover. Irish Pressings, located at the Udaras na Gaeltactha business park, is expected to start the work in 2021. The company has grown by an average of 20% a year since established in 2005 with plans to employ