Author name: oisinkelly

Domestic abuse and rape crisis support services in Donegal have added their voices to a major new TV, Radio and Social Media advertising campaign to tackle the serious issue of domestic violence. The campaign seeks to reassure victims that services are ‘still here’, and that victims are being prioritised during the COVID-19 emergency. Mary McGuire

77 more people have died in the Republic of ireland after getting Covid-19 – the highest number in a single day. The death toll across the Republic now stands at 687. 401 new cases have been detected here, bringing the total number of positive tests to 15,652. In Donegal, seven more cases have been confirmed,

584 thousand people will receive the COVID-19 Unemployment Payment tomorrow. Meanwhile, the government’s Wage Subsidy Scheme has paid out 321 million euro to businesses. Some people who have applied for the unemployment scheme have had their payments withheld because they were deemed invalid. Liz Canavan from the Department of the Taoiseach says some are down

A solution has been found to support healthcare workers that are in need of childcare. However it needs to get the green light from the National Public Health Emergency Team before details can be announced. NPHET will discuss the proposal when it meets tomorrow. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says funding is available for the plan. ………

A group of independent TDs have agreed to a further meeting with negotiators from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. They discussed the framework document published last week by the two parties on government formation. The three independent deputies at this morning’s meeting also presented proposals for discussion. Sligo-Leitrim-South Donegal TD Marian Harkin was one of

A Nursing Home owner in Letterkenny has written to Health Minister Simon Harris asking him to direct the HSE to stop poaching staff from Nursing Homes. Anne Gallagher, owner of Hillcrest Nursing Home says it’s a matter of deep frustration to her that at the same time the HSE is talking about the need to

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland is welcoming confirmation from government that commercial rates will be suspended while pubs are closed during the Covid-19 crisis. However, the VFI is warning that more government supports will be needed when clearance is given to open pubs once again. If not, they say many pubs will be forced to

A Derry and Strabane District Councillor says action will be taken in respect of illegal dumping in areas of the city. Cllr Mickey Cooper says despite the council’s efforts to help people through the establishment of a special Covid-19 helpline, illegal dumping is an issue, and in some cases, the quantities suggest it is being

Primary schools may have to have a morning and an afternoon session when they reopen, according to the INTO. The Health Minister says he’s discussed the possibility of reopening primary schools, even for just one day a week. General secretary of the INTO John Boyle says the school day may have to be staggered because

There’s a call for guidelines to be introduced on the level of nursing staff and medical care needed for residents in nursing homes. Sage Advocacy says it’s very concerned over the recent spike in the number of deaths during the coronavirus pandemic. Its executive director, Mervyn Taylor, says the bulk of nursing home care is

A senior PSNI officer is appealing to people throughout Northern Ireland not to be duped by scammers,after more than three dozen reports of scams in recent days. Over the weekend there have been more that 40 reports to PSNI of cyber criminals threatening individuals across Northern Ireland, a number of them in Tyrone and Derry.

A People Before Profit Councillor says Furloughed workers in Derry are being forced to take holiday time during the lockdown. The group says it’s been made aware of workplaces where it has become the order of the day. Councillor Eamonn McCann says being forced to stay at home is not the same thing as a

A recent initiative by a business network in Dublin has collected over €20,000 in funding to assist Letterkenny University Hospital. Donegal/Dublin Business Network has secured the funding with in a week. The funds will be used to assist the hospital with resources such as PPE and communication devices such as iPads for staff and patients

39 more patients infected with the coronavirus have died in the Republic in the last day, bringing the pandemic death toll here to 610. The Department of Health has just released the latest data on the extent of the covid-19 pandemic here. Stephen Bourke reports:

Detectives in Derry have arrested a man after a number of incidents in the city yesterday, Saturday afternoon. Reports were made to police between 3:10pm and 3.40pm about attempted robberies at shops on Waterloo Street, William Street and Strand Road. Trevor Keegan reports:

The Chief Medical Officer claims firms chartering planes to fly workers into Ireland goes against public health advice. Keelings Fruit in Dublin has been criticised after it flew nearly 200 workers from Bulgaria to pick strawberries. The Taoiseach has now ordered a review into how the current travel restrictions are being followed at ports and

A census of ALL deaths in long-term residential care facilities this year is being carried out this weekend. The research includes people who died from Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 illnesses, to find out the scale of the virus in nursing homes. Yesterday saw the death toll rise to 530, after a further 44 patients died after

An investigation is continuing into significant illegal dumping in Donegal Town. Up to 50 bags of household rubbish were discovered dumped at a site near the town centre this week. The rubbish contained numerous soiled nappies among other household items which created a very unpleasant smell for residents living nearby. Local Cllr Tom Connaghan says

Despite a 60% reduction in traffic flow, the health advice and business closures, police have arrested 103 people for drink or drug driving offences over the last fortnight. In addition to being detected by police officers on patrol and at vehicle checkpoints, arrests have been made following calls from members of the public, shop and

  There has been a 467 percent increase in people taking e-learning courses through public libraries in the past month. New membership rates in March have almost doubled compared to the same time last year. There are over 100 online language courses available, and over 2,000 newspapers from over 100 countries. Minister for Rural and

  The community of Killybegs has been praised for helping a young Belgian family who have been effectively stranded in Donegal due to the on-going emergency. It emerged this week that that family had spent the last while in a campervan on Fintra beach and cannot return to Belgium as their home is currently rented

  The General Manager of Letterkenny University Hospital has confirmed that the hospital is operating well within its capacity for both ICU and Covid-19 in-patients. The number of cases presenting to the hospital is increasing steadily but at a manageable level so far. There are currently 320 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Donegal. Manager Sean

  Two islands off Donegal are part of a small group of places globally which currently have no confirmed cases of Covid-19. Arranmore and Tory along with other offshore islands on the coast are among a select group of areas which remain coronavirus free. The islands depend heavily on tourism as a main source of

  Residents in Glenties and Fintown are being reassured that a major community effort is on-going and anyone who wants to avail of its services is being urged to do so. Over 100 volunteers from the locality have already joined the Glenties and Fintown Covid-19 Response group, helping the vulnerable or those who are cocooning.