Author name: oisinkelly

  People who are currently on holiday in Donegal are being urged to go home until restrictions are lifted. It comes following more reports today of a large number of people from various parts of the country now residing in their holiday homes in Donegal. Donegal TD Padraig MacLochlainn says these individuals will be more […]

  The Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District says while he hopes that the new emergency powers will curtail people travelling to Donegal this weekend, concern remains that a certain element will continue to take chances. There are reports that some have already started travelling to seaside locations in the county. Garda checkpoints are to

  The Health Minister has signed regulations giving gardaí emergency power to enforce restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. People found not following health advice will be forced to return home. Yesterday saw the largest daily rise in the number of deaths here since the outbreak began – 36 people died, bringing the total to 210.

  Third level students will not sit their exams in exam halls next month. The closure of universities and colleges and social distancing concerns due to Covid-19 have prompted the announcement. Government says impacted students have been notified by institutions and other means of assessment have been finalised. Dr Padraig Walsh from Quality and Qualifications

  There’s been particular concern expressed at the prospect of large numbers of people ignoring travel restrictions and coming to Donegal over Easter. Donegal Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue says up to now, Gardai have been doing a very good job policing the restrictions and reminding people of their responsibilities. Now, he says, it’s vital that

  A West Tyrone MLA says vacant hospitals and schools in the area could be used in the fight against Covid-19, either as Field Hospitals or test centres. Daniel Mc Crossan has written the Health Minister Robin Swann, saying there are effectively two empty hospitals in Omagh, while there is a former Grammar School in

  More than 8,000 calls have been made to helplines by the elderly and vulnerable in Ireland in the past week. Alone received more than 3,000 calls up to Sunday, while the Covid-19 Community Call forum which was launched by the government last Monday received over 5,000 calls. The Covid-19 Community Call Forum works with

Gardai are warning people that there are a number of scams running as a result of the Coronavirus crisis, some claiming to represent bogus charities. On today’s Nine til Noon Show, Garda Grainne Doherty said one scam in particular features a claim from the caller that they are from An Post, and they are looking

A West Donegal councillor says there must be government support to counteract the loss of income from Gaeltacht Colleges which are set to be impacted by the Coronavirus crisis. Easter courses have already been lost, and Cllr Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig fears summer courses will be cancelled as well. He says the mná tí

A County Tyrone woman who lost her father to coronavirus has warned NOBODY is safe in this pandemic. Maria Farrell’s dad Jackie passed away in Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry last Thursday. Her sister is now in intensive care fighting the illness. Speaking on Facebook from her home in Strabane, Maria had this message for those

Údarás na Gaeltachta is seeking to establish a panel of experts to act as mentors as part of a Social Enterprise Programme that will be delivered across the country’s Gaeltacht areas. The Gaeltacht Social Enterprise Programme will look to help community development organisations grow and reach their full potential. Expressions of interest are being invited

There have now been 244 deaths on the island of Ireland from Covid-19, 174 in the Republic and 70 in the North. The cumulative number of confirmed cases is now over 6,500, 103 in Donegal and 51 in the Derry City and Strabane district. A large amount of personal protective equipment arrived in the North

The Cabinet will meet later as the focus turns towards the possible extension of the current coronavirus lockdown. The measure, which includes the closure of schools, pubs, and non-essential retail stores, is due to expire on Easter Sunday. Several ministers have indicated in recent days the measures will likely be extended. The National Public Health

New guidance has been published for parents and solicitors in Donegal in relation to access in the context of Covid-19 restrictions. Helen Coughlan, he Chair of the Law Society’s Family and Child Law Committee says the Covid-19 pandemic cannot be used as an excuse to prevent separated parents having contact with their children. She says

Donegal County Council and Esri Ireland have published an online dashboard charting information about the spread of Covid-19 on both sides of the border. The dashboard, which was developed in Donegal, combines data from the Department of Health and Public Health Northern Ireland, the hub is updated daily and provides information on confirmed cases such

The Justice Minister is hopeful regulations giving effect to emergency powers for the Gardai will be finalised this week. Legislation to allow Gardai to have new powers throughout the COVID-19 crisis have been signed into law but they are not yet able to enforce them. Officers are currently policing the streets without resorting to forcing

Donegal TD Padraig Mac Lochlainn is refusing to accept a pay increase of over €8,800, and says his colleague Pearse Doherty and Sinn fein’s other TDs will do the same. This morning, Deputy Mac Lochlainn published a letter gifting the amount to the Minister for Finance to be put back into the exchequer. He says

There are calls for the development of a Covid-19 testing centre in Derry which would be dedicated to testing Health Care workers. Local Councillor Sandra Duffy says the opening of such a dedicated centre at the SSE Arena in Belfast is a ‘welcome step’, and needs to be replicated. Cllr Duffy says there are a

An Post will check in on elderly people who have to cocoon. The new service is available online, and people can input a vulnerable person’s address and the post man or woman will call to the house to make sure everything is OK. It’s free with An Post offering to contact the Alone national helpline

There are calls for a concerted effort to manufacture face masks in Donegal, possibly using the facilities of closed factories in the county. Donegal Aontu representative Mary T Sweeney says at the weekend, a number of consultants said the specifications for face masks should be published so they can be made locally, and she believes

Community Assessment Hubs are to be rolled out this week, starting today. They’ll provide enhanced community-based supports for people who’ve tested positive for Covid-19. There’ll be 12 to 15 of these hubs in place by the end of the week, with Letterkenny confirmed as one of the locations. On Saturday afternoon, there were 27 confirmed

The death toll from Covid-19 in the Republic is 158, as 21 further deaths have been confirmed. 390 new cases were detected yesterday, bringing the total number of positive tests to 4,994, 81 cases have now been confirmed in Donegal. As of Friday at midnight, 165 people were admitted to intensive care units, while 1,163

Gardai in Donegal have received reports of the influx of people in campervans and cars to beach and scenic areas over the past few days. Gardaí are on patrol all over Inishowen today. Greencastle, Ballyliffin, Clonmany and Moville were patrolled and will continue to be monitored. Gardai say most people are sticking to the restrictions

The HSE says 20 percent of personal protective equipment that’s arrived in Ireland so far is NOT suitable for general healthcare use. Millions of euro worth of PPE has already been flown here from China for use by medical staff. But the HSE says a fifth of it – mainly masks – doesn’t meet their

There were 171 clusters of Covid-19 detected in Ireland before midnight on Wednesday 1st April, with 40 of them in nursing homes. That’s according to the latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. 32 of the nursing home clusters were in the east of the country with one in the Northwest. There’s also one