Author name: oisinkelly

From May, the sale of menthol cigarettes will be banned in Ireland. It’s part of a new EU directive on tobacco products being phased-in over the past four years. Health Minister Simon Harris has welcomed the new law, which will also see irregularly shaped cigarette packs banned. Chair of Action on Smoking and Health, Dr

Over €172,000 in Leader funding has been announced for a number of projects in Donegal. Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh says the Leader programme continues to show how local groups can access substantial funding to make real differences with their projects on the ground. Michaela Clarke has more:

Serious health and safety concerns have been raised over an unfinished footpath in Gweedore. It’s believed work on the 1 mile stretch between Carrick and Lunaigh first began in 2018 after funding was allocated but has yet to be finished. Local Councillor Michael Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig is calling on Donegal County Council to urgently complete

More than 2,100 community initiatives around the country have been allocated a total of 4.5 million euro in funding, 92 of the groups in Donegal It’s under the Department of Rural and Community Development’s community enhancement programme. This provides groups with help to improve facilities in disadvantaged areas. Minister Michael Ring says the money will

The Bishop of Raphoe has acknowledged that the Catholic Church failed victims of abuse, and by today’s standards, dealt with such situations in a way that was “tragically bad”. Bishop Alan McGuckian was speaking after two Fanad sisters who were abused by a priest in the 1970s issued a comprehensive statement this week asking who

  A former PSNI officer is condemning the attempted murder of a current officer in Co. Fermanagh. The victim noticed movements outside his home in Kesh near the Donegal border in the early hours of yesterday morning. The suspect aimed a shotgun at him before fleeing on foot – and the PSNI believes it was

  Donegal is to share a €28m package for businesses based in Border counties announced by Government this morning. The funding is aimed at driving economic activity in the region and mitigating the worst effects of Brexit. It follows increasing concerns over the impact Brexit is having on Border communities. The Border Economic Stimulus Package

  Sinn Fein claims a deal to restore the Stormont Assembly could be agreed today. Talks resumed yesterday between the North’s five main political parties, and they’ll continue today. Sinn Fein, the SDLP, the Alliance Party and the UUP say they’re willing to sign up to the deal that’s on the table – but the

  The Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District has expressed concern over a Government proposal to amalgamate the Town and Village renewal scheme and the Rural Regeneration Programme. While Donegal is said to fare well in the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, it’s thought that the county doesn’t benefit as much from the Rural Regeneration

  First time buyers accounted for more than half of all the mortgages approved by Irish banks in November last year. Almost 4,200 mortgages were approved, according to the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland. The strongest growth was among those getting on the property ladder for the first time, up more than 8 percent on

Sinn Fein insists a deal to restore devolved government at Stormont can be done very quickly. Discussions have resumed in Belfast aimed at restoring the institutions. The talks were suspended before Christmas after the failure to secure the agreement of all five major parties to the talks. Monday week next the 13th of January is

There were 18 people awaiting in-patient beds at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, one of them on an Emergency Department trolley. Meanwhile, figures published today show a total of 5,727, patients spent time awaiting beds over the course of last year, the 6th highest figure in the country. Nationally, the 2019 figure was over 118,000.

Two Fanad sisters who were abused by a priest in the 1970s have issued a comprehensive statement asking who else knew of the abuse they suffered. Paule and Margaret Martin were aged eight and twelve respectively when they were abused by Fr Con Cunningham, who was convicted of a number of offences in 2018. Their

  A family in Kilmacrennan has been left badly shaken after a man attempted to gain entry to their home on Christmas Eve. Gardaí at Milford are investigating the burglary which happened at Ballyboe, Kilmacrennan shortly before midnight on Tuesday of last week. The scene is located approximately 1 km from the Millbridge shop which

  There are calls on Donegal County Council to make the use of recycling centres and the dumping of larger items either free of charge or costs reduced. It’s thought the move would encourage more people to recycle and effectively reduce the amount of fly tipping in the county. Cllr Patrick McGowan says if we’re

  Talks on restoring power-sharing in Northern Ireland are to restart this morning – as the next deadline looms. If parties don’t reach an agreement by the 13th of January, a snap assembly election can be called by the UK Government. Stormont hasn’t had a functioning political system in almost three years after a botched

  Over 118-thousand patients were left waiting for a hospital bed in 2019, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. That’s 9 percent higher than 2018’s figures and the INMO says the numbers have never been higher. Letterkenny University Hospital had a total of 5,727, patients awaiting a bed in 2019, the 6th highest

  The Garda National Policing Bureau says it will have a stronger presence on our roads than ever before. 9,600 people were arrested last year on suspicion of intoxicated driving. Latest figures show that 148 people died on Irish roads last year – an increase of 4 percent on 2018 with seven people losing their

The Tánaiste is urging Stormont’s rowing parties to show ‘leadership and generosity’ when talks resume. Simon Coveney and Northern Secretary Julian Smith were in Belfast today for informal discussions, before talks begin with the North’s parties tomorrow. All sides have until January 13th to strike a deal to restore power-sharing – or they will face

The number of people killed on Irish roads increased by four percent in 2019. 148 people died, with the number of driver deaths up 45 percent. However pedestrian deaths fell 36 percent compared to 2018. Passenger deaths dropped 20 percent while there was also a 23 percent reduction in vulnerable road user deaths. Road Safety

The Education Minister has announced a special History project as part of Glasnevin Trust Education Programme. €60,000 has been awarded under Dormant Accounts Fund to give hundreds of students in DEIS schools access to Glasnevin Museum. Michaela Clarke has more: