Author name: oisinkelly

There’s a major push to progress the long awaited Medical School at the Magee Campus of Ulster University. The Mayor of Derry and Strabane Councillor Michaela Boyle is pressing for a meeting with David Sterling, the head of the Civil Service in Northern Ireland and key figures in the Department of Health. She says there’s

Independent Councillor Frank McBrearty has been elected to as the Cathaoirleach of the newly named Lifford/ Stranorlar Municipal District. He takes over the chair from Fianna Fáil Councillor Patrick McGowan. Speaking today in Lifford, Councillor McBrearty says one of his main objectives in his term as Chair will be to firmly put East Donegal on

  There are fears that the Government is not prioritising preparations for fisheries talks between the EU and UK post Brexit. It follows this weeks dispute between the Scottish Government and Ireland over fishing rights to the waters around Rockall and the disputed claim of ownership to the rock itself. Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher

Almost 250 complaints about farmers spreading slurry have been made over the past two years. The complaints to county councils relate to both the smell and road conditions. Donegal County Council was one of four local authorities across the state to record formal criticism with 12 complaints received. Deputy Editor with the Irish Farmers Journal,

  As a new Council term begins in earnest, there are further calls on Donegal County Council to consider the idea of streaming meetings live. The neighbouring council in Derry / Strabane already use this technology and people in that area can see the debates live on their computer. Cllr Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Thursday June 13th:

As the row over fishing rights around Rockall continues, Donegal fishermen fear their business could be in jepordy. Negotiations between the Irish and Scottish Governments are continuing after Scotland, last Friday threatened enforcement action against Irish fishing vessesls found to be within a 12 mile radius of Rockall. Donegal fisherman Adrian McClenaghan who has been

Some public patients in Donegal are waiting up to a year and a half for Cataract surgery. That’s according to a new survey from the Association of Optometrists Ireland, which found waiting lists for the surgery in the private sector was three months. While the waiting time for an appointment for children under 12 was

The HSE has confirmed that a recruitment drive to return the pathology lab at Letterkenny University Hospital to full service has commenced. A letter had been issued to GPs and other medical professionals across Donegal informing them that the hospital was forced to outsource some tests to labs in Dublin due to insufficient staffing levels

More than a million euro has been spent on PR for the new National Children’s Hospital. Public relations firm Q4PR has been paid more than a million euro in consultancy fees since 2015. It comes amid further warning that the cost of the National Children’s Hospital could top 2 billion euro. Sinn Féin’s Finance Spokesperson

Marine Minister Michael Creed is being asked to come to the Seanad to clarify the role of senior members in the 2013 agreement between the British and Irish Governments, establishing a Single Maritime Boundary between their Exclusive Economic Zones and parts of their Continental Shelves. Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn says a consequence of that agreement

  Highland Radio understands that following an extensive discussion on today’s Nine til Noon Show, Irish Water is now investigating the possibility of allowing a left turn at the junction of Pearse Road and Paddy Harte Road. Businesses in Letterkenny say they’re at their wits end as a result of the road works being carried

There are major fears over a potential threat to more post offices in Donegal after a decision by An Post to close Kilcar Post Office. The move comes many months after the multiple closures of post offices throughout the county and further afield. Kilcar Post Offices effectively serves the entire Parish of Kilcar , as

  The Education Minister is meeting with Irish people who are working in the education sector in the United Arab Emirates this week. The majority of Irish teachers working in the Gulf say the quality of life is better and would recommend a career there. Salaries, pay inequality, housing costs and a lack of permanent

  The Defence Minister has been accused of being inept and destroying the Defence Forces. The Dail last evening, debated a Fianna Fáil motion for pay to be restored to pre-crisis levels for army personnel. Speaking on the motion Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle says the retention crisis is something that exists through all elements of

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Wednesday June 12th:

Talks between SIPTU, the HSE, and the Department of Public Expenditure are due to take place tomorrow ahead of planned industrial action by health support staff. Letterkenny University Hospital is one of the facilities which will be affected with 10,000 workers set to strike next Thursday in a row over a job evaluation scheme and

The Taoiseach has been told that what people need is more than a debate in relation to delays in the allocation of home help hours. As of the end of April, over 6,300 people were awaiting home help services. During leaders questions in the Dail today, Leo Varadkar said the Government is keen to ensure

There are indications that the Riverine Project is finally getting the green light, with an expectation that nine million euro in funding is about to be announced for the project. Councillors in Strabane and the Finn valley say the project will totally transform the landscape and land use over and along the banks of the

The Housing Minister has been pressed to clarify why only €20 million has been allocated for the Mica redress scheme and why the terms and conditions of the scheme have not yet been drafted. Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle challenged Minister Damien English in the Dail yesterday on ongoing delays of the implementation of the scheme

A leading suicide campaigner is calling for the rolling out of a community based prevention programme in Donegal. Caroline Mc Guigan, the founder and CEO of Suicide or Survive says latest figures suggest approximately 400 deaths per year nationally with many more people attempting to take their own life. She says the Eden programme is

A Donegal doctor played a central role when a baby girl was born onboard the 3.04pm train from Galway to Dublin yesterday. Shortly after 5pm, a woman went into labour as the train approached Kildare. Irish Rail’s Barry Kenny says off duty doctor Alan Devine from Letterkenny was on board, and he and others were

  A Donegal Deputy has described huge delays in the allocation of home help hours as ‘cruel’. The latest figures from the HSE reveal that 6,310 people were on waiting lists for home help services at the end of April. It’s also claimed that no new hours are being approved with only recycled hours becoming