Author name: oisinkelly

  Concern is growing that there will not be enough experienced Gardai in Donegal to cope with the aftermath of Brexit. As part of plans being finalised by Garda officials, it’s understood that armed support units are to be deployed to the border region but it’s feared that existing resources could become overstretched. Meanwhile it

Urgent clarity is being sought from the Minister for the OPW after it emerged that the courthouse in Carndonagh is to close on a temporary basis. It’s understood that the closure is due to health and safety concerns with the roof and refurbishment works are to commence in the coming weeks. In the interim, court

  A Donegal Deputy has called for women who take time off work for an abortion to receive full pay. Deputy Thomas Pringle says the existing maternity and infant scheme in place could be extended to grant leave for women who choose to have a termination. He says a policy should be put in place

Fine Gael has unveiled former SDLP leader Mark Durkan as a candidate for the European elections. The former Foyle MP will run alongside former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald in the Dublin constituency. The Derryman was invited to run by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Mark Durkan says he won’t be pretending he’s a true blue Dub to try

  Donegal Hoteliers say they’re as ready as they can be for Brexit. The Government is being accused though of having a two-tiered tourism industry, which its policy is failing to tackle. The Irish Hotels Federation, which is holding its annual conference in Kerry, says not every region of the country has had the same

  The son of Bloody Sunday victim Gerard McKinney has said that he and his family don’t want to the soldier who killed him prosecuted. Mr McKinney was shot in the chest at Abbey Park in the Bogside. Mr McKinney’s family said they have forgiven the soldier who shot their father, as four British army veterans

Twenty additional Gardai coming to Donegal has been described as a step in the right direction but still far short of what’s required to replenish the force to previous standards. It’s estimated that a further sixty Gardai on top of the impending twenty would be needed to bring the number back up to what it

  There’s a call for more focus from the Government on the development of rural Ireland. The Irish Hotels Federation’s making the call at its Annual Conference in Killarney in County Kerry today. The average national room occupancy rate for hotels dropped to 72% in 2018, compared to 74% the previous year. Irish Hotels Federation

  Local Enterprise Week kicks off across the country today. Small firms are being urged to prepare for the impact of Brexit by taking part in the initiative. It features a range of events and activities that are aimed at stimulating business activity locally. Local Enterprise Office Network Chair Oisin Geoghegan explains what’s happening nationwide:

Over 200,000 hospital beds could be freed up – if vulnerable patients had enough support in the community to allow them to go home. Hundreds of thousands of healthy patients are unable to leave hospital after treatment, because they have nowhere else to go. Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Older People, Mary Butler says delayed discharges

Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, has urged the government to stand firm on the issue of a Brexit backstop. The EU’s Chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has told a Spanish newspaper he believes British Prime Minister Theresa May won’t be able to secure a withdrawal agreement before the exit date on the 29th of