Author name: oisinkelly

Visitors are advised to regularly self-test for Covid-19 before entering nursing homes. It’s part of new HSE recommendations which take effect today. Sage Advocacy’s warning these new HSE guidelines may lead to further uncertainty and inconsistency around visiting arrangements at some nursing homes. The national organisation says further clarification around the new self-testing for Covid-19 […]

The British Foreign Secretary says the United Kingdom is ready to take unilateral action that would suspend customs checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland. Liz Truss is due to hold talks with EU officials this week to resolve disagreements over post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland. Ms Truss said she is willing to trigger

A total of 21,384 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been announced today in the Republic of Ireland. 984 patients are in hospitals with the virus, a rise of 67 compared to yesterday. Of those, 83 are in ICU, the same as Saturday’s figure.

The Department of Health has confirmed a record 26,122 new cases of Covid 19 today. As of 8:30 this morning 917 patients are being treated for the virus – a drop of 19 on yesterday. The number of people being treated for Covid-19 in the country’s ICUs is at its lowest level since early November.

Derry City and Strabane District Council has advised that there will be a number of changes to some Council services next week. The changes include some temporary closures of Council Recycling Sites and are due to staff shortages and resulting pressures on services. In the Strabane area, Plumbridge recycling centre will be closed on Monday,

  Students at Letterkenny Institute of Technology should know the fate of their winter exams next week. Discussions between LYIT management and Students’ Union representatives continued over the course of today on plans for rescheduling the exams. In a joint statement this evening, both parties say they are optimistic that discussions will come to a

  The Department of Health has reported a further 21,926 confirmed cases of Covid-19. As of 8 o’clock this morning, 936 people are currently in hospital with the virus – a decrease of 5 since yesterday. 84 Covid patients are being treated in intensive care – a drop of 2 in the past 24 hours.

Listen back to the main evening news, sport and obituaries for Friday January 7th: 

  Court sittings are facing disruptions due to Covid19 resulting in judges, witnesses, and court staff being unable to attend. The court service says business may have to be cancelled at short notice, and in this case any adjournment will be for the minimum period. Criminal trials due to begin in the Central and Circuit

  Colleges will reopen on Monday as planned. It follows a meeting between Higher Education Minister Simon Harris and student, staff and management representatives today. The re-opening will be staggered with five colleges returning on Monday and another five the following week. There are also plans to bring back pop-up Covid vaccination clinics on campus

A new operator has been confirmed for the PSO Donegal-Dublin service. The Government funded route will be operated by Ireland’s newest airline, Emerald Airlines. Emerald Airlines have been awarded a three year contract to operate flights on the Donegal-Dublin route for a three year period from February 26th with the option of a one year

There’s been a slight fall in the number of admitted patients awaiting beds at Letterkenny University Hospital, with 30 people waiting this morning, down nine from yesterday. Four of them were on Emergency Department trolleys. Latest INMO figures show Letterkenny had the third highest number of people awaiting admission this morning. Meanwhile, Sligo University Hospital

An Post says deliveries in some rural areas are being impacted by staffing shortages. The company says a spike in Covid-related absences has placed a “temporary strain” on its resources. It says the worst impact’s being felt across its mails and parcels network, and at some Post Offices, with some having to temporarily shut. It

Letterkenny University Hospital is dealing with 62 infectious cases of Covid-19. That’s down slightly on yesterday’s figure but remains the second highest in the country. 4 infectious cases are in ICU. Nationally, 941 people are being treated in hospital with the virus and 90 are in ICU.

Work to alleviate flooding issues in Strabane is due to begin in the coming weeks. A short term flood alleviation scheme is scheduled for the Pearse Gardens area of the town which has been badly hit by flooding issues in recent years. A new storm sewer is to be laid along St. Colman’s Drive which