Author name: oisinkelly

The Dail is continuing a debate on a motion of no confidence in Simon Harris which he is likely to win. The Health Minister has said quitting is not in his DNA. Though Fianna Fáil TDs have said they don’t have confidence in the Minister – and are only abstaining because they don’t want to

A family aged in their 60s and 70s have been left badly shaken after three masked men armed with a pitchfork and metal poles broke into their home in the Corgary Road area of Castlederg last night. The men broke into the house shortly before 10pm, forcing two of the male occupants to lie on

Some of those who were put out of their homes as a result of the fire on Buncrana Main Street two weeks ago could return to their homes as soon as this evening. Local Councillor Rena Donaghey has confirmed that air pollution tests are now complete and clean ups have been carried out at a

Formal approval has been granted to allow the commissioning of the Maternity Theatre at Letterkenny University Hospital. It’s understood that the HSE is now in the process of finalising plans which will also include the sanctioning and recruitment of staff. The development has been lying idle since 2000 when it was built as part of

  Today’s funding announcement for the Bluestack Foundation in Donegal Town has led to grave concerns over what allocation iCare in Inishowen is to receive. It’s understood that the facility initially applied for grant aid of 150, 000 euro while iCare has submitted an application for 100,000 euro. Donegal Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn it’s now

The Tánaiste says a British warning of tariffs being applied on food imports is a “reality check”. UK Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, has confirmed tariffs will be introduced in the event of a no deal Brexit. This would mean Irish farmers competing with South American countries, which have much lower production costs, to get access

  An additional €36,000 in funding has been sanctioned to the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation in Donegal Town. It’s understood that the grant aid will be used to assist the facility to continue to provide valuable training and supports to services users with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities living in south Donegal. Cllr Noel Jordon

  It’s envisaged that there will be further confirmed cases of measles in Donegal. The current outbreak in the county has led to seven definite cases so far with more suspect cases being investigated. The HSE has not disclosed the location of where those affected are from but parents are being told to watch out

  The mother of Jasmine McMonagle hopes to set up a charity in memory of her daughter. Jasmine was murdered at her home in Forest Park, Killygordon in the early hours of Friday the 4th of January. Today would have been her 29th birthday. Speaking on today’s Nine Til Noon Show, Jackie McMonagle says her

A Donegal Deputy has welcomed confirmation that compensation will be made available for people who incurred financial penalties as a result of Illness Benefit delays. Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty told Deputy Thomas Pringle that compensation will be afforded those who were affected by the delays last year. Those affected are now being urged to

  Work has begun on a historic bridge in Glenswilly but it’s hoped that it will be put on the list of protected structures to ensure long term preservation. The bridge over the River Swilly at Rashedoge has been reportedly neglected for some time however the local authority has initiated some minor improvements works there

  A Donegal Deputy says the cost of living crisis is out of control. It follows the publication of a report by the trade union-linked economic think tank Tasc, which found that Ireland has some of the highest levels of market income inequality in Europe, marked by a high cost of living and lack of

Concern has been raised that planned works for Magheroarty Pier may have a detrimental impact on the local fishing industry. Dredging works are set to commence at the pier next month with further development plans in the pipeline as preparations get underway to accommodate the new Tory ferry. Speaking at a recent meeting of the

The Sinn Féin leader says the PSNI have no credibility when it comes to dealing with legacy issues in the North. Last week, it was revealed that that police did not provide all relevant documentation to the Police Ombudsman in relation to the Loyalist murder of five people in a Belfast bookies in 1992. It

A former Gaeltacht Minister says he’s making efforts everyday to improve his grasp of the Irish language – but it was a constant source of embarrassment to him. Joe McHugh admits he doesn’t know why he was appointed in 2014 by former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, given that he couldn’t speak the language. He says he

It’s emerged that a number of commercial premises in Donegal have been targeted by thieves in recent days. Costcutters in Ballybofey, Manny’s Pub in Convoy and Hegartys home interiors in Buncrana were broken into within the past week alone. No arrests have yet been made with investigations continuing. It comes as figures from Gardai show

  There are calls on all candidates in the upcoming local elections in May to campaign poster free. It’s thought the use of media outlets and social media platforms would not only be better for the environment but also cost effective for the candidate. Cllr Seamus Maguire believes the use of posters during an election

There are calls for more progress on bringing bottle banks back to Dunkineely. Due to refurbishment works at the local community centre there, Donegal County Council is now looking to rehouse the bottle banks elsewhere but finding a suitable site in the village is reportedly proving difficult. In the interim, residents have to travel to

  There’s concern that areas of Donegal may fall between the cracks after the local elections. New boundaries mean that the Letterkenny MD will be inheriting the Manorcunningham area later this year with the current roads engineer urged to make sure these routes are maintained adequately going forward. Donegal County Council says that Letterkenny road

The government is due to finalise its contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit today. Cabinet will be briefed on the measures needed to prepare the country for the possibility of Britain leaving the EU without a deal. They’ll set out how key sectors will be protected in case of there being no deal in place

A ‘Brexit and the Northwest’ event will be held this week in Sligo. The event which includes a keynote address by the Tanaiste followed by a panel discussion with a range of speakers will examine the potential impact of Brexit on the border region. People are being encouraged to come along to the Aurivo Auditorium