Author name: oisinkelly

  It’s emerged that 1 in 4 beds and 1 in 4 nurses have gone in Donegal’s Community Hospitals over the last 15 years. The HSE has confirmed that beds in Buncrana, Carndonagh, Ramelton, Lifford, St Joseph’s Stranorlar, Falcarragh and Dungloe Community Hospitals reduced from a high point of 350 beds down to 261 beds

  People are being reminded that they have only one week left to get their applications submitted for the LIS scheme. It’s anticipated that further funding for Local Improvement Schemes will be made available by the Department of Rural & Community Development in 2019. The closing date for applications is this day week, Friday 15th

  The Government is being urged to enter immediate talks with the Nursing Unions in an effort to solve the on-going pay claims and working conditions improvements required by nurses. The Labour Court is to review the nurses dispute this morning ahead of a three day strike next week. A further 80,000 medical appointments will

  One of the founding members of Donegal County Council’s Islands Committee has hit out at Minister Michael Ring after he once again failed to set aside money for Local Improvement Schemes on offshore islands. Seamus Rogers, a former Labour Party councillor says road schemes on islands cost almost twice as much as those on

  There are further calls for Jobpath to be shut down. It’s after a decision by the Government this week to continue to support the controversial job activation scheme. Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle believes that outsourcing social welfare services to the private sector has wreaked havoc for jobseekers. Speaking in the Dail in recent days,

Drivers are being warned to slow down and expect the unexpected as Storm Erik hits the country. Strong winds are expected in parts of Donegal, Mayo and Galway – where a Status Orange Wind Warning is in place. There’s a Status Yellow alert for the rest of the country with a chance of some coastal

A high level meeting in Derry has heard calls for the progression of the medical school at the Magee campus of Ulster University. The meeting which was convened by Mayor John Boyle was attended by representatives of all the North’s parties, as well as Foyle MP Elisha Mc Callion and senior academics from the university.

  A year long series of events to mark the 400th anniversary of the completion of Derry’s walls will be launched tonight with the projection of drawings of the walls onto the facade of the Tower Museum. The images are sketches which were commissioned by the Council during the 400th year anniversary of the Plantation.

Almost €680,000 in funding has been approved for LIS schemes in County Donegal. The scheme will pave the way for repair works to private roads and lanes that are not usually under Donegal County Councils remit. A total of €10 million has been allocated nationwide however the county’s allocation has been described as far short

  There are calls on relevant bodies on both sides of the border to explore the idea of allowing the PSNI Air Support to be used in Donegal in an emergency situation. The police helicopter, based in Northern Ireland, is used regularly to assist police on the ground with dangerous drivers failing to stop and

  Serious concern has been raised over proposals for a new route corridor outside Letterkenny which will link through Dromore and onto the dual carriageway. Residents in the area received notification of the plans via post yesterday with some expressing alarm over the possibility that at least one house or more could be demolished to

  It’s been claimed that Derry City and Strabane District Council is paying for election leaflets to be distributed to residents at the rate payers’ expense. The printing of the leaflets and postage is reportedly costing thousands of pounds. Cllr Patsy Kelly believes the move is unfair to ratepayers and that Cllrs should be footing

  The Education Minister believes there is a local solution to securing a site for the Three School Campus in Buncrana. In response to a Dail question posed by Donegal Deputy Charlie McConalogue asking for an update on the project, Minister McHugh said officials from the Department of Education and Donegal County Council remain engaged

It’s emerged that two thirds of large commercial tractors have failed a new NCT style test. The test ensures the safety of “fast tractors” and other large road-going machinery used by agricultural contractors. 11 per cent of the tested tractors were designated as ‘dangerous’, according to a report in the Irish Farmers Journal. So far,

  More than half of employers believe the Irish jobs market will be more attractive after Brexit. The Morgan McKinley Irish Salary Guide shows that despite the risks associated with the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in March, 52 percent of employers see opportunities for growth. The report also found that salary increases this year

A Donegal Deputy has told the Dail that Ireland’s health service is in a state of absolute chaos. Deputy Pearse Doherty was speaking earlier as around 500 GPs hold a protest outside Leinster House calling for a reversal of cuts to the sector made during the recession. Deputy Doherty says with another strike by members

The President of the European Council says he’s been wondering what the special place in hell looks like for those who promoted Brexit without any plan to do it. Donald Tusk says the EU will make no new offer in the Brexit negotiations. He was speaking at a joint press conference with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

The new Donegal Tourism brochure for 2019 has been launched, offering what’s been described as a ‘window’ into our beautiful county that reaches out across the world to the diaspora and tourists. This is the third edition of this 64 page brochure which is distributed throughout Ireland, the UK, USA, France and Germany. The brochure

A Business Support Unit is being established by Donegal County Council, with a meeting between business leaders and council officials. It’s envisaged that four such meetings will take place each year in different parts of the county. Officials are also promising a ‘concierge’ style service which will offered tailored support to existing business and potential

A public meeting in Muff has been told that Local Link hopes to extend the bus service from Muff to Buncrana to a three day a week service, running three times a day. Cllr Jack Murray says the meeting was well attended, and showed there is clear demand for the service. He’s praised Local Link,