Author name: oisinkelly

The Taoiseach says he doesn’t expect any major new Covid restrictions to be recommended this week. NPHET is due to meet tomorrow and will consider if further measures are needed to deal with Omicron. Hospital numbers are at their highest level since last February, with 928 patients being treated, 56 of them at Letterkenny University

40 percent of primary schools fear they may have insufficient staff to fully reopen this week. That’s according to the Irish Primary Principals Network, which says many schools are struggling to source substitute teachers, as covid-related absences grow. The group says many principals are opting to redeploy special needs staff to keep schools open. Meanwhile,

Conviction rates for using a mobile phone while driving are as low as 14% in some parts of the country. New data seen by the Irish Times shows between 2018 and 2020, 25% of people who were brought to court nationally were convicted. When broken down by county, conviction rates were as low as 14%

The General Manager of Letterkenny University Hospital says the hospital has been under significant pressure since Christmas. Almost 300 staff members are currently off work due to Covid-19. Visiting at the hospital has been suspended as a result of the rising number of Covid cases in the community and staff shortages. Sean Murphy says they

The Green Party leader says we may be close to the peak of the current wave of Covid-19. The cabinet is meeting today to discuss the high case numbers – but isn’t planning to bring in more restrictions. Minister Eamon Ryan says the current measures should be enough to deal with the Omicron strain:

Covid is leading to “dramatic changes” in banking and the financial system. That’s the view of Ireland’s EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness who is responsible for Financial Services, Financial stability and Capital Markets. She says early this year she’ll be looking at how these “rapid” changes are going to impact the financial system:

One school in Donegal is already without 7 teachers before it reopens tomorrow due to the impact of Covid-19. Absences in schools across the county and nationwide are expected to increase drastically by the end of the week. The Education Minister admits the reopening of schools will ‘not be without challenge’ but has given the

A Donegal councillor says he will be urging the authority to liaise with the HSE and others to assess how the Fire Service in the county can assist the Ambulance Service. Yesterday, Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn said he’d been told by the National Ambulance Service that it would welcome back up from fire service personnel, particularly

Derry City and Strabane District Council has completed the acquisition of lands for a new cemetery in the cityside, close to the existing City Cemetery, which is nearing full capacity. Welcoming the news, Foyle MLA Pádraig Delargy praised the work that has been done in the City Cemetery in recent years by the council, and

Teacher unions are warning of staff shortages and Covid-19 outbreaks ahead of the reopening of schools tomorrow. Yesterday the Minister for Education said the return would be challenging but their was no public health rationale for keeping them closed. Norma Foley’s comment followed a meeting with officials and education partners. Deputy General of the teachers

Rules around close contacts are set to be reviewed by public health officials tomorrow. It follows a request by coalition leaders to look at reducing the current isolation period due to Omicrons impact on vital services. It comes as a further 21,302 Covid cases were confirmed here yesterday, while 884 people are in hospital and

Donegal’s Fire and Rescue Service personnel could soon be deployed as first responders to assist the National Ambulance Service. The NAS has confirmed that personnel can be used to assist in cardiac arrest calls. Requests for the dispatch of the fire service must be granted by Donegal County Council. Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn is encouraging

Investigations are continuing into a fatal crash in St Johnston last week which claimed the life of Patrick Dooher of Porthall who was in his 20s. On Thursday night last at around 9pm two vehicles collided in the Dundee area. A woman was also badly injured during the crash. Gardai Niall Maguire is appealing to

Gardai are keen to speak to anyone who may have been in contact with the victims of a murder-suicide in Letterkenny prior to their deaths. The body of Daniel Duffy who was in his 80s was discovered in a house in the Windyhall area on Thursday December 23rd while his son, Damien was found dead

30,000 5 to 11 year olds have so far been registered for a Covid-19 vaccine. The HSE’s vaccine portal opened for the age cohort yesterday. There are half a million children aged between 5 and 11 living in Ireland. The HSE’s National Lead for the Vaccination Programme Damien McCallion says the figure’s encouraging:

The Health Minister says new minimum pricing for alcohol aim to reduce serious illness and death from drinking. The laws, which come into effect today, mean a standard bottle of wine cannot now be sold for less than 7 euro 40, and a can of beer for less than 1 euro 70. Alcohol Action Ireland

The Weather looks set to turn colder over the coming days. Met Eireann says today’s likely to mark the end of a mild spell where temperatures were above normal for this time of year. Forecaster Matthew Martin says a notable change is on the way:

Buncrana has secured a top ten place in the latest Irish Business Against Litter survey. Naas has been crowned Ireland’s cleanest town for 2021. Buncrana has risen 11 places to be named 10th cleanest town in Ireland. Eight out of ten sites surveyed in the town received the top litter grade. According to the An

Figures published today by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show that over 70,000 patients had to wait on a bed in Irish hospitals in 2021 – with 5,778 of those at Letterkenny University Hospital. Letterkenny University Hospital was the third most overcrowded hospital in the state last year, only behind Limerick and Cork University

Education officials, union representatives and management bodies will meet today to discuss the reopening of schools. The Association of Secondary Teachers say it’s deeply concerned the Education Minister’s going ahead with Thursday’s reopening without putting additional Covid safety measures in place. The teachers union’s calling for staggered re-opening dates at at time when many staff

An 18 year-old man has drowned off Arranmore island. The teenager was swimming with his friend when he got into difficulty along the pier. Gardai say he was taken out to sea due to a big swell. An RNLI boat went out to take him to shore, he received medical treatment at the scene but

A lorry driver and a local family had a lucky escape, following a crash in Newtowncunningham at approximately 7:30 this morning. Reportedly the lorry skidded off the road, and subsequently struck a house. While the lorry sustained some damage, it’s believed the house only received minor damage. The driver of the lorry was taken to

A local doctor from the NowDOC service says they’ve been inundated with phone calls from members of the public who are seeking a PCR test – even though NowDOC cannot refer them for one. Dr Martin Coyne says the volume of calls from asymptomatic members of the public trying to use NowDOC to book a

The head of the HSE’s vaccination programme says boosters for people aged 16 to 29 will remain by appointment as it’s rolled out over the coming days. A small number of clinics began administering third doses to the cohort today in Tipperary, Clare and Limerick. The HSE’s Damien McCallion says that will be expanded to