Author name: oisinkelly

There’s pressure on the Tanaiste to ensure Principals and parents of schools being examined for potential structural defects are kept informed. Its emerged that Letterkenny Educate Together National School is one of 42 schools nationwide built by Western Buildings Systems being assessed for problems with a number already closed over safety concerns. WBS are meeting

A Strabane Councillor has hit out at patient waiting lists in the Western Trust. A Strabane woman who has been waiting for two years for a hip replacement has been told this week that it could be at least another 3 years before the operation will take place. There are currently over 500 people on

  It’s emerged that Donegal wasn’t allocated any money under the new ‘Special Maintenance Grant’ because the local authority was already awarded funding earlier this year. The Government faced a backlash yesterday after the county was seemingly omitted from the 18m funding announcement. However, it’s understood that the funding is specifically for areas damaged by

The need for a new build Garda station in Carndonagh has come before the Dail. The current station has been deemed unfit for purpose by Chief Superintendent Terry McGinn with concerns over health and safety and station security raised in the past. Proposals have been put forward to temporarily rehouse the occupying Gardai in Clonmany

A South Donegal TD has told the Taoiseach that elderly motorists are the new victims of high insurance premiums. In some cases it is reported that insurance costs for the elderly have doubled. Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Eamon Scanlon told Leo Varadkar there needs to be more competition in the market in a bid

How happy are we in Donegal? That’s the question that a new survey being undertaken by Donegal County Council’s Research and Policy Unit is trying to answer. This survey, known as the Donegal Happiness Survey is being undertaken on behalf of the Donegal Local Community Development Committee, who want to find out how residents in

80% of companies plan to increase basic pay next year. That’s the main finding of an Ibec survey released today, which also found that just under half of all companies plan to hire more workers next year. Ibec spokesperson Maeve McElwee explains why pay’s expected to go up:

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Wednesday October 24th:

There’s pressure on the Government to provide urgent clarity over its pledge to reopen the 19 bed Short Stay Ward at Letterkenny University Hospital. It’s after the Health Minister failed to specifically cite Letterkenny as one of the locations where additional beds will be rolled out next year. Earlier this month Minister Joe Mchugh stated

Questions are being asked over a delay in addressing sinking issues at a Glenties housing estate. Clós Naomh Chonaill was built over 13 years ago with some garden, paths and walkways around homes reportedly starting to collapse shortly thereafter. Various health and safety issues had been highlighted over the years with preliminary work said to

  Ahead of a joint trade and investment mission to the US next month, a high-level inward investment team from Pennsylvania and Philadelphia have travelled to the North West. Nine businesses from the Donegal and Derry City and Strabane District Council areas will visit Philadelphia and Boston in November to build on the strong political,

Presidential hopeful Peter Casey says travellers get unfair financial benefits by having ethnic status. He made the claims during last night’s television debate between all the candidates. Mr Casey’s remarks sparked criticism from Senator Joan Freeman and others:

  The EU must stand firm when it comes to supporting the ‘Backstop’ deal on Brexit and there can be no turning back from last December’s agreement on it. That’s the view of Midlands North West MEP Matt Carthy who was speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Matt Carthy says he’s been reassured by

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Tuesday October 23rd:

Irish Water is being accused of completely disregarding Inishowen after refusing to meet Donegal Oireachtas members and Councillors from the peninsula. Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn had sought the meeting to discuss problems with the supplies from the Eddie Fullerton Dam and the plan to extend the supply to Letterkenny However, in a response, Irish Water

Police say they will be taking a proactive approach over the Halloween period to combat a rise of anti-social behaviour in West Tyrone. There have been reports in recent weeks of fireworks being thrown at passing vehicles in the Strabane and Omagh areas as well as eggs being thrown at properties, causing distress to motorists

An online campaign has been launched to have government funding reinstated for a service which supports women and children in Inishowen who have been affected by domestic violence. Lifeline Inishowen has been operational since 1996, but apart from some limited support from Tusla, government funding dried up in 2010. This year, adapting to new regulation

  It’s hoped that a proposal for a major new housing development in Letterkenny will lead to sewerage problems in the area being addressed. A planning application by Property Hold Limited is to be submitted to An Bord Pleanala with a view towards constructing over 100 dwellings in the Killylastin area of the town. The

There’s renewed hope that the rural bus service in the Clonmany area could be fully restored after news that an extra day is to be added to the current timetable. Previously the service ran for five days a week however in recent years it was reduced to just one day, leading to fears that it

  A report from the Environmental Protection Agency says around half of the waste discharges entering our waters don’t meet pollution and health standards. Untreated sewage is still being pumped into our seas and waterways from 38 towns and villages around the country. The locations in Donegal which have been identified are Kilcar, Burtonport, Falcarragh,

  Councillor Martin Harley has been elected as the new Chairperson of the Donegal ETB. One of the largest education and training providers in the county, Donegal ETB manages 15 out of the county’s 27 post-primary schools and is the largest provider for Further Education and Training in the county. Councillor Harley, looking towards his