Author name: oisinkelly

SIPTU says the government must triple its investment in childcare to prevent more people from leaving the sector. The union has launched it’s “Big Start” campaign, calling on Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone to develop a ‘new deal’ for childcare. SIPTU Regional Organiser Martin O’Rourke says parents are paying too much for childcare, at a time […]

  Derry City and Strabane District Council has become the first council in the North to introduce a Climate Adaptation Plan. Through the project, funded by the EU and supported through the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, the Council aims to develop an international best practice adaptation planning model to devise effective plans and actions

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Wednesday August 22nd:

Public representatives and principals from schools across West Tyrone are meeting with the Permanent Secretary for Education this week to lobby for more investment. It was revealed earlier this month that 1,430 teaching and support staff received redundancies across the North over the past 3 years due to financial pressures caused by the continued deadlock

Publicans are claiming heavy excise taxes on alcohol are partly responsible for closing nearly 15 hundred pubs around the country in a little over a decade. The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland says hundreds of jobs have been lost due to a 17 per cent drop in the number of pub businesses since 2005. DIGI

Donegal County Council has closed the R237 between Killea and Newtowncunningham to allow for essential repairs. Local diversions are in place. The road closure is due to last until Friday, but local councillor Paul Canning is hopeful it can reopen tomorrow evening……………

While the future of the Letterkenny Reunion is secure, there are calls on Donegal County Council to provide financial support to it. The popular event, which has just concluded, has had no major sponsor since the abolition of the Town Council some years ago. Some local businesses make contributions but Committee Members are said to

A year after many roads and bridges were damaged by flooding in Inishowen, most have been repaired, but the work isn’t finished. John Mc Laughlin is Donegal Coubnty Council’s Director of Roads and Services, he says there are still some roads and bridges to be repaired, and that work is continuing. He’s been speaking to

  A Donegal County Councillor is demanding answers amid reports that fire crews were delayed responding to an emergency call out involving a house fire in Falcarragh this week. It’s understood that no fire crew from the nearby fire station was available at the time, resulting in fire personnel from Gaoth Dobhair and Letterkenny tending

It’s been revealed that 2351 patients at Letterkenny University Hospital have been waiting over a year and a half for outpatient treatment at the hospital. The figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund for July, show that the number of people waiting in excess of 18 months to see a consultant have increased every month since

Farmers are calling on the Government to roll-out the low-cost loans that were promised in last year’s budget. It’s one of a number of measures they’re calling for, as they launch their pre-budget submission today in Dublin. IFA President Joe Healy says farmers have never needed the funding more:

  Work is underway to end a flooding problem outside a school at Lunniagh, Derrybeg. Local Councillor Michael Cholm Mac Gilla Easbuig says for a number of years, pupils and staff have had difficulty getting into and out of the school because of surface water gathering on the road outside. Now, just over €80,000 is

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Tuesday August 21st:

A third tax band has been suggested as a way to make money from high earners. Revenue Commissioners want to introduce a new 43% rate for anyone earning over €80,000 a year. They say it could raise more than 430 million for the Exchequer. Sinn Féin’s Finance Spokesperson and Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty is in

A number of hotels in the county were represented on a recent trade mission which also included Donegal County Council and Donegal Airport. Meanwhile, today, it was confirmed that Donegal is bering included in a pilot programme to launch the Global Irish Festival Series, intended to attract members of the diaspora home,. Niall Gibbons is

A West Donegal Councillor says he has asked Udaras na Gaeltachta’s Chief Executive to intervene in the dispute at RAP in Gweedore, but was told such a move would not be appropriate. Cllr Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig is stressing he believes Udaras should be urging management at RAP to talk with the trade union

The Bishop of Raphoe has said there is absolute clarity in the Diocese as to how allegations of abuse are dealt with, and any allegations are reported to the gardai immediately. Bishop Alan Mc Guckian was speaking ahead of the Papal Visit at the weekend. In particular, he welcomed the document published by Pope Francis

People from Donegal travelling to see Pope Francis in Knock are being warned to leave over double the time for their journey. It’s been confirmed that the Pope is due to arrive at the Knock Shrine shortly after 10am on Sunday morning. More than 45,000 people are expected to line the streets with the overall

The number of managers within the HSE is almost double the amount six years ago, at a time when frontline staffing numbers is at an all time low. Figures obtained by Fianna Fail show that there are 1,329 managers at Grade VIII and above currently employed by the HSE, an increase of 585 since 2012.

Two-thirds of people say their broadband speeds aren’t getting any faster. That’s despite a Government promise to significantly improve Internet access across the country. Eoin Clarke, Managing Director of price comparison Website Switcher.ie, says their most recent survey shows 60 percent of customers are happy with what they’ve got – even though most say their

The World Meeting of Families officially opens today. Bells will ring this evening in Catholic cathedrals across Ireland’s 26 dioceses to mark the start of the gathering. Pope Francis will join the event on Saturday, and will celebrate its closing mass in the Phoenix Park in Dublin on Sunday. Preparations have been overshadowed by revelations

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Monday August 20th:

The two people killed in a crash in Bundoran have been named locally as Conall McAleer from Pettigo and Shiva Devine from Donegal Town. The pair – who were both in their 20s – died when a car hit a wall in the town yesterday morning. Three other people were seriously injured in the crash

It’s hoped that work will start on the construction of flood defences in Burnfoot in the coming months, with people hoping to get back to their homes, a year after they were forced out as a result of flooding. Wednesday of this week is the first anniversary of the flooding which caused millions of euro

At LYIT, more Level 8 courses have been offered than ever before, with that trend set to continue according to College President Paul Hannigan. He says points requirements are broadly in line with last year………. The points requirements for all LYIT courses are outlined below – Level 8 Level 7/6      

Two-thirds of students have got their first choice college courses this year. The CAO offers are out this morning for over 50-thousand pupils. There’s been a big rise in demand for so-called ‘boomtime’ courses like engineering, architecture and construction. Guidance counsellor Gemma Lawlor says students are trying to plan for the future: At Letterkenny Institute