Author name: oisinkelly

A meeting of the North West Strategic Growth Partnership has acknowledged there there are deficiencies that need to be addressed, particularly in terms of transport infrastructure. Yesterday’s meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both councils to swift completion of the A5 and the A6, as well as other necessary investment. This also reflects the concerns of […]

The IFA is calling on the Department of Agriculture to bring in fairer procedures to deal with farmers’ appeals in relation to alleged non-compliance. Donegal IFA Chair Michael Chance says the current system means that if a farmer appeals an adverse finding, his payment is delayed, sometimes for a number of months. There are also

The water supply to Gola Island has been cut off once again as a result of a rupture on the pipe serfing the island. At present, much of the pipe is effectively floating on the surface, with a project to sink it to the bottom ongoing, and the council is hopeful to have the latest

A motion of no confidence in the Deputy Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District council was passed last evening. The Councillors voted 25 to 1, following pressure for Councillor Derek Hussey to step down over his drink driving convictions. Before the Council meeting commence, the UUP took the decision to withdraw Alderman Hussey’s nomination

The Government is launching its Five Year Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022 today in Gaoth Dobhair. The new five-year strategy aims to halt the decline in the language and help foster a revival. It forms part of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030. Government Chief Whip and Gaeltacht Minister Joe

Killybegs Coast Guard are warning people to be vigilant in and around the water after being tasked to two separate call outs in a matter of hours. Yesterday morning, the crew were tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard to assist a yacht just off Killybegs Harbour, took it under tow and returned it safely to

As a key EU council meeting continues in Brussels, the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister is stressing that Ireland needs to hold its nerve on Brexit. Speaking in the Dail last evening, Simon Coveney stressed without agreement on the border, there will be no deal:

Junior Health Minister, Jim Daly has been asked if key issues regarding the future of three community hospitals in Donegal are to be addressed. Donegal Deputy Charlie McConalogue challeged Minister Daly for a commitment that Ramelton, Lifford and St Joseph’s Community Hospital would receive adequate investment to bring them up to HIQA standards and that

  The Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council says commitment to cross border structures is stronger than ever in the North West. Cllr Seamus O’Domhnaill was speaking after chairing a meeting of the North West Strategic Growth Partnership at the Co-Lab in Letterkenny. The meeting, which was attended by senior Government Department officials from Dublin and Belfast

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Thursday 28th June:

The Taoiseach says Ireland is not preparing for any hard border with the North in the event of a no deal Brexit. Leo Varadkar says he’s not going to agree to anything that will give rise to a land border and trusts reassurances from the UK that it won’t happen. Speaking at the start of

A Donegal Deputy has told the Tanaiste robust regulation and reform is needed to tackle high insurance costs. Speaking in the Dail this afternoon, Deputy Pearse Doherty says the crisis is not just evident in the motoring sector but also in business insurance costs. He told Simon Coveney claims harvesting is one of the factors

The OPW has confirmed that it has no plans to extend the opening hours at An Grianan of Aileach despite calls on them to do so. A number of tourists were reportedly told to leave the historic site recently because it was closing at 8.30pm. This led to local Cllr Paul Canning contacting the OPW,

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has declined to give a specific commitment that money will be ringfenced in the forthcoming budget to cover a redress scheme for people in Donegal and Mayo whose homes were affected by MICA. It’s claimed that after missing several deadlines for the publication of an Expert Panel Report, the government is

There are reports of boiling tar on a number of roads across Donegal as the heatwave continues. Motorists have been advised to approach an affected road with caution as the tar can destroy tyres and damage the car itself. Donegal County Council is working to address the issue by applying grit to a number of

A senior engineer with Donegal County Council says it’s significant that the authority is playing a lead role in developing new waste management structures. Con Mc Laughlin was speaking to Highland Radio News after a special meeting to discuss last week’s Prime Time programme which revealed widespread illegal dumping, particularly in Inishowen. Mr McLaughlin says

A South Donegal councillor says it’s unfair that some members of the authority appear to be taking credit for the decision this week not to proceed with a proposal to amalgamate the fire stations in Ballyshannon and Bundoran. Cllr Noel Jordan believes all members of the Donegal Municipal District worked together to secure the breakthrough,

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Wednesday 27th June:

The Killybegs campus of the Letterkenny Institute of Technology has secured €1.4 million from the Higher Education Authority for four Springboard courses in the hospitality sector. The courses had previously been funded by Failte Ireland, and when that finished, the Killybegs campus led out on a project to secure the money from elsewhere. The courses

Irish Water is urging people across Donegal to conserve water as demand across the county continues to increase. The utility says, along with Donegal County Council they are monitoring all supplies across Donegal on a daily basis with the two at-risk schemes identified Lough Mourne and Milford public water supplies. Parts of the country have

A special meeting of Donegal County Council’s Environment Strategic Policy Committee has heard that more staff will soon be in place to boost the council’s waste management activity. Senior Engineer Con McLaughlin told the meeting that the council has been proactive since an RTE programme last week made a number of allegations in relation to

An Bord Pleanala has granted permission for a wind farm at Meenbog, Croaghonagh and Cashelnavean, in Donegal. The details of the application were published on the agency’s website today. The proposals had been strongly opposed by some residents in the area. Finn Valley Wind Action Group Spokesperson Marie Scanlon has been reflecting on today’s decision:

A special meeting of the Environment and Emergency Services Strategic Policy Committee is underway in Lifford to discuss the ongoing illegal waste controversy. The meeting has been told council helpline established last Thursday has taken 30 reports of unauthorised activity, relating to 22 different sites. 15 of them had already been under investigation. A number of

Management at Letterkenny University Hospital has confirmed that there are sufficient numbers of adults and children with diabetes types 1 and 2 in the county to merit a Diabetes Centre of Excellence to be based in Donegal. The Donegal branch of Diabetes Ireland has long campaigned for a centre to be based in the North

Temperatures are forecast to hit 30 degrees in many parts of the country today, as the heatwave continues. Irish Water is warning that supply may have to be restricted in the Greater Dublin area if demand remains high. The Drought Management Team is meeting this morning to assess the situation. Met Eireann’s Joan Blackburn says