Author name: oisinkelly

  1,658 new coronavirus cases have been recorded in the North in the last 24 hours. There were five additional covid related deaths. There are 317 patients in hospital being treated for the disease in hospital in Northern Ireland, with 35 in ICU.

  The number of people on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment dropped in the past week, despite new restrictions on the hospitality sector. The benefit is reopened for those who’ve lost their jobs in the latest measures today. Just over 53,000 people are in receipt of PUP this week – a three percent drop on last

  As storm Barra approaches, weather warnings have been issued across the country. Donegal is set to escape the worst of the storm, with a yellow wind warning in place for the county, but the county council’s Emergency Response team is monitoring the situation. Winds will strengthen this evening and tonight, with an Orange Wind

  An investigation is continuing after a large sum of cash was stolen from a vehicle on Arranmore Island last weekend. The incident occurred outside a home at Upper Plough between 6pm Friday 3rd December and lunchtime Saturday 4th December. Gardaí said that a local man, who lives with a disability, discovered his van was

  Gardaí have reissued an appeal for information over an arson attack last week. The incident happened in Abbey Park in Manorcunningham shortly after 5am on Friday morning. The fire brigade were on the scene quickly to extinguish the flames enough for Gardaí to carry out forensic examinations successfully. Anyone with information is being urged

  Work has been completed in replacing old water mains in Bundoran. This is the second phase of water mains replaced in Bundoran in most recent times, with approximately 1.4km of water mains replaced last year as part of the Donegal Countywide Water Mains Rehabilitation Project. The water mains replaced were prone to frequent leakage

Latest INMO figures show there were 59 people awaiting beds at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, 19 of them on ED trolleys. In Sligo, there were 36 admitted patients without beds, 21 of them in the ED. The Letterkenny figure is the second highest in the state, and with a combined figure of 95, the

  Detectives from Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Terrorism Investigation Unit, investigating the activities of the New IRA, have today arrested a woman under the Terrorism Act in Derry. The 36 year old was arrested as part of investigations into the discovery of a suspect device in a parked car following a search operation in

All of the homes and businesses affected by power outages in Falcarragh, Derrybeg and Glenties have had their supplies restored. Over 17,000 people had been affected across the three areas In Stranorlar, 86 homes and businesses have had their power restored. In South Donegal, 367 people are affected by an outage near Ballyshannon, with restoration

International arrivals into Northern Ireland need to provide a negative Covid-19 test before boarding a plane from this morning. The pre-departure tests are in response to the emergence of the new Omicron variant. Experts in the UK believe the gap between infection and infectiousness may be shorter with the new strain. New Covid-19 restrictions for

Over 14,000 people are without power in the vicinity of Falcarragh. ESB networks hope to have supplies restored within an hour. However, Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola has announced it will remain closed today as a result of the power outage. Meanwhile, 552 people in South Donegal are affected by a fault which is centred on Ballyshannon.

All roads on Donegal County Council’s gritting programme are being gritted this morning as snow falls in some areas. Motorists are being urged to take care, with slippy conditions and poor visibility in many areas.

A strong unanimous message is to be sent from Donegal County Council to the Government that the sliding scale in the Mica Redress Scheme must be scrapped. The reconvened plenary meeting heard from local representatives all around the county, with each saying that this controversial element of the scheme must be removed. Meanwhile, Cllr Martin

  The proposed Culture & Peace Activity Trails, which are one of the community animation programmes for the Riverine Community Park, were launched at the weekend. The Shared Space project is being funded through the EU’s PEACE IV Programme which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. Match-funding for the project has been provided

  The Department of Health has confirmed a further 2,950 cases of Covid 19. There are 536 patients being treated in hospital with the virus, an increase of 33 on yesterday, 110 of whom are being treated in ICU. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan said it is vital that if anyone experience symptoms

Listen back to the Main evening news, sport and Obituaries for Monday 6th December:

  Storm Barra will bring very strong and disruptive winds and heavy rain to Ireland on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the strongest and most impactful winds expected across western areas. A yellow rain warning is also in place nationwide, as the strong winds from Storm Barra are accompanied by heavy rain which will bring challenging

  All Donegal routes will be gritted from 6pm this evening.  The Donegal gritting route index as follows: 06: Inishowen West 04: Inishowen South 01: National Primary North 02: National Primary Central 03: National Primary South 07: Milford South 08: Milford North 09: Cill Ulta East 10: Cill Ulta West 11: Na Rosa 12: Binswilly

  As expected, the Mica Redress Scheme is dominating the adjourned sitting of Donegal County Council. Standing orders have been suspended after Cathaoirleach Councillor Jack Murray took the decision to facilitate a full discussion on Mica. A number of local representatives have voiced their concern over the sliding scale element of the scheme and have

  Five rates of Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be available to people who lost their jobs as a result of the latest Government restrictions. The payments will range from 150 to 350 euro a week, depending on what people earned before losing their jobs. The hospitality sector met with Government Ministers this morning with CEO

Walk-in Covid booster clinics will be held this week at the Letterkenny Vaccination Centre for people aged 60 to 69. The clinics will be held at the recently relocated centre in Letterkenny Business Park, Ballyraine for those in the age group who have reached an interval of at least 150 days since their second dose

There’s been a jump in the number of people waiting on a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital today to 70, the highest figure in weeks. 19 people are on trolleys in the hospital’s Emergency Department while a further 51 are waiting on wards. 436 patients are awaiting a bed at hospitals across the country according

€50 million in funding has been announced to address the digital divide in schools. 203 primary and post-primary schools in Donegal will benefit from €2.5 million worth of the grants under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Schools will be required to use the funding for the direct benefit of their students including the option

The Department of Education has revised its rules for mask wearing among primary school children. Last week it advised that all kids in third class and above wear one, and that they should be sent home if they declined without a medical reason. However in updated advice, it now says children should not be “excluded

Searches are continuing in Strabane for missing man, Michael McGinty. Michael was last seen in the Church Court area of the town on Saturday morning at 8am. He was last seen wearing a black and red top and black bottoms. Police say they are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of Michael and are appealing