Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn, Sinn Fein’s Chief Whip told the Dail this afternoon that Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien needs to come before TDs top answer questions about the revised Mica redress scheme. He says the Taoiseach failed to answer questions about the scheme today……….

Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle has clashed with Taoiseach Michael Martin over the details of the revised Defective Blocks Redress Scheme. Earlier, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien acknowledged that the rebuilding cap of €420,000 and €145 per sq. ft for the first 1,000 sq. ft will fall short for some. However, in the Dail this afternoon, Deputy

  The Taoiseach says Sinn Fein could have got involved in working towards an enhanced Mica Redress Scheme but didn’t. It’s understood that a written request was made two months ago after the working group report was published to invite submissions from the opposition on how the scheme could be improved further. However Sinn Fein

The PRO of the Mica Action Group while welcoming today’s scheme which has come before Cabinet, says there is still work to be done. Farm and commercial buildings and community centres are not believed to have been included in today’s announcement. In a social media post, Michael Doherty says there are outstanding issues but affected

A green Victorian Cast iron post box has been stolen from a pole in Fintown. The item was taken at some point between Friday morning and yesterday afternoon. Anyone with information about the post box or who may come across such an item for sale is asked to contact gardai in Ballyshannon on 071-9858530. On

The Taoiseach says everyone, including children, will be asked not to socialise as much as planned over the next two weeks. Public health officials are warning there’s a high incidence of Covid-19 among 5 to 11 year olds and their parents. New guidelines are also being considered that would see children from third class up

A Donegal man has become the first member of the Irish Travelling community in the North West to graduate with a Masters degree. David Friel recently graduated with a Masters degree in Social Care and Social Justice from IT Sligo. He says while it was a momentous occasion it is a reminder also of travellers

Ministers are due to sign off on a new Mica redress scheme today. Cabinet are meeting to discuss the scheme which involves a rebuilding cap of €420,000 and an increased cap of €150 per square foot. Homeowners with two properties, one being a principal residence, the other a rental property, will now be able to

It’s thought the Donegal Fire Service could step in as first responders in some 999 calls. Fire personnel are already trained to administer first aid and use defibrillators when an emergency arises. A motion is to be brought forward at the adjourned sitting of Donegal County Council by Cllr Michael McClafferty. However in response the

The Policing Authority will today hear an update from the Garda Commissioner on the mass cancellation of 999 calls. During the summer, it emerged emergency calls were being cancelled by operators since 2019. However, it subsequently emerged the problem was continuing despite additional staff training and changes to call and dispatch technology. Chair of the

There has been a lot of ‘constructive feedback’ as it relates to the Donegal Caravan, Camping and Camper van study. The study, commissioned earlier this year set out to assess such facilities in the county and to determine where and if additional sites could be established. A range of submissions from various sectors, groups and

A revised Mica redress scheme will be brought before Cabinet this morning. The scheme will cover 100% of the costs of rebuilding work up to a cap of €420,000. Reports also suggest a cap of €138 per square-foot, which the Mica Action Group yesterday said they will not support as it falls short of the

  A number of local representatives have raised concern over the Donegal County Development Plan. The new draft Plan was before the latest sitting of Donegal County Council today where members debated a proposed variation in respect of a Wind Energy Policy Framework. Some Councillors expressed reservations about the variation with guarantees sought that communities

  A leading mica campaigner says homeowners will take to the streets of Dublin again, if 100 per cent redress isn’t delivered by government. Paddy Diver has slammed a draft Cabinet memo, which would see people receive a maximum of 420,000 euro to rebuild their home, with second properties not included. He says many people

Almost half a million euro in funding has been granted for Greenways and mountain trails in Donegal. €200,000 has been granted to continue the Muckish Greenway along the Letterkenny to Burtonport railway line while €270,000 is being invested in the upgrade of the Slieve League mountain trail. In welcoming the news, Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh

A Donegal councillor has reiterated his intention to sue the state over the planned mica redress scheme. Cllr Frank McBrearty says both he and his father Frank Snr have homes which cost around €1 million each, both affected by Mica. He says if the leaks are correct, the government’s plan will fall well short of

The daughter of a Donegal woman has been left stranded in South Africa. Joanne Sweeney’s daughter, Sophie travelled to South Africa last Wednesday to attend a friend’s wedding. She was due to fly home today, however, all flights out of the country have been grounded due to the emergence of the Omricon variant of Covid.

A Donegal Deputy has called for more community involvement in the pre-planning process for new buildings. Deputy Thomas Pringle says that often, many communities only learn about proposals for developments locally when planning permission is applied for, without any prior consultation. Speaking in the Dail in recent days, he said he believes communities should have

The PRO of the Mica Action Group has said that “the devil is in the detail” when it comes to the Government’s leaked Mica redress scheme. Under new proposals leaked over the weekend, full redress could be granted to affected homeowners but will be capped at €420,000. Michael Doherty claims that headline figure comes with

The National Public Health Emergency Team will meet the Coalition party leaders today, to discuss the new Omicron variant. Last night, the Chief Medical Officer said new regulations are being drawn up to give effect to new travel and home quarantine rules. The World Health Organisation says it’s not yet clear whether infection with Omicron

The Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan says while there’s much attention on new variants, cases of the Delta strain of covid remain too high here. It comes after 3,735 new cases of covid 19 were confirmed, with 576 people in hospital last night, including 117 in ICU. Donegal doctor. Denis McCauley from the Irish Medical

A new antigen testing programme for primary school children is to be introduced from today. Parents will receive the tests where another child in their pod is Covid positive or if there has been two or more cases in a class within a week. Student teachers are also to start work in primary schools today