Author name: oisinkelly

  A Donegal County Councillor is calling for tourism potential in East Donegal to be maximised in order to boost the economy of the area and attract visitors. Councillor Gary Doherty says the area has plenty to offer visitors. A Donegal East Tourism Group has been set up to work with different sectors throughout the […]

  Irish Water have confirmed upgrading works in Churchill have been completed. As part of the €750,000 project 5km of new water main was constructed as well as an upgrade of the pumping station in Gartan to facilitate the connection of customers on the Churchill water supply to Goaldrum Water Treatment Plant, Letterkenny. Local Councillor

The latest census report has revealed that there are double the amount of people with disabilities unemployed compared to the rest of the population. Disability and Equality Trainer, Frank Larkin says the Census 2016 report is disappointing but not surprising. The unemployment rate amongst persons with a disability was 26.3% according to Census 2016, more

There are calls for the HSE and the Minister for Health to urgently approve a funding request from Letterkenny University Hospital to reopen a short stay ward. The ward which was closed during the summer would increase bed capacity at the hospital by 20. Donegal Deputy Charlie McConalogue says management at the hospital are seeking

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed is urging Donegal farmers who have been accepted onto the GLAS scheme to submit their Nutrient Management Plans as quickly as possible. Mr Creed was speaking to Chris Ashmore in an interview to be broadcast on Highland Radio’s Farming News and Views Programme tonight. He says the GLAS scheme has been

Evening News, Sport and Obituaries November 2nd

Gardai in Letterkenny are advising that the Business Park Road is currently closed after a lorry caught fire. Diversions are in place.

  It’s envisaged that up to 400 jobs will be created in the county over the next number of years. That’s according to the Head of Enterprise in Donegal Michael Tunney who was speaking ahead of the launch of the new Local Enterprise Development Plan 2017-2020. The plan is due to be launched in Letterkenny

  There were 20 people waiting for a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning according to the INMO. 7 people were waiting on trolleys in its Emergency Department while a further 13 were waiting on wards. University Hospital Limerick was the most overcrowded this morning with 51 people waiting there. Nationally, there were 362

Over 7,200 people identified as carers in Donegal in Census 2016, while almost 23,000 people in the county said they had at least one disability. While over 86% of people in the county reported their health as very good or good in 2016, 2,874 people, representing 1.8% of the population, stated their health was “bad”

Fears among farmers about the length of this winter and the shortage of feed supplies are continuing to escalate. According to a report in the Irish Farmers Journal the issue of fodder shortage in the northwest has intensified, with some stock now housed for two months. For farmers in the worst affected areas which includes

  Serious concern has been raised over the impact a new penalty points system will have on Donegal fishermen. It follows confirmation from Minister Michael Creed that he is to sign a new Statutory Instrument introducing a penalty points system for fishing offences to replace the existing system. A Points Determination Panel will also be

  A Donegal County Councillor is calling for more Garda resources to be deployed to Donegal in light of a number of serious incidents on Halloween night. A Garda patrol car was set alight outside Carndonagh Garda Station on Tuesday night while in Killygordon, fire personal were attacked with bricks and had fireworks pointed at

  38 properties in Gaoth Dobhair have signed up to be part of the initial pilot phase of the long awaited sewerage scheme there. It follows a recent meeting between Irish Water and local residents in which the utility agreed to waive the previously proposed connection fee for all those participating in the pilot project.

The Taoiseach says he and Theresa May agree it’s still possible to form an Executive in the North. Leo Varadkar spoke with the British Prime Minister yesterday – adding that provisions of the Good Friday Agreement must be honoured. As power-sharing talks stall again, Deputy Stephen Donnelly says a Westminster Budget will not have the

A man with 102 previous convictions, who rammed a garda car twice during a high- speed chase as he fled towards Northern Ireland in April of last year, has been jailed for two years at Donegal Town Circuit Court. 42-year-old Jonathon Ayton of The Close, Raphoe was driving at speeds in excess of 170 kph

  The issue of oil spills on the roads of West Donegal is back on the agenda, with the Cathaoirleach of the Glenties Municipal District asking gardai for a breakdown of all accident reports involving oil spills. Cllr Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig says this will complement work already being done by Cllr John Sheamais

Leas-Cheann Comhairle and Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher has expressed his concern at the standard of existing apprenticeship programmes in Ireland. He believes the scale and diversity of programmes available in the UK in comparison will leave Ireland unable to compete with a post-Brexit Britain. He’s calling on the Minister for Training and Skills

A 30 year old man has been arrested in Derry on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and a number of other motoring offences. It follows the theft of a delivery van from Abercorn Road in the City this morning. Shortly after 7 o’clock, it was reported that a delivery driver was making a

There were 13 patients awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, 11 of them on Emergency Department trolleys. The total is almost twice yesterday’s figure of seven. Nationally, there were 390 people waiting on in-patient beds at hospitals across the country today, the largest number, 56, at University Hospital Limerick.

Failte Ireland has withdrawn a map of Letterkenny after a picture of St Eunan’s College was used in a sidebar describing St Eunan’s Cathedral. A Failte Ireland spokesperson told donegalnow.com that the map and guide was provided through a third party publisher and distributed through its tourist office. The spokesperson said Failte Ireland has moved

Shots have been fired at a house in Derry overnight. It’s understood that the attack happened in the Racecourse Park area of the city just after 7pm. Police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward. Local Councillor Sandra Duffy says a woman who was in the house at the time has been left

  The Coordinator of the Moville Family Resource Centre has moved to reassure service users that the centre is not facing closure but it does require more funding. It follows reports that the centre may in jeopardy owing to a lack of understanding of difficulties it faces by the Children’s Minister. Speaking generally on the Nine

Talks aimed at restoring powersharing in the North resume this morning. It’s after yet another deadline passed without a deal last night. The DUP and Sinn Féin have failed to reach any agreement – despite there being no Executive in place since January. SDLP Deputy Leader Nicola Mallon says both sides need to spell out

  An Inishowen Councillor is calling for money allocated to Ballyliffen under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme to be spent ahead of the Irish Open next year. The main aim of the scheme is to support the revitalisation of towns and villages in order to increase their potential to support increased economic activity into

  Foyle search and Rescue have confirmed that a body of a man was recovered from the water yesterday.  The alarm was raised yesterday morning by a member of the public and Emergency Response Teams attended the scene. A search of the river was conducted and a man’s body was recovered shortly thereafter. The body

  Irish Water is getting ready to issue refunds to one million customers who paid their bills. It was hoped refunds would be processed before Christmas, but the legislation to allow that to happen has yet to be enacted. The most a customer will be in line to receive is 325 euro. Yvonne Harris is

  Work is beginning on safety works on the Glenfin Road outside Ballybofey, with signage being erected next week, and traffic calming measures being put in place in the coming weeks. Cllr Patrick Mc Gowan says the work is taking place in the vicinity of three estates, including Blue Cedars, one of the biggest estates

  A company which is part owned by the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation has begun operations in Monaghan, with work due to start on a major plant in Killybegs next year. Bio-Marine Ingredients Ireland has now commenced full commercial production at its processing facility in Lough Egish, Co Monaghan. The Killybegs facility, which will make marine

Gardai in Donegal say there is anecdotal evidence that illegal fireworks and bangers are not as prevalent as they used to be in the county. Issuing a Halloween safety message this afternoon, the Donegal Division’s Crime Prevention Officer Paul Wallace said the force locally has been proactive in intercepting such articles, which he says can

Derry City and Strabane District Council has picked up a prestigious ‘highly commended’ Council of the Year award at the Social Enterprise Awards NI 2017 in the Stormont Hotel in Belfast. Mayor of Derry and Strabane Council, Councillor Maolíosa McHugh, said it recognises the great work that is being done to promote and support social

Donegal’s Mayor has questioned GoSafe operating a speed check on the four lane road in Letterkenny on the same day new signs were erected dropping the legal speed from 100 to 80 kmp/h. The lower speed limit was passed earlier this year but only came in to force with the erection of new signage on

A Letterkenny civil servant has pleaded guilty to 12 charges related to accessing information from social welfare files, to pass on to private investigators, for which he was paid a total of over €6000, Donegal Town Circuit Court was told. 50-year-old Rory Lenihan, 2A Ballaghderg, Letterkenny pleaded guilty to a charge that while being an