Author name: oisinkelly

We’re gaining an extra hour in bed this weekend as the clocks go back. Every year there’s discussion around whether the 100 year old practice should stop. Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune believes its time for a change in tradition:

  Gardaí in Sligo are investigating a fatal road traffic collision involving a motorcyclist and a car. The incident occurred on the N15 Sligo/Donegal Rd on the Sligo town side of Cliffoney yesterday afternoon at approximately 4pm. The male (66) motorcyclist was seriously injured and pronounced dead at the scene, he was taken to Sligo

Donegal County Council has been urged to consider widening its approach to Japanese Knotweed. Cllr Adrian Glackin has called for a national or local plan to be put in place to eradicate the problem completely. Concerns of the invasive species also spreading along river banks have been relayed to the council. Meanwhile, a pilot programme

A Midlands North West MEP is claiming that British Prime Minister is wearing two masks when it comes to Brexit, giving one message in Brussels and another in London. Marian Harkin says Theresa May pursued a charm offensive with other leaders in Brussels, but then returned to London and told the British Parliament that unless

  The National Car Testing Service has confirmed that from next month, VRT appointments will be offered in the Carndonagh NCT test centre. This centre will serve customers from the Inishowen Peninsula who currently travel to Letterkenny NCT to conduct a VRT inspection.

An East Derry MLA has hit out at those who have vandalised security measures in place around Ballymeen Bridge in Claudy. The bridge partially collapsed during the floods in August, and it may take six months to repair. In the meantime, fencing and detour signs have been put in place, but they have been renmoved

  Derry City and Strabane District Council says families with young children who were affected by August’s floods may be eligible for special financial support. The council says it’s been working in close partnership with a number of community organisations to identify potential small grants assistance for families affected by the recent floods across the

The new Educate Together School in Letterkenny has opened. Staff and pupils gathered at the temporary premises in Ballyraine this morning, and walked the short distance to the new school in Kiltoy. The school, which opened in a series of pre-fab buildings in 2006 currently has just under 250 pupils, and principal Aine Fabisiak says

The number of people awaiting in-patient beds at Letterkenny University Hospital rose again this morning with 25 patients waiting, six of them on Emergency Department trollies. That’s up from yuesterday’s total of 16. Nationally, the INMO says there were 399 people waiting at acute hospitals, the largest number, 42, at University Hospital Galway.

A Ballyshannon minibus bus driver has been found not guilty of causing the death of a Letterkenny mother- of- three Sheena Stewart, by driving without due care and attention in the town on January 1 2015, following a legal submission, at Donegal Town Circuit Court. 55-year-old William McKee, Carricknahorna, Cashelard, Ballyshannon, County Donegal had pleaded

  Well-known Donegal Town man Pauric Kennedy has been elected as the town’s new Mayor. Kennedy succeeded the outgoing Mayor, Patricia Callaghan and it’s understood that more than 1,100 people from the town and surrounding area cast their vote yesterday. Speaking to Highland Radio News, Mr. Kennedy has been outlining what he hopes to achieve going

  The General Manager of Letterkenny University Hospital says he’s open to the suggestion of employing a text reminder service for outpatient appointments. It follows concern raised earlier this week on Highland Radio that over 100 people failed to turn up to their outpatient appointment last week alone. Figures from the DNA revealed that the

An action committee has been established in Killybegs with a view of revitalising the town centre and promoting activities and services to attract visitors to the town. The group was formed at a public meeting in the Bay View Hotel last night following local concerns that while 200,000 people visit Sliabh Liag and Glencolmcille each

  The Cathaoirleach of the Glenties Municipal District has called for more autonomy to be given to the districts so that councillors can decide how to spend money and raise funds in their own areas. Cllr Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig was speaking after Glenties councillors decided to reject the Municipal District Budget because of

  Members of the European Parliament voted this week to recommend phasing out glyphosate, used in the weedkiller Round-Up, within five years. The final decision will be up to the European Commission and member states. The weedkiller is widely used by Irish farmers, and most Irish MEPs voted against the five-year phase-out. Donegal IFA Chairman

  Local residents, business owners and community groups across West Donegal are urged to attend a meeting tomorrow evening to discuss the County Development Plan. Information of what is set out in the County Development Plan will be presented with interested parties also given a chance to voice their views in relation to local services.

A post-Brexit boom in population is expected to strain our health service. It’s predicted an extra 1-point-1 million people will live here by 2030 according to a new ESRI report. It says healthcare will also be stretched by the number of older people which will have doubled by then. Maev-Ann Wren, is a Senior Research

The government’s been accused of doing too little, too late for people affected by the tracker mortgage scandal. Yesterday, the Minister for Finance said the banks were promising to compensate more than 12,000 customers by Christmas. Paschal Donohue said their treatment by mortgage lenders was a disgrace. But in the Dáil last night, Sinn Féin

  The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is considering introducing a Statutory Instrument to give effect to the Penalty Points System for fishermen. A decision heavily criticised by Leas-Cheann Comhairle Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher. The introduction of a Statutory Instrument will result in penalty points applying to fishermen, regardless of how they

A Donegal Senator has renewed calls for the creation of a Sentencing Council, which would see the judiciary meet regularly with politicians and other stakeholders to discuss appropriate sentences for people convicted of crimes. Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn told the Seanad he attempted to move a bill establishing such a council when he was in

The 5 banks that met the Finance Minister over the tracker scandal have issued statements on what they plan to do next. Bank of Ireland says it will start a compensation process for 4,300 customers from 10 November. AIB says by year end it will have identified 3,416 customers – 12 of whom lost their

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries, Wednesday October 25th, 2017.

The driver of a minibus taxi who drove over a Letterkenny woman lying on the road in Ballyshannon on New Year’s Day 2015, thought he had been in contact with a “cardboard box” at first, a court was told. William McKee of Carricknahorna, Cashelard, Ballyshannon is pleading not guilty to a charge of driving without

  There were 16 patients awaiting admission to Letterkenny University Hospital according to the latest trolley watch report. 8 people were waiting on trolleys in its Emergency Department while a further 8 were on wards. University Hospital Galway was the most overcrowded this morning with 45 people waiting there. Nationally, there were 472 people waiting

There are calls for additional CCTV cameras to be installed within Strabane town centre following reports of anti-social behaviour. There are reports of incidents occurring in the Castle and Market Street areas where properties are being damaged at night. In addition, on Monday night last, glass bottles were smashed in the vicinty of Sigersons GAA

Donegal Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn has pledged to keep on raising the lack of information on flood relief for groups in Inishowen in the floor of the Seanad until he gets some answers. This morning, he again raised the lack of response to funding applications relating to Swan Park in Buncrana, Glenevin Waterfall, and especially

The two and a half year jail sentence handed down to convicted paedophile, and ex journalist, Tom Humphries yesterday has been criticised by victims’ groups for being too lenient. The Judge has also come under fire for saying Mr Humphries’ guilty plea and loss of reputation were mitigating factors. Another charge of sexually assaulting a

  The fire service has brought a house fire under control at an unoccupied property in the Killylastin area of Letterkenny. The alarm was raised earlier this morning after smoke was noticed billowing from a semi-detached house – it’s understood that both houses were significantly damaged during the blaze. Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr.

  A Donegal County Councillor is seeking an urgent meeting between road safety authorities and An Garda Síochána to discuss the apparent increase in the number of road collisions over recent months caused by oil spillages. Cllr John Seamus Ó Fearraigh has written to Donegal County Council, the RSA and local Gardaí requesting the meeting

  The European Commission will be taking Ireland to the European Court of Justice for its failure to remedy deficiencies in Donegal water treatment plants and others throughout the country. That’s according to Midlands North West MEP Marian Harkin who believes that a bad planning system by Government has resulted in Donegal featuring as one

  An Inishowen Cllr says he’s disappointed at Minister Boxer Moran’s response to calls for work to be carried out on rivers in Donegal. Cllr Martin McDermott believes one of the key contributors to the extent of flooding in August was the amount of debris in the county’s rivers and met with the Minister in

  Emergency services are currently attending the scene of a crash on the main Ballybofey to Letterkenny road.  The crash happened just after 7.30 this morning just before the Kilross t-junction. Motorists are advised to expect severe delays if traveling in and around the area this morning with reports of traffic backed up to nearly

  A Stranorlar Municipal District Councillor has welcomed what he called a constructive meeting between local representatives, community groups and Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran to discuss flood prevention measures in the Finn Valley. The meeting was held at the CPI Complex in Castelfinn, which was itself badly damaged by flooding two years ago. Cllr Gary