Author name: oisinkelly

19 per cent of Covid hospitalisations are requiring ICU treatment – compared with around 10 per cent in January. The HSE says the virus is currently having a higher impact on the health system than at any other time during the pandemic. 38 per cent of admissions to ICU due to Covid-19 have been fully

The CEO of OCO Global says they chose to establish a strategic base gteic in Gweedore because of the facilities Udaras na Gaeltachta were able to offer and the commitment of the people in the area. However, Mark O’Connell says while the decision was made for business reasons, the fact that he has had a

  The Green Party Leader has been further accused of cronyism in appointing his former adviser and a former party activist to the National Climate Change Advisory Council. The Government has been forced to defend the two appointments to the CAAC since it emerged that they were hand-picked. There were tense scenes on the issue

  The family of a young Donegal man who lost his life in a car crash are hosting an event this weekend to raise funds for charity in his honour. Jamie Bonner when he was killed in a two-car collision between Creeslough and Portnablagh on September 1st last year. The 19 year old was the

    The Donegal Chair of the Irish Hotels Federation is calling for the continuation of Government supports in the wake of new restrictions for the hospitality sector. It comes as hotels in Donegal are reporting cancellations of Christmas functions in recent weeks over what’s been described as a nervousness among some customers on attending

  The Covid-19 testing centre in Letterkenny is reporting a busy stream of people attending the clinic, particularly later in the day. It’s believed that the trend of booking same day appointments could be the result of people taking antigen tests at home. People are being urged that if they have symptoms to book an

  Labour says the HSE needs to increase its Covid testing capacity to cut down on delays in getting an appointment. Six counties – Donegal, Sligo, Roscommon, Monaghan, Mayo and Cavan – have no available slots at self-referral clinics today. The HSE has capacity for around 200 thousand PCR tests a week. Labour’s health spokesperson,

  OCO Global are to establish a strategic base in gteic@Gaoth Dobhair to faciltate their continued expansion into the Irish market. Headquartered in Belfast, the international trade and investment consulting firm works with governments around the world and advises private sector clients on international expansion. Gaoth Dobhair will join other OCO Global office locations such

  The head of Hospitality Ulster says the industry’s being unfairly singled out when it comes to covid regulations. It follows yesterday’s announcement that covid passports will be needed to enter the likes of restaurants, pubs, and clubs in Northern Ireland before Christmas. Health Minister Robin Swann says he’s trying to prevent more severe restrictions

  A new report shows the number of properties available to rent within Housing Assistance Payment rates has dropped dramatically. The study, by the Simon Communities of Ireland, shows a 79 percent decrease in the number of properties available to people on HAP. The homeless charity is calling on the government to increase the HAP

The Dail has been told that several Donegal families have been traumatised as a result of mistakes made when land registry maps were being digitised. Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn says when the land registry was renamed the Property Registration Authority of Ireland and moved to a digitised system a number of years ago, some families in

A Donegal TD says there is a very real risk that laws intended to address the climate crisis end up punishing the poorer people in society. Speaking during a Dail debate on a Labour Party Bill on Carbon Labelling, Deputy Pringle said while labelling is a useful tool, it doesn’t begin to address the policies

Northern Ireland has recorded its highest number of Covid-19 cases in nearly three months. 1,848 new infections have been confirmed – the largest one-day total since August 27th. 12 people have also died from the virus in the past 24 hours. 427 Covid patients are in hospital in the North, with 33 in intensive care.

3,633 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the Republic this evening, with 634 Covid patients in hospital today, 119 of them in ICU. Latest figures for Letterkenny University Hospital show 17 Covid patients beiong treated there, none of them in ICU. There has been a total of 5,609 deaths related to COVID-19 notified

Foyle MP and SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood says he has has pressed the British government on the need for the North to retain the economic benefits provided by the Protocol. Mr Eastwood was speaking after an SDLP delegation held a virtual meeting with Brexcit Minister Lord David Frost earlier today. Earlier, Lord Frost warned triggering

It’s emerged that the collection of plastic packaging from shops has suddenly stopped in the Twin Towns. The issue is said to be causing a significant build up in various business premises which is in turn taking up valuable space in storage areas. A collection service had operated until recently, but businesses say that seems

  The annual public switch on of the Christmas lights in Letterkenny has been cancelled. The popular event which normally attracts hundreds of people to Letterkennys Main Street was meant to be held this Friday. However, due to the rising number of Covid cases, the decision was made to pull the event. CEO of the

A Donegal doctor says he has reservations about whether the new Covid restrictions will have the desired effect. A curfew for the hospitality sector is being introduced along with changes to self isolation rules for households. Ministers have been given a stark warning about the impact of Covid on hospitals and ICU admissions over the

  A Fine Gael Councillor and local publican says from now until Christmas is a crucial time for the hospitality sector. Businesses rely heavily on revenue brought in over the next few weeks which will see them through into the New Year. There are fears that the new restrictions will result in closures and job

The Health Minister says a “huge increase” in emergency calls since February has contributed to delays in ambulance response times to 999 calls. As part of a Sinn Fein motion on the National Ambulance Service, the Dail heard last night of the case that a patient was brought to Letterkenny University Hospital in a Garda

  This year’s “Be Winter Ready” campaign will focus on farm safety. The campaign, which will be launched later today by Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, encourages households to prepare for severe weather events. Head of forecasting at Met Eireann, Evelyn Cusack, outlines some of the tasks homeowners can do ahead of possible cold snaps:

  Health officials in Northern Ireland are warning “more severe restrictions” may have to be considered next month, to stop hospitals becoming overwhelmed. It comes as the Stormont Executive prepares to meet later – to discuss covid passports for entry to pubs, restaurants, and other venues. The Health Minister’s recommending they’re made mandatory from mid-December.

  Further Covid restrictions could be brought in before Christmas. The Taoiseach says it’s not clear if new measures will be enough to reduce the Covid rates – and refused to rule out going further. A curfew for the hospitality sector takes effect tomorrow while everyone will be asked to work from home from this

  Letterkenny Institute of Technology will host Ireland’s first ever Alcohol Hangover Research Seminar, this Friday. The seminar will include talks from a host of international experts and is set to explore the behavioral and psychological effects arising from an alcohol related hangover. In addition, a series of engagements regarding future research collaborations between LYIT

  A primary teachers unions says it’s members are “terrified” about the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases in school children. The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation says cases have increased from 3,000 to 8,000 in the space of five weeks. It comes as the Department considers plans to introduce antigen testing for close contacts in schools.