Author name: oisinkelly

Minister Leo Varadkar has appeared to contradicted the timeline given today by Minister Joe McHugh on when his department agreed to review benefits for seasonal workers. In a statement today Minister McHugh said the review was launched following a meeting between Killybegs workers’ representatives, Minister McHugh and Minister Varadkar in Gaoth Dobhair recently. But in

The INMO has given more details of the overcrowding crisis at Letterkenny University Hospital which saw 46 sick people without a bed making it the most overcrowded in Ireland. The organisation has called for action saying people were waiting for beds in an unsafe and unsatisfactory environment. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says the

CSO figures published this week show an increase in the number of recorded suicides in County Donegal last year. 20 suicides were recorded involving 13 males and 7 females – this is an increase of 20% on 2015. A total of 1,131 deaths were recorded in the county, a small reduction on the previous year.

Progress is being made on establishing a North West office in Brussels with a view of representing the region in the wake of Brexit. It’s understood that both Donegal County Council and Derry and Strabane District Council are considering the proposal and it is currently under review. Cllr. Ciaran Brogan put forward the motion at

  Letterkenny University Hospital was the most overcrowded in the country today with 46 people recorded as waiting  for a bed there this morning. According to the INMO, 26 people were waiting on trolleys while a further 20 were waiting on wards. As a result, the Full Capacity Protocol has been implemented and all efforts continue

  A major cross-border built heritage summer school gets underway next week. The purpose of the summer school is to highlight the importance and to encourage the conservation of historic buildings in the North West. The ‘Conservation without Frontiers’ Summer School runs from Wednesday, June 7 until Saturday, June 10 with events in Letterkenny, Tyrone

There’s an on-going security alert in Dungiven in County Derry. The alarm was raised earlier this morning following the discovery of a suspicious object on the Foreglen Road just outside the town. The Foreglen Road is closed from the Feeny Road junction to the Baranailt Road junction with diversions also in place at Killunaght Road

  An Inishowen Councillor is calling for Leenan Pier to be developed as a matter of priority. Cllr Albert Doherty says the project would not only maximise its tourism potential but would also ensure the sustainability and safety of the local fishing community there. The call follows other recent council works in the Urris area

Concern has been raised at the high level of illegal tyre dumping in rural areas of south Inishowen. It’s understood that there have been up to seven incidences discovered recently, most notably in Killea, Manorcunningham, Carrigans, Inch, Grainnes Gap and Bonemaine. The Council say that they dealing with the issue on an on-going basis however,

  Updated figures show that over 14,000 people are waiting to be seen or assessed by medical staff across the various Departments of Letterkenny University Hospital 3,000 of those people have been waiting for over 12 months to be seen. The figures were obtained by Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher who says they are alarming

  There are calls for fishermen in north Donegal to be allowed to gill net for white fish during the summer months. Councillor Martin McDemott says the move would not only allow owners of fishing boats up to 36 foot to supplement their income, it would also ease the over fishing of crab. The councillor

There has been strong condemnation of damage caused to property at St Eugene’s Primary School in Victoria Bridge. Two windows were broken at the school sometime over the weekend while several empty alcohol bottles and cans were found indicating it was being used as a drinking den The police are appealing for information. Local Councillor

The Department of Housing has defended its funding allocated to Donegal for grants to improve the homes of older people and people with a disability. Yesterday, Minister for Housing Simon Coveney announced that almost €60 million will be made available nationally but Donegal will receive just under €790,000. The Department of housing says that figure

The government has announced funding for piers in county Donegal. The piers at Glengad, Port Inver and Owey Island will receive €102,000 in today’s funding announcement which is additional funding from the Department of the Marine. Glengad is getting €30,000 towards the reconstruction of the quay wall while Port Inver has been allocated €27,000 for

  There were 22 people waiting for a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning according to the INMO. The latest trolley watch report has revealed that there were 13 people waiting on trolleys while a further 9 were waiting on wards. Cork University Hospital was the most overcrowded in the country today with 44

  Over 30 pupils from all corners of Donegal will receive full Gaeltacht summer scholarships later tonight as part of the annual Donegal County Council Gaeltacht Scholarship Scheme. The total value of the Scholarships each year can come to more than €20,000 depending on the duration of the courses selected by the successful applicants The Scholarships

Donegal County Council has been asked to create a separate fund for road maintenance works to be carried out in Council housing estates. It follows concern raised by residents that despite paying their rent consistently, some roads and footpaths in Council estates in Donegal are in a state of disrepair. Cllr. Liam Doherty put forward a

  It’s been claimed that the potential of the North West is effectively being ignored by Government. Deputy Eamon Scanlon was speaking in the Dáil where he called on the Government to create a balanced jobs policy by investing in infrastructure and public services in the North West. He believes that Ministers are continuing a

  It’s been confirmed that the Foyle Ferry service will be up and running this summer. There were fears that the ferry would not resume this year after the company Frazer Ferries highlighted significant losses suffered in 2016. It’s understood that Donegal County Council put the service out for tender with the same company successful

Police in Derry City and Strabane are appealing for information following the theft of a defibrillator at the Spar at Church Meadows on Rossdowney Road on Saturday, 27th May. It was reported that shortly after 3:10 am the community defibrillator was stolen from its position at the Spar shop at Church Meadows. The person who

Serious questions are being asked of Donegal’s latest allocation in funding to improve the homes of older people and people with a disability. Yesterday, Minister for Housing Simon Coveney announced that almost €60 million will be made available nationally. However, out of €59.8 million euro, Donegal is to receive €788,909 – the third lowest allocation

There are calls on the council to provide non denominational graveyards in each constituency of the county. The call comes from Councillor Niamh Kennedy who was told that most burial grounds are controlled by churches and that there are only limited funds to upkeep those controlled by the council. The issue will be discussed again

The government is being asked to make money available for the LIS scheme which provides grants for people to upgrade non public roads The department of transport no longer provides specific money to Donegal County Council for the LIS grants and the money would instead have to come out of the council’s budget for national

Award-winning travel writer Zoë McIntyre and photographer Alecsandra Raluca Dragoi, from the prestigious National Geographic Traveller magazine, are visiting Donegal this week. Late last year, Donegal topped National Geographic Traveller’s ‘The Cool List: 17 for 2017’, so Donegal Tourism invited Zoë and Alecsandra to come and experience at first-hand the spectacular scenery and the wealth

Minister Sean Kyne TD officially opened a new fish counter facility in the designated spring salmon fishery on the River Lackagh. The project, which was devised and delivered by Inland Fisheries Ireland, was completed in recent months. It will provide important data for the future management of spring salmon, grilse and sea trout stocks for

  Irish Water is progressing projects which will see the removal of 12 water supplies in Co Donegal from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Remedial Action List. In a statement the utility says that it has prioritised a programme of works to ensure their removal for the benefit of over 45,000 people. This allows Irish Water

There was a boost for Lifford with the council agreeing to sell a plot of land to strabane company O’Neill’s Sportswear. The 5 acres is being sold to the company for 250 thousand euro for the development of a new warehouse, online sales and a retail outlet. Local Councillor Gerry Crawford says the deal has

  Donegal’s newest Councillor, Adrian Glackin, has taken his seat on Donegal County Council today. The Glenswilly manager replaces long-time Sinn Féin councilor Mick Quinn who earlier this year stepped down from front-line politics due to health reasons. Councillor Glackin paid tribute to his predecessor and outlined what he hopes to achieve during his time

There were 12 patients awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, three of them on Emergency Department trolleys. Nationally, the INMO says there were 342 patients awaiting inpatient beds in hospitals around the country, with University Hospital, Galway returning the highest figure of 37.

Donegal County Council is being urged to look at beach bylaws with a view to addressing traffic chaos at Rossnowlagh in the summer. Councillor Noel Jordan made the call as he urged the council to engage with locals on the future of the amenity. He says all options, including banning cars from the altogether, should

Marine Emergency Services in South Donegal were dispatched yesterday afternoon to help a rib with four persons on board which had broken down off Malinbeg, close to Rathlin O’Beirne Island. The alarm was raised around 3:45pm by a person on the land who called the Coast Guard at Malin Head. The Bundoran lifeboat and Killybegs

Gardai are investigating a number of incidents of vandalism in Buncrana at the weekend. The Welcome to Buncrana sign at the entrance into the town, which had been specially decorated for the An Post Ras was vandalised, and a number of campers on Stragill Beach last night left what’s been described as a disgraceful mess

  Fine Gael members and councillors in Donegal will this evening cast their votes to determine who will be the next party leader and Taoiseach. Last night, the two candidates, Ministers Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney, faced off in the final leadership debate. The two clashed on issues including the property tax, and both questioned

Politicians in County Down have condemned yesterday’s shooting – in which a 35 year old man died – saying it’s “deeply disturbing” A murder investigation is underway after the man was shot a number of times in the packed car park of a Sainsbury’s supermarket in Bangor. It’s thought around 100 people witnessed the incident