Author name: oisinkelly

The ‘Secret Peacemaker,’ Brendan Duddy has died at the age of 82. The Derry businessman had been unwell following a stroke some years ago and was taken to hospital earlier this week with what is believed to be pneumonia. At the height of the conflict in Northern Ireland, Brendan Duddy acted as a go between […]

A Multi-Agency group have met at the Council offices in Derry to discuss on-going concerns and issues with anti-social behaviour caused by underage drinking across the City and District. In particular, local residents living in close proximity to St Columb’s Park have been concerned following reports of large numbers of young people gathering and consuming

It’s been confirmed that Carndonagh Gardai are currently in the process of setting up a Business Watch scheme for the town and surrounding area. The move follows a spate of break-ins in numerous premises there in recent months with Carolinas Hair and Make Up the latest target earlier this week. Local Councillor Albert Doherty has

A Donegal County Councillor has called for action following significant water outages in Stranorlar. It’s understood that Irish Water notified customers yesterday morning that the utility was working to repair one burst however there have been reports of another burst occuring in the area last night. Dunwiley, Greenfields, Backleas, Balnaglack and surrounding areas are said

  There are renewed calls on Donegal County Council to urgently introduce road traffic calming measures in two notorious speeding blackspots in the Stranorlar Municipal District. There has been on-going concern that motorists are driving too fast outside Dooish National School on the R252 Ballybofey to Cloghan road, and at St Safan’s National School near

  Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar visited the Department’s Maternity Benefit processing section in Buncrana during a scheduled constituency visit to Donegal today. The Minister paid tribute to staff who are working hard to tackle the current temporary backlog in applications for Maternity Benefit payments. “It was a pleasure to meet the staff and

  New protocols closing the loophole which saw some people avoiding penalty points will be in place for the 1st of June. Replying to Dail questions from Deputy Tommy Broughan, the Justice Minister said the law to allow this happen passed through the Seanad yesterday, and the bill has gone to the President to be

Irish Water has reiterated its request to consumers living in County Donegal to conserve and minimise water usage for the foreseeable future due to the unseasonably dry weather conditions resulting in historically low water levels for this time of year. Consumers connected from both the Lough Colm source which serves the Milford, Kerrykeel, Rathmullan, and

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association says changes are needed to the dates on which agricultural burning can take place on uplands. At present, bird protection measures in the Heritage Bill mean burning can only take place before the end of February, while in Northern Ireland the cut off point is April 15th. INHFA

The Foreign Affairs Minister says he sees no “upside” for Ireland as a result of Brexit – labeling it a ‘proper mess’. Charlie Flanagan has described it as one of the greatest challenges facing Ireland since the independence of the State. He’s also told the BBC that while a united Ireland is more likely, now

A councillor in Carndonagh says it’s vital that a Business Watch initiative is started in the town as quickly as possible. Cllr Albert Doherty was speaking after Carolina’s Hair Salon on Chapel Street was targeted by thieves at 5 o’clock yesterday morning.   Urging anyone with information to contact the gardai, Cllr Doherty said this

A Councillor has questioned the quality and efficiency of some work being carried out by Irish Water in the Glenties Municipal District. Enda Bonner says much of the work seems to be taking longer than it should with holes being dug and left open for long periods and damage to property not being repaired. Councillor

A Donegal Deputy says the on-going delay in the publication of the Expert Panel report on the mica block issue in completely unacceptable. Thousands of homeowners in the county are thought to be affected by the issue with their homes effectively crumbling around them. They are eagerly awaiting its publication to determine if there are

More upgrade works are planned for Ballybofey and Stranorlar’s Main Street. This week, preparatory investigation works are taking place in the area, with Donegal County Council looking at the need for the road to be relaid, and Irish Water looking at proposals for a new sewerage line and other services. Local Cllr Patrick McGowan says

A hairdressers in Carndonagh has become the latest premises in the area to be targeted by criminals. Carolina’s hair salon on Chapel Street was targeted by thieves at 5am on Thursday morning. A sum of money was stolen with damage cauied in the process. Gardai including the Garda forensics team visited the premises on Thursday

Latest CSO figures from Census 2016 show Donegal with a total population of 159,192, almost 73% of whom live in rural areas and just over 27% living in urban areas. Letterkenny, with a population of 19,274, is the largest town in the county. The fastest growing town in percentage terms between 2011 and 2016 was

The public has just a few days to make their views known on a 35 kilometre underground power line planned to run through the middle of Donegal. Donegal County Council is considering a planning application from Cufgaze Limited which includes running at 110KV line from Cark, west of Drumkeen to Barnesmore Gap. The Finn Valley

Donegal County Council is being urged to lead out an investment plan for the Lisfannon Industrial Estate which one Councillor says could see the number of people employed there tripled. Councillor Jack Murray says at least two businesses that planned to locate at the park pulled out because of the lack of a proper broadband

  There were 8 people waiting for a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning according to the latest trolley watch report. Figures show that there was 1 person on a trolley in its Emergency Department while a further 7 were waiting on wards. University Hospital Galway was the most overcrowded in the country today

The ESB has announced it is to upgrade the Clady power station in West Donegal, with €1.8 million euro set to be invested into the facility. The 4.2 MW Clady Hydroelectric generation station first came into operation in 1959, and has a current capacity of generating electricity for the equivalent of 3,000 houses. The improvement

IMPACT’s Local Government Division is holding its annual conference in Letterkenny at the moment,. with today the acceleration of public service pay recovery high on the agenda. This morning, the union’s national secretary Peter Nolan warned against ‘special deals’ for some groups, saying workers would not vote for an outcome that “gives with one hand

A Councillor is calling for a health and safety audit on a local housing estate expressing fear that someone could be seriously injured or worse if action isn’t taken. Councillor Gerry McMonagle has outlined a series of concerns relating to Carraig Craoibh including collapsing retaining walls, dangerous unprotected drops and holes in the roads that

Letterkenny’s Mayor is calling for a crackdown on dog owners who allow the pets to litter the streets following an increase in incidents. Councillor James Pat McDaid says a small number of dog owners aren’t cleaning up after their pets causing discomfort for walkers and runners across the town. He was more enforcement and extra

Councillors in the Inishowen and Letterkenny Municipal Districts are welcoming confirmation that the Lough Swilly ferry service is to resume next month. The service, which links Rathmullan and Buncrana will take to the water next month, and run until September. Councillors have been told funding has been found to allow the service operate for the

There are calls on the Government to clarify what oversight they have had in relation to the recent spate of gorse fires across Donegal and elsewhere in the country. It’s after local fire and rescue teams were stretched to the limit in dealing with the large number of fires across the county in the past

The government remains adamant that flood defence work will not be carried out in four areas of Donegal because the work would cost more than the anticipated damage. Last week it emerged that flood defence schemes planned for almost 30 towns across the the country would not go ahead at all after the OPW deemed

A Councillor is demanding a meeting with the Marine Minister to demand central government funding be released to address coastal erosion in Donegal. Councillor Seamus O’Domhnail says the problem is widespread but highlighted the Cloughaneely area where he claims people’s land and homes are under threat due to coastal erosion. The Councillor says the Minister

A speeding reduction to 60 kmph is part of a scheme being proposed for the Port Road in Letterkenny between the Polestar Roundabout and the Clanree Hotel Roundabout. The new scheme is currently open to public consultation and would involve the construction of new improved footpaths, cycle lanes and a number of pedestrian crossings. The

  There were 10 people waiting for a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning according to the INMO. Figures show that there were 3 waiting on trolleys in the Emergency Department while a further 7 were waiting on wards. University Hospital Limerick was the most overcrowded today with 32 people waiting there. Nationally there

The Taoiseach is being asked to intervene after it emerged the Fair Deal office at St Joseph’s Hospital in Stranorlar is to be closed, and its functions transferred to Tullamore. The issue was raised in the Dail by Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, who says the move is part of a centralisation process announced by

A GoFundme page set up to save the Donegal Donkey Sanctuary in Raphoe has almost raised its 35 thousand euro target in less than 24 hours.  You can still support HERE Yesterday we revealed how the sanctuary could be forced to close due what’s been described as a financial crisis. The sanctuary which is the

There are calls for a pilot project to tackle, what has been described as, the major problem of Japanese Knotweed in Dungloe. The invasive plant is widespread in some areas of the town and has begun entering the foundations of some homes with fears it could spread further. Donegal County Council is currently spending tens