Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal is set to benefit from a scheme to have empty local authority properties returned to productive use this year. 128 units are proposed for Donegal, the highest number outside Dublin, with a projected investment of just over €1,875,000. Nationally, a budget of just over €24 million has been set aside for the scheme, announced […]

There are more people approved for mortgages in Ireland than there will be new houses for them to buy. Around 20 thousand first time buyers have been cleared for a mortgage this year – but only half of this number of new homes are for sale. The average approval amount was € 214,400 in March,

Glenswilly GAA manager Adrian Glackin is to become Donegal’s newest councillor, representing Sinn Fein in the Letterkenny Municipal District. He defeated former Letterkenny Urban Councillor Sean “Johnny” O’Donnell at a selection convention in Termon last night. The convention was called following the decision of Cllr Mick Quinn to step down from the authority for health

Concern has been raised that the fire service in Donegal is being stretched to the limit following a spate of gorse fires in the county in recent days. Numerous fires broke out in the West Donegal area yesterday with fire crews from the locality having to bring all of them under control with very limited

A Donegal Deputy is calling on the Health Minister to address what’s been described as a serious contradiction in relation to the vacant breast surgeon position at Letterkenny University Hospital. It follows confirmation from Minister Simon Harris that a locum consultant post is being pursued. Deputy Pringle says this is a far cry from a

A multiple purpose all weather facility for Stranorlar is now a step closer following funding being earmarked for the project. The 1 million euro funding has been allocated through Peace IV with the facility to be located in the Councils Sports Master plan area of the town. Other details including the design of the facility

  We’re being warned we could be rapidly heading towards a housing bubble. New figures released today show mortgage approvals have surged by 62 per cent in first quarter of 2017. However the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland says the money loaned is not being drawn down due to a lack of supply. Donegal Deputy

  Donegal County Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from towns and villages across the county as part of the recently launched Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2017. This scheme is targeting rural towns and villages with populations of less than 10,000 and is being funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and

  Concern has been raised that public toilets planned for Rathmullen will add to an already serious sewerage issue in the area. It follows reports of a ‘sewerage slick’ spotted by local residents and boat owners in the water at the weekend. There are now fears that new public toilets which are to be constructed

  A vigil is being held in Letterkenny tomorrow evening to mark the 36th anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands on hunger strike. The vigil will take place at 7.30pm at the hunger strike monument at Glencar, Letterkenny. Local Councillor Gerry McMonagle says that there is added poignancy to this year’s event as over

  The coastguard is examining a piece of debris that was recovered by fishermen off Cruit Island this morning, amid speculation that it may be a fragment of Rescue 116, the coastguard helicopter which crashed off County Mayo. An islander told Highland Radio News the piece of debris does have a number stamped on it,

  A number of fire crews from West Donegal are tackling an extensive Gorse fire in Derrybeg. The fire service were alerted to the scene at around 9am however there are reports that the blaze had been on-going since 7.30am. It’s understood that a substantial amount of turf has been destroyed in the blaze with

The number of people awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital rose to 33 this morning, 18 of them on Emergency Department trolleys That’s three up on yesterday’s figure and join highest in the country along with Limerick University Hospital. The INMO says in total, there were 357 people awaiting in-patient beds in Irish hospitals this

Letterkenny University Hospital should be providing services to people in Derry, Tyrone and Fermanagh, according to Donegal Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn. He was speaking ahead of the launch on Monday next of Sinn Fein’s new discussion document on Letterkenny University Hospital. The publication, which has been compiled by the party, includes data which has been

It’s emerged that the number of Community Gardai in Donegal has fallen from 21 to 2, the second lowest figure in the country after Kildare, which has none. The 90% reduction in the number of community officers in the county was confirmed in the answers to two parliamentary questions tabled by Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue.

A Donegal TD has repeated  calls for a full review of service levels, current staffing numbers and the overall budget for Letterkenny University Hospital. The call comes following figures released yesterday by the INMO which show the first four months of this year saw the worst overcrowding in Irish hospitals since records began. The latest trolley

A 45-year-old man has been accused of forcing a girl in her early teens to engage in a sexually explicit card game to strip off her clothes. He has also been accused of involving her in truth or dare sex games. Donegal District Court was told that the charges are among a total of 14

After 16 years as MP for West Tyrone, Pat Doherty has stepped down from the position and will not be contesting next months UK General Election. Last night, Sinn Fein selected West Tyrone MLA Barry Mc Elduff as its candidate. Meanwhile, in Derry, outgoing Foyle MP Mark Durkan was again selected to contest the election

Management and unions at An Post are to begin fresh negotiations on the future of the sector. It comes amid concerns that the company plans to close more than 200 post offices around the country. The Irish Postmasters’ Union wants Post Offices to support more public and financial services – as well as transport, tourism

A package totalling €15 million has been announced for the ‘Blue Banks’ section of the N56 between Coolboy and Kilmacrennan, with tenders for the construction of the road to be issued in the coming weeks. Junuior Minister Joe McHugh says a new water main from Lough Salt to Letterkenny should be constructed by Irish Water

The Government has been urged to consider major investment in Donegal as part of its Brexit Plan. Projects such as the development of Greencastle Harbour, the construction of the N56 Letterkenny Relief Road and the upgrade of the N14 and N15 roads have been cited as crucial key features which must be provided for. Senator

  It’s been confirmed that 29 local schools will undergo major improvement works over the summer months. The funding for the Summer Works Scheme has been announced today and will see mechanical, sanitation and roofing upgrades to buildings in both primary and secondary schools across the county. The local investment is part of an overall

  A family in Lower Bennet Street just off Foyle Road in Derry had a lucky escape after a pillow was placed against a gas main outside their home and set on fire just after 1am this morning. Cllr Patricia Logue says it was a very frightening experience for the family, and it doesn’t bear

A Donegal Deputy is calling on the Government to ensure that Donegal receives its fair share of CLÁR funding. CLÁR provides funding for small scale capital projects in rural areas to tackle disadvantage and depopulation. Deputy Charlie McConalogue says that’s not enough, and has also been critical about the Leader programme, saying more than three

A man accused of taking part in the fatal shooting of a man at a boxing event in Dublin last year will not be extradited from Northern Ireland to the Republic because a judge has ruled he is too ill. 47 year old Kevin Murray was arrested in Strabane last September under an European Arrest

A 17 year old man has been arrested in Newtownstewart after a police officer was injured during a vehicle stop last night. Shortly before 11 o’clock, police stopped a Honda car in the area of Mourne Park. While officers were speaking with the driver of the car he drove off. One of the officers was

The Minister with responsibility for flood defences says we’re paying for the sins of the past. Sean Canney says all areas are being examined as the Office of Public Works warns we need to invest in flood defences, or face a 3.2 billion euro clean up bill. Yesterday, it emerged that four areas of Donegal

Irish Water says it has identified what it has described as an innovative solution for the proposed Gweedore Sewerage Scheme. This has been achieved in conjunction with Donegal County Council, according to the utility. Irish Water has now invited people in the area to a public meeting next week at which it will outline the

It’s been claimed that a car park which serves St Eunan’s Cathedral and Conwal Parish Church in Letterkenny could be offered to private contractors for housing. The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government released details last week of over 700 proposed sites for housing with two identified in Letterkenny. One site is situated

The first four months of this year saw the worst over-crowding in our hospitals since records began. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says over 36,000 patients were awaiting in-patient beds in the first third of the year. Nationally, the increase was 1%. At Letterkenny University Hospital, the increase was 238%, from 496 between January