Author name: oisinkelly

There were almost 4.8 million people living in the Republic of Ireland on census night last year. The first set of results from Census 2016 have been published this morning – showing a population increase of 3.8 percent since April 2011. However, Donegal and Mayo both saw their populations fall. The population of County Donegal […]

      Fishing boats from Killybegs and other Donegal fishing ports will take part in a search of the waters down to Blackrock island, where helicopter Rescue 116 went down three weeks ago. A convoy of fishing vessels will set out on Saturday morning in a bid to locate missing crewmembers Ciaran Smith and

The Taoiseach has told the Dail wind energy policy is a matter of striking a balance between the need to meet energy needs, and the need to protect communities from intrusion. Enda Kenny was responding to Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty, who urged him to clarify when the Government will publish the long awaited revised planning

The Dail’s Water Committee looks set to adopt its final report later – without the support of Fine Gael. The Government party says it can’t support what it’s calling a ‘fundamentally dishonest’ report. It calls for the scrapping of water charges, makes no reference to wastage and recommends refunds for householders. All attention now turns to

A senior DUP negotiator has accused Sinn Féin of peddling mis-information about the state of talks to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, has given the parties until after Easter to reach a deal. Both parties are accusing each other of holding back on discussions – with legacy and

  It has been announced that the Finn Valley Shopping Centre in Ballybofey has been purchased by the proprietor of Kavanagh’s SuperValu, the facility’s main tenant. The centre has been in receivership for a number of years, and now there are hopes that it will re-open with new tenants. It was sold at Allsops at

The Dail has been told that both Ballyshannon and Bundoran fires stations need to be renovated rather than amalgamated. Deputy Martin Kenny has called on Minister Simon Coveney to act to ensure the continued existence of both fire stations as the people of Donegal deserve better. Calls were previously made to Donegal County Council to stand

The 2017 SuperValu TidyTowns competition is now open for entries from today. The competition encourages voluntary activity and community participation across Ireland, helping to make villages and towns better and more attractive places to live, work and do business in. People in Donegal are being encouraged to take part following the county’s previous success. The

According to the latest trolley and ward watch report from the INMO there were 34 people awaiting admission today at Letterkenny University Hospital. 20 people on trollies and a further 14 on wards. The figure is up from yesterday when Full Capacity Protocol was implemented with 29 people awaiting admission.

A man has been arrested in connection with a shooting in the Central Drive area of Derry last month. The 19 year-old was arrested in the Meenan Square area of Derry today by officers from the Serious Crime Branch. A 23-year-old man was shot in the leg in the incident on March 27th. A number

Gardaí are investigating an assault on a man in his early 20s in Dungloe. The incident occurred at a business premises at Meenmore, on the 26th March at approximately 12.30am. A man in his 40s who was arrested and detained in Milford Garda Station has been released without charge. Gardai have confirmed that investigations are

MEPs in the European Parliament have this morning debated the forthcoming Brexit negotiations. The Parliament has set out its position on Brexit in a document which includes several references to Ireland. The resolution states that the Parliament is ‘especially concerned’ about the consequences of a UK withdrawal on Northern Ireland and its future relations with

Students and staff members of Letterkenny Insitute of Technology have undergone screening following an outbreak of TB at the campus. The Inish Times reported today that students and staff of LYIT were informed of the outbreak on March 22nd. Contacts have been identified with screenings already taken place and a second round of screening due

We understand The Kube on Thorn Road in Letterkenny has been withdrawn from auction, and will not be placed on the market again until all matters are resolved. The building was in the headlines recently when developer Brendan Gildea, who claims ownership, occupied it with the help of a group called Helping Hand. The building

A public meeting will be held at Raphoe mart on Friday night in protest of Ulster Bank’s closure of it’s Raphoe and Ardara branches. It was announced that the Raphoe branch is due to close in June while the branch in Ardara is expected to close in September. Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle and local business

Letterkenny University Hospital is to participate in a National Patient Experience survey during May, designed to improve health services locally and across the country. The survey is being run by HIQA, the HSE and the Dept of Health, with patients over 18 who have spent at least one night in hospita during next month being

The Seanad has been told that children with diabetes in Donegal who need specialist treatment may now have to travel to Dublin, because a specialist in Sligo who looks after them is leaving her position and will not be replaced. Urging the Leader of the Seanad to raise the issue with Health Minister Simon Harris,

Air Corps and Irish Coastguard helicopters are today continuing the search off the North West coast for missing Rescue 116 crewmen Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby. Shoreline searches are also taking place later. The coast guard says under-water operations will resume tomorrow in the vicinity of Blackrock Lighthouse, close to where the heliciopter wreckage was

MEP Liadh Ni Riada is warning the current system to monitor ‘supertrawlers’ in Irish waters is grossly inadequate. The Ireland South MEP says these huge fishing vessels are not being properly monitored or regulated. And that they’re hoovering up vast quantities of fish without giving any added value to the Irish economy. Donegal fishermen share

It’s been confirmed that CCTV Cameras are to be installed at the Bernard Mc Glinchey Town Park in Letterkenny. The issue was raised by Cllr Gerry Mc Monagle on a number of occasions, most recently after human excrement was smeared on one of the childrens slides in the playground in January. He says that was

Members of the Oireachtas committee on water charges are due to meet again after a row between members yesterday. The wording of the group’s final report caused major rifts, and Fine Gael lost a series of votes on excessive water usage. The suspension of charges is in place until the end of this month, and

The Dáil’s heard claims that the Bus Eireann strike would have been solved long ago if it affected Dublin. That’s according to Fianna Fáil, which has raised concern that the strike is now in its 12th day with little sign of a deal. Enda Kenny has again defended the position of Shane Ross who is

Hospital Management says the Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital remains extremely busy today with significant numbers of patients awaiting admission to the hospital. According to the INMO, 29 sick people were without a bed at the hospital this morning with reports that the situation has worsened this afternoon. The Full Capacity Protocol has been

Ulster Bank says the closure of its Donegal branches in Ardara and Raphoe will go ahead as planned. In a meeting with Donegal Deputies Pearse Doherty, Thomas Pringle and Pat the Cope Gallagher senior bank officials said the decision would not be reversed. They committed to keep ATMs in place while they own the buildings

Deputies Pat the Cope Gallagher and Pearse Doherty are meeting with the Gaeltacht Minster tomorrow after it emerged that funding has been withdrawn for Amharclann Gaoth Dobhair by his Department. The theatre opened in 1961 but closed down in 2007 before re-opening again last month after the government allocated almost half a million euro in

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is appealing to people to donate blood before Easter, with clinics at two locations in Donegal this week. There are clinics at the Abbey Hotel in Donegal Town this evening from 6.30 to 9.30, and from 2.30 to 5pm and 7pm to 9.30pm tomorrow. On Thursday, the service moves to

One in every four calls made for ambulances in Inishowen has to come from outside the peninsula. Cllr Martin Mc Dermott says an analysis of almost 2,000 ambulance calls made in Inishowen shows 500 of them neccessitated the calling of an ambulnce from Letterkenny or another station. Cllr Mc Dermott says this shows the need

The sister of missing coastguard worker Ciarán Smith says she wakes up everyday hoping he’ll be found. Orla Smith has appealed to local sailors and fishermen in the Northwest to help find her brother’s body, and that of his fellow winchman Paul Ormsby. It’s three weeks to the day since the rescue helicopter he was

The Mica Action Group in Donegal has been told the clearance of the report of an expert panel into the effects of defective blocks in Donegal and Mayo has been prioritised by the Attorney General, and should be available within weeks. The report has been complete since February, but must be approved by the Attorney

The widower of murdered Irish honeymooner Michaela McAreavey has returned to the holiday island where she died to make a fresh appeal for help in catching her killer. John McAreavey had meetings with the Mauritian police, prosecutors and the Prime Minister yesterday – he’s due to hold a major press conference today. 27-year-old Michaela was