Author name: oisinkelly

Police in Derry are appealing for witnesses to a fire which caused extensive damage to a flat in the Glendara area of the city this morning. The PSNI have confirmed that no-one was in the property when the incident occurred at approximately 6:30am this morning. Detective Inspector Michael Winters says they are investigating the circumstances

With Mondays Bus Éireann strike suspended, it remains to be seen if nurses will take part in their planned industrial action next week. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is meeting today ahead of a work-to-rule on Tuesday. Talks among the Executive Council of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organization will get underway shortly, to

A new report says the UK won’t have to pay the EU anything when it leaves – if Brexit negotiations end in deadlock with no deal. Leaders in Brussels want Britain to pay around 58 billion euro towards budget commitments running beyond 2019. But a House of Lords’ committee says there’s no legal obligation to

Sinn Fein has had its best results ever in the Northern Ireland assembly elections – triggered by the collapse of the power sharing agreement six weeks ago The nationalist party is now just one seat behind the DUP – which has taken 28 of the 90 seats available. They remain the two biggest parties, and

Derry City’s first game of the season at their temporary home of Maginn Park in Buncrana was called off last night just 25 minutes in. The game was halted abruptly due to floodlight failure causing the lights on the pitch and stand to go out.   The tie has been rescheduled for Tuesday 21st March

Irish Water says they hope to be able to demonstrate how the new Gaoth Dobhair Sewerage Scheme will work before the end of the year. Local elected representatives were yesterday briefed ahead of the schemes launch in the coming weeks. They were told the scheme will meet the needs of households and businesses in the

The Transport Minister, Shane Ross, has welcomed the decision by unions at Bus Eireann to suspend all-out strike action from this Monday – to allow for talks at the Workplace Relations Commission. In a statement, Bus Eireann says to facilitate meaningful discussions with unions, it will defer the implementation of payroll changes to staff –

A Donegal GP says using the Eircode could save your life and is calling on the codes to be sent out again to households. Dr James McDaid says he has seen first hand how quickly GPs, ambulance drivers and other emergency services can find people’s homes using the codes, particularly in rural areas. Dr McDaid

First results are coming in the Northern Ireland Assembly election. In West Tyrone three of the four seats have been filled –  Sinn Fein Candidate Michaela Boyle has been elected along with party colleague Barry McElduff and Thomas Buchanan of the DUP. Elisha McCallion has taken a seat for Sinn Fein in Foyle – she

Tallies have shown that voter turnout is up in the Northern Ireland Assembly election this year. This is the second election within 10 months after the collapse of the power-sharing Government in January. The ‘Cash for Ash’ controversy and Martin McGuinness’ shock resignation as leader of Sinn Féin lead to yesterday election. Bertie Ahern says

A 40 year old man wanted in the North in connection with the murder of prison officer David Black, has been remanded in custody following an extradition hearing. Damien Joseph McLaughlin was arrested yesterday in Co. Donegal, on foot of a European arrest warrant. Mr Black, a prison officer in Maghaberry prison was killed on

It is reported that 16 consultant posts are vacant at Letterkenny University Hospital with locums occupying a third of hospital consultant positions. Councillor Ciaran Brogan raised the issue at the meeting of the Regional Health Forum in Galway this week and is calling on the HSE to incentivse the postions. The oncology unit has been

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty is encouraging the local community to engage with the public consultation process into the Gaoth Dobhair Sewerage Scheme ahead of its launch in the coming weeks. Today a scheduled briefing session will take place for local representatives with details on the options being considered discussed on how it will not only

An Inishowen Councillor has expressed disappointment following the British Ambassador to Ireland’s visit to Donegal earlier this week. Councillor Martin McDermott described Robin Barnett’s visit as a missed opportunity for Inishowen. The Ambassador visited Letterkenny and Gaoth Dobhair as part of a two day visit to the county. Councillor McDermott feels Inishowen will be the

As part of a joint Garda and Police Service of Northern Ireland operation investigating the murder of David Black, Gardaí from the Special Detective Unit have arrested two men in Co. Donegal yesterday They were arrested during an operation in Ramelton. A man in his 40s was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant and a

Counting is due to get underway this morning in the Northern Ireland Assembly election this morning at 8 o’clock – the second poll in the space of 10 months. It’s after the collapse of the power-sharing agreement in January over the so called ‘cash for ash’ scandal – and Martin McGuiness’s shock resignation as Deputy

Deputy Thomas Pringle has claimed that Donegal’s property vacancy rates prove there’s no housing crisis, only a crisis of inaction. Figures show that Donegal has 12,500 vacant and derelict homes, the second highest rate outside Dublin. Deputy Pringle says that’s enough housing to address the needs of everyone facing homelessness or already in homelessness in

Fans travelling to tonight’s historic first home league game for Derry City at Maginn Park are asked to enjoy the event but be respectful of local residents. Derry City are using the Park in Buncrana while redevelopment works are carried out at Brandywell Stadium and tonight they host Limerick City. Gardai are asking people to

As part of a joint Garda and Police Service of Northern Ireland  operation investigating the murder of David Black, Gardaí from the Special Detective Unit have arrested two men in Co. Donegal. They were arrested during an operation in Ramelton A man in his 40s was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant and a second

Big changes are being predicted in the Cross-Border VRT Regime after Ireland lost a case in the European Court of Justice today. It found that Ireland is breaching EU law by charging the full amount of Vehicle Registration Tax on vehicles brought into the state from Northern Ireland on a temporary basis. This will no

In his address at a Business Networking Event in the Co-Lab in Letterkenny the British Ambassador to Ireland Robin Barnett urged the North West region to continue to focus on the ‘opportunity agenda’. At this event, which was hosted by LYIT, Donegal County Council and Údarás na nGaeltachta the Ambassador heard first hand from the

The Taoiseach’s insisted the Government will not support ANY new system of water charges which is illegal. Enda Kenny’s refusing to back down on Fine Gael’s refusal to legislate for any system which it believes could result in EU fines. The party’s due to make its submission to the Oireachtas committee on the future of

  There has been criticism over what has been described as a failure to effectively use existing facilities in Letterkenny University Hospital. It follows revelations that a purpose build maternity theatre at Letterkenny University Hospital has remained unused since its construction back in 2004. It’s also been claimed that only three out of the hospital’s

  There were 22 people waiting for a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning according to the latest trolley watch report. 10 were on trolleys in its emergency department while a further 12 were on wards or in overflow areas. It’s down significantly on yesterdays figure of 36 – the second highest figure in

A Donegal Deputy is calling on the Communications Minister to put measures in place to tackle the poor mobile phone coverage throughout the country. Deputy Charlie McConalogue is proposing a universal service obligation to guarantee a minimum standard for mobile phone services throughout the state. He says Donegal in particular has been subject to highly

  There’s been a broad welcome to the government’s announcement that Irish Travellers are to be recognised as an official ethnic group in Ireland. In an historic speech in the Dáil last night, Taoiseach Enda Kenny says all members of the travelling community will now have a better future with less negativity, exclusion and marginalisation.

  A Junior Minister says there needs to be a reasonable approach to water charges. Joe McHugh says the Oireachtas committee on water needs to be given a chance to complete its work. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are at odds over the legality of scrapping the charges. Minister of State Joe McHugh says there’s