Author name: oisinkelly

  It’s been revealed that there has been a 33% cut in nurses working in Donegal’s community hospitals since 2006 – down from 239 to 160. There has also been a 20% cut in overall staff numbers across the hospitals in Donegal – down from 609 to 486 in the same period. The information was […]

There were 23 patients awaiting admission to Letterkenny University Hospital this morning – 11 were trolleys in its emergency department while a further 12 were waiting on wards or in overflow areas of the hospital. According to the latest trolley watch report from the INMO,  the number waiting at Letterkenny hospital is up one on

A Donegal County Council decision to award permission for a significant Leisure Park in Greencastle has been appealed to An Bord Pleanala. The local authority granted conditional permission in September last year but that decision has been objected to by three parties. Under the plans for the Leisure Park at Carrowhugh in Greencastle there would

  The Cabinet’s agreed to the terms of reference for the Tribunal of Inquiry into the allegations of a smear campaign against garda whistleblower, Sergeant Maurice McCabe. They’ll go before the Dáil for approval this afternoon. Priority will be given to allegations against Maurice McCabe with an interim report to be provided within three months.

A feasibility study is underway looking at a possible Greenway linking Burtonport and Letterkenny along the old railway line. Consultants Sustrans are undertaking a site survey and a community / stakeholder consultation. The Greenway would be seen as a huge tourism boost for the county attracting walkers and cyclists. Councillor Terence Slowey says the study

It is claimed that the government is planning for a return to full customs checkpoints post Brexit. The information was received by Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty who described the news as worrying. Deputy Doherty says he has confirmation from the Minister for Finance that Revenue Commissioners are currently in the process of identifying location points

The Save our Services campaign has welcomed confirmation that Junior Minister Joe McHugh has called the Health Minister to fund community hospitals in Donegal. At a meeting with Simon Harris, Minister Mc Hugh urged him to allocate monies from the national capital fund to retain and enhance services in Lifford, Stranorlar and Ramelton, as well

The EU-Canada Trade deal, which was approved by the European Parliament yesterday, could have a devastating impact on the Irish beef sector, according to Midlands North West MEP Marian Harkin. MEPs yesterday voted to endorse CETA, the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, while this morning, the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will address the European Parliament.

  The Transport Minister has been urged to include the Letterkenny Relief Road in his review of the Governments Capital Plan. In the Seanad last evening, Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn highlighted what he termed the very real need for the project to get underway in terms of Letterkennys potential as a future city and the

A Donegal County Councillor is warning residents in Ballindrait to be vigilant following reports of three men acting suspiciously in the area. It’s understood that the group attempted to open the gates and doors of a house in the Tober area while attempts were also made to gain entry to a garage on the property

Junior Minister Joe McHugh has called on the Health Minister to fund community hospitals in Donegal. At a meeting with Simon Harris, Minister Mc Hugh urged him to allocate monies from the national capital fund to retain and enhance services in Lifford, Stranorlar and Ramelton. This, he added, should happen alongside the development of a

  It’s been revealed that thirty families of refugees are expected to resettle in Donegal by the end of 2018, with the first 12 families arriving in May this year. The Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration has been engaging with Donegal County Council with a view to facilitating the resettlement of families under

  It’s been confirmed that contracts for the construction of Cockhill Bridge have been signed with work due to start within weeks. The overall €3 million project will see the construction of the new bridge on the outskirts of Buncrana as well as new approach roads to the crossing. Wills Brothers Civil Engineering Contractors have

  The father of missing Jack Glenn has urged the people of the North West not to forget about his son. The 23 year old entered the River Foyle two weeks ago tomorrow, sparking a major search effort by emergency services and the wider Derry community. Last week Jacks Grandfather Jack Snr. spoke of how

  The European Commission is taking Ireland to court over its failure to ensure urban waste water is being properly dealt with. It says the necessary steps aren’t being taken to prevent serious risks to human health and the environment. Under EU law, towns and cities are required to collect and treat waste water. 38

The Geological Survey of Ireland is preparing for the next phase of the ‘Tellus’ project, which will see a low flying plane using specialist equipment to collect geophysical and geochemical data on rocks, soil and water on the ground in Donegal. The geological mapping project has now been completed in parts of the West, with

    Ibec North West has published a report calling for economic growth to be shared equally across the country. The ‘Doing Business Locally’ document is aimed at local policy and business leaders in Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim, and outlines a number of economic indicators which show the depth of the inequalites and challenges facing

The solicitor representing a second Garda whistleblower says his client was ‘treated as a pariah’ after complaining about the force. Donegal based Garda Keith Harrison claims a Tusla file was also compiled on him and wants to be included in State investigations. His solicitor Trevor Collins says the trouble started in 2009 after he arrested

  A vigil will take place outside Letterkenny University Hospital tomorrow evening to protest at what organisers say is the impact of hospital cutbacks on patients and their families. The ‘Still Waiting Health Campaign’ claims lives are being lost as a result of lengthy waiting lists, and the group is demanding more investment in health

There were heated scenes at yesterday’s Letterkenny municipal district meeting with one councillor questioning why they have meetings at all. On the agenda was the issue of traffic congestion in Letterkenny at peak times particularly in the mountain top area. Councillor John O’Donnell says he’s very frustrated at the lack of progress on the issue

Councillors in Inishowen are to seek a meeting with their counterparts in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council to discuss funding for the Greencastle to Magilligan ferry service. Concern has been raised over the future of the service, after no responses were received recently after the service went out to tender. It’s understood that on

  Donegal County Councillors are demanding answers from the Education Minister as to why some schools in Donegal have been excluded from the latest DEIS programme. The DEIS programme is intended to improve literacy and numeracy, boost school completion rates, and help more pupils go on to further and higher education. The issue was raised

The Full Capacity Protocol has been implemented at Letterkenny University Hospital today with high numbers continuing to await admission to its Emergency Department. It comes as there were 21 patients awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning. The Full Capacity Protocol has been implemented and all efforts continue to be made to identify patients

An MEP is calling for Super Trawlers to be subject to inspection by independent observers for periods of three months at a time. MEP Liadh Ni Riada says the current inspection system is inadequate and that it’s impossible for the Irish coast guards to properly monitor what damage Super Trawlers may be doing around Irish

There were 21 patients awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, nine of them on Emergency Department trolleys, up one on yesterday’s figure. Nationally, there were 445 patients without beds across the country this morning.

The executive of Donegal County Council has been accused of focusing too much on investment in the east of the county at the expense of the West. Councillor Seamus O’Domhnaill was speaking in the context of investment in walking and cycle ways but says the East/West divide is evident across the board. Speaking at a

Junior Minister Joe Mc Hugh says he wants to see more expansion of shared health services in the North West. Minister Mc Hugh was speaking last evening after a tour of new cross border radiotherapy facilities at Altnagelvin Hospital last evening. Health Ministers Simon Harris and Michelle O’Neill joined cancer care campaigners, Minister McHugh and

The ICSA says it is unacceptable that almost 1,000 farmers in Donegal are still awaiting payments they are entitled to. Over 600 farmers in the county are still waiting for their GLAS payment with a further 330 waiting on their AEOS payments. The Association says the delay in payments from the government, which is being

White line demonstations take place at Lifford Bridge and Bridgend this Saturday morning at 10am, organised by Border Communities Against Brexit. The group says it is angered at the lack of any thought or understanding in Westminster and Dublin on how a hard Brexit will affect the Border Communities of Ireland. Spokesperson Tom Murray is

A number schools in Donegal have been included the the latest DEIS programme but there is criticism of the department of Education as some schools have been left out. The DEIS programme sets out new targets to improve literacy and numeracy, improve school completion rates, and to improve progression to further and higher education. One

The latest report from daft.ie shows that rents in Donegal were on average 11.5% higher in the final three months of 2016 than a year previously. The average advertised rent is now €576, up 19% from its lowest point. Rents rose nationwide by an average of 13.5% in the year to December 2016 – that’s