Author name: oisinkelly

  The Transport Minister is urging motorists to take all necessary precautions to be winter ready. It comes as Met Eireann has issued two weather warnings for several areas as temperatures are set to drop back. A status yellow snow and ice warning is in place for Donegal, Connacht, Leinster, Cavan and Monaghan. The forecaster […]

  There have been fresh calls for the Bád Eddie shipwreck in Goath Dobhair to be removed due to safety concerns. The famous boat has deteriorated over the decades with warning signs now in place to advise people who are on the beach to stay away. Some locals are calling for a commemoration sculpture to

  There could be a potential strike at Letterkenny University Hospital. SIPTU has released its initial list of hospitals to be included in national strike ballot with Letterkenny University Hospital and Sligo Regional Hospital included. This comes as numbers awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital are on the rise again. SIPTU members working as support

The Irish tourism industry is starting to level out amid Brexit fears. The numbers coming here have been steadily rising for the last few years, but new stats show the trend may not continue. Brexit is the most worrying issue for providers, according to Fáilte Ireland’s ‘Tourism Business Sentiment Index’, which has been released today.

Sinn Fein has again denied that Martin McGuinness’s resignation from Northern Ireland’s power sharing executive was due to illness. Mr McGuinness has cited the First Minister Arlene Foster’s handling of the Reneewable Heat Incentive scheme for his decision. Stormont Health Minister Michelle O’Neill says the resignation is purely about the political dispute with the DUP…………….

In the event of an election being called at Stormont, there will be 18 less MLAs, with the number of seats in the assembly falling from 108 to 90. The means one less MLA being elected from each of the constituencies. That could put particular pressure on smaller parties and on MLAs elected for the

The numbers awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital have risen again, with the INMO reporting 20 patients without beds this morning, eight of them on Emergency Department trolleys. It follows a fall to six yesterday. Nationally, the figure has risen to 506, 365 of them on Emergency Department trolleys.

Tenders are being invited for significant work to be carried out at Malin Head to provide toilets and extra car parking spaces for visitors. Details of the work to be carried out in the townland of Ardmalin, Ballygorman, have been published on the Etenders website. The works will include, (i) Road widening, drainage improvements and

A new whiskey distillery in Donegal has been given the green light with the promise of up to 40 new jobs for the county. An Bord Pleanála has upheld Donegal County Council’s decision to grant full planning permission for Sliabh Liag Distillery. It will be the first distillery in Donegal for more than a century

A Donegal County Councillor has raised concern over pedestrian safety at either end of one of Letterkenny’s busiest roads. Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh is asking engineers to examine pedestrian crossing protocols at the roundabouts on either end of De Valera Road. He’ll be raising the issue at today’s Letterkenny Municipal District meeting………………  

The north’s political parties are preparing for a snap election. DUP leader Arlene Foster has slammed Martin McGuinness for sparking the crisis, by standing down as Deputy First Minister. Under power sharing rules it means Arlene Foster has also lost her post as First Minister. The resignation comes in the wake of the botched Renewable

As of 5pm – Martin McGuinness has resigned as the North’s deputy first minister – effectively collapsing the Stormont Executive. It follows the refusal of First Minister Arlene Foster to stand aside while an inquiry is held into the so-called “cash for ash” scandal. An election must be called in seven days – if Sinn Féin

  A bungalow near Gortahork has been extensively damaged in a house fire. Several units of the fire service from Falcarragh, Gweedore and Dungloe responded to the emergency call and tackled the blaze earlier this afternoon at the house in Derryconnor. Two ambulances from Dungloe were also dispatched to the scene however it’s understood that

  A man charged in connection with a fire in Letterkenny which caused over half a million in damage is to face additional charges. Paul McGinley appeared at this morning’s sitting of Letterkenny District Court by videolink. Mr. McGinley from Gortahork is charged in connection with an extensive fire at an underground car park at

  Martin McGuinness says he’s going to step down as the North’s Deputy First Minister. His resignation is to be effective as of 5pm this evening. Mr McGuinness says he has a binding obligation to uphold issues of equality and therefore it is with ‘deep regret and reluctance’ that he is resigning. Sinn Féin will

  Several units of the fire service are currently at the scene of a house fire at Derryconnor near Gortahork. Fire crews from Falcarragh, Gweedore and Dungloe responded to the emergency call. It is understood two ambulances from Dungloe were also dispatched to the scene. There is no further information at this stage.

  A Donegal Councillor says it’s important that event organisers in the Twin Towns consult with Gardai and the county council to ensure that parking arrangements are agreed and stewarded. Cllr Patrick Mc Gowan was speaking after a number of people last week complained that they had been ticketed in the Railway Road area of

Tomorrow is the closing date for submissions to the Constinuency Commission on the future of electoral boundaries with a campaign to reunite Donegal intensifying. Since last years General Election, voters south of Laghey have been in a constituency incorporating Sligo and parts of Leitrim, Donegal and Cavan. Valerie Mc Nulty of the Donegal Reunited initiative

Over 19-thousand new jobs were created by Enterprise Ireland supported businesses last year – with the agency saying it’s exceeded its three year target. Between 2014 and 2016 – close to 46-thousand jobs were created – with digital technology and construction the best performers. Almost two-thirds of the jobs created were outside Dublin. In the

The ongoing supply issue and uncertainty over sterling and Brexit will be the main drivers of a small rise in house prices in Donegal throughout 2017, estate agents have predicted. A survey carried out by the Real Estate Alliance Group has found that agents throughout the county expect prices to rise by 2.5% on average

There’s been a sharp drop in the number of people awaiting admission to Letterkenny University Hospital. There were six people awaiting admission at the hospital this morning, two of them on Emergeny Department trollies. The INMO’s Trolley and Ward Watch today shows 466 people awaiting admission this morning, 345 of then on Emergency Department trolleys.

Brexit has been branded ‘a mess’ by EU Commissioner Phil Hogan, who says the process is getting messier. The former Fine Gael Government minister’s been speaking in a number of papers this morning. He’s told the Irish Independent that he hopes the EU can persuade the UK government on a common position for Ireland, north and

The North’s First Minister is set to meet with the DUP in private later, to try and resolve the so called ‘Cash for Ash’ controversy. Arlene Foster who presided over the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme when she was Economy Minister, has refused to step down while an investigation takes place. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams

An immediate meeting has been called with An Post following the unannounced withdrawal of postal services in Drumkeen. Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher and Councillor Patrick McGowan hope to meet with An Post to resolve the current difficulties in supplying the Postpoint service in Drumkeen. Deputy Gallagher, currently the Leas Cheann Comhairle, says something

We’re being warned that we could see further peaks in the hospital overcrowding crisis. Around 300 patients were on trolleys earlier today – down from over 600 on Tuesday. Damien McCallion is the HSE Director for Emergency Management with responsibility for the Winter Initiative. He says the situation is being closely monitored:

Figures released from the INMO reveal that over 2,000 people spent time on trolleys or chairs while awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital last year. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty says the figures clearly demonstrate that Government policy is continuing to create chaos in our health service and is putting patient lives in danger. The Sinn