Author name: oisinkelly

The Taoiseach says he doubts the UK will be able to negotiate its exit from the EU within two years, as the rules say. There’s supposed to be a time limit from when Britain triggers Article 50, the formal process for leaving the European Union. But Enda Kenny says there are lots of complicated issues

A Strabane business has been fined £2,000 for the pollution of a waterway. Strabane Developments Limited, Leckpatrick Road, Artigarvan, Strabane was charged with the offence yesterday at Strabane Magistrates Court. Following a visit from the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency it was found that the discharge of suspended solids was 87 times the consented limit. High

Main utility companies in the North of Ireland have joined forces to launch a winter readiness campaign to assist the public in their preparations for winter. BT, Northern Ireland Electricity Networks, NI Water and Phoenix Natural Gas have been working together to identify ways in which they could provide support and aid during periods of

A Donegal Deputy is calling for the Oireachtas Insurance Report to be acted on without delay. Deputy Charlie McConalogue says this is a matter of urgency. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, was charged with investigating the spiralling costs of motor insurance and have accused the insurance industry of “cartel-like” behaviour. Deputy McConalogue says this

An investigation continues into the discovery of the body of a man in his 30s at a disused building in Buncrana. Gardai have confirmed that the body was found in the vicinity of Mill Brae at 8.30 on Thursday night. His remains have been brought to Letterkenny University Hospital for a Post Mortem examination. Gardai

A woman has been taken to hospital following a crash on Glenshane Road, between Derry and the Claudy turn-off. Her injuries are not thought to be life threatening. Part of the road was closed to traffic but has since reopened.  

Two viable pipe bombs were discovered in Strabane today. Their discovery at Springhill Park sparked a security alert which has now ended and the road has reopened. The a statement to Highland Radio News that PSNI says that two objects were examined by ATO and declared viable pipe bomb type devices. The devices have been

The body of a man in his 30s has been found in the Mill Brae area in Buncrana. Gardai have confirmed that the body was found in the vicinity of Mill Brae at 8.30 last night, and has been brought to Letterkenny University Hospital for a Post Mortem examination. There are concerns being expressed locally

There is an ongoing security alert in Strabane. ‘Suspicious object’ have been found at Springhill Park. The public is being asked to avoid the area until further notice. No further details are available at present.

Derry City and Strabane District Council has passed a motion calling for voting rights in the Irish Presidential elections to be extended to all Irish citizens, regardless of where they live. A similar motion was passed by the Mid Ulster Council last week, and the extension of the vote was also recommended at the latest

The downward trend in the number of patients without beds at Letterkenny University Hospital is continuing, with 10 patients awaiting admission this morning, four of them on Emergency Department trolleys. On Tuesday last, the figure was 31, on Wednesday of last week, it hit a record high of 45.

There’s been a 22% increase in the number of patients on the General Surgery waiting list at Letterkenny University Hospital, with 981 people on the list in October, up from 803 in April. There’s also been a similar increase in the numbers waiting longer than a year. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty says the figures from

Two Donegal pharmacists have been censured for supplying a medication that causes serious side-effects to a patient without prescription. Gerard McCormick and Stewart Magee, of Magee’s Pharmacy, Upper Main Street, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, have been found guilty of poor professional performance at a disciplinary inquiry held by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland in Dublin. The

The Letterkenny based property developer who has taken possesion of a building he claims is rightfully his says he will ask Donegal County Council to vacate the premises if the authority has not signed a new lease by this afternoon. The Kube on Thorn Road was taken into receivership along with a number of other

The planned upgrade of the A6 Derry to Belfast Road is facing yet more delays after a Judicial Review was granted of plans for the section from Castledawson to the Toome by-pass. In a joint statement issued overnight, First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness say they look forward to the court

Donegal County Council is being asked to invite the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries for a meeting on the need to have proper notice on aquaculture licensing. The call comes from Councillor Marie Terese Gallagher. She says the issues has been brought to the fore recently after locals became aware of applications for Oyster Farm

The North West Cancer Centre will become operational next week, however some patients have already been scanned within the centre and the first patient for radiotherapy treatment will arrive next week. The centre will benefit patients both North and South of the border with the centre committing to taking in 1500 annually, 400 of those

The number of people awaiting admission to Letterkenny University Hospital this morning fell to 13, eight of them on Emergency Department trolleys. Nationally, there were over 420 people without beds at hospitals across the country. Meanwhile, the Seanad has been told that the overcrowding crisis has been caused by chronic underfunding, and that pattern will

  Donegal County Councillors will be asked to back a motion of no confidence in the HSE at the November monthly meeting on Monday. The motion will be moved by councillor Michael McBride, who got unanimous support for a similar motion at a recent Letterkenny Municipal District Meeting. Councillor McBride says the issues with the

A woman has died in hospital following yesterday morning’s three-vehicle crash on the Glenshane Pass outside Dungiven in County Derry. Three men and a woman were also taken to hospital after the crash near the Ponderosa. Two men have since been discharged. The other man and woman are still in hospital. The road was closed

Arranmore Island’s all-weather pitch has received a grant of 18,850 euro. Donegal Deputy, Pat the Cope Gallagher has welcomed the news with the grant being used for lighting at the all-weather pitch at Gairmscoil Mhic Dhiarmuida. Work is due to be completed on the pitch by early next year. Deputy Gallagher praised the ETB for

  Nursing Homes Ireland has welcomed a commitment by the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee to examine the cost of public nursing home care in Ireland. It was announced last week in the Dail that 22.75 million euro will be spent by the state to deliver 130 beds in Donegal. The commitment to examine the costs

Raw sewage is still being pumped into Ireland’s waterways. A new EPA environmental report claims ‘significant funding’ is needed to treat waste water if we’re to avoid pollution and health risks. Nationally, untreated sewage is being dumped into the sea and rivers at 43 locations, with 11 of those locations in Donegal, that’s 25% of

Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness has confirmed that she is running for the Presidency of the European Parliament. The Midlands North-West MEP, who is currently a vice-president of the Parliament, is a member of the European People’s Party Group, the EPP. Members of the EPP will decide next month what candidate they want to campaign

  Donegal County Council has adopted it’s Revenue Budget for 2017 which will see 135 million euro spent in the county. The spend is a €2.2 million increase on this year and will be spent on council services, roads, housing and job creation and tourism promotion. At today’s meeting there was praise for the executive

It has been announced that 100 new jobs have been created in Derry and Strabane. 10 businesses between Derry city and Strabane town will invest £5.6 million in the local economy as a result of the job creations. The North’s Economy Minister Simon Hamilton was at a special event in Derry today to acknowledge the

Discussions continue at Lifford House as Councilors meet to discuss and pass the Council’s Revenue Budget for 2017. €135 million will be spent on roads, housing, environmental services, job creation and tourism promotion. There is €2.3 million available for 2017 compared to last year equating to a spend of €851 per person in Donegal. The

The HSE have announced that they are undertaking a consultation and engagement process in order to deepen its understanding of priorities that will help support an improved Primary Care and GP service. The process involves service-user consultation and engagement including one-to-one interviews, an omnibus survey, a variety of focus groups with stakeholders and a public

Several people have been taken to hospital following a 3 vechicle road traffic collison on the Glenshane Road in Dungiven. The PSNI have advised that the road remains closed and is expected to do so for several more hours while a full investigation into the circumstances is conducted. The collision happened earlier this morning close to

Two new vaccines are being made available to babies born after the first of October this year, with the first being administered next week. The new vaccines are intended to immunise children against  and Men B, and are additional to vaccines which are already given. On today’s Shaun Doherty Show, Donegal based Public Health Specialist

An innovative recycled jewellery line being made in Portsalon is being showcased at the National Craft and Design Fair in Dublin next week. Shropshire born Helen Haworth makes Donegal Seaglass jewellery from glass and pottery collected from the beach at Portsalon. She says there is so much history around this part of the Donegal coast,

There were 23 people awaiting beds today at Letterkenny University Hospital 13 of them on trolleys in the emergency department. According to figures from the INMO there was a total of 464 people awaiting beds across the country today. Yesterday there were 31 patients awaiting admission to Letterkenny University Hospital.

Donegal County Council’s Chief Executive has told today’s Budget meeting that the local authority is taking a leadership role on the issue of Brexit. Seamus Neely says the council has already been engaging with effected groups and sectors, as well as with Derry City and Strabane District Council. Discussion continue at Lifford House as Councilors

New figures released to Fianna Fáil reveal that there have only been 11 IDA site visits to Donegal in 2015 and 2016. In contrast, there were 446 visits in Co. Dublin over the same period. Deputy Charlie McConalogue says there has been a complete vacuum of investment in the border counties over the past 5