Author name: oisinkelly

A Donegal TD has said he does not believe the new JobBridge programme as proposed by the government will be an improvement on the first scheme. Independent Thomas Pringle has welcomed the announcement of the closure of JobBridge to new applicants but has warned its replacement cannot simply be JobBridge Mark 2. Minister Leo Varadkar […]

The IDA has been challenged to focus on new investment in Donegal, and abandon its strategy of focusing all its attention on Letterkenny. Donegal Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn addressed senior officials from the development agency during an Oireachtas Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Committee meeting last evening. The Committee was dealing with the impact of Brexit

  It’s been confirmed that rheumatology clinics are to be reinstated at Letterkenny University Hospital. The services were removed in 2011 and since then patients in Donegal were having to travel to Manorhamilton for treatment. It’s understood the services will be up and running by months end. In a reply to a Dail question, it

Angling groups in Donegal are being invited to apply for a share in a €500,000 funding package to improve access and infrastructure for anglers. Inland Fisheries Ireland has announced the Capital Works Fund which is aimed at any group that is willing to provide car parks, create walkways or carry out other similar works. The

Public Consultations are taking place today on Flood Risk Management Plans for Donegal, one in Donegal Town, the other in Dungloe. Members of the public are being asked to express their views on measures being proposed to address known flood risks across the county. The consultation event in Donegal will cover areas Donegal Town, The

A dedicated space for Early Intervention & School Age Teams in the Public Services Building in Dungloe has been officially opened. The space consists of a number of clinic rooms which will be used for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and psychology. The clinic room will also be used for team assessments, running

Over 20% of people in rural areas are more at risk at poverty now than at any other time over the past 20 years, according to Irish Rural Link, with that figure potentially highest in Donegal. The group has published a document today showing that lack of employment opportunities and poor transport infrastructure is contributing

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has dismissed a suggestion that Ireland could provide border control for the UK after Brexit. The idea’s been mooted as part of a scenario to avoid imposing a ‘hard’ border between the republic and Northern Ireland. He’s due to speak at the annual Northern Ireland economic conference in Derry’s City Hotel

  Derry City and Strabane District Council grounds staff have scooped top prize in their section at the Royal Horticultural Society’s “Britain in Bloom” awards. The latest recognition comes just weeks after the city picked up two prizes at the Translink Ulster in Bloom Competition last month. Representing Ulster, Derry was one of only seven

A Donegal County Councillor has revealed that a review is to take place on a national level with regard to the impact of the School Transport Scheme on the ability of students to attend certain schools. The news comes following renewed concerns about pupils from the Urris area of Inishowen having to travel to Buncrana

New online crime figures show £13 million was lost by people in Northern Ireland last year through fraud, including cybercrime. As a result Get Safe Online is running a public event this week in Derry to increase cyber awareness right across the community. Get Safe Online Day gets underway in Northern Ireland today and a

The Stormont Assembly has voted against a motion calling for ‘special status’ for Northern Ireland in the Brexit process. MLAs voted against the measure – which was proposed by the SDLP – by 47 votes to 46. The vote may make it harder for the British and Irish governments to have the North considered a

  The name of a soldier, who fired a shot that killed a Derry teenager in 1972, has been officially released for the first time. 15 year old Manus Deery was killed close to his home after a soldier fired from the city walls. The soldier maintained that it was a gunman he was firing

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood has proposed legal recognition of Ireland’s unique circumstances in any negotiation on the future relationship with the European Union. He called on political unionism to reconsider their boycott of an all island civic conversation on Brexit announced by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, MLA Colum Eastwood said

Fresh talks aimed at resolving the teachers dispute between the ASTI and the Education Department will get underway this week. The union, which represents 18 thousand secondary school teachers is set to hold 7 days of strike action over the next three months which will see hundreds of schools close around the country. Speaking earlier

  The Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council will officially launch a new innovative project, ASCENT on Thursday aimed to collectively address the environmental challenges facing northern European upland areas. Mount Errigal has been chosen as the pilot site as one of 7 in northern Europe to benefit from the new project, which aims to address

  Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty has welcomed confirmation from the HSE that a number of measures and key actions have been introduced to Ard Gréine Court in Stranorlar to address issues revealed in a recent HIQA report. A HIQA report published in August this year found that the centre which cares for adults with intellectual

A Donegal Senator has expressed his shock at a response from Minister John Halligan over the issue of pupils from the Urris area of Inishowen having to travel to Buncrana instead of Carndonagh to attend secondary school. Minister for School and Transport, John Halligan said, in response to the issue, that Bus Eireann has advised

Motorists in the North West are urged to take care and slow down on the roads this morning. Heavy rainfall overnight has caused a high level of surface water to lie on roads while continuing rain is creating poor visibility while driving.

A Donegal charity has joined forces this week with Dogs Trust to re-home 16 dogs. Since the start of this year Animals In Need, based in Donegal Town has rescued 234 dogs from the Letterkenny Pound. Animals in Need says they were absolutely delighted when the Dogs Trust offered to help with the re-homing of

The Garda Ombudsman says that it is investigating an allegation that a Garda whistleblower was followed to a confidential meeting with GSOC by an unmarked garda car. RTE’s This Week revealed that the alleged surveillance happened when Garda whistleblower Keith Harrison had travelled from Donegal to Galway to attend the meeting in March past. Mr