Author name: oisinkelly

A new tourism promotion initiative and training course is being launched by Donegal County Council next week. Donegal’s Atlantic Coastal Trail is a special project aimed at promoting the county as a world-class marine leisure and seafood destination, and the training programme has been developed as an intrrinsic part of that process. Donegal County Council

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty has called for the system of registration for nurses and midwifes to be reviewed. He has obtained figures which show that of almost 4,200 applications made by nurses and midwifes from overseas wishing to register to work in the state, less than 40% have been successfully added to the register since

The interim CEO of the embattled suicide charity Console says the Gardaí have been called in over allegations of corruption. David Hall claims officers have visited Console’s HQ after former head Paul Kelly was accused of racking up massive charity credit card bills on designer clothes and foreign trips. Mr Kelly was forced to resign

Fáilte Ireland has appointed over 350 business owners, managers and staff to become Wild Atlantic Way Champions across the coastal route, almost 80 of them in Donegal. Failte Ireland say this is a way of harnessing the commitment and passion of local tourism operators, and helping them deliver the best possible visitor experience. One of

The Social Protection Minister has withdrawn a letter which encouraged welfare payment recipients to have money transferred into their bank accounts rather have them use the post office. The letter had been roundly criticised by the Irish Postmasters’ Union, which accused the department of undermining the work of other government initiatives to boost the post

A Donegal County Councillor is reiterating calls for progress on the Bonagee Link following yesterday’s road traffic crash on the Port road in Letterkenny. The inbound lane was closed for most of the afternoon causing huge tailbacks on the Ballyraine Road and for motorists leaving the town while others had to use the Leck road

Those who lost their lives in the battle of the Battle of the Somme are being remembered today. Over 80 men from Donegal died on the first day of the battle. By the time it ended on 18th November 1916, there were over a million casualties. Commemorative events are taking place in Derry, Raphoe and

Police in Derry are investigating the report of an attempted burglary at a house in the Woodbrook area on Wednesday morning. Two men were disturbed at the house shortly after 5 o’clock and made off on foot in the direction of the Skoege Road. Both were described as being around 5’8” tall. One wore a

  An investigation is underway today after a Donegal woman was killed in a road traffic crash in Spain yesterday. It’s understood the woman was in her 70s and from the Gortahork area. The woman was holidaying with her family in Spain when the crash occurred. She was taken to hospital for treatment but later

    New recycling arrangements have been made for Letterkenny with the number of recycling banks at Dunnes Stores in Oldtown being reduced. Donegal County Council are advising people to use alternative sites in the town and to ensure that recyclables are placed into the banks and not left behind in plastic bags if the

  Detectives from Serious Crime Branch investigating violent dissident republican activity have arrested a 27 year old man in Derry. Police say the man, who was detained earlier today, is currently in custody assisting officers with their enquiries. This the second arrest in the city within the last 24 hours as a 26 year old

  Emergency services have attended the scene of a road traffic crash on the Port road in Letterkenny. The collision involving a passenger bus and up to three vehicles happened near the Port Bridge just after 1pm this afternoon. The road on the way into Letterkenny was blocked for a time with motorists experiencing long

Latest crime statistics for County Donegal show a significant increase in drink driving, public order and possession of drugs offences. The statistics from the CSO cover the first three months of 2016. There was a 26% increase in the number of people caught drink driving in the first Quarter of 2016 when compared to the

A commemoration takes place in Raphoe tomorrow (Friday) in memory of 13 local men Killed at the Battle of the Somme. The Battle on the 1st July 1916 in one of the bloodiest battles of the 1914-18 War. 100 years on, the bells of Raphoe Cathedral will sound out, followed by a reflection service and

The Donegal representative of the Garda Representative Association is not ruling out an escalation in action as part of an ongoing row with government over pay. The body,which represents more than 10,000 rank and file members held a protest today outside Leinster House calling for a review of pay and conditions to be undertaken It

A Donegal Councillor says IDA Ireland’s gateway approach, which prioritises investment in Letterkenny, must be reviewed in light of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. Cllr Albert Doherty has received confirmation that the IDA have no property or land holdings either owned or leased in Inishowen, a policy which he says writes the entire

Donegal will host a major European tourism meeting next week. Fedeton, the European Federation of Nautical Tourism Destinations, will hold a General Assembly meeting in Donegal Town, the first on to take place in Ireland. Delegates from France, Spain, Italy, Croatia and a number of other EU countries will attend the meeting in Donegal Town

The number of businesses in Donegal accessing staff training programmes increased by 32% last year. The Skillnets Annual report shows that in 2015, 754 businesses from various sectors in the county arranged training for their employees with 1,560 trainees taking part. Skillnets CEO Paul Healy says maintaining and enhancing skills in the workplace is vital

  Police in Derry are investigating reports of a number of incidents in the Talbot Park area yesterday. It is believed that sometime overnight between Monday and yesterday morning, unknown persons worked their way along the street checking houses and car doors. At least two vehicles were entered and items taken. A house was also

  It’s been confirmed that the Finn Valley area is to receive an additional €70,000 in funding to carry out repair works to local roads. The funding comes from the second Tranche of monies from the Local Authority’s ‘Severe Weather Allocation’. The money will be used to provide advanced drainage and resurfacing works at Meengorry,

The Motor Tax Office at Carndonagh Public Service Centre is now up and running again. Earlier, Donegal County Council said due to a fault with a telecommunications line into the Carndonagh Public Service Centre, the Motor Tax service was temporarily unavailable at the centre. It has now been resolved.

A 26 year old man has been arrested in Derry as part of an investigation into violent dissident republican activity. Police say the man, who was detained this morning, is currently in custody assisting officers with their enquiries. Detectives from Serious Crime Branch conducted searches in Derry this morning as part of the ongoing investigation.

A Donegal councillor says the authority previously contributed money for infrastructural improvements at City of Derry Airport, and is considering doing so again in the countext of the North West Region Group. Cllr Paul Canning was responding to Derry and Strabane representative Patsy Kelly, who said this week its unfair that ratepayers in Derry and

Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy says it’s alarming that EU leaders are endorsing closer ties with NATO. Mr Carthy was speaking as today’s EU summit was is expected to endorse “accelerated and practical” ties with the military bloc despite Irish neutrality. Matt Carthy believes that what he terms further EU entanglement with NATO will happen

  Donegal County Council is undertaking a review of speed limits in the county. They are inviting the public to assist them in the process by hosting a number of drop-in events across Donegal. These events will set out details of proposed changes to current speed limit bylaws within the county and a team will

A 29-year-old garda who suffers from tinnitus since he was hit on the head five years ago with a stone “the size of a melon” has been awarded €30,000 damages in the High Court. Garda John O’Connor told the court that when the incident happened in August 2011, he was attached to Buncrana Garda station

It has been confirmed that the HSE has not yet granted formal approval to begin the recruitment process for a Senior Dietitian Post in Donegal. This is despite the position having been sanctioned as part of the HSE Service Plan for 2016 which began late last year. It’s estimated that there are more than 8,300

  A Derry and Strabane Councillor is seeking clarity on whether or not Donegal County Council provides funding to the City of Derry Airport. Cllr. Patsy Kelly has called for a report on the matter to be brought before the committee in the coming months. He says if the findings into the report suggest Donegal

    A Buncranna woman who suffers from Sarcoma has warned lives will be put at risk following the decision not to renew the contract of a specialist in Dublin who deals with the rare form of cancer. 250 people in Ireland each year are affected by the disease but despite this, Dr. Alexia Bertuzzi’s

The Anti-Austerity Alliance says the Government is rowing in behind ‘EU diktats to trample on the democratic will of the Irish people’ in relation to water charges. Yesterday the European Commission said Ireland can’t legally abolish its system of water charges under a EU directive.   However, Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy says the