Author name: oisinkelly

A special meeting of Donegal County Council will take place on Friday to discuss the severe flooding which hit the county over the weekend. The council is assessing what happened and is liaising with government and all relevant agencies to see how the situation can be improved. Councillor Patrick McGowan says all agencies must come together………..

There have been calls for the resignation of Donegal County Councillor John O’Donnell following the RTE Investigates programme on planning matters last night. Councillor O’Donnell was one of three politicians who featured on the programme, offering to lobby on behalf of a fictitious wind farm company in exchange for money or the promise of a

  The Court of Appeal has handed down a new sentence of four years in jail for a man whose dangerous driving killed eight people in Donegal in 2010. Shaun Kelly of Hill Road, Ballymagan in Buncrana, was originally jailed for two years, but that was considered unduly lenient on appeal. One of the affected

A 26 year old man has been arrested in Derry, in connection an attack nine years ago that led to Paul McCauley’s death last June. In all, nine people have been arrested, one has been charged with murder and another has been reported to the Public Prosecution Service. Paul McCauley was attending a summer barbeque

The Court of Appeal has risen to consider three updated statements in relation to the fresh sentence of the man behind Ireland’s worst ever car crash. Shaun Kelly of Hill Road in Ballymagan, Buncrana was driving the car which caused the accident in which eight people, including seven of his friends, died while driving towards

The HSE has confirmed that staffing issues are curtailing services for new referrals to Donegal Mental Health Services for Older Persons, but current case loads are being maintained. In statement, the HSE says there is a staffing issue of a temporary nature, and in the interim, new service users and their families are advised to

Donegal County Council’s Finance Director says lessons will be learned from the flooding which devastated parts of Donegal at the weekend. Speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show, Gary Martin said the council will assess what happened and liaise with government and all relevant agencies to see how the situation can be improved. On the Shaun

A Donegal councillor is one of three politicians who offered to lobby on behalf of a fictitious wind farm company in exchange for money or the promise of a loan or an investment in a private business, according to RTÉ. RTE’s Investigations Unit has produced a report, to be broadcast tonight, in which the councillors

People in Bundoran and surrounding areas are receiving their water through temporary stand pipes this morning after severe flooding at the treatment plant beside Lough Melvin. Irish Water say following incessant rain over the weekend from Storm Desmond, water levels at Lough Melvin continue to rise to an unprecedented level, and the Bundoran Water Treatment

Minister Simon Harris on a previous visit to Donegal   Following the devastation caused by Storm Desmond, General Election Candidate Pat the Cope Gallagher is calling on OPW Minister Simon Harris to visit the county and witness the situation first hand. Mr Gallagher says this is a time for the government to show leadership…….  

All main roads have now reopened after the Storm Desmond at the weekend, leaving householders and businesses counting the cost and continuing the clean up after severe flooding in many areas. There may still be issues on minor roads, and continued caution is advised. There have been calls for the implementation of a flood mitigation

The driver involved in Ireland’s worst ever car crash will be back in court today for a fresh sentence hearing after his two year jail term was set aside on appeal. Shaun Kelly of Hill Road in Ballymagan, Co. Donegal killed eight people while driving towards Buncrana in July 2010. Shaun Kelly watched the 2010

  Some routes in Donegal remain closed this evening after Storm Desmond caused severe flooding across the county.  The Lifford/ Strabane bridge remains closed and The Cosh Clady road between the Udaras turn off and Derrybeg is still closed and expected to remain so overnight. There are also reports of road closures at Aughnacloy. Flood

  Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty says he will not be putting his name to the Banking Inquiry’s final report. It means two of the inquiry’s 11 members are now refusing to sign the document. Inquiry members are today meeting for a third successive day, with only the executive summary and recommendations left to agree on.

      The security operation in the Waterside area of Derry has now ended. Searches have been conducted in the area and nothing untoward has been found. All roads have reopened to traffic and the railway station has been reopened. The security operation commenced following claims that explosive devices had been left in the

Met Eireann has lifted five weather warnings as Storm Desmond moves eastwards across the Irish Sea however many parts of Donegal remain severely flooded and some homes are still without power, 11 in the Milford area. The storm wreaked havoc dumping in the region of 100 millimetres of rain along the north west, west and

Saturday 5.30   Gardai in Donegal are urging people not to travel tonight unless absolutely necessary. There is very serious flooding already in Ballybofey, Stranorlar and around the Finn Valley, with serious concerns as the River Finn rises this evening. Earlier this afternoon Meanwhile in the past hour, the Back of Errigal and Back of

 There are two security alerts underway in the Waterside area of Derry. Police say they are attending alerts in the Quarry Steps area of Spencer Road and the railway station following the report of objects having been left both areas.   Area Commander, Chief Inspector Tony Callaghan said, “The railway station has been evacuated and

Update 12 30 –   Road closed between Nairn and Portnoo as a result of a fallen tree and rocks on the road. It ill remain closed until at least 3 o’clock. Liscooley and Castlefin Bridges are impassable. Glen Road at Pobail Scoil Gaoth Dobhair is impassable. Coshclady Road flooded at Bunbeg. Gardai in Ballybofey

    It’s emerged that hundreds of people who’ve been offered local authority housing are turning down the homes. According to figures collated in today’s Irish Independent, almost a third of offers nationwide were rejected. In some counties like Cork and Waterford almost half of accommodation offered to people on housing lists was turned down.

Age Action has criticised the decision by the Health Service Executive to shut down mental health services for older people in Donegal. Highland Radio has seen the letter issued by the HSE to its local offices in September which states that “all referrals received by the Mental Health Service for Older People will be returned

The National Co-ordination Group for Severe Weather Emergencies has advised the public to avoid non essential travel after Met Eireann upgraded its weather warning to the highest level. A Red alert is in efffect as ‘Storm Desmond’ crosses the northwest bringing high winds and over three inches of rain fall. The storms impact is already

A meeting between a delegation from Donegal County Council and the NRA, or as it is now known Transport Infrastructure Ireland, has been described as positive. The delegation pushed for progress on a number of routes including the A5 Dublin to Derry as well as upgrades to the N14 Lifford to Letterkenny road and the

It has emerged that mental health services for older people have been closed across Donegal since early September. Yesterday it was reported that no new patients were to be accepted at the psychiatric clinic for older people at Dungloe District Hospital – but now it is emerged that the whole county is effected. The information

There are calls for an immediate safety review of the Clooney Road dual carriageway from the Caw Roundabout to the Maydown Roundabout. Derry and Strabane Coumncillor Cllr Paul Fleming says there has been a number of accidents along this stretch of road over the past few weeks. He says he’s been contacted by motorists and

A Joint Policing Committee is to be re-established in Donegal. A special meeting of council will take place on Wednesday week next December 17th to appoint a Chair and Vice Chair, ahead of a steering group meeting the following Tuesday. The first full meeting of the new JPC will take place on the 22nd of