Author name: oisinkelly

The family of the late Strabane Councillor Ivan Barr has said they do not want the controversy over plans to name a new footbridge in his honour to have a financial implication for the town. Social Development Minister Mervyn Storey has rejected a bid to have the new bridge named the Ivan Barr Bridge, saying

Police are making enquiries in the Creggan area of Derry today (Thursday) following reports of an approach to a young girl. At around 4.15pm on Wednesday, a nine-year-old girl was in the area of the Creggan library when a white van stopped near her. One of three men in the van asked her to get

A lunchtime protest has been organised for today in Institutes of Technology around the country to draw attention to lecturers’ grave concerns over a number of issues within their sector. Regular service to students will not be affected by the protest. Speaking today, Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) Vice-President Joanne Irwin, said: “On a daily

A new poll suggests Fine Gael will be the biggest party in the Dail after the election and could even be in a position to form a government with the help of some independents. The latest Ipsos/MRBI survey in today’s Irish Times has support for Fine Gael at 30 percent – up 2 since September.

Far right politicians are exploiting the Paris terror attacks for political gain according to Midlands North West MEP Marian Harkin. She was speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg where Islamic terrorism topped this week’s agenda. Ms Harkin says the leader of France’s far-right National Front party Marine le Pen is stoking up fear against

It’s hoped the remains of two Northern Irish construction workers killed in Australia could be brought home within days. Joe McDermott and Gerry Bradley were crushed when a concrete slab fell off a lorry on a building site in Perth. Joe Mc Dermott, who was 24 and from Omagh, had just moved to Australia a

A Fine Gael TD will today ask the High Court to stop his party from ratifying election candidates selected at the recent Sligo / Leitrim / South Donegal convention. Former Junior Minister John Perry narrowly missed out on getting his name on the ticket and claims some members were prevented from voting for him. John

A Donegal County Councillor is questioning the expenses provision for members in Donegal County Council’s budget for next year. Councillor Dessie Shiels claims the amount has risen by 29%, compared with the 2015 figure. This, he says, goes against the national trend, with other councils across the country decreasing their expenses provisions. Councillor Sheils, who since

    A viable device has been found during a security alert near Dungiven.  Army Technical Officers carried out a controlled explosion this evening but the alert is expected to remain in place until tomorrow. The Carnanbane Road was closed today following claims that an explosive device had been placed in the area. The alert comes

  The volunteer foot search resumed today for missing Derry man John Concannon.  Mr. Concannon has been missing two weeks yesterday. The volunteers, which included friends and family members focused primarily on the Donegal/ Derry border in areas surrounding Bridgend and Burnfoot. Family members are continuing to appeal to anyone who would like to assist

  Two men in their twenties from the North have been killed in a construction accident in Western Australia. Gerry Bradley from Coleraine and Joe Mc Dermott from Omagh were killed when they were crushed by a concrete panel that feel from a truck in Perth. The building site has been closed and the coroner

It’s believed The Taoiseach has written to the Gardai after a meeting with Mary Boyle’s twin sister last week. During the meeting, Ann Doherty pleaded with Enda Kenny to do everything he could to bring her murderer to justice. 6-year-old Mary Boyle vanished from her grandparent’s farm in Cashelard near Ballyshannon on the 18th of

The Tánaiste says this morning’s EPA report on Waste Water could be very damaging for the country if not dealt with. Joan Burton says that Ireland wants a clean, green image internationally. The Environmental Protection Agency report shows untreated sewerage is being discharged into lakes, rivers and coastal areas in 45 locations around the country,

Two Irish men have died in an incident in Perth. At least one of the men is believed to be from the North, with unconfirmed reports he is from the Omagh area. Australian media is reporting that the two men were crushed when a concrete panel toppled from a truck. The Department of Foreign Affairs

Donegal Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn says the overcrowding crisis at Letterkenny University Hospital is the direct result of inadequate funding, and he is backing Emergency Department nurses 100%. Yesterday it was announced Emergency Department nurses will begin strike action on December 15th, with Taoiseach Enda Kenny calling for fresh talks between the HSE and nurses.

A Donegal Councillor is claiming an even more pressing problem is to be found in housing estates in Donegal which are not under council control. Cllr Paul Canning says there are problems developing in the treatment facilities on many such estates, but no agency is taking responsibility for them. He says Donegal County Council and

Police are advising people in the Feeny area near Dungiven to be vigilant following claims that an explosive device has been left in the area. The warning relates to the Carnanbane Road, and comes a fortnight after an operation to find and clear a device near Drumsurn lasted three days.

Suggestions that a “superpub” could be developed at the site of Letterkenny Courthouse in two years time have been criticised by a Donegal TD. The Courts Service are expected to shortly begin work on the new courthouse building on High Road, and Deputy Thomas Pringle says the current building should be used as a community

  Serious concerns have been raised about the survival prospects of golden eagles in Donegal. A conservation group has claimed that the birds are in a critical condition, and facing starvation on the Donegal mountains. The Irish Wildlife Trust is warning the project to reintroduce the species to Donegal, is at risk of failure because of a lack

A new report has found raw sewage is being discharged into rivers, lakes and coastal areas in 45 locations around the country. This Urban Waste Water report from the Environmental Protection Agency shows that of the areas where raw sewage is being pumped into rivers, lakes and coastal areas – more than half are in

  A 25-year-old Derry man has appeared in court charged with possessing drugs valued at £21,000. Gavin Fisher whose address was given as c/o Maghaberry Prison was charged with possessing cocaine, a class A drug, and clephodrone, a class B drug with intent to supply on July 1. He also faced two other charges of

Emergency Department nurses will begin strike action on December 15th. INMO members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action up to and including strike. Local INMO Industrial Officer Maura Hickey says a rolling series of two hour strikes will take place to highlight overcrowding and working conditions in Emergency Departments……..

The Health Information and Quality Authority has begun a national quality assurance review of antimicrobial stewardship. The review, which involves all acute hospitals, follows the announcement from China last week that a newly discovered gene has made some infectious bacteria resistant to the last line of currently available antibiotics. HIQA spokesperson Sean Egan says antimicrobial

It’s emerged that a temporary doctors’ surgery may be established in the Castlefinn Partnership Initiative building after flooding caused serious to the village’s health centre last week. The Castlefinn health centre is a satellite of the centre in Lifford, but the doctors who run the service say Lifford does not have the capacity to take

A 23-year-old man has been shot several times in both legs in the Brandywell area of Derry. The attack, which police are describing as callous, happened in the living room of a house at around 11 o’clock last night. There were two gunmen involved. The man is being treated at Altnagelvin Hospital for gundhot wounds

Police are advising motorists of traffic disruption in the North West area on the following roads from approximately 10am due to the road movement of an abnormal load. It left Lisahally at 10, and is expected to arrived in Killeter Village at 1pm, travelling via Strabane, Victoria Bridge and Castlederg

The INTO has broadly welcomed the announcement that 13 Donegal schools will benefit from the capital programme announced recently by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan, and renewed its call for a specific commitment to scrap pre-fabs in schools within five years. The union acknowledges that the number of prefabs has been reduced, but says the government

A 25 year old man is due at a special sitting of Derry Magistrates’ Court today over a £21,000 drugs seizure in the city. Cocaine worth £12,000 and Clephedrone worth £9,000 were seized when police searched a flat in the Waterside in July. The accused has been charged with possession of Class A and Class

A Donegal Deputy has claimed there is no end in sight to Donegal’s high youth unemployment rate. Figures suggest there are currently around 2,400 young people unemployed in Donegal. Responding to Deputy Pringle’s question in the Dáil, Minister Joan Burton ruled out any commitment to restore Jobseekers’ Allowance for those under 26. The Minister stated

New signage has been officially unveiled to mark Letterkenny’s Tidy Towns success, and welcome tourists to the area. Municipal District Mayor Gerry McMonagle says it’s fitting that Letterkenny now publicises the achievement and uses it as an advantage……….