Author name: oisinkelly

Police are in attendance at security alerts in Belfast, Omagh and Derry. Strule Arts Centre in Omagh, the Waterfoot Hotel in Derry and Belfast Metropolitan College have been evacuated. The three venues were due to host the PSNI 2015 recruitment information sessions but the event in Derry had already been postponed as it clashed with

The manager at Letterkenny General Hospital has promised improvements and better procedures and protocols following a report from HIQA into hygiene at the hospital which was published yesterday. HIQA carried out an unannounced inspection in June and discovered poor hygiene standards on the Medical 2 and Orthopeadic Wards. There was dust in many places, and

A senior European Commission official is in Derry today as part of a Europe wide consultation on border obstacles. Deputy-Director General Nicholas Martyn says as the EU marks 25 years of INTERREG, it’s important to explore the obstacles that prevent greater cross-border co-operation. He says EU funding has had a major impact in terms of

The BBC is reporting today that a Scottish nurse who contracted Ebola last Christmas has been readmitted to hospital. Pauline Cafferkey, who has family roots in Rannyhual near Kincasslagh, has been flown to London via RAF Northolt, where she was transferred to a waiting ambulance under maximum precautions for infection control. It is understood she

The Chairperson of Donegal County Council has hit out at Health Minister Leo Varadkar, saying the minister did nothing to support Letterkenny General Hospital during his visit to the facility. Cllr Ciaran Brogan, who also sits on the HSE West Regional Forum, said the Minister’s only contribution was to point out that the hospital was

The government is being urged not to enact legislation which would give the Central Bank more regulatory control over credit unions. Midlands North West MEP Marian Harkin says the provision is grossly unfair, and does not recognise the community basis and ethos of the credit union movement . She says there are currently 2.89 million

The deadline has been extended for applications for the water conservation grant for a further two weeks. Households must now apply by Thursday October 22nd. The Environment Minister and Tánaiste says the extension is down to the high volume of calls and applications today and issues that arose concerning the postal delays earlier this week.

    The charges against a Derry man accused of murdering Paul McCauley who died in June this year after being the victim of a sectarian attack should be dropped, a solicitor told the local Magistrate’s Court today. Piper John McClements, of The Fountain, is charged with the murder of Mr McCauley on June 6.

The Minister for Sport has announced around 41 million euro to sports clubs and facilities across Ireland. A total allocation of 1.065 Million euro has been approved for Sporting Organisations in County Donegal. The big winners include Carndonagh GAA club, allocated E120,000, Keadue Rover E100,000 Bonagee FC E90,000 and  St Eunana GAA club – E80,000.

Sinn Fein’s Finance Spokesperson says he can understand people claiming the 100 euro water conservation grant while not paying their water bills. Donegal South West Deputy Pearse Doherty was speaking ahead of the publication of Sinn Fein’s alternative budget, which he says will clearly outline how investment in infrastructure can be achieved without water charges.

HIQA has raised concerns about Letterkenny General Hospital and has identified a number of high risks. It carried out an unannounced inspection in June and discovered poor hygiene standards in various areas. HIQA inspectors visited Letterkenny on June 18th. They found a number of areas of concern that warranted an immediate high risk finding. There

  Midlands North West MEP Matt Carthy has welcomed comments made by Minister for Health Leo Varadkar, who supports increased cooperation in cross border health care in the West Ulster area. On his recent visit to Letterkenny General Hospital, Mr Varadkar said it made little sense for patients from Donegal to travel to Dublin or

A Donegal County Councillor is expressing fears that cancer services at Letterkenny General Hospital could be further diminished if a private hospital offering cancer services is built in the area. Councillor Dessie Shiels says that with the economy in recovery mode, a private hospital which was proposed for Donegal during the Boom could be back

Calls have been made to restore income supports such as Jobseekers and Farm Assist which, it is claimed, would help facilitate an equal recovery for Donegal. Deputy Thomas Pringle has outlined various recommendations his in pre-budget submission, calling on the Government to restore income supports back to pre-2012 levels in this year’s Budget. He believes

Concerns have been raised as to when and if work will be carried out on two estates in Donegal where raw sewage is flowing out onto the street. There have been ongoing issues surrounding the sewerage system in both the Flaxfields estate and Greenfields estate in Convoy. A new sewerage treatment plant is to be

A further 109 thousand euro has been allocated to Donegal County Council to address coastal erosion and storm damage. Donegal County Council have already been allocated 666,000 thousand euro last year with some of that amount to be paid on request. This further funding, combined with money already allocated brings the total to 769 thousand

  The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has reported there was one closure order issued in Donegal last month while there were three prosecutions were made in the county. The Closure Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive. Express Fast Food Takeaway in Ballinamore, Fintown, Donegal has been closed under

Donegal Tweed could soon be enjoying EU protection, with material manufactured in other areas not allowed to use the Donegal name. The European Parliament has approved a report suggesting that the regional protection afforded to a number of European foods now be extended to certain products, including Donegal Tweed. Midlands North West MEP Mairead Mc

A Donegal Senator says he’s hopeful of movement on progress in the campaign for progress in the campaign for a new school building for Scoil Mhuire in Stranorlar. Senator Brian O’Domhnaill pressed Junior Minister Anne Phelan on the issue in the Seanad this morning. He’s now hopeful of substantial progress by early next year, to