Author name: oisinkelly

Two men have been arrested after a car crashed through a wall of a primary school in Derry this morning. Shortly before 7.30am police received a report that a car had crashed into a wall at St. Eithne’s P.S. A short time later, police arrested a 30 year-old man on suspicion of driving while unfit […]

The Rathmullan to Buncrana Ferry Service is to run for a six week period beginning next Thursday. It follows the signing of a contract between Donegal County Council and the new operator, the Arranmore Car and Passenger Ferry Service. The terms of the new Lough Swilly contract have not been disclosed, but Dominic Sweeney of

One of Europe’s leading energy specialists has said that building more wind turbines around Ireland is ‘madness’. Dr Tony White, who has 35 years experience in international power markets and the low carbon economy, addressed the MacGill Summer school in Glenties, yesterday. Ireland aims to generate 40pc of all its electricity by 2020 from renewable

The Donegal Childcare Committee has been reacting to publication of a report into Childcare costs by the Children’s Minister – which calls for a radical overhaul of parental leave. The inter-departmental review – discussed by Cabinet this afternoon – recommends extending paid parental leave to one year – with parents able to split the second

The campaign to have a residential facility for older people on Arranmore Island is being stepped up today. A deputation from the island will meet Junior Health Minister Kathleen Lynch on the fringes of the Macgill Summer School in Glenties, to press the case for a pilot scheme. They say older people on the island

The CEO of IDA Ireland has defended the work of the foreign investment agency in driving the growth of Jobs in the Northwest. 330 new jobs were announced for Letterkenny by Pramerica yesterday, with a view to create hundreds more. Despite yesterdays significant jobs boost, a number of opposition politicians in Co Donegal have the

The Taoiseach says a watchdog report into a community hospital in Co Leitrim has highlighted ‘unacceptable’ issues.  A HIQA report into St Patrick’s Community Hospital identified serious breaches – including some residents being made to wait weeks for a shower. The HSE says the hospital is very old and may not meet modern standards –

Police are treating an assault on a young man in the Dungiven Road area of the Waterside as a sectarian hate crime. At about 12.30am on Monday a man in his 20 was walking home when he was chased by a group of youths who shouted sectarian abuse and threw bottles and stones at him.

A former Irish ambassador to the UK has urged the government to begin planning for a possible British withdrawal from the European Union. Daithi O’Ceallaigh told the MacGill Summer School he believes many people in the UK have not thought through the potential consequences of withdrawl, not least in terms of relations between England and

A consultant has begun assessing problems with the access path to Errigal Mountain, with a public consultation to take place in Dunlewey at the weekend. Chris York from the Scottish company “Walking the Talk” is currently surveying the mountain, will be available to meet people at the Dunlewey Community Centre between 4pm and 7pm on

Donegal Council has said it has no plans to extend Irish translation system to special purpose meetings. There was controversy this week when a Donegal County Councillor expressed annoyance that a translator was not made available for a special purpose meeting. Micheal Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig made his contribution to the meeting in Irish but refused

Hundreds of new jobs have been announced for Co Donegal today. Pramerica in Letterkenny are to create 330 new jobs over the next three years. The company are to build a new state of the art campus near its current location in Letterkenny. The first construction phase will begin at the end of this year,

Donegal Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley has hailed today’s announcement of 330 jobs at Pramerica in Letterkenny as hugely significant, not just for the town, but for the county. Speaking at the official announcement this morning, Deputy Mc Ginley said it’s a hugely significant announcement…………..

The Tanaiste has claimed that the public will want a stable government after the next General Election. The latest opinion poll at the weekend put the Labours party’s support at 8pc, suggesting that the party may only win six seats in the next election. But Joan Burton says with the next election some distance away,

The head of Irish Waters parent company has launched a strong defence of the utility from what he called “rubbish commentary in the media”. Ervia CEO Michael McNicholas says its nonsense to suggest that enough money was being spent on the States water infrastructure in recent years – and that every State body is pilloried

The Justice Minister says criticism of a ‘flawed Garda culture’ is an untrue, ‘shapeless’ and ‘disempowering’ criticism.  Frances Fitzgerald says she has not found the force ‘demonstrating a corner cutting culture’ – in spite of the assumptions in the public arena. She says that she accepts that arrogance can happen – but says that elevating

A new HIQA report has shown serious breaches at St Patrick’s Community Hospital in County Leitrim.  Inspectors found that in some cases residents were only offered a bath or shower once a month. In most cases residents were offered a shower just once a fortnight. Sean Defoe reports Of the 18 standard that HIQA test

The Environment Minister has again come under fire for pulling out of a debate on the Irish Water saga. Alan Kelly had been scheduled to attend MacGill Summer School in Glenties tonight, but withdrew because of a diary clash. A Right 2 Water protest was planned to coincide with tonight’s debate – that will now

The HSE’s Public Health Specialist in Donegal is warning that if more children aren’t immunised in Donegal, there is a risk of serious diseases spreading. The HSE says in order to protect all children from certain serious infections, over 95% of babies must be vaccinated, but at present, current uptake rates for the 13 month

Police investigating a fatal road traffic collision on the Moneymore to Cookstown Dual Carriageway on Friday last continue to appeal for witnesseses. Victor Wylie, who was in his sixties, died when the tractor he was driving was involved in a collision with a blue coloured Honda 4×4 on the Moneymore bound carriageway at around 9.30am.

A Donegal mountaineer says a deadly avalanche on a nearby mountain won’t put him off attempting to climb K2. Jason Black, from Letterkenny, is preparing for the expedition on what’s believed to be the world’s most dangerous mountain. An avalanche struck on another peak beside his current position yesterday, hitting a crew who had shared

A DUP MLA has claimed that police have admitted to him that they got it wrong over their handling of the funeral of Peggy O’Hara. Up to 100 men and women in paramilitary uniforms formed a guard of honour as the cortège of the 86-year-old mother of hunger striker Patsy O’Hara made its way through

Three areas of Donegal will share over €920,000 in funding following publication of the latest round of the Fishery Harbours Capital Investment Programme. The bulk of the Donegal allocation will go to Killybegs, with money also set aside for Burtonport and Port Arthur. It’s part of a national programme worth €5 million, with Deputy Dinny

The HSE has expressed concern following what’s been described as a “significant” drop in the number of babies being vaccinated in Donegal. Parents are being urged to ensure they avail of all vaccinations, with the HSE pointing out it takes five GP visits to ensure a child is fully protected against serious diseases. While most

The Tanaiste says she cannot see the purpose of planned protest by an anti-water charges group in Glenties on Friday evening. Right2Water is planning to hold a protest to coincide with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s visit to the MacGill Summer School on Friday. The organisers of the MacGill Summer School has expressed concerns about the

The Fianna Fail leader says he believes the party can win two seats in Co Donegal in the next General Election. Donegal will become a five seater constituency in the next election. Deputy Charlie McConalogue will aim to retain his seat, while no other candidates have been confirmed. There has been speculation that former Minister

A 23 year old man has been arrested for possession of an offensive weapon in Derry. The arrest follows reports of a man with a knife in the Strand Road and Laurence Hill areas of the city this afternoon.

A Derry man has been returned for trial to the local Crown Court charged with two counts of rape that were said to have occurred in 1988. 56 year oldf William Simpson of Pennethorne Court in Derry appeared at a preliminary enquiry at Derry Magistrate’s Court today. He was charged with the rape of a