Author name: oisinkelly

An independent panel of experts is to be established to address the defective blocks issue in Donegal. Welcoming the announcement from Housing Minister Paudie Coffee, Mica Action Group Chair Phil Mc Daid said a number of issues need to be addressed. They include the scale of the problem, a review of the building control system,

Gardai have confirmed to Highland Radio News that they are investigating the sudden death of a 17 year old girl at Letterkenny General Hospital in the early hours of this morning. A spokesperson indicated they are now awaiting the results of a post mortem examination before determining the direction their investigation will take. It’s understood

Postmasters across the country have returned thousands of new Social Protection forms to Minister Joan Burton’s Department in protest against their usage. In a coordinated move by the Irish Postmasters Union, the forms were posted back to the Department of Social Protection. Members of the Union’s Executive, including Donegal representative Breid Gallagher, returned their forms

Five teenagers have been arrested in Derry after more disorder in the Leckey Road and Collon Lane area of the City last night. Police say they came under attack with petrol bombs and missiles when they responded to reports of young people setting pallets and rubbish on fire in the Leckey Road and Westland Street

Groups opposed to water charges have been welcoming reports that just 46 per cent of households have paid their water bills. According to the Irish Times, the utility collected 30.5 million euro for the first three months of this year. That’s less than half the amount contained in the first round of bills posted out

The Ostan na Rossan Hotel, to be renamed the Dungloe Coast Hotel, is to be reopened in March, Dungloe District Court was told. Mary McGinley, who ran the Harbour Hotel in Burtonport in the past, was giving evidence when an application for transfer of licence was made. Ms McGinley told Judge Paul Kelly that she

New figures show that hotels and guesthouses in Donegal have recorded increased business from key overseas markets such as Britain and Continental Europe Domestic tourism also beginning to recover with more people now taking holidays and short breaks at home Paul Diver, the Donegal represetative of the Irish Hotels Federation says ongoing investment in tourism

The Environment Minister Alan Kelly has pulled out of a planned appearance at the MacGill Summer School. He was due to be in Glenties next Tuesday to take part in a debate on Irish Water but has withdrawn to attend a meeting in Europe. Donegal Right2Water had planned to protest his visit despite concerns being

Police are appealing for witnesses after a hotel in Derry was robbed by a man with a suspected firearm who made off with cash. The armed robbery happened at the Everglades Hotel on Prehen Road on Sunday evening. At around 6.05pm on Sunday it was reported that an unknown male, carrying a suspected firearm, entered

A Midlands North West MEP has today said the ‘shameful treatment’ of Greece by Eurozone leaders has destroyed public confidence in the EU itself. The Greek government last evening agreed to adopt tough new austerity measures in exchange for a third bailout. The draft deal – worth 86 billion euro – will see tax rises,

The remains of a 29-year-old County Tyrone woman, murdered 183 years ago in the US, will be brought home and buried this week. Catherine Burns was one of 57 Irish immigrants from Donegal, Tyrone, and Derry who were hired to build a railway between Philadelphia and Columbia. The site is known as Duffy’s Cut. Within

A Donegal County Cllr has said the role of Cllrs is once again being diminished by the Environment Minister. The Council have voted unamiously to vary the County Development Plan to help people to build in rural areas. But Minister Alan Kelly has stepped in and overruled the decision, siting that the proposals do not

Donegal County Council is inviting submissions from members of the public on proposals to vary the basic rate of Local Property Tax in Donegal in 2016. The Council wants to hear in particular, on the potential effects on households, individuals, businesses and on Council services. Local Property Tax is an annual tax charged on all

Attacks on a bus carrying orangemen from Co Donegal and rioting in Derry yesterday has been condemned by the Norths Deputy First Minister. Stones were thrown at a bus carrying orangemen from Manorcunningham in Greysteel, while petrol bombs were thrown at police in Derrys Bogside. Martin McGuinness condemned both incidents. The bus, which was carrying

The 21 year old man killed in an overnight collision in Inishowen has been named locally as John Hegarty of 23 Lisowen Avenue, Buncrana. He was a passenger in a car which struck a bollard at 11.30 last night at Carnashannagh, close to the Halfway House at Tooban, Burnfoot. The 18 year old driver and

The government is being asked to give more support to Owey Island after Junior Minister Joe Mc Hugh visited the island this morning. Following a meeting of Donegal County Council’s Islands Committee in Glenties recently, Cllr Michael Colm Mac Giolla Easpaig invited Minister Mc Hugh to see the island and meet the people there. This

The trial of a man charged with 50 counts of sexual offences against two young girls has been adjourned until Wednesday at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The 51-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was sent forward from the District Court last year in relation to the offences which are alleged to have

The Communications Minister will launch Ireland’s first national post code service today. 2.2 million homes and businesses across the country will be assigned an individual 7 digit ‘Eircode’ – which they will receive in the post in the coming weeks. The optional service has cost over 20 million euro and is aimed at reducing confusion

Security’s been stepped up in Northern Ireland as the Orange Order hold their annual ’12th’ celebrations. The marches are traditionally held on the 12th of July each year. However, when they fall on Sunday, the march is held on a Monday, as is the case today. A total of 3,000 PSNI officers will be policing

Fire crews came under attack in Derry last night. The Fire and Rescue Service says stones petrol bombs Brandywell and Galliagh. Just after 7 o’clock, they were called to a rubbish bin fire in Brandywell and attacked, with a similar situation in Galliagh shortly after 10 o’clock last night. No-one was injured.

Almost 10 years after it was first proposed and commissioned, a sculpture honouring the role of women in Derry’s shirt factories has not yet been erected. It’s now emerged that proposals to erect the sculpture in front of the Guildhall have been stalled after an objection from the Environmental Agency questioning the visual impact the sculpture