Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal’s Road Safety Officer has pleaded with people across the county to switch off their phones while driving. The plea comes as statistics show that motorists who use their phones while driving are now FOUR times more likely to be involved an accident. Road Safety Officer Brian O’Donnell says some motorists seem to be blind to […]

Concerns have been raised about proposals to close two care homes in Derry. Consultations will take place over the possible closure of William Street and Rectory Field care homes to new patients. The Health and Social Care Board agreed yesterday that they should look at alternatives to house older residents, with the consultation will last

Cant Pay Wont Pay in Co Donegal have claimed that the registration rate for water charges in the county is lower than is being claimed. Figures released this week show that Donegal has one of the lowest registration rates at 69%. The figures showed that out of 39,904 households in Donegal have registered, with Irish

The Bishop of Derry has said churchgoers can vote Yes in this week’s referendum on same-sex marriage ‘in good conscience’. Donal McKeown was representing the No side this morning in a debate on the  Shaun Doherty Show. The Catholic Church is arguing in favour of a No vote, with letters from bishops being read out at

Gardai investigating the murder of Andrew Allen have arrested a man in Co Donegal. The Derry father of two was murdered in Buncrana in February 2012. No-one has ever been convicted for the killing. However detectives say they remain committed to solving the crime, which was claimed by the dissident republican group, Republican Action Against

The SDLP has removed the party whip from Derry/Strabane Cllr Patsy Kelly. The partys disciplinary committee made the decision in repsonse to remarks made by Mr Kelly on social media during this months election count. An investigation was launched earlier this month after Cllr Patsy Kelly broke ranks to voice support for Pat Doherty during

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and Britain’s Prince Charles have shaken hands at an event in Galway. The meeting of the two men is seen as a landmark moment. No member of the Royal family has ever met the Sinn Fein president. Tomorrow, Prince Charles, will visit Mullaghmore in Co Sligo where his great uncle

A man from Strabane has been arrested by police investigating violent dissident republican activity. The 42-year-old was arrested in the Ballycolman estate this morning. He has been taken to the serious crime suite in Antrim for questioning.

A Donegal TD will tonight move a private members’ motion in the Dail calling for a referendum to have Economic, Social and Cultural rights enshrined in the constitution. Deputy Thomas Pringle says such a move would be pivotal in creating a rights based society, and would offer protection to many people. Deputy Pringle says the

A threat to the future of the Bytes Project, which provides training and work experience for young people who are not in training or employment has been averted after core funding was restored. It emerged in April that a question mark lay over the future of the project, which has a number of bases across

Further tests are to be carried out on the bodies of a man and a woman found at a house near Askeaton in Co Limerick yesterday. Post mortem examinations were carried out on the badly decomposed remains last night, but no cause of death was established. The bodies have yet to be formally identified, but

A Donegal councillor is urging Irish Water to make significant improvements to the county’s decaying water infrastructure. Cllr Liam Doherty is calling on the utility to replace all of the network’s current lead piping. He says the situation is patricularly bad in his own electoral area, with many peoples water being discoloured by lead piping. And

The badly decomposed bodies of a man and woman, found in a farmhouse in Co Limerick, have been removed from the scene for post mortems. The bodies were discovered in an upstairs bedroom after Gardai recived a tip off in the early hours of this morning. The remains are understood to be 63-year-old Julia Holmes

The sister of a man killed on Bloody Sunday has condemned Sinn Féin’s decision to take part in events to mark Prince Charles’ visit to Ireland this week. Sinn Féin insists the visit is an opportunity to promote reconciliation. Kate Nash, however, says the prince, as Colonel-in-Chief of the Parachute Regiment – the regiment responsible

A Derry PSNI policewoman has shot herself in the leg. The incident happened at Strand Road Police Station this morning, Monday 18th May. A spokesperson for the PSNI said, “A police officer has been taken to hospital following the accidental discharge of a firearm at Strand Road police station. “The incident occurred shortly before 8am.

Co Donegal has one of the lowest registration rates for water charges in the country. To date the county has the fifth lowest registration rate in Ireland. A breakdown of how many households in each county have so far registered for charges shows that out of the 58,099 househlds in Co Donegal, 69% has registered.

It’s been confirmed that there’s been a ninefold improvement in air quality in Letterkenny since a ban was introduced on smoky coal a year ago. At a recent meeting of the Letterkenny Municipal District, members were presented with a figures collated by the HSE which show the effect the ban has had. Cllr Dessie Shiels

A Derry and Strabane District Councillor is due in court this week charged with Benefit Fraud. Sinn Fein Cllr Collie Kelly is accused of making a false representation in order to obtain Jobseekers Allowance, and today’s Derry News reports he will appear in court later this week to answer five charges. It’s claimed he failed

Local community organisations in Derry and Strabane are being invited to take part in a new scheme aimed at tackling issues surrounding bonfires, and the associated problems affecting communities. Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Good Relations Team is offering training events centrrd on fire safety, as well as discussions on finding positive alternatives to

The North’s Environment and Justice Ministers have launched a safety campaign aimed at preventing loss of life in disused quarries. The campaign follows an extensive audit of disused quarries by district councils which helped identify the highest risk sites and the features within each site which make them so dangerous, with a particular emphasis on

More families in Donegal have received water bills addressed to deceased family members. Bills were received by one family whose relative passed away recently, as well as the family of a late prominent Gaoth Dobhair businessman who died 15 years ago. The families have been in touch with Cllr Michéal Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig who says

Sinn Féin has announced it will participate in events around the visit of Prince Charles to Ireland. The Prince of Wales and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall are to make an historic visit to Mullaghmore this week where his Great Uncle Lord Mountbatten was killed in an IRA bombing. Sinn Féin says the visit

Two teenagers were rescued off the coast of Donegal in Bundoran after they got into trouble while swimming. The emergency call was received by Malin Head Coast Guard just after 7.40pm by a member of the public at the nearby golf course who spotted the pair in trouble. They immediately requested the launch of the