Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal Disability campaigner disgusted by troll Facebook remarks

The National Chairperson of Spina bifida Ireland has said he’s disgusted after content poking fun at people who have disabilities was posted on a local Facebook page. Trolls have bombarded the popular Letterkenny Buy and Sell with offensive material which included a post in which they have advertised a spina bifida doll for sale. While

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Mc Ginley says PPS numbers are necessary for conservation grant

Fine Gael Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley is stressing that there is no question of PPS numbers being handed to Irish Water. Can’t Pay Won’t Pay have accused the government of deception after it emerged that persons applying for the Water Conservation Grant will have to state their PPS numbers. Particular concern has been expressed at

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Formal announcement expected shortly on cross border cardiac treatment

A formal announcement is expected shortly on a service agreement which will see Donegal patients with severe heart conditions treated at the new Cardiac Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. MInister Varadkar confirmed the deal during a visit to the unit yesterday on the fringes of a North South Ministerial Council meeting with his Stormont

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Harkin backs calls for working group to look at basic payment criteria

A Midlands North West MEP is claiming that mismanagement by successive Government departments has led to a situation where hill farmers do not know whether or not their land qualifies for payments under the new Basic Payment Scheme. Marian Harkin says farmers are facing a Catch 22 at the moment – If they apply for

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No Mortgage to Rent agreements in Donegal or Sligo since 2012 – Mac Sharry

A Sligo based senator says the mortgage-to-rent scheme is in need of a radical overhaul after receiving figures that show just two cases have been completed in the North West since the scheme’s launch in 2012, neither of them in Donegal. Nationwide, the figure is 88. Senator Marc Mac Sharry says in theory, the mortgage-to-rent

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Jim Mc Guinness works with Saracens Rugby ahead of European Semi Final

Donegal’s All Ireland wining manager Jim Mc Guinness has been working with the Saracens rugby team ahead of their European Champions Cup Semi Final. With Clermont Auvergne to come on Saturday, McGuinness who is currently a sport psychologist at Celtic gave a motivational talked to the English Premiership side. The Glenties man became the latest

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CPWP claims people have been deceived over Irish Water PPS numbers

Cant Pay Wont Pay have said that the government has misled people regarding the handing over of PPS numbers to Irish Water. It’s aftter it was revealed that a private company will take PPS numbers and banking details from Irish Water customers unable to apply for the €100 water conservation grant online. Workers at a

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Mc Hugh defends failure of Health Minister to visit Donegal while in Derry

Donegal Junior Minister, Joe McHugh has defended the Health Minister for not visiting Co Donegal yesterday while he was in Derry. Leo Varadkar attended a North South Ministerial Meeting at Altnagelvin Hospital yesterday, during which he viewed progress at the new Radiotherapy Unit. However, Minister Varadkar didn’t have time to come across the border to

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ETB Chief confirmed that Colaiste Chineal Eoghan will close on a phased basis

    The Chief Executive of the Education and Training Board in Donegal has confirmed that Colaiste Chineal Eoghan, the Irish Language secondary school in Buncrana is to be closed on a phased basis. Speaking on today’s Shaun Doherty Show, Sean Purcell said enrolment numbers have been significantly below predicted levels for a number of

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Letterkenny Municipal District adopts Lough Swilly Ferry as one of its strategic projects

  The members of the Letterkenny Municipal District have committed themselves to supporting the Lough Swilly Ferry, which will shortly be going to tender. The service didn’t run last year after the previous operator said the subvention available from Donegal County Council was not enough to make the service commercially viable. Mayor Cllr Michael Mc

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Varadkar and Wells to visit site of new North West Radiotherapy Unit

The Minister for Health will visit Derry today to view progress on the North West Radiotherapy Unit. The cross border unit at Altnagelvin Hospital, which is being part funded by the Irish government, will cater for 90 per cent of suitable cancer patients in the North West of the island. Minister Leo Varadkar will also

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Mac Lochlainn calls for guarantees on future of Irish language secondary education in Inishowen

A Donegal TD has rejected any suggestion that there is no demand for an Irish language secondary school in Inishowen. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn was responding to news that Gaelchloláiste Chineál Eoghain may close this year. Deputy Mac Lochlainn says there are Irish language nursery schools in Buncrana, Carndonagh and Moville, and national schools in

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Six Donegal County Council staff earning over €100,000

It’s been revealed that six members of staff in Donegal County Council were in receipt of salaries over 100,000 euro in 2014. While the Council Executive revealed the salaries, they didn’t reveal who exactly received them. The payments also include expenses. Cllr. Gary Doherty was supplied with the figures in response to a question tabled

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Strabane man tried to rape girl while on bail for separate sex attack

An 18-year-old Strabane man accused of trying to rape a girl aged 15 while on police bail for allegedly raping a 19-year-old woman has been remanded into custody. Ross Donahoe, of Altiskane, Strabane, was charged at Enniskillen Magistrates Court with raping the woman on March 22, and attempting to rape the girl two weeks later.

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New prospecting licences issues for Inishowen as Conematra Mining goes for gold

The prospect of a major gold find in Donegal has been raised once again following the announcement that a mining company has been granted five new prospecting licences covering 187 sq km on the Innisowen peninsula. Conemara Mining’s geologists believe there is a very good chance of making a high grade gold find in the

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Solvency of Donegal County Council is not in question – CEO

The Chief Executive of Donegal County Council says there is no question about the solvency of the organisation. Seamus Neely has issued a statment responding to the recent publication of a government overview of the work of the Local Government Auditors. It found that Donegal and Sligo had the two biggest deficits in the country.

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Council rejects motion calling for an end to public funding of political parties

A Donegal County Councillor has called for an end to political parties being funded by public funding. The State currently provides €14.3m every year to four political parties: €4.9m to Fine Gael; €3.1m to Labour; €2.8m to Fianna Fail; and €1.8m to Sinn Fein, and €1.67 to independents. Cllr Dessie Shiels raised his concerns at

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Derry man charged with causing death by dangerous driving in court

A lorry driver has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving following a fatal crash in County Tyrone. The two vehicle collision happened on the Melmount Road between Sion Mills and Victoria Bridge just after 10pm on Saturday night. Albertas Daskevicius, from Ballykelly, County Derry, was charged over the death of Sean McIlwee on

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No jobbridge participants gain full time employment with Donegal County Council

  It’s been revealed that no jobbridge participants have gained full time employment with Donegal County Council. Since the scheme was launched in 2011, Donegal County Council have taken on 85 participants under the Jobbridge initiative, with 4 currently participating. But none of the 85 were taken on full-time. Cllr Mick Quinn says the figures

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Failte Ireland boss says latest tourism survey findings are very encouraging

  A new tourism survey finds that 44% of visitors to Ireland reported that their trip exceeded their expectations, while 55% had their expectations met. The list of reasons for exceeding expectations was topped by the friendliness of the people, followed by irish people, Scenery, hiostory and culture, and the weather being better than anticipated.

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Council calls for moratorium on windfarm developments pending new guidelines

A Donegal County Councillor has called for a freeze on granting planning permissions on windfarms until new guidlines are adopted. Cllr Gary Doherty says the increasing size of turbines being proposed means the guidlines in exsistence are not fit for purpose. The Council passed a motion today calling on the Environment Minister to introduce a

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Durkan says further rail delay will cause ‘consternation and frustration’

Foyle MP Mark Durkan says there will be ‘consternation and frustration’ in the North West after it emerged today that work on a second major upgrade of the Derry to Coleraine railway line has been delayed by a further four months. Mr Durkan expressed concerned that once again, key months are being lost on a

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Right2Water protest at reconvened council meeting after tenants details are handed over to Irish Water

Right2Water Donegal staged a protest at this mornings adjourned meeting of Donegal County Council. The group were protesting at the handing over of County Council housing tenants details to Irish Water, despite a motion from councillors urging him not to do so. One member of the group, Margo Mc Grory, handed a letter of objection

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