Author name: oisinkelly

The Minister for Further and Higher Education has announced that pop-up vaccination centres are to open on college campuses later this month, and that institutions with vaccination centres already on their campuses will also be part of the college vaccination initiative – including LYIT. Minister Simon Harris says the programme is aimed at getting even

A union representing 14,000 school staff says the best way to ensure they stay open is to tread carefully when it comes to easing covid restrictions. NPHET has indicated rules around close contacts could be eased in schools before the end of this month. However Forsa, which represents special needs assistants, secretaries and caretakers, is

A Letterkenny Councillor has called on Donegal County Council to ensure that partnerships with residents groups and tidy towns committees in Letterkenny are maintained. Councillor Gerry McMonagle says such groups are an integral part of maintaining cleanliness in and around the town and their work should be supported. It’s claimed that rubbish and grass collected

The Donegal family representatives on the Defective Blocks Working Group have unveiled their final position paper, maintaining their calls for 100% redress, and providing the “three pillars” they will base their final negotiations with Government representatives on. It’s understood that the presentation of that position paper to Government officials is ongoing currently, and is set

Patisiran is to due to be made available to amyloidosis patients in Ireland in the coming weeks. Donegal Action for Cancer Care has received confirmation from the office of the HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry that the drug should be available in hospitals from October 1st. Patisiran was approved by the HSE in

Investigations are continuing following the death of a man in his 80s in a crash in the Quigely’s Point, Muff area yesterday evening. The man, the sole occupant of his vehicle was fatally injured in the two car collision at around 5:30pm at Greenbank. The driver and passenger in the other car, both men, aged

One of Ireland’s largest teachers unions says it is too soon to change the rules for children who are close contacts of a confirmed Covid 19 case. Yesterday NPHET indicated the current requirement for children to be tested and to restrict their movements may cease at the end of this month. At present over 10,000

Church leaders are backing calls for 100% redress for mica families. Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland bishops, and a leading Presbyterian clergyman visited affected homes and say they are gravely concerned at the families’ plight. They have set out three guarantees they believe homeowners need, they are; 100% redress, a 40-year, state-backed guarantee and,

Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle has called for further protections for the marine environment to be introduced, as a part of a new bill regarding marine planning. The Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021, will provide for new plans, including the building of offshore wind farms. Deputy Pringle called on the Government in the Dail to adopt

Today is a crucial day for Mica campaigners as members of the Defective Blocks Working Group are set to present their final position paper to Government. It’s understood that the final position paper includes demands for 100% redress as well as intensive research from those on the working group representing affected families. PRO of the

  NPHET has given the go-ahead for restrictions to ease on Monday, including the phased return to workplaces. Today they also considered guidelines for close contacts, which currently require them to restrict their movements for up to 14 days. NPHET’s set to relax these rules by the end of this month for children, and by

The head of the HSE has defended a loss of tens of millions of euro on ventilator orders that never arrived. Last year the health service ordered 81 million euro worth of ventilators from 10 suppliers it hadn’t dealt with before. Less than 500 ventilators arrived from that assignment and most have since been sent

Simon Harris says accusations he leaked information from Cabinet were made using an abuse of Dail privilege. Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy made the claim in the Dail during an unsuccessful no confidence vote in Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney. Deputy Carthy accused the higher education minister of leaking confidential government details. Simon Harris says

The Tanaiste has come under pressure once again to commit to a 100% Mica Redress Scheme. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty urged Leo Varadkar in the Dail a short time ago to uphold a commitment he made in 2018 that Mica affected homeowners would receive parity with pyrite homeowners. Tomorrow is a huge day for 100%

Accommodation shortages continue to impact students attending Letterkenny Institute of Technology with some being forced to stay in hotels. It’s estimated that between 150 and 200 additional rooms are needed for students attending LYIT this year. The pandemic and uncertainty as to whether the courses would be online or not this year are among a

Marc MacSharry says Fianna Fáil is a one-man show, after resigning from the parliamentary party last night saying he couldn’t support Simon Coveney. In a letter to the Taoiseach, Deputy MacSharry said the party’s positioning and policy is being determined in an undemocratic, totalitarian way. It’s the first time in the history of the South

A Donegal County Councillor has pledged to not give up until an application for a foreshore licence to develop a promenade from Downings pier to Downings beach is resubmitted. The Council previously applied for a foreshore licence in 2016 to develop the promenade. In 2017, further information was requested however, that was submitted in 2019

Concerns have been raised over flooding in parts of Letterkenny which have never before been affected. Councillor Ciaran Brogan has called on Donegal County Council to as a matter of urgency, carry out a survey of gullies and surface water drainage in the town. While questioning if there has been a change in the water

Minister Simon Coveney survived a confidence motion in the Dáil last night, but the coalition is down a member. South Donegal Deputy Marc MacSharry resigned the Fianna Fáil whip and voted against the Government. But the support of a number of Independent TDs saw Minister Coveney win the motion 92 votes to 59. During last