Author name: oisinkelly

  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

The European Parliament has formally approved the €5 billion Brexit adjustment fund, with a fifth allocated to Ireland. Those funds are being provided to combat the financial loss suffered by nations and sectors worst hit by the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. Midlands North West MEP Colm Markey says larger countries tried to get

The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital has dropped by 18% in the past two weeks. 274 were receiving treatment in hospitals last night, down from 335 at the end of August. There has also been a 25 percent decrease in the country’s five day moving average over the same period, from 1,633 to 1,212.

As the Dáil returned from its Summer Recess this afternoon, a series of fiery debates dominated the first round of proceedings in Leaders’ Questions, as well as in the Order of Business sections over issues such as Katherine Zappone’s appointment, as well as in the area of housing. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty accused the Minster

The number of people claiming the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is Donegal continues to drop. 3,420 people in the county received PUP this week, down 16% on last week’s figure. Over €29.65 million in PUP payments have been paid across the country this week. Meanwhile, 6,189 people in Donegal are in receipt of the Covid-19 Enhanced

There are calls for more regulation of casual traders such as coffee vans. Councillor Martin Harley has raised concern over the increase in coffee vans popping up across Donegal since the beginning of the pandemic. He believes such businesses should be subject to the same regulation as other businesses. A consultation of casual trading regulations

A strike by school secretaries and caretakers due to take place today has been deferred. It’s after “significant concessions” are said to have been made by the Department of Education in a Workplace Relations Commission negotiation yesterday. Trade Union Forsa says the Department of Education has conceded that all school secretaries should be placed on

The We Care Letterkenny Food Bank has issued an urgent appeal for food donations. Food parcel request to the food bank are said to have increased significantly in recent times. The volunteer organisation currently distributes food to 425 homes across the county. Fintan McGrath of We Care Letterkenny Food Bank is appealing for donations of

Sinn Fein’s Chief Whip in the Dail believes the Taoiseach is harming Fianna Fail. Donegal Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn claims Fianna Fail TDs and Councillors need to stand up to Micheal Martin. Speaking following the Sinn Fein think-in on the possibility of a future Sinn Fein Fianna Fail coalition, Deputy MacLochlainn told today’s Nine til Noon

Donegal County Council is being urged to work closely with golfer Paul McGinley and Failte Ireland to ensure the return of the Irish Legends Golf Tournament to Donegal next year. Councillor Liam Blaney has proposed the local authority financially support the event at Rosapenna in 2022. The Council has confirmed that agreement in principle is

It’s emerged that core testing has been carried out on just 15 social homes suspected of having Mica in the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District. The results of the tests have yet to be delivered to the relevant residents. Donegal County Council has confirmed the test results are being analysed which they say will form part

The Cathaoirleach of the Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District is calling on Donegal County Council to provide more clarity on how they plan to deliver new housing units, under the Government’s new ‘Housing For All’ programme. Councillor Gerry Crawford has questioned what framework the local authority will follow under the ‘Housing For All’ plan which aims to

There are calls from within the hospitality industry for the Government to maintain Covid supports for the sector as they face a difficult winter period. Donegal hotelier, Paul Diver who is Chair of the Donegal branch of the Irish Hotels Federation expects the number of visitors to Donegal over the coming winter months to be

The government’s Budget plans appear to be “at the limit” of what’s prudent, according to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. The watchdog says the domestic economy is recovering strongly, and the budget deficit this year is expected to be below official forecasts. The government’s planning to increase the level of spending by 4.2 billion in

The Foreign Affairs Minister will face a no confidence motion in the Dail this evening over the Katherine Zappone controversy. Simon Coveney’s expected to survive the vote put forward by Sinn Fein, after government parties indicated they’ll be supporting the Fine Gael minister. His handling of the now defunct appointment of Ms Zappone – a

A Donegal doctor believes it’s highly unlikely further Covid restrictions will be put in place. It comes after the Chief Medical Officer said the possibility of restrictions can’t be ruled out in the future. Dr Tony Holohan will tell an Oireachtas Committee later new measures “may be required”, despite high vaccination rates. He’ll tell TD’s