Author name: oisinkelly

Met Eireann has issued a weather warning for Co Donegal over the weekend. The Orange status alert is for high winds of up to 110km/hr with gusts topping 130km/hr. The alert is from 2pm tomorrow but the high winds are expected later on Saturday, with the weather warning in place until 6am on Sunday. Forecaster

It’s been confirmed that a general surgeon will be appointed at Letterkenny General Hospital within the next four months. At a meeting with representatives from the Department of Health and a number of cancer campaign groups today, a commitment was given that a general surgeon would be appointed by June. A commitment has also been

Police investigating a fatal crash outside Derry on Sunday last are renewing their appeal for witnesses. Thirteen year old Georgia Doherty from Redcastle in Donegal died after two cars collided on the Glenshane Road, Drumahoe at around 5pm. This afternoon, the PSNI’s Collision Investigation Unit said they appreciate all of the information we have received

The Future of Local Government in Ireland is the theme of the Colmcille Winter School, which takes place in Gartan this weekend. The evenjt will be opened by Junior Minister Joe Mc Hugh this evening, and closed tomorrow evening by Paudie Coffey, the Junior Minister in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

The Madams Bank Road in Derry was closed for a time after a DOE gritter lorry was stopped by masked men at around 6 o’clock this morning and the driver ordered to take a package to Strand Road PSNI station. The road was reopened shortly after 8 o’clock. This is the second incident of this

A security alert at Madams Bank Road in Derry has ended. The alert began before 7 o’clock this morning. The PSNI say a suspicious vehicle was examined and nothing untoward was found. The road has been since been reopened to traffic.

In a statement last night, the government confirmed the office of the Minister for Health is facilitating a meeting today between two local action groups, the HSE, Department officials, the Saolta Hospital Group, and all local Oireachtas representatives. The statement makes no reference the perceived threat to the breast cancer service in Letterkenny, and claims made

A rally is being planned for Co Donegal next week, demanding better cancer services for the county.. Donegal Action for Cancer Care is organising the demonstration in Letterkenny for Sunday 8th March. Meanwhile members of the group are travelling to Dublin today to meet with the Health Minister, Leo Varadkar. DACC member Betty Holmes spoke

A Donegal County Cllr has called on Gardai to explain their decision to jail a single mother from the county for not paying her TV licence. A few weeks ago Gardai arrived at the home of the woman at 7:10am and took her by taxi to Mountjoy prison for failing to pay a €450 fine

IT firm Kainos has announced a major expansion that will create 403 new jobs across NI – 30 of them in Derry. The company currently employs more than 700 people across the North, Britain and Poland. Kainos is a leading digital technology solutions company with customers in the USA and in continental Europe. Foyle MP

The funeral has taken place today of 13-year-old Georgia Doherty who died in a car crash earlier this week. The Inishowen teenager was buried following funeral mass at Drung today. The white coffin was littered with hand-written messages from family and friends. Many of the mourners including Georgia’s dad George wore Celtic and Liverpool jerseys

A Donegal Deputy is set to meet with Minister for State Kevin Humphreys to discuss the concerns of seasonal workers in South West Donegal having difficulty accessing social welfare support. The issue was raised by Deputy Thomas Pringle in the Dáil yesterday, who said that self-employed part-time farmers doing casual work in the fishing industry

Health Minister Leo Varadkar says there will be no extra money available for waiting lists at Letterkenny General Hospital. Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue has been campaigning for some time to have special consideration given to over 1,300 people in Donegal who were on the government’s waiting list initiative up to 2013, and

  The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority has confirmed that a ban has been placed by Hong Kong on the import of Donegal oysters after a small outbreak of Norovirus has been linked to Donegal oysters consumed in a local restaurant. The SFPA says it was advised of the situation earlier this month, and it has

An investigation is underway in Derry after a shop in the Hazelbank area was ram raided overnight. The incident happened at Rosskeen Park in the early hours of this morning. It’s understood a number of items and a sum of money were taken, the extent of the damage and what was taken is still being

A Ballybofey man, whose father is seriously ill in Letterkenny General Hospital, says staff there are at breaking point. Earlier this week the overcrowding crisis at the hospital reached record levels with 40 patients awaiting admission to beds on Tuesday. Its understood that some patients had to be moved to Sligo because of a lack

A Donegal County Councillor has said the Finn Valley area is facing a crisis because of a lack of funding for roads in the area. It was revealed at this weeks Stranorlar Municipal District meeting that there are 866 km of non-national roads in the area. But funding for road repairs will only be carried

Almost 15% of Donegal home-owners are in serious mortgage arrears. Figures released by the the Central Bank of Ireland state that 14.7% of people who have taken out a mortgage are behind on repayments by more than 90 days. The shocking figures were released to Sinn Féin by the Central Bank of Ireland. There were

Around 20 homes in the Rinmore Drive area of Derry were left without power last night after two NIE worlers were threatened by masked men and ordered to take a suspect device to Strand Road Police Station The men fled the scene and their van was set alight. Local Councillor Kevin Campbell has condemned the

A 38-year-old Co Donegal man has admitted performing a sexual act on a bus. Patrick Gavin Porter, of Grange, Inch Island, admitted performing an act outraging public decency. The offence was committed on a bus travelling from Dublin to Derry on June 22, last year. A second charge of exposure was ‘left on the books

Leo Varadkar says there’s no sign of a significant overspend in the H.S.E. so far this year. The Health Minister says the budget he got this year is a “welcome turn of the tide” as finances are put on a steadier and more sustainable path. But he says there are big problems in areas like

It’s reported that an inspector has been appointed by Environment Minister Alan Kelly to carry out a planning enquiry in Donegal. Cllr Dessie Shiels says his understanding is that the enquiry will centre on investigating a portfolio of 20 particular files about which former planner Gerard Convie has made allegations of  irregularities to the Department

The Chief Operating Officer of the Saolta Hospital Group has said he will meet with Consultant Breast Surgeon Michael Sugrue to discuss his concerns about the future of the Breast Cancer service at Letterkenny General Hospital. There has been growing speculation about the service for some weeks, and the extent of Mr Sugrue’s concerns became

The Breast Care Surgeon at Letterkenny General Hospital has claimed that he is being prevented from doing his job properly, in a manner which he believes is intended to force his resignation. Mr Michael Sugrue was speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show this morning in his capacity as a representative of the Irish Hospital Consultants

Contracts have been signed in Brussels for the BMW Regional Operational Programme, which will see €320 million invested in the region, half of it from the European Regional Development Fund. The Northern & Western Regional Assembly will manage the Operational Programme. Minister Brendan Howlin, who signed on behalf of the government said Cohesion Policy has

A Donegal County Councillor has said the Saolta Hospital group have been unable to give any guarantees that breast cancer services are secure at Letterkenny General Hospital. Councillor Gerry McMonagle was speaking after he attended a meeting of the HSE West Regional Forum and tabled his concerns, including whether or not a second breast care