Author name: oisinkelly

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

Police in Derry are seeking assistance in locating an 18-year-old woman who has been missing since last week. Kim Hazlett has been missing from her city centre accommodation since February 14. She is described as being 165cm tall, and of a slim build. She has black hair and blue eyes. Anyone who has seen Kim

The number of people on trollies or on wards waiting for admission at Letterkenny General reached a record high today. There were 40 patients waiting on trollies and wards according to the INMO. Of these 19 people were in corridors or non-ward areas while 22 were on trolleys effectively squashed into ward areas rather than patients

A Donegal Junior Minister has said he is “annoyed and angry” that a commitment he had been given regarding breast cancer services a month ago has been overturned. Last month it was announced that a locum consultant breast surgeon would be appointed at Letterekenny General. This meant that hundreds of women in the early stages

A young Strabane mother has said she is afraid to leave her home because the street lights are out in her area. Mother of one Rebecca Gallagher lives in the Finn View area of Strabane, were there has been a number of break ins recently. Strabane District Council say they are working to repair the

A Donegal County Cllr has said there are now real concerns that all antenatal services in the county will be centralised to Letterkenny. The antenatal clinic at Dungloe Community Hospital has been temporarily closed since Christmas, and there are now fears that other clinics will follow suit. A local campaign group, which has been set

A Donegal Deputy has said there are huge question marks surrounding the future of breast cancer services at Letterkenny General Hospital. Women who are in the early stages of breast cancer will no longer be referred to see a specialist in Letterkenny. Instead hundreds of women who receive referral letters from their GP will now

A Donegal Deputy has condemned what he has described as a political slur by a Fine Gael TD yesterday. Deputy Patrick O’Donovan said yesterday that some political parties may be using money from fuel laundering to fund their affairs. A new report published says fuel smuggling could be on the increase because of cuts to

TDs and senators are discussing the challenges facing Rural Ireland today. Minister of State for Rural Affairs, Ann Phelan, is addressing the Dail’s Environment Committee this afternoon. (2.15) Rural infrastructure, employment, migration and public transport are on the agenda. Committee Chairman, Deputy Michael McCarthy, says various issues of concern to rural Ireland will be raised:

The ESB’s working to restore power to over 2300 of its customers in Co Donegal this morning. High winds battered many parts of the county overnight. Meanwhile Met Eireann has weather alerts in place until 10 this morning, warning of winds with gusts of up to 130 kilometres in western coastal areas. The Road Safety

A Chinese woman and her husband arrested on suspicion of taking part in a sham marriage have won damages and costs from the PSNI for their wrongful arrest. Yanan Sun McElwee was awarded damages and costs of £12,500 and her husband Neil McElwee awarded £9,000. Judge Donna McColgan QC awarded the damages and costs in