Author name: oisinkelly

Police in Derry say they are looking into possible links between Thursday’s two security alerts in the Waterside and loyalist groups. There were two security alerts in the Waterside area yesterday. At around 11am yesterday, the PSNI confirmed that they were dealing with a security alert after a suspicious device was discovered in the front […]

Letterkenny General Hospital has the second highest number of patients on trolley’s in the country today. 32 people awaiting admission at Letterkenny General today according to the INMO. There were 21 patients on trollies in the Emergency Department this morning and 11 awaiting admission on wards.  

It’s been confirmed that negotiations will take place in a last ditch attempt to save the NOWDoc service in Co Donegal. An independent third party mediator has been appointed to hold the talks between Caredoc and the HSE. Concerns have been raised regarding the future of the service. All parties will now sit down to discuss all various

Donegal is one of the safest counties in the country for cyclists. Figures published this week show that in 2012, there was a 59% increase in the number of cyclists injured on the roads. 630 were injured in recorded incidents that year, a 10 year high. However, Brian Farrell of the Road Safety Authority says

A Donegal Co Cllr has said that 35 workers at Gormleys Centra have no idea if they’ll have a job next week. Receivers have been appointed to the store and they are due to come in to do a stock take later this morning. Wholesaler Musgrave, who are the stores main suppliers, confirmed yesterday it

A new campaign to combat livestock theft is being launched today. It follows a significant rise in the number of animal thefts from farms across the country. Members of the Gardai, Crimestoppers and the Irish Farmers Association have joined forces to launch a new national campaign aimed at reducing animal thefts from farms around Ireland.

A Sinn Fein Deputy in Co Donegal has said that if Mary Coughlan makes a comeback and runs in the General Election it would be good news for his party. In the past few weeks there has been speculation that the former Taniaste is being encouraged to contest the next General Election. Last month she

Both security alerts in Derry have now ended. Pipe bomb type devices were examined by ATO at both Trafalgar Court and Jeffrey Avenue in the Waterside. Area Commander for Derry, Chief Inspector Tony Callaghan, said: “Two viable devices have now been recovered for forensic examination and all cordons have been lifted. Residents who were evacuated

A Judge has ruled that a Derry man accused of having a grenade and being trained in weapons and explosives in Syria is to be released on bail. 25 year old Eamon Bradley, of Melmore Gardens, was arrested in November amid claims he took part in battles against IS and President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Defence

One of the biggest retail supermarkets in Letterkenny is facing an uncertain future, with speculation that receivers are preparing to move in tomorrow. No statement has been issued by Gormley’s Centra in Glencar, but local councillor Gerry Mc Monagle has been speaking to management today. He’s stressing that the shop, which employs 35 people, is

There are now two security alerts underway in Derry. Within the past hour, the PSNI said a suspicious object had been found in Jeffrey Avenue in the Waterside, and an Army Technical Officer has been tasked to examine it. Members of the public should avoid the area of Jeffrey Avenue and Harkness Gardens. Earlier, police

A suspicious object has been discovered in the front garden of a home in Derry. Police have closed some roads around Trafalgar Court. Up to 20 homes have been evacuated, Sperrin Park community centre has been opened for anyone that wishes to make use of it. DUP councillor Drew Thompson, is at the scene..

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty says there are now genuine concerns for the future of the NOWDoc service in the county. Concerns had been raised last week when it was confirmed that ‘Caredoc’, who together with the HSE provide the NOWDoc Service, indicated that it plans to withdraw from the service’s current arrangement. It’s now understood

A Donegal TD is warning that a serious waiting list crisis is looming at Letterkenny General Hospital. This week, it emerged that more than 1,400 people have been waiting over two years for out-patient appointments, many of them former users of the National Treatment Purchase Fund. This is an issue that Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue

The Environment Minister says the abuse suffered by water meter installers is unacceptable. Alan Kelly says he’s heard of one individual who was bitten by a water charges protester. The Minister is adamant that the water metering programme is proceeding as planned. And he says workers have been treated appallingly by some protesters:

An 89-year old cancer patient from Co Donegal is being forced to find her own way to travel 250km to receive treatment. The elderly woman, contacted a local charity which operates a volunteer bus service transporting cancer patients the four-hour journey to Galway or Dublin. The woman, who does not want to be named, has

Junior Health Minister Kathleen Lynch has confirmed a Children’s Outreach Nurse will be appointed in Donegal this year. The deployment of such a nurse was one of the key requests made by the “Our Childrens Voice” group which met with Minister Leo Varadkar last week to discuss palliative care for children in the county. Now,

It’s emerged that the state has applied to adjourn the Inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Denis Donaldson for the 15th time. Solicitors Madden and Finucane say the family was informed that Gardaí would be applying to further adjourn the Inquest “due to their continuing investigations into the death of Mr Donaldson.” Dennis

It’s emerged that 55 daycare cases and 7 inpatient cases were cancelled in Letterkenny General Hospital last month as a result of the hospital overcrowding crisis. The crisis has continued into this month, with 27 patients awaiting admission today, 20 on trollies in the Emergency Department and seven on wards. That’s down from 33 yesterday.

A young mother who lives in a housing estate where a bomb was found in Derry says her 4-year-old son could have been killed by the device. Officers discovered the mortar type device in near Conway Park in the Currynierin estate yesterday evening, after they received phone calls claiming an explosive device had been left

A delegation of Inishowen Cllrs are to meet with the Minister for Transport to discuss Cockhill Bridge. A location and dates are currently being finalised for the meeting, where councillors will discuss funding for a new bridge over the Crana River at Cockhill with Minister Donohoe. At yesterday’s monthly meeting of Inishowen Municipal District Cllr

Part of the social welfare offices in Letterkenny remains closed this morning as specialist tests are carried out over fears of asbestos. Up to 30 staff have been transferred from the building to work from the Department of Social Protection Offices at Oliver Plunkett Road. Arrangements are in place to ensure there will be no

A Donegal priest has said measures announced by the Government aimed at sustaining small schools, particularly in isolated areas, do not go far enough. From September, a school will require just 53 pupils to retain a third teacher, previously a roll of 56 students was required. In addition, schools trying to retain a fourth teacher,

A report published more than a year ago on boosting island and coastal communities has been “gathering dust”, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine has heard. A group of island representatives told the committee it was disappointing that the Promoting Sustainable Rural, Coastal and Island Communities report had made little progress

An elderly man has been taken to hospital after being knocked down by a car in Stranorlar this morning. The pedestrian is understood to have been walking near Stranorlar Chapel when the incident took place at around 7:20am. Ambulance staff were quickly on the scene, and the man was taken to Letterkenny General Hospital for

The Clanree hotel in Letterkenny has been upgraded to Four Star status. The hotel was taken over by the McGettigan Group in June 2013, and it has invested heavily to transform the premises. The Clanree currently employs 120 strong workforce. Meanwhile, the McGettigan Group has finalised the deal to take over Gallagher’s Hotel in Letterkenny

Police have confirmed a “substantial bomb” has been found in Derry. A security alert has been ongoing in Derry this evening, 24 hours after it began. Police began searching the Currynierin estate yesterday, after they received phone calls claiming an explosive device had been left in a laneway. Marguaritte Doherty lives in the area, she

The Department of Social Protection offices at High Road, Letterkenny have been closed again today, for the second time in a fortnight, over fears of asbestos in the building. Staff have been removed from the building and sent home by management following growing concerns the offices are contaminated with asbestos materials. The building was also

Bomb disposal officers are examining a suspicious object in Derry found at a housing estate in the Waterside. Police began searching the Currynierin estate yesterday, after they received phone calls claiming an explosive device had been left in a laneway. Several homes have been evacuated and some roads remain closed. Marguaritte Doherty lives in the

Prosecutors say the trial of a man accused over the Omagh bombing will go ahead. It follows a review of the evidence against Seamus Daly, who denies any involvement. 29 people died in the Real IRA attack in 1998. No-one’s ever been convicted over it.