Author name: oisinkelly

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

In the North, shopping vouchers worth 100-pounds will start arriving in people’s letterboxes from early October. Stormont’s dishing them out – to help put spending back into local businesses after lockdown. Applications – via NI.Direct – open in just under two weeks’ time, on Monday the 27th of September. The North’s Economy Minister Gordon Lyons

Donegal is lagging behind in terms of connectivity. That’s according to Councillor Patrick McGowan who says not only is the county lagging behind the rest of the country, but also the Western Sea Board with the lack of availability of 3G and 4G, as well as a lack of fiber-optic broadband facilities across the county,

Investigations are continuing into a burglary at a house in Letterkenny on Friday last. Entry was gained to the property in Ard Colmcille through an unsecure back door between 9am and 6pm. Among the items stolen was a Playstation 5 and an Xbox. Garda Niall Maguire is asking anyone if they are offered any of

A man remains in a serious condition following a road traffic incident in Clonmany. At around midnight on Monday, in the Main Street area of the town, the young man was seriously injured in the incident. Garda Niall Maguire is appealing to anyone with information to come forward:

Construction has commenced on the Muff section of the Inishowen Greenway. The work being carried out by E Quinn Civils Ltd on the 2.7km route forms the opening section of the INTERREG funded Inishowen greenway project and the initial section of the Muff-Derry cycling and walking route. The works are due to be completed by

Donegal County Council is being urged to install traffic calming measures near the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny. Councillor Gerry McMonagle is to bring a motion before this afternoon’s meeting of the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District calling upon the local authority to install a ramp at the pedestrian crossing near the leisure centre following concerns

The Director of the National Cancer Control Programme and the HES’s Chief Clinical Officer have agreed to visit Letterkenny University Hospital. It follows a request by Donegal Action for Cancer Care for both to visit the hospital along with the Health Minister to see what is needed to sustain health services in the county. In

Enough water to supply six villages has been saved following a major leakage investigation in Buncrana. Irish Water estimates that repair of the significant leak on the Buncrana to Slab road has saved around 500,000 litres of clean drinking water per day. The utility say while they were aware of the high level of leakage

The head of the HSE’s test and trace programme says all available capacity’s being utilised to deal with the huge volumes presenting for a Covid-19 test. A new record of 23,000 community tests was set yesterday. But that increased to almost 30,000 when hospitals and serial tests were added. Niamh O’Beirne says schoolchildren are making

The Foreign Affairs Minister’s facing mounting calls from the opposition to resign ahead of a no confidence motion in the Dail tomorrow. The motion centres around Simon Coveney’s handling of the appointment of Katherine Zappone to a UN Special Envoy role. He has faced criticism for offering the newly created job to a former minister