Author name: oisinkelly

The Tanaiste says the government is looking for an equitable scheme to address issues of mica, but says they cannot lose sight of the fact that ultimately it is taxpayers who will foot the bill. Leo Varadkar’s comments come after Donegal County Council’s Mica Redress Committee endorsed the position paper presented by the Donegal representatives

A Donegal woman in Afghanistan says people are adjusting to a new reality there. The Taliban took control of the country last month and are now implementing their own regime. Under that, girls have been banned from secondary schools with high schools ordered to open only for boys. Mary Ellen McGroarty from Mountcharles is a

€250,000 in funding has been announced for the WiSAR research lab at Letterkenny Institute of Technology. The announcement made by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar will see a significant investment for the LYIT Department of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering research facility. The funding will enable the lab acquire a state of the art, 90GHz Anechoic Chamber; a

An average of one domestic abuse incident has been reported to the gardai every 15 minutes this year. The force had dealt with 24,686 cases by September 9th. 596 incidents have been reported to Gardai in Donegal. Noeline Blackwell, from Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, says the level of abuse is very concerning:

Gardai have reissued an appeal for information in relation to a fatal crash at Quigley’s Point, Muff last week. A man in his 80s, the sole occupant of his vehicle died following the two car collision at around 5:30pm on Thursday evening last at Greenbank. The driver and passenger of the other vehicle, two men

A former presidential election candidate believes an incentive needs to be given to landlords to renovate and rent vacant properties in a bid to tackle the housing crisis in Ireland. Multi-national businessman, Peter Casey says at present there is no motivation for owners of vacant buildings to bring their property back onto the market and

A man has been injured in an attack in Buncrana. On Wednesday morning last, a man was sitting in his car on the Causeway Road at the Cockhill Road junction when he was approached by a man on foot who proceeded to punch him in the face. The attacker is believed to have fled the

Investigations are continuing into the burning of a stolen van in Letterkenny last night. Shortly after 10:30pm last night, Gardai were alerted to a white Citroen Berlingo van on fire at An Gleann Rua. The vehicle was destroyed by the blaze and it subsequently emerged that it van had been stolen from a commercial business

Concerns have been raised over a high level of women failing to turn up for Breast Check appointments in Donegal Town. Breast Check say they have received an unprecedented number of cancellations for screening at the Donegal Town mobile unit due to many women saying they would prefer to avail of the service in Letterkenny.

There are calls on Donegal County Council to meet the growing demand for larger social homes. Councillor Gerry McMonagle claims people are living in overcrowded accommodation because of the lack of availability of 4 bedroom houses. Donegal County Council has acknowledged that it is an issue in the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District. Councillor McMonagle says

Minister Eamon Ryan is being urged to intervene in the ongoing delays in the rollout of fibre broadband in Donegal. National Broadband Ireland confirmed at a meeting with Donegal County Councillors and TDs that some homes in the county will not be connected to high speed broadband until at least 2026. It’s projected that just

Reconstruction works on a pier in West Donegal have been welcomed. Works have commenced on Bun An Inbhear pier in the Gweedore area after it was badly damaged by erosion. Councillor Micheal Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig says such works are vital for fishermen using the pier. He says investment in the county’s piers cannot be overlooked:

Nearly 100,000 children aged between 12 and 15 haven’t been registered for a Covid-19 vaccine. 64% of this age-group have signed up – compared to 78% of 16 and 17 year olds. The HSE says 86 per cent of 18 to 29 year olds have registered. Darragh O’Loughlin, from the Irish Pharmacy Union, says demand

The Housing Minister says he hasn’t yet had a chance to review a report on alleged planning corruption in Donegal. The study into supposed issues with housing in the county was submitted to the Department of Housing in June 2017. But more than four years later, it still has not been published. Darragh O’Brien says

Three tonnes of marine litter has been collected in Donegal over the weekend. 25 beach clean-ups were organised in the county for Clean Coasts’ annual Big Beach Clean. A Big Beach Clean event at Bundoran Beach on Friday last saw an additional 75kg of marine litter removed by 9 volunteers. Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities Manager

The Housing Minister says he expects the terms of a Mica redress scheme to be improved. Pressure is building on the government to help homeowners affected by the Mica affected blocks. Campaigners continue to demand an overhaul of the current scheme to allow for 100% redress. Darragh O’Brien says a decision is expected in the

Donegal County Council’s Mica Redress Committee has unanimously endorsed the position paper presented by the Donegal representatives on the Defective Blocks Working Group on Friday evening. The committee was briefed on the paper today by members of the Mica Action Group, at an online meeting that was also attended by Donegal’s Oireachtas members. Committee Chair

Gardai and the PSNI say they believe the INLA is now a criminal gang, which is heavily involved in drugs, extortion and money laundering. They also believe the group has access to weapons following a number of shows of strength, including some in Derry early this year. The group announced a ceasefire in 1998 and

A senior trade union official has called on gardai to be more proactive in protecting staff at Letterkenny University Hospital following an incident last week in which a man was removed from the facility against the advice of staff. The person behind the removal was seen in a video not wearing a mask, and making

An Ireland South MEP is calling for a change of direction to solve issues over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Sean Kelly says it’s in everyone’s interests to make the Protocol work, but admits there are unique problems to overcome. Mr Kelly says he plans to lead a European trade delegation as soon as possible……….

Concerns continue to be raised over the layout of a busy junction in Milford which has a become notorious for road traffic incidents. Donegal County Council has confirmed that safety improvement works are being carried out at the Gap Junction at the ‘Old Tech’ with a survey of bus and HGV movements at the junction

October 8th has been identified as the date for a second Mica protest in Dublin if 100% Redress is not delivered by Minister Darragh O’Brien. The date was published on social media last evening after the Donegal representatives on the Defective Blocks Working Group presented their final position paper on Friday evening. Meanwhile, an Inishowen

The Ulster Unionist Party leader says the President’s decision not to attend an upcoming religious centenary event that will mark the 100th anniversary of partition, and the foundation of Northern Ireland, is “disappointing and hard to fathom”. Doug Beattie says next month’s church service in Armagh is an opportunity to promote reconciliation on the anniversary