The Housing Minister has approved 12 new posts for Donegal County Council’s housing delivery team which will assist in delivering their social housing targets.
More than 200 posts have been approved nationwide and include engineers, quantity surveyors, architects and administrative roles.
Minister O’Brien says the new posts, ensures that Donegal County Council have the capacity to deliver the scale of social housing required.
Donegal Aontu representative Mary T Sweeney believes parents should be allowed to decide whether their child wears a mask to school or not.
Under new regulations children aged 9 and up must wear a mask in schools, shops and on public transport.
An exemption may be granted if a medical cert is presented.
Speaking on the Nine til Noon Show, Mary T Sweeney believes other measures would be better suited:
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MacRory Cup Ulster A Colleges Result
St. Eunan’s College 0 – 8 Holy Trinity College 0 – 15
Played in Banagher Co. Derry, St. Eunan’s College lost out to Holy Trinity, Cookstown in an important game for the Letterkenny college to guarantee their place in the knockout stages.
Holy Trinity who fielded a number of last years All Ireland finalists put in solid display. St. Eunan’s were without a number of players due to injuries, However, Gary Mc Daid’s team rose to challenge with many fine performances throughout especially Donal Gallagher who once again scored a great point coming up from his full back position.
Niall Sweeney had a great game at midfield holding All finalist Rauiri McHugh to a single point and creating a number of turn overs.
Losing 0-8 to 0 – 4 at half time Gary Mc Daid’s team were to rue a number of chances in the 3rd quarter and in the end Peter Cananvan’s team ran out winners by 7 points.
St Eunan’s can still qualify for the knockout stage but need to win at Macartan’s of Monaghan next week and hope other results go their way.
St. Eunan’s College scorers were David Boyle 0- 3, Max Roarty 0 – 2, Daithi Gildae 0 – 2 and Donal Gallagher 0 – 1
Plans for a new apartment building occupying the former Tillie and Henderson site in Derry have been given the green light this week.
The new development, which will be located at the cityside end of the Craigavon Bridge overlooking the River Foyle, will comprise of 131 modern apartments, and the development will also feature a number of other facilities including a café, library, hair salon and gym.
The report recommending the approval of full planning permission also includes 44 parking spaces to be available on site, as well as communal amenity space for residents.
The plans are set to transform the prime development site which has lain derelict for many years.
The former listed factory building was demolished in 2003 after it was destroyed by a fire.
Planning approval had previously been granted in 2014 for a mixed-use development incorporating 139 bed hotel.
There are also proposals to recreate the iconic staircase that once linked the Tillie and Henderson building to the Craigavon Bridge.
Plans submitted by the developer indicate that the apartments will be split into three blocks offering contemporary living space with high specification finishings throughout.
The one and two bedroom apartments will be located over eight floors on to Foyle Road and five storeys onto Abercorn Road, and the exterior finish will be clay brick replicating the heritage of the shirt factory site.
27,000 ducks have been culled at a commercial duck premises in Co Tyrone over a suspected outbreak of bird flu.
Northern Ireland’s Chief Veterinary Officer Robert Huey said a suspect case of Avian flu was reported to the Department on Tuesday and following confirmed cases in Monaghan the cull was initiated at the farm in Aughnacloy as a precautionary measure in a bid to limit the spread of any potential disease.
Dr Huey says this is a worrying development and that he is extremely concerned about the serious risk of spread of the bird flu.
He is warning flock keepers to urgently take steps to protect their birds.
TDs have voted in favour of bringing back laws to allow the Government enforce mandatory hotel quarantine.
They took the decision in a vote that was passed in the Dail last night which applies to overseas arrivals.
The bill will now be sent to the Seanad for approval.
Sinn Fein health spokesperson, David Cullinane, says his party backed the legislation:
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Ireland risks missing key EU targets because the country is generating “significantly” more rubbish and recycling less and less of it, according to a new Environmental Protection Agency report.
It says 3.1 million tonnes of municipal waste was created in 2019 – a 6% rise, making Ireland’s rubbish pile the biggest it has been since 2009.
But recycling rates have fallen by a tenth since 2016, with plastic recycling lagging well behind the EU average.
69 per cent of plastic waste was burnt that year, and Tara Higgins, senior scientist with the EPA, says that could have been avoided:
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A scheme will open next month to allow undocumented migrants in Ireland to regularise their status here.
While there are no totally reliable figures the Department of Justice estimated there are around 17,000 undocumented in Ireland, including 3,000 children.
The scheme will open in January for people who’ve been here for four years without permission, or three years if they have children.
Those approved to remain in Ireland would be granted full access to the labour market.
It will cost 550 euro for an individual to apply, or 700 euro for a family unit.
Applicants must also meet standards on good behaviour and criminal record.
However, convictions for minor offences will not result in disqualification on their own.
Household visits and indoor hospitality will be targeted as part of new restrictions to tackle the spread of Covid-19.
It’s understood NPHET has recommended limiting household mixing – allowing one household gather with three others – until mid-February.
Opening hour limits and rules around table sittings and multiple bookings at pubs and restaurants are also proposed.
There has been a further 4,163 Covid cases, while 545 people are in hospital with the virus, and 117 in ICU.
HSE chief executive Paul Reid says the health system’s under major pressure:
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A Donegal Deputy is calling on the Government to pay Oireachtas secretaries better.
The starting salary for a secretary is currently €24,000 a year and only rises slightly in stages over a long period of time.
The issue was heavily debated in the Dail yesterday with a number of TDs adding their voice to the call.
Concerns were also raised that while a good discussion was had on the issue, it may fall off the agenda again without anything being done to address it.
Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Thomas Pringle says urgent action must be taken:
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