Category: Old Donegal

 

A Donegal County Councillor has hit out at the muting of Councillors during November’s full plenary meeting.

The meeting is being held online due to Covid-19 and a decision was taken to mute all councillors, allowing them to speak only upon indicating virtually.

Councillor Micheal Naughton voiced his frustration at the set up and called for a stop to today’s meeting and for it to be reconvened in person.

He told the meeting that it is a sad day for the county that Councillors have to be muted because a number of people he claims are dictating proceedings. He compared having to request to speak with asking a teacher for permission to go to the toilet.

Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Councillor Jack Murray says he shared the frustration of Councillor Naughton and that he doesn’t want to operate under such circumstances.

The Government has scrapped plans for subsidised antigen testing.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly told RTÉ the market had already intervened to reduce the cost of the tests for people.

Minister Donnelly also said this morning it’s likely Omicron is already in Ireland, and it’s put a question mark over whether or not there can be a meaningful Christmas.

The heads of the three Government parties will meet with NPHET officials tonight to discuss the situation.

Plans for subsidised antigen tests have been sidelined because retailers are offering them at a low cost anyway.

Meanwhile a mandate for over nines and children in third class and above to wear masks in shops, schools and on public transport are likely to be approved by Cabinet tomorrow.

Donegal County Council will spend just over €192 million on capital projects in 2022 according to figures being presented to members at their plenary meeting this morning.

€73.5 million will be spent by Housing, Corporate and Cultural Services, just over €60 million by Roads and Transport, €29.6 million by Community, Enterprise and Planning, €5.7 million by Water and Environment and just over €4 million by Economic Development, Information Systems and Emergency Services.

Chief Executive John McLaughlin is asking members to approve a Three-Year Capital Programme totalling €795,871,919.

68 people in the North West are waiting on a hospital bed today.

Letterkenny University Hospital is the second most overcrowded hospital in the country with 45 admitted patients awaiting a bed.

10 people are on a trolley in the hospital’s Emergency Department while a further 35 are waiting on wards.

Meanwhile, at Sligo University Hospital, 23 people are waiting on a bed.

A total of 331 patients are waiting on a bed at hospitals across the country according to the INMO’s Trolley Watch report.

A Donegal councillor has reiterated his intention to sue the state over the planned mica redress scheme.

Cllr Frank McBrearty says both he and his father Frank Snr have homes which cost around €1 million each, both affected by Mica.

He says if the leaks are correct, the government’s plan will fall well short of covering their costs, and many others will be in the same boat.

He says the expense will go far beyond the cost of reconstruction……….

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/10mcbrearty-mica-2.mp3

The daughter of a Donegal woman has been left stranded in South Africa.

Joanne Sweeney’s daughter, Sophie travelled to South Africa last Wednesday to attend a friend’s wedding.

She was due to fly home today, however, all flights out of the country have been grounded due to the emergence of the Omricon variant of Covid.

Speaking on today’s Nine til Noon Show this morning, Joanne Sweeney told Greg Hughes  the advice being issued by the Irish Embassy is to keep booking flights……..

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/joannsoph.mp3

Donegal is the most law-abiding county in the country.

While Longford, Limerick and Dublin are the most law-breaking counties in Ireland.

They had the biggest numbers of people jailed last year, per capita.

Last year just under 5,300 people were sent to prisons throughout the country.

Nationally, an average of 89 people 100,000 population were jailed in 2020.

A breakdown, based on the home addresses of the criminals, shows which counties have the highest and lowest rates of imprisonment.

Longford is the highest, at 198 people per 100,000 population.

The next most law-breaking county is Limerick, with a rate of 187.

Then it’s Dublin at 118, while Wexford, Louth and Carlow also have rates of over 100.

Donegal is the most law-abiding county in the country, with a rate of just 42.

The next lowest rates are Mayo, Leitrim and Offaly.

A new antigen testing programme for primary school children is to be introduced from today.

Parents will receive the tests where another child in their pod is Covid positive or if there has been two or more cases in a class within a week.

Student teachers are also to start work in primary schools today to help with staffing shortages caused by the pandemic.

Meanwhile the Labour Party’s calling for schools to be given assistance to help introduce mask wearing among kids, following recent NPHET advice.

Labour’s Education Spokesperson, Aodhan O’Riordan, says sensitivity is needed:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/oriordan7am.mp3

A building in Donegal has been deemed one of 10 most-at-risk buildings in Ireland by An Taisce.

Bishop’s Palace in Raphoe has been included on this year’s list by the charity which aims to preserve and protect the country’s natural and built heritage.

The former Church of Ireland bishop’s residence, also known as Raphoe Castle, dates back to the 1630s.

An Taisce says all the buildings identified as most-at-risk are of importance, that lie vacant and are in such a state of disrepair that they may be dangerous or have no identifiable new use.

It’s warned that these buildings could be lost to future generations unless direct action is now taken to preserve them.

The charity’s recommended use of Bishop’s Palace is conservation.

A Donegal Deputy has called for more community involvement in the pre-planning process for new buildings.

Deputy Thomas Pringle says that often, many communities only learn about proposals for developments locally when planning permission is applied for, without any prior consultation.

Speaking in the Dail in recent days, he said he believes communities should have a formal opportunity to consult with authorities on major developments to the benefit also of the projects themselves moving at a quicker pace:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/pringledailweb.mp3