Category: Old Donegal

 

Letterkenny University Hospital is the most overcrowded hospital nationwide yet again today.

45 people were awaiting admission there this morning with eight on trolleys in its Emergency Department while a further 37 were waiting on wards.

It is a drop of 13 on yesterday’s figure of 58.

Nationally, 259 admitted patients were waiting for beds this morning, according to today’s INMO Trolley Watch.

200 patients were waiting in the emergency department, while 59 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

 

A Fianna Fail Cllr has acknowledged that significant capital investment needs to be pumped into Letterkenny University Hospital.

The hospital has been in the spotlight every day this week from being the most overcrowded in Ireland to over 22,000 people on waiting lists and almost 130 vacancies.

There was also news this week that construction on the new community hospital in Letterkenny could start next year.

Speaking on the Nine Till Noon Show, Cllr Liam Blaney says while the new hospital might alleviate some issues down the line, he believes a lot more money needs to be spent on the main facility:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/blaney10am.mp3

 

‘Significant changes’ are expected to the Mica Redress Scheme.

Campaigners are hopeful the proposals for the long awaited scheme will finally be ready by next Tuesday following several delays and weeks of negotiations.

The enhanced scheme will be complex with improvements said to be timely and reasonable according to comments made in the Dail last night.

Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh added that the scheme must be realistic too and says that homeowners must be afforded peace and hope coming into Christmas:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/joedail9am.mp3

Responding on behalf of the Housing Minister, Minister Malcolm Noonan gave reassurances that the work undertaken to get the scheme right has been phenomenal:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/noonandail9am.mp3

 

Listen to the full exchange here:

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

 

High level talks aimed at resolving a row over the Northern Ireland Protocol are set to resume later.

Maros Sefcovic is in London to meet with his UK counterpart David Frost.

Both sides remain at odds over how goods travelling between Britain and the north are checked.

 

Donegal County Council will need around €40 million in matching funding for major projects over the next number of years, with the council’s Chief Executive saying that was a key factor in drawing up next year’s budget.

John McLaughlin was speaking to Highland Radio news after the council passed the 2022 budget by 33 votes to two.

He says the amount of supports available to the region at present is higher than at any other time, but that puts pressure on the council to ensure it has access to adequate matching funds…………

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/johnmcl1pm.mp3

Police are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of a missing teenager from Derry. 

Aimee Kee went missing from the area of Crawford Square in the city at around about 08:30am yesterday morning.

The 15 year old is being described as having long dark hair and was wearing a St Mary’s uniform with doc Martin boots and possibly wearing a baseball cap when she went missing.

Anyone with information which may help locate Aimee are being urged to contact police on 101.

 

 

A restaurant operator says the industry is ‘balanced on a knife edge’ this Christmas due to cancellations.

Lorraine Heskin of Gourmet Food Parlour says there has been over a thousand booking cancellations as people reduce contacts following recent restrictions.

She says they’re down 80 per cent in bookings compared to pre-covid bookings at the same time of year which is ‘soul destroying’.

Ms Heskin says cancellations are a major worry for the sector coming up to Christmas:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/hospitality7am.mp3

 

Strong winds and snow are on the cards in parts of the country today due to Storm Arwen.

Met Eireann’s issued status yellow wind warnings for Donegal, Sligo and Mayo which kick in at 3pm.

Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather says it’s going to be cold:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/weather7am.mp3

 

Children over the age of nine are to be asked to wear masks in school, in shops and on public transport.

NPHET has also advised against indoor community gatherings for under 12s.

NPHET has recommended against sleepovers, indoor playdates, pantos, nativity plays and communions for the under twelves for at least the next two weeks.

All children over the age of nine will now have to wear masks in shops and on public transport – as well as in school for those in third class and above.

The rules on mask wearing will be reassessed in mid-February.

It’s understood NPHET has also recommended the wider use of digital Covid certs for settings where the virus could spread.

While they weren’t specific – it could apply to the likes of gyms, barbers and hairdressers.

NPHET hasn’t recommended any new restrictions on wider society – instead that will be considered at a meeting next week.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and the Cabinet will now consider the advice.

 

 

Primary teachers have welcome the approval of a Covid 19 vaccine for 5-11 year olds, which is set to be rolled out in the next few weeks.

Yesterday the European Medicines Agency approved a lower dose of the Pfizer vaccine for use in primary school children.

NIAC is likely to approve it’s use in Ireland in the next few days.

John Boyle – General Secretary of the I.N.T.O. says he hopes vaccinating school going children will help bring case numbers down:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/boyle7am-3.mp3