Category: Old Donegal

 

Officials from the Department of Education are to meet with Donegal ETB over concerns relating to children affected by the Mica issue.

The issue was raised in the Dail last night by Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle, who says children are living under severe pressure and schools needs to be able to respond to their needs.

Donegal ETB has already written to the Department requesting advice as to how to deal with the unique set of circumstances children living with mica are facing.

Deputy Pringle says there needs to be specific supports in place for both parents, teachers and children in Donegal:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/pringleETBdail1pm.mp3

Responding, Education Minister Norma Foley says she will set up a meeting to discuss issues further:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/normaETBdail1pm.mp3

On this week’s Business Matters, Ciaran O’Donnell speaks to John Willie McNulty from Ballybofey who set up JW McNulty Painting & Decorators Ltd in the seventies in Donegal, having served his time as an apprentice painter in Coventry.

The family business is now headed up by John Willie’s son, Patrick, and John Willie is still involved in a consulting capacity.

The honorary president of the Master Painters and Decorators of Ireland (MPDI) since 2006, John Willie is famously known as the Donegal man who painted Croke Park.

Listen back here:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Business-matters-28th-Nov.mp3

 

A leading professor believes that air pollution in Letterkenny is so bad that he is advising people not to exercise outside in the latter half of the evening.

Last week, air quality sensors found that Letterkenny was one of a number of towns that the most particulate matter in the air.

It’s been claimed that despite a smoky coal ban in place some residents in the town continue to break the rules.

Speaking on the Nine Till Noon show Chemistry Prof at UCC John Sodeau says it’s a serious issue and believes Donegal County Council could be doing more:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/lkpollution1pm.mp3

 

The need for a review of the current ambulance service model is back under the spotlight.

It’s been revealed that in the Finn Valley area while there is just 1 ambulance crew available, no night time cover is provided Monday to Thursday.

Donegal Town, Ballyshannon and Killybegs only have one crew available also, there are 2 in Carndonagh and Dungloe while in Letterkenny, 4 crews are in place over the weekend, dropping to 3 mid week and 2 at night.

This has led to concerns in areas where cover is already limited as to the lack of service when the stationed crew is tasked to an incident.

The Vice Chair of the Regional Health Forum West, Councillor Gerry McMonagle says there is an urgent needed for significant investment in the ambulance service:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/gerryambulances1pm.mp3

 

A victim of the Mica scandal in Donegal has been told by the ESB that be must leave his premises due to impact of the crumbling block issue on his property.

Micheal Shovlin lives in a two bed apartment in the county and noticed cracks back in 2009.

Subsequent testing confirmed Mica, Pyrite and other materials in the walls of his home.

It comes as discussion continue on the Mica Redress Scheme with a memo expected to be brought to Cabinet shortly.

Speaking on the Nine Till Noon Show, an emotional Michael says he has nowhere to turn to:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/michmica10-2.mp3

 

Antigen testing will be introduced in schools on Monday, the Education Minister has confirmed.

Normal Foley says it’ll be operational from the 29th, and guidance will be made available to schools and parents this week.

Meanwhile unions and the department are meeting to discuss student teachers being recruited to primary schools to deal with a covid staffing crisis.

INTO General Secretary John Boyle expects the full details to be laid out at today’s talks:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/boyle10.mp3

 

Letterkenny University Hospital is the most overcrowded hospital in Ireland today.

49 people were awaiting admission to the hospital this morning according to the INMO with 11 people on trolleys and a further 38 waiting on wards.

Nationally, 273 admitted patients were waiting for beds this morning.

Charities interested in being one of the beneficiaries from the 2022 North West 10k are invited to make their applications to info@letterkennychamber.com. The closing date for applications is next Tuesday the 30th of November.

It will be a special year with the 10k celebrating its 25th anniversary. The run and walk will take place on the new date of Bank Holiday Monday, May 2 in Letterkenny.

To date 815,000 euros has been raised for over 30 charities and the committee is currently working on initiatives to mark the 25th milestone. So for interested charities it would be a great time to get involved ahead of what will be an historic event.

 

Andrew McGinley, who was dropped from RTÉ’s Late Late Show line-up, says he would never set out to intentionally upset anyone.

The Donegal man was due to announce plans for a fundraising concert in his children’s memory.

They were killed by their mother at their home in Newcastle in Dublin when she was suffering a psychotic and depressive episode in 2020.

Mr McGinley says he was left off the show after a small number of people objected to the broadcaster:

https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/mcginley10.mp3

 

There’s pressure on authorities in Northern Ireland to sanction a fresh inquest into the death of Michael Leonard.

The Donegal man was shot dead by the RUC almost 50 years ago, after a car chase close to the Fermanagh and Donegal border between Pettigo and Belleek on May 17, 1973.

At the time police claimed that Mr Leonard, who was a disqualified driver, had failed to stop when he got into a car after leaving a shop and that a single shot was later fired during a chase.

However, new evidence has contradicted the single shot claim.

Relatives met with Government officials in recent days where they conveyed that a new inquest is necessary.

Local Cllr Michael Naughton also attended the meeting:

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