Category: Old Donegal

 

The Covid-19 testing centre in Letterkenny is reporting a busy stream of people attending the clinic, particularly later in the day.

It’s believed that the trend of booking same day appointments could be the result of people taking antigen tests at home.

People are being urged that if they have symptoms to book an appointment as an antigen test only picks up a positive result if someone is asymptomatic.

Coordinator of the testing centre in Letterkenny Judith McGlynn has this advice:

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A man has been arrested in connection with a number of road traffic offences in Derry.

A 999 call was made to police yesterday evening reporting a car being driven erratically on the Clooney Road.

Officers stopped the vehicle and arrested the man on suspicion of a number of traffic offences as well as possession of a Class A substance and assault on police.

Separately, at around 4am this morning police arrested a 27 year old man on the Buncrana Road on suspicion of driving while unfit through drink or drugs. He is also in custody.

 

There were 49 patients awaiting admission to Letterkenny University Hospital this morning according to the INMO.

It is once again the second most overcrowded hospital in Ireland today.

Nine people were on trolleys in its Emergency Department while a further 40 were waiting on wards.

Nationally, 331 admitted patients are waiting for beds this morning, according to today’s INMO Trolley Watch.

238 patients are waiting in the emergency department, while 93 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital. UHL today recorded its highest daily trolley figure on record.

 

Aldi’s Letterkenny, Ramelton Road “Project Fresh” store has reopened its doors today following an extensive €1M renovation project, which has seen the store completely refurbished.

The newly refurbished store has received a full makeover in line with Aldi’s award-winning Project Fresh design.

The newly refurbished Letterkenny Store offers a wide selection of fresh food at the front of the store, hi-spec fixtures and fittings and new product category signage that provides a more efficient and hassle-free shopping experience.

The store will be powered by 100% green electricity. Aldi has invested heavily in improving its energy management systems and its entire store network is now powered by 100% wind generated energy.

Aldi has achieved ISO 50001 accreditation in recognition of its efforts to improve energy efficiencies.

Operating six stores in Donegal, Aldi has become an established part of Donegal’s retail landscape, proving very popular with shoppers for bringing greater competition, choice, and value for money.

Aldi employs 146 full time staff in Donegal, and to date has spent almost €8M on staff wages in the county.

Aldi’s Letterkenny store participates in Aldi’s national partnership with FoodCloud, donating surplus food to local charities daily. Donegal stores have donated over 25,000 meals to its charity partners to date. Aldi’s Letterkenny store is also part of Aldi’s Community Grants network, with Cara Cancer Support Centre and Solace Cancer Support Centre availing of the €500 bursary grant in recent years.

 

Gardai say they’re yet to confirm a single case of injection spiking, despite a number of complaints.

The issue was highlighted on social media in recent weeks when women said they’d received puncture marks during nights out.

However officers say they’re awaiting toxicology reports to determine what exactly happened.

Meanwhile the force says it has recorded less than 25 drink spiking incidents so far this year, compared to 10 such cases in 2020.

 

Labour says the HSE needs to increase its Covid testing capacity to cut down on delays in getting an appointment.

Six counties – Donegal, Sligo, Roscommon, Monaghan, Mayo and Cavan – have no available slots at self-referral clinics today.

The HSE has capacity for around 200 thousand PCR tests a week.

Labour’s health spokesperson, Duncan Smith, says the waiting times aren’t good enough:

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OCO Global are to establish a strategic base in gteic@Gaoth Dobhair to faciltate their continued expansion into the Irish market.

Headquartered in Belfast, the international trade and investment consulting firm works with governments around the world and advises private sector clients on international expansion.

Gaoth Dobhair will join other OCO Global office locations such as Belfast, Dublin, London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Los Angeles, Dubai, Shanghai, and Tokyo where the company employs 150 staff worldwide.

CEO of Udaras na Gaeltachta Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh says the availability of talent in Donegal play an important role in attracting companies like these to the county:

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The head of Hospitality Ulster says the industry’s being unfairly singled out when it comes to covid regulations.

It follows yesterday’s announcement that covid passports will be needed to enter the likes of restaurants, pubs, and clubs in Northern Ireland before Christmas.

Health Minister Robin Swann says he’s trying to prevent more severe restrictions being needed later this winter.

But Colin Neil of Hospitality Ulster isn’t happy:

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A new report shows the number of properties available to rent within Housing Assistance Payment rates has dropped dramatically.

The study, by the Simon Communities of Ireland, shows a 79 percent decrease in the number of properties available to people on HAP.

The homeless charity is calling on the government to increase the HAP payment.

Head of Policy and Communications at Simon Communities, Wayne Stanley, says the low number of properties available to rent comes as numbers in homelessness rise:

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With the Irish Government once again urging people to work from home, the Cross Border Workers Coalition, says this makes it all the more imperative that the government tackles the issue of cross border taxation.

The coalition says that thousands of cross border workers face financial penalties from January if the issue is not addressed.

The Cross Border Workers’ Coalition says while it’s regrettable that the ongoing public health situation has forced the re-imposition of work-from-home restrictions, the Irish Government must step up now and support employees impacted by this decision.

Co-chair Aidan O’Kane says because of inaction from Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, thousands of cross-border workers fear that within weeks, the home-working flexibility they were granted since the pandemic began is set to be lost, with no alternative support on offer.

He says 25-year-old Irish tax rules mean that cross-border workers are denied tax relief on their income if they work remotely. That was suspended in March last year, but the Department of Finance has said that this waiver will run out as planned, like other Covid-19 support in January.

Mr O’Kane says the Coalition have met with the Minister three times to express their concerns, and his apparent disregard of what they’re asking for is disappointing.

He says ehe Finance Bill is currently at Committee Stage, and despite amendments being tabled addressing this issue, Minister Donohoe and his colleagues have voted them down.