Gardai have arrested a driver this evening after he tested positive for cannabis.
The man was arrested in Ballintra Village as part of a routine checkpoint.
The man’s vehicle was also seized as he was an unaccompanied driver and was on a learner permit.
Gardai say the car was not taxed.
The man is expected to appear at a future sitting of the courts.
Hanna Hats, the family owned designer and manufacturer has been awarded “Exemplar Status” as part of InterTradeIreland’s FUSION programme.
It is one of only five businesses to be recognised across the island of Ireland.
Hanna Hats of Donegal, a third generation company that has been in business for nearly 100 years, is proof that age is no barrier to innovation.
The firm took part in InterTradeIreland’s FUSION programme – an initiative that supports business development and innovation by partnering companies with third level institutions, and high caliber graduates in science, engineering or technology for up to 18 months.
The graduate works directly with the business to deliver new products or improved processes.
Hanna Hats was paired with graduate Rachel Blackensee and North West Regional College.
This collaboration with the Donegal town business has helped to re-assert Hanna Hats as an exclusive manufacturer in the international market.
Alan Morrow, Director of Operations at InterTradeIreland said they were really impressed with how Hanna Hats has married tradition with innovation.
“This is a company with its eye firmly on the future.
“It’s open to new products and processes.
“This is what the FUSION programme is about – giving firms the tools to boost their business through innovative collaboration.
“The partnership between Hanna Hats, Rachel Blanckensee the graduate, and the external support from North West Regional College has made a real difference.
“There is big commercial benefit to both the company and local area.
“We’re delighted to recognise Hanna Hats as a FUSION Exemplar,” he said.
Eleanor Hanna, General Manager says it’s rare that you get a chance to review your entire business, but that’s what the FUSION initiative did for them.
“We were paired with design graduate Rachel Blanckensee and North West Regional College.
“It has led to a new exclusive range. We are excited that the FUSION project has given us the opportunity to put processes in place for ongoing new product development.
“Our products are 100 per cent made and manufactured in Ireland.
“Through the FUSION initiative, we’ve also introduced new technology, which has made us more efficient. That’s important when you’re up against cheap imports. Though the quality and heritage of Hanna Hats is what really sets us apart,” she said.
Eleanor Hanna’s grandfather started this business in 1924 and her father John Hanna continued the success of the company.
Eleanor said she would recommend InterTradeIreland to any SME that wants to grow its business.
Fergal Tuffy, the Technology and Innovation Manager at North West Regional College said projects such as this one shows you what can be achieved through collaboration with business and academia.
“We are now working with several other Donegal companies that want to innovate.
“The InterTradeIreland FUSION programme is a great way to form a collaboration to help a business make their ideas a reality.’’ he said.
Over the past year Termon National School has been embarking on an ambitious plan to teach every child in the school a musical instrument.
One year on and the programme has been described as a huge success.
First and second class start with the tin whistle, while third to sixth class have the choice of guitar, accordion or fiddle.
Some children have their own instruments, however, the school has also invested in a range of instruments which the children can use.
Principal, Michael Sweeney believes the programme works so well because of the school’s small classes, the dedication of the teachers and the support of parents.
One parent described the programme as “a great opportunity for the children to get and it means one less afterschool activity to rush to”.
The music programme and in particular the traditional music lends itself well to the revival Gaeltacht in the area.
Over the past two years, Scoil Chomcille An Tearmann has begun the full Irish immersion of all incoming classes.
All new infants since September 2018 have been taught completely through the medium of Irish. This is also proving very successful with a growing appetite for Irish education in the area.
Termon School has recently secured funding for a new extension, sports hall and upgrade works to the playground area.
Donegal County Council gritters were dispatched to all main routes in the county this Monday morning following a night of wintry conditions.
Snow has been reported in areas of higher ground this morning, including Mountain Top Letterkenny, the back of Errigal and Barnesmore Gap.
A Status Yellow Snow/Ice warning remains in place for Donegal until 11am.
All main roads in the county are being treated from 5am, but road users are being advised to take care and assume that no road is ice-free.
Donegal gritting route index as follows:
Donegal Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has committed to prioritise disability rights if elected to the Dáil on the 8th of February.
The general election candidate said that in his time as an elected representative he has worked with many voluntary organisations.
He said ““Throughout my time as an elected representative, I have had the privilege to work with large numbers of parents and organisations like iCare and Bluestack Special Needs Foundation to secure desperately needed supports, services and funding for children and young adults with a disability.
“Despite the Celtic tiger and economic recovery of the last few years, it took successive governments nearly two decades to provide iCare and Bluestack Special Needs Foundation with public funding and still the monies received fall far short of what is needed”.
“Sinn Féin is committed to protecting the rights of people with disabilities and the people and organisations who care for them.”
He added they will support people with disabilities and end the situation where those with a disability and their families and carers are forced to fight day and daily for what are basic entitlements.
He continued “We want to reform transport, employment, housing, social protection, education and healthcare to ensure the 600,000 people with a disability can access the supports and services they are entitled to; achieve their full potential and are supported to live with confidence and dignity”.
“Our party leader Mary Lou McDonald will launch our fully costed general election manifesto this week. Our commitments to disability will include a significant increase in the number of speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and psychologist’s in the public health system.
“We will also reduce waiting times for special needs assessments and resourcing supports for students with special educational needs, reduce waiting times for assessments and resource supports for students with special educational needs.
“Sinn Féin will increase social welfare payment rates for people with disabilities and carers and increase payments for dependent children. This will ensure that everybody who has to depend on social welfare can live with dignity.
“We will clear the Home Support Service waiting lists and put home support entitlements onto a statutory footing. In addition, we will increase respite care provision to provide families and carers with the support and breathing space they need and are entitled to.”
He pledged that SInn Fein will increase personal assistance hours by 1.5 million hours to give people the opportunity to exercise control and choice in their lives. Our public healthcare strategy guarantees secure medical cards for people with a disability.
“Appropriate, accessible public transport can make a real and lasting difference people with a disability ensuring access to work, healthcare, other services and social activities. Yet for the majority of wheelchair users public transport remains inaccessible. Sinn Féin will deliver a major infrastructure programme to deliver an accessible public transport system throughout the country.
“In government Sinn Féin is committed to making rights a reality for people with a disability and those who care for them.”
Cllr Martin Harley is to raise the question of the situation pertaining to the development of the new Finn Harps football stadium in Stranorlar at today’s meeting of Donegal County Council in Lifford.
His motion calls on calling on the council to work with Finn Harps, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and the FAI towards the delivery and completion
of the Finn Harps stadium project in Stranorlar so as to secure the future
of League of Ireland soccer locally.
Speaking in advance Cllr Harley, a Fine Gael election candidate, said it was vital that they all got behind the club now and pushed for this much-needed development.
Cllr Harley has had a long term involvement with the club both as a supporter on the terraces and financially through his business, Harley’s Cheers bar in the town.
“I am confident my fellow councillors will rally in behind me and support this call. We cannot let an opportunity like the development of this stadium disappear. The involvement of the county council is vital,” he said.
Mary T Sweeney, Aontú GE candidate for Donegal, has questioned if the issues affecting Donegal’s voters matter to RTE given the Aontú party leader is the only national leader locked out of today’s live TV debate.
The party’s solicitors have issued RTE with a threat of High Court legal action unless they reverse their decision to exclude Aontú as 1 of the 8 national parties contesting the elections.
Mary T Sweeney said she is passionate about Donegal and its many important issues but they are being gagged.
“The voters of Donegal deserve to be able to hear Aontu’s vision on a live national TV debate,” she said.
With just hours to go to the debate the threat of legal action remains.
An Teachta Tóibín said it makes no sense to exclude 1 of the 8 national political parties from the debate.
“The recent EU elections saw RTE facilitate debates with 8 and 9 candidates.
“The bar for inclusion in those debates was that the party had at least 1 TD elected to the Dáil.
“Any new political party such as Aontú will never be given a chance to challenge the political establishment in live leaders’ debate,” he said.
Aontú received a higher vote than the Soc Dems and People Before Profit in the recent by-elections and they received a higher vote than People Before Profit in the recent local elections.
They are just 1 TD behind the Soc Dems in Dáil numbers and yet those two political parties will be allowed to participate in the debate.
Peadar Tóibín said it’s critical that citizens have the opportunity to see the policy platforms of all the national political parties that are contesting in the election.
“Excluding 1 party reduces citizens opportunity to make an informed decision.
“RTE must reverse their decision,” he said.
Over 300 homes and businesses are without electricity this morning following an outage in the Killygordon area.
The power cut before 11am this Monday morning, affecting 316 properties.
ESB repair crews have been notified and are currently working on the issue.
It is expected that power will be restored by 2.30pm.
Meanwhile, planned maintenance works are taking place outside Ballybofey.
A Donegal man is to appear on RTE’s lotto show Winning Streak.
Ballyshannon man Tom Clyne’s name was pulled from the draw drum during last Saturday’s show.
Now Tom, from Ernedale Heights, is hoping he can spin the wheel and win up to €500,000 when he appears on the show.
Donegal County Council proceedings have been delayed this morning following heated scenes in the council chamber.
The meeting was adjourned over issues among Independent councillors over Strategic Policy Committee memberships.
Cllr Frank McBrearty raised an issue over claims that he and Cllr Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easpuig were excluded from positions on the Housing & Corporate SPC.
Cllr McBrearty demanded that Cathaoirleach Nicholas Crossan should publish negotiations on committee memberships.
“If you didn’t negotiate the deal that you said you negotiated then I can’t support you any longer as Chairman of this council,” Cllr McBrearty told Cllr Crossan.
The Point of Order came as elected members sought to confirm membership of the Strategic Policy Committees for the period 2019-2024.
Cllr Crossan told Cllr McBrearty that all Independents were invited to apply for SPC positions, but Cllr Mac Giolla Easpuig replied to say that he was no longer a member of the Independent grouping and Cllr McBrearty did not reply at all. The positions, Cllr Crossan said, were divvied out on first and second preference.
However, Cllr McBrearty’s response led to an adjournment of the council meeting as the Independents met in private to discuss the issue.
The meeting was resumed after 11.30am.
Fianna Fáil TD for Donegal, Charlie McConalogue, said if his party is elected to government, they will ensure Pyrite remediation and MICA redress funding is fully drawn down and the money will be allocated to those affected.
MICA has destroyed so many houses in Donegal.
Deputy McConalogue said he has asked Minister Eoghan Murphy for an update as to when funding will be made available to homeowners affected by MICA in Donegal.
“The Minister has fobbed off questions.
“If the Minister really cared, he could have made efforts to have the redress scheme up and running months ago.
“I have worked with my party colleagues to ensure the MICA redress scheme play an important role among our housing policy.
“If re-elected I will work hard to ensure this redress scheme is implemented promptly for homeowners in my constituency. They have waited too long for the redress scheme. It is about time it is delivered,” concluded Deputy McConalogue.
An ‘Urban Adventure Sports Park’ is planned for Letterkenny’s Bernard McGlinchey Town Park.
Donegal County Council has put the plans on show for the proposed centre.
The plans include a new sporting facility which will include sports pitches and a climbing wall and will greatly enhance facilities at the popular park.
The plan will also see the erection of a permanent stage and seating area to allow for the hosting of outdoor events in the park – something which has been missing during previous events at the park.
The project is being planned in conjunction with the Donegal Sports Partnership and Sport Ireland.
The exact details of the project can be viewed at http://www.donegalcoco.ie/media/donegalcountyc/community/pdfs/publicconsultation/04-Urban%20Adventure%20Sports%20Part%208%20Planning%20Report.pdf
Donegal County Council has made a commitment to support and assist Finn Harps FC as they attempt to gain funding for their new stadium.
Three motions were raised at this month’s council meeting after plans for ‘The Donegal Stadium’ in Stranorlar were left in limbo after being left off the latest Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport funding allocation.
There are concerns that the stadium construction, which is estimated at €6.7 million, will be met with further delays and increased costs after it was omitted from the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund.
Cllr Martin Harley today called on Donegal County Council to work with Finn Harps FC, the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport, and the FAI towards the delivery of the stadium.
He asked the council to strengthen the existing funding application by acting as a partner, adding that the current application should not be changed or renewed.
In a response, the executive, which has already invested significant funding in the project, said: “Donegal County Council wholeheartedly supports this project, and is committed to continue to play a part in bringing same to fruition.”
The council also agreed to write to the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport making a “special plea” for funding, following a separate motion raised by Cllr John O’Donnell.
Cllr O’Donnell’s motion was backed by Cllr Patrick McGowan, who added: “There is a lot of politics going on here at the moment, let’s not have the people who have the ultimate responsibility for this failure get off the hook, and this certainly not Donegal County Council.”
Cllr Martin Harley added that he was not “playing politics”, having supported Finn Harps for the last 30 years.
Cllr Gary Doherty raised an emergency motion on the matter to submit a direct call issued by the Finn Harps board.
The motion requested that Donegal County Council engage with Finn Harps FC and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on the proposed new stadium to ensure that the council will “commit to taking the lead role in administering both the application for funding and the overall project management”.
The board also asked the council to recognise the strategic importance of the new stadium to sport in Donegal, and its relevance in regard to the Local Area Plan for Ballybofey and Stranorlar and the categorisation as a sports hub under the County Development Plan 2018-2024.
The board requested that “there are no further blocks to the funding process and work can begin on the stadium as soon as possible.”
Mr Liam Ward, Director of Community Development & Planning Services at Donegal County Council, stated that the council is willing to meet with the Finn Harps board and continue its support for the development and completion of the Donegal Community Stadium in Stranorlar.
Donegal County Council has passed an approval to extend and widen Coyles Bridge between Quigleys Point and Carndonagh in Inishowen.
And the bridge’s original name will also be restored after historical documents showed that it is actually called ‘Beggars Bridge’.
Coyles/Beggars Bridge is a single-span bridge in the townland of Meenavanaghan which carries the R240 over the Pollan River.
Repair works, scheduled for the summer, will involve the extension of the bridge on the downstream side and the realignment/widening on both northern and southern approaches to the bridge.
As part of these works, the existing downstream parapet will need to be demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the widening of the road at the bridge.
Submissions on the bridge development project prompted a renaming of the bridge in official documents.
The Coyles Bridge will be referred to as Beggars Bridge in the future, as it emerged that the original name was recorded in old OS mapping of the area.
Green Party candidate Michael White has called for a massive tree planting initiative in the county as a way to tackle biodiversity loss and carbon dioxide emissions.
It’s part of a series of initiatives from the Donegal Green Party to boost local jobs while tackling key environmental issues.
“We want to work with farmers, public bodies and private companies in Donegal to plan a continuous, unbroken band of trees running from Ardara in the south of the county to Malin town in the north east” said Green candidate Michael White.
“Planting large numbers of trees is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to remove CO2 from the atmosphere [1]”,
“And it also helps us tackle the loss of wildlife and biodiversity in Donegal at the same time.”
The Donegal Green Party’s plan is to plant “continuous cover forestry” using native tree species rather than the Sitka pine trees that are currently used in most areas.
Take-up of the scheme will be driven by payment of a special planting premium to farmers around the county for the planting of one hectare of woodland on their farms.
In the past 40 years wildlife populations have declined by about 60% due to habitat destruction, pollution, growth of invasive species, land use change and climate change according to the World Wildlife Fund.
Two thirds of our native birds and half of Irish bee species are at risk. And there has been a massive drop – up to 75% – in insect populations.
“This kind of decline has never happened before – it is something we need to be worried about. But we don’t have to let it get worse – there are simple steps we can take to fix the problem”.
As well as tree planting, the Donegal Green Party would like to boost funding to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which looks after Glenveagh and a number of other sites around Donegal.
“The total National Parks and Wildlife Service budget for 2017 was €11 million. In comparison, the Greyhound Racing Board received €16 million that year and Horse Racing Ireland received €64 million. That is a crazy way to prioritize. We want to increase NPWS funding to €50 million as soon as possible. That would mean more spending and employment by the service here in Donegal,” said Mr White.
Thomas Pringle has been working with Luke ‘Ming’ Flannagan MEP to force the government to flatten the Basic Payment Scheme in the CAP negotiations bringing an additional €17m to Donegal farmers annually.
Pringle says the majority of farmers in Donegal are small farmers mostly on marginal land and hill farms.
“They are farming in a more natural and environmentally friendly way than the big farmers who have been benefiting from CAP payments.
“Under the BPS the Irish government has, to date, been awarding payments to the benefit of larger farmers down the country, with some getting up to €450 per hectare while some smaller farmers in Donegal have been getting less than €150 in many cases.
“This is unacceptable,” he said.
In December, Luke #Ming’ Flannagan MEP, secured an amendment in the European Parliament which means the Irish government will now have to flatten BPS payments to around €260 per hectare for all farmers.
Pringle says Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil governments have been dividing farm payments in a way that benefits larger farmers rather than all farmers.
“This has to stop as smaller farmers are managing the land in a far more sustainable way that supports biodiversity and lower carbon emissions.
“I have been supporting the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) who have been campaigning for this reform.
“I also support their call to have restrictions on the Green and Low carbon Agri-Environmental Scheme (GLAS) lifted to increase participation to the environmentally friendly scheme.
“Small farmers on marginal land have a vital role to play in capturing carbon emissions and decreasing biodiversity loss.
“This can be done by supporting them to maintain bog land, planting native species of hardwood trees rather than massive sitka spruce plantations, and by maintaining habitats that support a wide range of biodiversity,” he said.
A unique art exhibition entitled “Naming the Children” will be on display in Donegal County Museum during February.
The exhibition is being held in association with The Raphoe Justice & Peace Committee, the Connemara Peace Group and Veterans for Peace Ireland opens in the museum this Saturday 1st February at 1pm.
This powerful art exhibition features the portraits of 20 children who have died all over the world as the result of war and conflict.
These portraits symbolically represent all children who have died and result or consequence of recent worldwide wars and conflict. 20 artists resident in Donegal and the North West participated in this art exhibition.
This exhibition shows the reality of war and conflict through the eyes of these children. These children have a right to be identified, to have their stories told, to take their place in our conscience and in our memories. They died at the hands of others.
Educational workshops for schools led by Conflict Textiles Curator, Roberta Bacic will be held on Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th February – bookings are required.
Schools and groups are most welcome to come and visit this powerful exhibition. The exhibition runs to Saturday 29th February and admission is free.
There are more wintry conditions in store for Donegal tonight as Met Éireann forecasts over-night snow on lower grounds.
There will be icy stretches and a sharp frost as temperatures are expected to plummet to -1 degrees.
All routes to be gritted from 4pm today.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, will be cold once again with further scattered showers, most frequent in the west and north.
Temperatures will be between 4 and 6 degrees.
A mum, originally from Co. Donegal, now living in Co Tyrone, won a cool €28,000 when she appeared on the National Lottery TV game show Winning Streak last Saturday.
Denise Moss from Castlefinn but now living in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone was overjoyed with her €28,000 cash win on the RTE One programme.
Denise insists she is not a lucky person in any way shape or form but that all changed when her husband, Martin roared the house down two Saturday evenings ago when he was watching Winning Streak, a Saturday night ritual in their home.
This was because his wife’s name had come out of the drum to appear on the next week’s show. Denise couldn’t believe the news and as the celebrations kicked off she was still pinching herself.
Denise and Martin have been married for 24 years, with Denise, who grew up in Castlefinn, moving to Tyrone to be with him.
The couple have three children aged from 22 to16. Stephen, Louise and Marie all enjoyed their day out to Dublin to watch their mum win some cash on TV.
They were joined by Martin and two of Denise’s sisters: Maureen and Annemarie as well as many of Martin’s relatives. Denise’s dad, Danny, sister, Cathy and brothers Shane, Danny and Johnathon will were watching on from home in Donegal.
In her spare time Denise likes to relax by running and keeping fit. She is a member of Aghyaran Athletic Club in Tyrone where she meets with the club twice a week for training. With her winnings from the show, Denise wants to get some home improvements – beginning with a new kitchen!
The Winning Streak National Lottery TV game show is co-presented by Marty Whelan and Sinead Kennedy and features some perennial favourite games including Play or Pay, Roll for Riches, WinFall and Electric Dream – where one player will win an electric car worth €25,000.
As ever one of the lucky five players will get the chance to spin the wheel and win up to €500,000. An exciting element of the show is that one €100,000 segment will be added to the Grand Prize Wheel every show if less than that amount was won in the previous show, improving players chances to win a massive prize.
A brand new-look Winning Streak scratch card is available in more than 5,800 National Lottery retailers all over the country. In addition to the chance to appear on the Winning Streak TV game show if you get three stars, players will also be in with a chance to win some great cash prizes up to €5,000.
The odds of winning a cash prize or a three star prize for those who purchase a Winning Streak scratch card is 1 in 1.86. All players who purchase a scratch card can send their stubs into the National Lottery using grey envelopes, available in all National Lottery agents, where each week on the show, a player will be drawn as the winner of a Luxury Cruise for two valued at €5,000.
Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on Winning Streak and all National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language.
In total, more than €5.6 Billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 32 years ago. In 2019 alone, €250 million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.
Fears over the potential health implications of 5G have led to calls for Donegal County Council to take measures to delay the roll-out and to host a special meeting on the matter.
County councillors Gerry McMonagle and Niamh Kennedy both highlighted the rising concern over 5G at today’s council meeting.
Cllr McMonagle called for the testing and roll-out of 5G to be delayed in Donegal and for the ComReg to delay the licensing of its roll-out.
He said the erection of masts has heightened concerns and that there are conflicting reports from experts on whether 5G is harmful or not.
He also asked that the council calls on the Minister for Communication, Climate Action and the Environment to establish the facts about the radiation impact of 5G and to delay the roll-out across the country until a full assessment of the health and environmental implications is carried out for an Oireachtas report.
Cllr Niamh Kennedy sought a special meeting to discuss the concerns of the general public in relation to 5G alongside public concerns on mining.
Cllr Kennedy said that elected representatives need the basic facts on 5G, adding “we are not against technology, but not at the peril of somebody’s health.” She explained that her call for a meeting on mining issues follows well-attended public meetings in South Donegal last year.
In response, Mr. Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems said the council would invite the Environmental Protection Agency to provide independent information on the subject of 5G and public exposure to Non-Ionizing Radiation. Mr Martin suggested that ComReg could be invited to the same presentation to outline how the licensing of 5G operates, as well as the monitoring of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) emissions in compliance with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines.
