The Seniors began the defence of their League title in emphatic fashion, defeating Kilcar by 4-10 to 0-06 with Ross Wherity (2), Conor Gibbons and Rory Kavanagh getting the goals. The games on Easter Sunday were postponed due to a bereavement in Gaoth Dobhair. The Reserves will get their campaign underway this Saturday evening at home to Kilcar at 6:30pm. The Seniors are next in action on April 14th when they travel to the Bridge to face St. Michael’s.

Best of luck to our U21 contingent of Conor Gibbons, Caolan Ward, Conor Parke and the injured Lee McMonagle as they take on Derry on Wednesday evening in Omagh.

The Senior Hurlers will take on Setanta in O’Donnell Park in their opening League game next Wednesday, April 10th at 6:30pm.

The Minor boys were free last weekend and were due to meet local rivals, the Gaels in O’Donnell Park on Tuesday night in a top of the table clash. Details next week.

Well done to our members who part of the Donegal Minor Ladies team that defeated Tyrone in the Championship on Monday in Glenfin. On this years panel are: Rose Boyle, Kaneshia McKinney, Sadhbha Medlar, Lauren O’Connell and Sinead Hession. The Ladies minors visited St. MacCartans in Augher, Co. Tyrone on Saturday and played in the Sean Mc Elroy Memorial Game, further strengthening the bond between the two clubs. The Senior Ladies are away to Termon this Sunday in the 13 a side League.

The U14 Leagues got underway on Monday night with the Div. 1 team taking on Buncrana at home. After a slow start in which they were reduced to 14 men after just 7 minutes and trailing by 7 points the signs were ominous. But the lads dug deep with everyone playing their part to turn that 7 point deficit into a 12 point half time lead. They didn’t let up in the second half, despite missing several players who were away with the Donegal Schoolboys team they turned in a superb team performance to win well in the end. They will meet St. Mary’s, Convoy at home next week. The Div. 2 team had no game and they travel to Cloughaneely next Monday, while the Div. 3 team travelled to Downings and after a good first half showing were unlucky to concede a few goals early in the second half to kill the game, they have no game this week.

The Sunday Morning Football Academy for U6, U8 & U10 players gets underway this Sunday, April 7th at 11am, Registration in the middle doors from 10:45am with Anne Forde. The Girls only U10 Group will not begin until the following week, April 14th.

The Hurling & Camogie Academy begins on Friday week, April 12th at 6:30pm.

The first Minor Hurling League game saw St. Eunans have a fine win over a young Setanta team. The U14 Hurlers had a walk over against Setanta. The Minor Hurlers are home to McCumhaills this Thursday whilst the U14 Hurlers have an away game.

Well done to Conor O’Grady and Prionsais O’Lionnain who started on the County Minor team last Saturday away to Antrim. Despite many team members beihng unavailable due to injuries and illness Antrim only pulled away in the final 15 minutes

Special thanks to Joe Kealy and Paddy Flood who organised the church gate collections at both churches on Holy Thursday. Thanks to all who helped with the collections.

We extend our sympathies to the Curran family on their bereavement and to the McHugh family, Kilcar.

The St Eunan’s U14 Boys Footballers put in a terrific performance last night to defeat Buncrana in their first League game.

Conor McWalters was harshly sent off for a second yellow card just seven minutes into the game with Buncrana scoring a goal a minute later to go up by 7 points.

The 14 boys left in the Eunan’s team dug in with great determination despite missing five players who have gone to England as part of the Donegal Schoolboys Soccer team and turned it around to go in at the break against the wind up by 12 points.

They continued their onslaught in the 2nd half and ran out convincing winners 9-15 to 4-05.

In a great team performance it probably isn’t fair to single anyone out but Oisin Purdy ended up with 5-06, so he gets a mention!!

SEND YOUR MATCH REPORTS TO INFO@DONEGALDAILY.COM

A basking shark off Inishowen

Donegal certainly isn’t “basking” in its Spring weather if Donegal’s most famous visitor is anything to go by.

The freezing weather conditions suffered in recent weeks means that the giant Basking Sharks off Donegal’s coast have failed to arrive.

This time last year there had been more than 21 sightings of the giant creatures off the coastline – many off Inishowen.

But to date there has not been ONE sighting of the creatures.

Last year’s first sighting was on February 15th.

Ireland’s Basking Shark Project is based in Donegal and is managed by wildlife ranger Emmett Johnston.

The reason for the sharks’ disappearance is simple – the cold.

Despite their huge size, basking sharks, which can grow to the size of a double-decker bus, only eat plankton.

Because water temperatures are still well below the average for this time of year, there is still a serious lack of plankton is waters of Donegal.

However the forecast for this weekend suggests that temperatures will rise up to 12 degrees which may see conditions suitable for a return of the huge sea creatures.

LETTERKENNY GOLF CLUB LADIES REPORT

The Minor team of Bridie Gildea, Joan Murphy, Kay Kelly, Jackie Ireland and Peggy Forde played the home leg of their qualifier against North West on Good Friday. They won 2 ½ matches and are 8 holes down. The team go to North West on Sunday 7th April at 1.30pm and we wish them good luck.

The Easter weekend reentry competition, sponsored by Tommy Keys, was played over the four day holiday period, no results at time of going to press.

The April Medal took place on Tuesday last with the top eight ladies qualifying with the Lady Captain for the Donegal Shield to be played in North West on April 27th. Results will be in next week’s press. This stroke competition was kindly sponsored by Lady members Anne Boyle, Mary Murray, Bridget McClafferty and Marian O’Sullivan.

The popular Ladies and Gents Classic, organised annually by the Ladies Club, takes place on Friday 26th April. It is sponsored again this year by Brian McCormick Sports, Noel O’Connell and Dermot Condon. Please reserve a space on the timesheet for your team of four, any combination. Teams cost €80.

Fixture cards are now available in the locker room. Please ensure that you read the Competition rules on Page 8 as there are some changes in regard to indices and the number of 18 hole competition cards needed to qualify for major competitions.

All outstanding prizes will be presented in the clubhouse on Tuesday 9th April at

8.30pm following the Club competition. The draw for the Masters Sweep and the

draw for the Ladies Club Matchplay competition will also take place that night.

There has been almost 30 gorsefires across Donegal in the past two weeks.

The figures have been released by the Donegal Fire Service as it warned that a fire alert is still in place.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Joe McTaggart warned people that easterly winds and dry weather will continue to keep that fire risk alert alive.

One of the worst gorsefires was in Dungloe last weekend in which dozens of acres of land was scorched.

Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD has said this week’s IMF report shows that the government has chosen repossession of family homes as a policy.

The International Monetary Fund highlighted the “lack of progress” by banks and the dangers of the country’s debt becoming unsustainable if growth forecasts are missed.

The fund has criticised Irish banks for “inadequate progress” in dealing with non-performing loans.

In its latest review of Ireland’s bailout programme, the fund also raises concerns that banks are losing money even before putting cash aside to cover bad loans.

The IMF states that lenders are “only beginning to tackle non-performing loans”.

It says repossessions are low at 0.3% of total mortgage arrears in 2012, compared to 3.25% in Britain and the United States.

Deputy Doherty said: “This week’s IMF report is explicit in stating that the government has committed to going beyond simply reversing the Dunne Judgement.

“The announcement, at the behest of the Troika, that the Dunne judgment will be reversed by legislation caused a great deal of worry among people struggling to pay their mortgages. It is clear from the IMF report that this will only be the first step.

“The IMF states ‘In addition, the authorities will keep repossession experience under review, and quickly bring forward appropriate measures to address any problems regarding the length, predictability, and cost of proceedings’.

“This amounts to a commitment to pursue a policy of repossessions.

“Two years into this government and the mortgage crisis is spiralling out of control. The numbers in arrears of over 90 days has nearly doubled under Fine Gael and Labour’s watch.

“Sinn Féin has called for solutions on a case-by-case basis including write-downs where necessary. An independent body needs to be put in place to force banks to make sustainable deals.

“I am calling on the government to state what further options they are considering to facilitate repossessions. They must admit now that they have chosen repossessions as a policy.

“Once again the government, like its predecessor, has put bank’s interests first.”

Children in Donegal are being put into state care at more than 10 times the rate of other parts of the country, figures have suggested.

A breakdown of child care orders granted for neglect and abuse by district court judges around the country shows massive variations.

Records reveal 225 cases of children in Letterkenny were being handed over to the Health Service Executive (HSE) in 2011.

This compares to one in Mullingar for the same year, eight in Killarney, 10 in Athlone, 21 in Castlebar and 23 in Carlow – roughly similar sized towns.

The figures, the latest available and never before published, include interim care orders, care orders and supervision orders. They were released by the Courts Service to the Child Care Law Reporting Project, which has launched a new website detailing child care cases that come before the courts.

Carol Coulter, director of the project, said she could not yet say why there was such huge differences nationwide but would hope to find out over the next five years.

She said: “I noticed there is a lot of variation geographically. I will be looking to see why there seems to be far more orders in some places than others. Is it because they are being sought? Is it because there is more voluntary care in some parts of the country? We just don’t know.”

In total there were 7,928 applications made to district courts to put children into state care during 2011. Some 7,410 were granted. Around four in 10 cases were in Dublin, with the next busiest courts in Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Galway and Letterkenny.

But Ms Coulter warned the statistics should be treated with caution as they reflect applications rather than children, and there may be multiple applications for the same child. Repeat or renewed applications for certain types of care orders which relate to the same case may also skew the figures.

The new website was set up – with funding from Atlantic Philanthropies, the One Foundation and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs – to lift the lid on how child abuse and neglect cases are dealt with in the courts.

Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald said: “It will show the dark side of abuse and neglect, the reality of 1,500 cases confirmed every year of child abuse and neglect. So it will shed a new light on how our courts deal with these issues and the huge challenges these problems throw up for our courts and indeed in the first instance for Irish children.”

GARDAI are at the scene of a two-vehicle crash on the N56.

The smash between a lorry and an Audi took place near the Coolboy turn-off – between Illistrin and Kilmacrennan.

No-one has been seriously hurt in the incident.

The northern-registered Audi has been badly damaged in the crash.

Traffic has been slow in the area since the crash shortly before 4pm.

Gardai are operating a stop-and-go system until the wreckage is cleared.

If you are among the group of unfitted ladies in the North West and want to experience a neater silhouette, relief from shoulder and back pain, better posture plus a more defined waist line, then call to the Lingerie Department at McElhinneys and Get Bra Fitted Today.

Avail of the complimentary fitting service in the newly refurnished department, where the trained bra and prosthesis fitters can guide you in the correct choice for you in a comfortable, private and relaxed environment.

During the week the team will be joined by experts, on Tuesday 9th April call in and meet shapewwear specialist Maureen who will be instore for one day only, if you want to discover the body shape and curves you have always dreamed off, don’t miss it!

Plus on Thursday 8th and Friday 9th specialist fitter Vicky from Triumph will be in the Lingerie Department

With the largest range of lingerie in the Northwest, McElhinneys caters for all your needs offering everything from basic essentials to intimates, prosthesis to shapewear, bridal to maternity and nightwear to swimwear available in different ranges from sizes A – K.

Don’t miss the 10 Day Fitting Event from 4th – 13th April and call instore, enjoy discounts, prize draws, gift with purchase and much more.

For further information contact McElhinneys Department Store, Ballybofey on Tel: 074 9131217 E: info@mcelhinneys.com or visit www.mcelhinneys.com

Smoke billows from bogland at Corveen in Gaoth Dobhair close to roads

Motorists have been warned to take extra care after the spread of smoke from two more major gorse fires which have broken out this afternoon.

The fires have taken hold in both Gaoth Dobhair and Falcarragh.

Fire crews from Dungloe and Gaoth Dobhair are battling the blazes which are being fanned by winds across bogland.

One of the fires at the townland of Corveen in Gaoth Dobhair is sending out a lot of smoke.

Drivers are being asked to slow down as they approach the area as their visibility may be impaired.

“We are asking people to take extra care in the area. A lot of the situation depends on the weather. If the wind picks up then so too does the fire and then the smoke.

“It can change from minute to minute and we have to deal with the situation as it happens,” said a fire service spokesman.

More than 40 gorse fires have been recorded in recent days as the unseasonal dry spell continues to make ground conditions perfect for the spread of such fires.

The fire service has appealed to people to be extra vigilant and not to discard cigarettes or burn rubbish.

Calling all runners, joggers and walkers to don your local GAA club colours and join the Donegal GAA 5K fun run/walk to take place in Ballybofey, this Saturday, April 6th, at 11am.

From elite athletes to leisure strollers, all are welcome to come along, take part and show your support in raising much needed funds for all our county teams, both adult and underage.

Registration begins at 9.30am at Sean McCumhaill’s GAA Centre, Ballybofey.

Sponsorship cards are available from all local GAA clubs throughout the county. Non GAA Club members will be required to pay a €5 entry fee on the day.

So grab your club jersey, a teammate, a family member or a friend and come along to what will be a great morning out in support of our boys in green and gold. Prizes for the top times recorded will be up for grabs.

Please also note that the official launch of Club Tír Chonaill’s Donegal GAA Training Centre Fund for 2013 will take place on Sunday 7th of April in the Villa Rose Hotel, Ballybofey at 5pm (immediately after the Donegal V Dublin Allianz Football League Game in MacCumhaill Park Ballybofey).

All are welcome to attend to learn more about the development of the state-of-the-art Donegal GAA training and development facility underway in Convoy.

For more information log onto: www.donegalgaa.ie or contact Chairman of Club Tír Chonaill Cieran Kelly on 087 2450505.

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Education Charlie McConalogue has said any attempt to force the amalgamation of small schools in Donegal must be resisted.

Deputy McConalogue has raised serious concerns about the fresh threat to the future of small schools in Donegal and in rural communities across the country.

“It has been clear for some time that the Education Minister Ruairí Quinn has an agenda to force the amalgamation of small rural schools. My fear is that this will result in a number of small schools here in Donegal being forced to close, and some communities in this region will inevitably lose their local school entirely,” said Deputy McConalogue.

“There are now fears that more than 1,000 schools across the country with under 80 pupils or 3 teachers may face closure. This is a blind attack on small schools with no consideration of each school’s ethos, the standard of education it provides and its contribution to the community. In the vast majority of cases these schools provide an excellent standard of education and they play a central role in community life.

“This issue is causing great fear and distress among parents, children and teachers in small rural schools right across the region. I have spoken to many local teachers and parents who are genuinely fearful that their school will soon be forced to close and amalgamate with a larger school in another community.

“I am urging local Fine Gael and Labour representatives to put a stop to this blind attack on small rural schools. The Cabinet is due to discuss a Value for Money Review on small schools shortly. I am urging all Ministers sitting around that Cabinet table to recognise the fact that this cannot be judged on monetary value alone. The value of a local school is far more than what is taught in the classroom. The local school is at the heart of community life and removing it will have enormous long-term consequences for the community as a whole.”

The pic posted on Twitter

A TOURIST unable to get a good mobile phone signal in Donegal took to Twitter instead to help find her missing mother.

Joanne Mehaffey, from south Belfast, tried desperately to ring friends after her mum Diane went missing earlier this week. Her mother suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease.

But because she couldn’t get a good enough signal to make lengthy calls, she posted as SOS on Twitter instead – and her mum was found nine hours later wandering a suburb with her dog.

She urged her followers to retweet and share the picture message.

She tweeted: “This is my mum & she’s gone #missing. Help try & bring her home safe #missing #belfast #plsRT #alzheimers”.

Joanne said: “I love Twitter and I love Facebook and I needed as many people as possible to see mum’s picture to speed up her being found. I knew I needed to do it sooner rather than later.

“While she would not have necessarily wanted everyone to know that she was suffering from Alzheimer’s, I needed her brought home, and if that meant I needed to share it, I was going to share it.

One of the family’s other dogs which was with Diane.

“I knew that Twitter was a powerful tool. I just needed one person to see her and that’s what happened.”

The message was retweeted hundreds of times – but crucially Lisburn woman Christina McStravick saw it.

“I was sitting about six o’clock in the living room, watching TV, and I noticed a woman walking past the window with two dogs,” she told the BBC.

“She seemed a wee bit dazed and kind of caught my attention but I didn’t think anything of it.

“Literally, 30 seconds later I was on Twitter. I saw that Oscar (Knox) had retweeted Joanne’s poster.

“I jumped in the car, drove round and drove slowly past Diane. I didn’t want to scare her but I realised it was her.”

She gently coaxed Diane into coming into the house for a cup of tea while her husband rang Joanne and the police.

“My husband gives me a hard time for going on Twitter too much, so he can’t do that anymore,” Christina said.

But Joanne has been overwhelmed by the response on social media.

“My mother had walked about eight miles. We would never have thought she was there.

“My husband says he’s a Twitter widow, but Twitter and the kindness of strangers brought my mum home,” she said.

Donegal Under 13 Boys Team including Team Managers Brendan O’Donnell and Anthony Ward, which will represent Ulster at the UK Sportshall Finals in Birmingham this Sunday

A squad of 31 young Donegal athletes will travel to Birmingham early this morning (Friday) to take part in the UK Sportshall Finals, the pinnacle of Sportshall athletics across the UK and Ireland.

Just a few short weeks ago, three out of four Donegal teams claimed top spot at the Ulster Sportshall Finals in Magherafelt which qualified them to represent Ulster in Birmingham on Sunday.

Such was the quality of these young athletes, that the three teams defeated their rivals from across the province by sizeable margins when the final points were tallied.

At the UK Finals on Sunday, the standard will be an altogether different proposition.

However, as in previous years, the privilege and honour of donning the county colours will inspire and drive these young athletes to show they are equal to if not better than their British counterparts.

Youngsters accustomed to the rocks, hills and glens of South West Donegal or the harsh Atlantic waves around the Rosses will be more than a match for athletes from the leafy shires of England, Cheshire, Hertfordshire, Derbyshire, etc.

With athletes from Sliabh Liag, Finn Valley, Letterkenny, Lifford, Inishowen and the Rosses all taking part, there is a wide representation from across all parts of the county.

At a squad session in Letterkenny on Tuesday evening, the young athletes, representing Under 13 Girls and Boys and Under 15 Girls teams met in Letterkenny to put the finishing touches to their preparations.

Making his first public athletics appearance in nearly six months, Sportshall stalwart, Neil Cullen received a warm welcome from both athletes and parents, many of these athletes having been to Birmingham with Neil previously.

Unfortunately due to illness, this will be Neil’s first year not making it to Birmingham, having started the journey for Donegal teams nearly twenty years ago. Indeed, Neil pointed out that there hasn’t been a year that Donegal has not been represented in Birmingham, a tradition proudly carried on by these young athletes in 2013 and an impressive three teams at that.

Neil also highlighted athletes such as Britain’s Mark Lewis Francis and Jessica Ennis who started their path to Olympic glory in their youth at Birmingham, as well as many young Donegal athletes who went on to outstanding athletics careers.

County Board Chairman Neil Martin also addressed the athletes and spoke of their outstanding ability at being selected for Donegal. Neil highlighted the many opportunities such as Sportshall, Youth Olympics, etc that are now offered to young athletes, whereas in his own time running, he recalled the muddy fields that were the best on offer.

Neil also spoke of the honour and privilege that the athletes should enjoy at representing not just Donegal and Ulster, but also their clubs, schools and parishes.

The 31 athletes will be accompanied on the trip by Under 13 girls team managers Sharon Bradley and Tanya Byrne, Under 13 boys by Anthony Ward and Brendan O’Donnell, and the Under 15 girls by Louise Gillespie.

The teams travel out on Friday accompanied by the County Derry Under 15 boys team, will compete at the impressive Birmingham NEC Arena on Sunday and return to Donegal on Monday. While giving their very best is not in doubt, who knows, Donegal athletes and teams may bring home more than a few treasured memories come Monday.

U13 Girls Team
Donegal Under 13 Girls Team including Team Managers Tanya Byrne and Sharon Bradley, which will represent Ulster at the UK Sportshall Finals in Birmingham this Sunday

U15 Girls Team
Donegal Under 15 Girls Team including Team Manager Louise Gillespie, which will represent Ulster at the UK Sportshall Finals

Three years ago former Donegal footballer Marty Carlin was battling bowel cancer.

Today the well-known man-about-town is organising a coffee morning in a bid to give something back.

Marty is leading a team in the Relay for Life and many of Marty’s Marvels will gather at the Sandwich Company (opposite new Dunnes Stores) in Letterkenny to help him raise some much-needed cash.

Marty says he is one of the lucky ones in that he went and got medical help in time.

“I was one of the lucky ones but I’m delighted to be able to give something back.

“Relay for Life was a great event last year and hopefully it will be even bigger this year.

“I hope as many people can come along for chat and a cup of tea and raise as much money and awareness as possible,” he said.

The coffee morning will take place between 10am and noon today and donations from all coffee and food bought will be made by the Sandwich Company to Marty’s team.

Firefighters last night managed to bring a fire under control on the outskirts of Letterkenny.

It is not yet known how the fire at Doon Glebe, Glenswilly started.

A number of acres of land were scorched during the blaze.

Two fire crews quickly brought the blaze under control.

Nobody was hurt during the incident, the latest to hit the county in recent days.

HERE it is folks – the beautifully-designed new Donegal GAA jersey, available exclusively from AllSports_ie.

The jersey will be unveiled in the Donegal Town sports store this Saturday between 3pm and 4pm by Michael Murphy and Karl Lacey.

And we have one of the tops to give away to one lucky Donegal Daily reader.

Entry is free – all you have to do is email admin@donegaldaily.com with your name and a contact telephone number.

And tell us why YOU deserve to win the new jersey.

Usual Donegal Daily rules apply. Competition is free to enter. No alternative prizes. Winner will be chosen at midday on Monday, April 8, by the Editor.

Don’t forget you can meet Karl and Michael in store at All Sports in Donegal Town from 3pm until 4pm this Saturday, April 6.

A DONEGAL singer is through to the semi-final of a popular TV talent show.

Gráinne Gavigan from Ardara is taking part in the Glór Tíre country music singing competition on TG4.

The 18-year old singer, daughter of Hugh and Eileen, is the youngest contestant in this year’s competition and is the only contestant from the North West of Ireland.

Gráinne’s mentor is the very talented Lisa McHugh, who reached the final of Glór Tíre in December 2009.

Said Gráinne: “I am absolutely delighted and shocked to be through to the SEMI-FINAL of “Glor Tire”, I would like to thank everyone for all they’re support I wouldn’t have made it this far without all the people who have been voting to keep me in the competition.

“I was sorry to see the talented Maria Butterly and Amanda Ryan go home and I wish them all the best! Yet again the votes have been put back to ZERO so now more than ever i’m depending on you to help me make it to the FINAL!!! Voting lines are open NOW and will remain open until Wednesday at midday vote GLOR8 to 53307 (ROI) 81108 (NI) #TeamGavigan #VoteGlor8.”

So get voting Donegal!

A CO Donegal conservation group is urging people in the county to get behind a campaign to bring back deposit returned lemonade bottles.

It follows a promise from the Government to tackle Ireland’s mounting waste problems.

In the Netherlands, the government charges a 25c deposit on all PET bottles which has resulted in a 95% return.

In Sweden, they have an 84% return for their PET bottles and Finland boasts a 92% return for PET bottles as a result of their deposit/refund system.

The rate or recycling here is just 37%.

“Many people over the age of 40 will remember bringing empty lemonade bottles back to the shop to get a few pennies,” said a Gweebarra Conservation Group spokesperson.

“As the government prepares a new recycling policy environmental groups are urging them to introduce a deposit/return clause for cans and bottles. Please email minister@environ.ie and tell him to introduce this scheme. It would mean a vast reduction in roadside litter,” he added.

Sinn Féin Inishowen Councillor Jack Murray and local TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn have raised their serious concerns with Donegal County Manager Seamus Neely over recent reports that the British Crown Estate claim to own the entire seabed of Lough Foyle.

There are reports the British may challenge Donegal County Council’s plans to run an outflow pipe from the proposed Moville/ Greencastle sewerage scheme into the Lough at Carnagarve.

Cllr Murray said: “Donegal County Council plans to build a wastewater treatment plant which will pump thousands of gallons of effluent into the scenic Carnagarve bathing waters.

“Local residents and respected environmental experts are concerned that the location of the outflow pipe within the Lough Foyle estuary, will cause serious environmental problems in Lough Foyle.

“For 23 years the local community has fought to have the proposed plant built north of Greencastle and have the outfall pipe pumped safely into coastal waters and not into the confines of Lough Foyle.

“This has been determinedly resisted by the council and some local representatives”.

Cllr Murray added: “But events have now taken a sharp turn with news that the British Crown Estate claims to own the entire seabed of Lough Foyle and that they may challenge Donegal County Council’s plans.

“The Council had advertised the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Marine as the owner of the seabed when issuing the CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order. Now it is alleged that the Department knows nothing about a CPO”.

He continued: ”Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and I have now written to the County Manager and the Council’s Director of Water and Environment Services seeking urgent clarification of the Council’s response to these reports.

“In the face of well documented opposition, millions of taxpayer’s money has been spent on this project to date. We are very concerned that there is potential for millions more to be potentially wasted. As public representatives, we would find that to be indefensible.”