A number of people have been contacting Highland Radio regarding problems with water supplies and untreated roads. If you have queries rgearding these or other council related issues, please contact Donegal County Council’s emergency lines as follows

Water – 074 91 72399
Roads – 074 91 72288

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food says it will not pay compensation of almost quarter of a million euro to a South Donegal family, as recommended by Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly, as it fears doing so would leave the government exposed to major financial liability.

The report relates Lost at Sea scheme was introduced in 2001 to compensate fishermen who had lost their trawlers and could not afford to return to fishing.

When the Lost at Sea scheme was introduced, the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources wrote to some fishermen who had lost boats at sea, inviting them to apply to the scheme, but it’s been claimed that was done on a very selective basis in a way that favoured constituents of then minister Frank Fahey.

Despite the sinking of the Skifjord in 1981 with the loss of Francis Byrne, his son and three other crewmen, the Byrne family was not informed of the scheme.

Brian Roper has retired from Donegal duty after making a record number of appearances for the county.
The 35-year-old played 159 times for the Ulster team with the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final defeat by Cork in August his last inter-county game.
Roper won the Ulster U21 championship with Donegal in 1995 and secured a National League medal in 2007.

Motorists are again being urged to take extreme care on the roads this morning after temperatures plummeted once again overnight.

A slight thaw over the weekend meant roads were very wet from melting snow, and that has now frozen over leaving untreated roads icy and dangerous, and also making footpaths and walkways very slippy.

Gardai are urging motorists not to drive unless absolutely necessary.

Overnight, particularly dangerous conditions were reported around the corkscrew at Doochary, with the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team being called out at 3.50am to help a man attempting to get to Letterkenny General Hospital.

The team also helped the driver of a lorry which had jacknifed.

Water supplies to a number of areas in the North West have been significantly affected by freezing temperatures.

Both Donegal County Council and Northern Ireland Water say sub-zero temperatures have led to bursts occurring on watermain network and in customers’ homes.

They’re urging customers to check any vacant or isolated properties for leaks, saying there’s been a big increase in calls from householders suffering from burst pipes because of the freezing weather.

The NI Water spokesperson added that some customers are running taps in the belief that this will prevent freezing, and urged them not to do so, a point echoed in Donegal.

Meanwhile, Donegal County Council is continuing to monitor pipes in the county – Any problems should be reported on the council’s emergency line at 074 91 72399.

Temperatures have risen slightly after a white christmas, with many areas of Donegal experiencing fresh snowfalls on Christmas Day. However, gardai are warning motorists that while temperatures are not reaching the record lows experienced earlier this week, they will slip below zero in places tonight, and extreme caution is still needed on roads, particularly minor roads which have not been gritted by Donegal County Council.

Tens of thousands of people will take to the roads today as the Christmas season gets underway.

However, with temperatures hitting as low as minus 10 degrees in places overnight, drivers are being warned to take extreme care. Record lows have been reported in Donegal and across the region, with temperatures of Minus 11 celcius between Derry and Dungiven and unconfirmed reports of Minus 12.5 degrees between Omagh and Ballygawley.

Icy conditions and freezing fog are causing problems around the country, and the CEO of the Road Safety Authority Noel Brett is urging anyone travelling today to drastically reduce speed, stay well back from the vehicle in front, and allow plenty of extra time for the journey.

Donegal County Manager Michael mc Loone says he hopes the council can continue to pursue its change agenda in 2010, despite the national breakdown in talks between government and unions.

Mr Mc Loone says the relations between management and staff in Donegal have been exceptional over the years, and that is one of the reasons Donegal is the only county to have a decentralised management structure and a network of Public Services Centres.

He’s trying to ensure that those relationships are maintained.

The man suspected of involvement in the roasd collision whih caused the death of Garda Gary McLoughlin, was discharged from hospital yesterday, and brought to court within hours.

24-year-old Martin McDermott appeared before a special sitting of Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on foot of warrants for his arrest.

McDermott, of Castlegrove, Raphoe was accused of drink-driving on August, 2008. He was also accused of a public order offence and resisting arrest in Letterkenny on July 7, 2008., and of failing to appear in court in Letterkenny on Janaury 15.

He was not charged with any offence relating to the accident on December 16th which resulted in 24-year-old Gda McLoughlin’s death. Gardai are still investigating that incident.

Judge Kevin Kilrane remanded McDermott in custody to Castlerea Prison to appear again at a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court on December 30.

The hearing last evening, during which McDermott was not legally represented, lasted 10 minutes,

Gda McLoughlin, a native of Fenagh, near Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, who was stationed in Buncrana, died in Letterkenny General Hospital 24 hours after a red Opel Astra collided head-on with his patrol car.

McDermott was detained in the same hospital recovering from injuries until shortly after 11.05 a.m.today when he was discharged before being arrested on the warrants.

On foot of intelligence received by local Gardai in recent, days businesses in Donegal are being asked to review their security over the Christmas period.

The County’s crime prevention officer, Sergeant Paul Wallace, says that while this is traditionally a busy time for the retailer the same can also the criminal in the run up to Christmas.

He says cash security should be reviewed, as should CCTV cameras and other security provisions.