Two Derry men who murdered a Donegal teenager in the city two years ago have been told they will serve a minimum of 11 years in prison.

In October, 21 year old Sean Cruickshank, from Lislane Drive, and 22 year old Edward McEleney from Circular Road, were convicted of the murder of 19 year old Liam Devlin from Burnfoot.

He died of brain injuries after he was attacked in Rinmore Drive in August 2007.

Both men were given mandatory life terms at today’s sentening hearing.

Met Eireann has issued a sever weather warning with the northwest being told expect significant wintry showers and freezing conditions.

It’s to remains cold throughout the weekend and into early next week with falls and sleet and snow being forecast. This coupled with subzero night time temperatures driver should exercise caution on the roads.

Click for detailed forecast from David Rogers  

Donegal Deputy Dinny McGinley says he is going to ensure that the findings of a special inquiry in to the ‘lost at sea scheme’ is debated in the Dail.

The inquiry, by the ombudsman, was launched following a complaint made by Danny Byrne from Bruckless – his father Francis and brother Jimmy died when the family trawler sank off the Donegal coast in 1981.

They believe they were unfairly excluded from the ‘lost at sea’ scheme, with the Ombudsman describing the it as “seriously deficient and flawed” recommending the Byrne family be compensated.

Deputy McGinley says it is imperative that the inquiry is discussed fully in the Dail:

A Donegal councillor says the lack of progress on the proposed new N14 Lifford to Manorcunningham road means that the new A5 North of the border could be completed long before it.

Cllr Dessie Larkin says it’s ironic that just a few years ago, the question was could the preparation work for the new A5 be completed fast enough to catch up with progress in Donegal?. Now, he says, the situation has reversed completely.

Cllr Larkin wants Donegal County Council and the NRA to invest a new sense of urgency into the N14 plans, particularly given the state of the current road: 

Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Éamon Ó Cuív has ordered a full review of all state-funding community groups in the gaeltacht areas.

Minister O’Cuiv says the review will provide for necessary realignment and restructuring while gaeltacht communities may see this as a precursor to more cuts.

Mnister O’Cuiv says all Gaeltacht areas will be covered by a community body, and this change is needed to ensure suitable community structures in line with the requirements of the 20-year strategy for the Irish language.

He says the realignment of community groups will cover bodies funded by Údarás na Gaeltachta, Gaeltacht-based CDPs (Community Development Projects), Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta and Comhar na nOileán.

Consultation with the existing state-funded groups will take place early in the New Year, prior to any change being implemented.

This will worry a number of groups, particularly as 29 CDPs have already had their funding cut by Minister O’Cuiv’s department this week, with “duplication” given as the rationale.

However, Minister O’Cuiv says he believes that realigning organisations will provide coherent community structures in the Gaeltacht, and ensure that all areas are properly covered.

The Tánaiste says the Government’s being “cautious” about new figures showing the country’s emerging from recession.

While the economy has declined in the past year, the Central Statistics Office says there was slight growth in Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter.

But when foreign multinationals are excluded Gross National Product shrank by 1.4% between July and September.

Mary Coughlan says while there’s hope for optimism the Government knows tough times still lie ahead.

“We’d be very cautious about this, because we still have a lot of difficulties to deal with” she said.

“I think it’s good to see we are progressing slowly – which perhaps is a better way to progress”.

“The policy that is being used, the industrial policy and economic policy of this country is certainly strident and progressive and moving towards getting us out of the economic difficulty that we presently are in” she added.

Health Minsiter "looking into the issues"

Health Minister Mary Harney has met briefly with Senator Cecilia Keavney to discuss the lack of arrangements for infant post mortem examinations in Donegal.

The possibility of a cross border agreement for the sharing of services was one of the issues discussed.

The lack of a designated Pediatric Pathologist above the Galway to Dublin line came into focus in tragic circumstances recently when a young Buncrana couple had to travel to Dublin on a minibus with their infant’s coffin on their knees.

Minister Harney said the HSE is currently developing a Code of Practice for Post Mortem Services, a development Senator Keavney is welcoming.

She says arrangements for Donegal must be included in that code of practice:  

Cllr McGowen

A Donegal County Councillor has launched a scathing attack on the County Manager claiming his commitment to the county centres purely on Letterkenny.

Stranorlar Councillor Patrick McGowen, who has long claimed his area is the poor cousin of Letterkenny, has gone further this time questioning if the county manager has any interest in the rest of the county.

Councillor McGowen made his comments after he proposed a motion calling for greater input from the public, An Taisce and other relevant groups in drawing up a development strategy for Donegal.

He says however that clearly the whole county is not a priority for some: 

New figures show Strabane has the highest percentage rate of unemployment in Northern Ireland.

6.9% of the working age population of the town are claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance. In the Derry City Council area, 6.8% of people are out of work.

The figures were published as the Mayor of Derry leads a cross party delegation to Stormont today for discussions with north’s Deputy First Minister, Development Minister and Enterprise Minister.

The delegation is seeking economic interventions for the city and the North West region, following a series of job losses in the local economy.

Donal kavanagh has this report : 

"islands should be equal"

Donegal County Council is to lobby the government to have the country’s islands vote on the same day as the main land in any forthcoming elections.

Currently islanders vote a few days in advance of the rest of the country and it is has been claimed that as a result many who work away are not home to vote.

Proposing the move Councillor  David Alcorn said good linkages between the islands and the mainland debunk the old argument that poor weather could delay ballot boxes being removed to count centres.

He believes the government will accept the council’s proposal: