The number of planning permission applications being granted for houses in Donegal has plummeted by almost half in one year.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office show a national drop of 53.5 % in the third quarter of the year, compared to the same time last year.

In the third quarter of 2009 there were 190 planning permission granted in County Donegal – that compares to 360 over the same period in 2008 a drop of 47% – slightly lower than the national average.

However reduction in the amount of permissions granted stands at 51% when compared to 2007.

Less people are either applying or being granted permission to extend their property – however the fall isn’t as steep standing at 30%.

Overall across the country planning permissions for dwelling units, including housing and apartments, are down nearly 44 per cent on last year’s figures.

Donegal’s Crime Prevention Officer has urged people to keep an eye on their neighbours in the run up to Christmas to help avoid crime.

There have been a number of reports of people, particularly the elderly, being targeted by callers to their homes pretending to offer a product or a service in an effort to gain entry to their homes.

Sergeant Paul Wallace says one of the best ways for to combat this type of crime is for members of the community to keep an eye on each other a report suspicious activity to the gardai:   http://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/paul.mp3 

Grd McLoughlin

Its been reported this morning that the 24 year old man involved in the collision, in which Garda Gary McLoughlin was killed, had been banned from driving.

The remains of Garda Gary Mc Loughlin have been returned to his native Co. Leitrim.

The 24 year old officer died from injuries he sustained in a crash while on duty in Buncrana on Sunday morning.

He’ll be laid to rest in Foxhill in Leitrim following funeral mass at midday tomorrow.

His colleague Bernard Mc Loughlin has been released from hospital.

It’s emerged that planning permission has been granted to Tesco Ireland for a second access road out of Letterkenny Shopping Centre, to connect onto the Port Road.

Councillors had previously opposed the application, but were told by County Manager that the application was judged on it’s merits, with the views of councillors taken on board.

Previously, a similar decision was overturned by An Bord Pleanala, and Cllr Dessie Larkin is predicting this decision will also be appealed.

Cllr Ciaran Brogan sounded a note of caution during the discussion, saying that if Letterkenny were to get a reputation as a town where progress is met with objections, then that could impact on potential development and jobs in the future.

He says there is a worrying pattern emerging:  

Fine Gael’s Agriculture and Fisheries Spokesperson says Former Marine Minister Frank Fahey should appear before a full Oireachtas enquiry on foot of the Ombudsman’s special report on the Lost at Sea scheme.

The report, which recommends that almost quarter of a million euro in compensation be paid to the Byrne family from Donegal who were denied inclusion in the scheme raises serious questions about how it was handled and advertised.

It emerged that 75% of the scheme was allocated to two constituents of Deputy Fahey, and that he had corresponded with them before the scheme took effect.

Fine Gael’s Michael Creed says Frank Fahey and his officials both have questions to answer.

Fourteen people, nine women and five men, have been returned for trial to Derry Crown Court charged in connection with a protest at the Raytheon arms manufacturing plant in Derry in January.

The fourteen with addresses in Donegal, Derry, and Leitrim face an array of charges including criminal damage, assault on police, obstructing police and impersonating a police officer all of which were said to have occurred on January 12 last.

When one of the accused, Brian McFadden of Little Diamond was being charged he interrupted and asked why a police officer who allegedly struck a woman during the protest was not in court with them.

District Judge Mr.Barney McElholm said that if anyone was not happy with the way the PSNI or the PPS had handled the case there were methods of complaining.

It was accepted that there was a case to answer and all of the defendants said they did not wish to call any witnesses or make any statement at this time.

One of the defence solicitors Mr. Paddy MacDermott, said that his client’s defence would be that they were defending other people in the Middle Eastern conflict and trying to prevent war crimes. He applied for two counsel due to the complex legal arguments.

The District Judge said there were great public interest issues and legal argument so he granted all the legal teams two counsel.

All 14 are due to appear at Derry Crown Court on January 6.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen will visit Buncrana Garda Station this evening to pay his respects to the friends and colleagues of a young garda who died last night following a road crash in Inishowen.

24 year old Garda Gary McLoughlin from Co. Leitrim lost his fight for life in hospital overnight, after he was injured in a collision at Lisfannon while on duty in Buncrana in the early hours of yesterday morning. The crash happened as the garda car in which he was travelling was involved in a pursuit of another car. Garda Mc Laughlin’s colleague and the driver of the other car are both stable in hospital.

Speaking in County Derry, where he’s been attending the North South Ministerial Council, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he will visit Buncrana to pay his respects personally.

A special report on the investigation into the ‘Lost At Sea’ scheme prompted by a complaint made by a Donegal family has been passed on to the Dail and Seanad, after the findings were rejected by the Department of the Marine. While the department is free to do so, this is only the second time in the twenty-five year history of the Office that it has happened.

Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly found the scheme was seriously deficient and flawed, and recommends that compensation of over €245,000 be paid to the Byrne family.

The investigation followed a complaint made by Danny Byrne who’s father’s trawler sank off the Donegal coast in 1981. His father Francis, 16-year-old brother Jimmy and three crew members were all drowned.

North West MEP Jim Higgins has been compaigning on the issue with the Byrne family – he says they have been vindicated.

A Donegal priest has been refused permission to bring an appeal against his conviction for raping a teenage parishioner in a church sacristy to the Supreme Court.

51 year old Daniel Doherty of Carrigart argued prejudicial evidence was put before the jury at his trial in 2006 at the Central Criminal Court.

He was found guilty of twice raping the 13 year old girl on dates in 1985 and received a 7 year sentence.

The Court of Criminal Appeal today rejected his claim that his appeal should go before the higher court to determine a point of law of exceptional public importance.

The Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy says he’s deeply saddened by the death of a young officer in Co. Donegal.

24 year old Garda Gary McLoughlin lost his fight for life in hospital overnight, after he was injured in a crash while on duty in Buncrana in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The crash happened on the Letterkenny to Bridgend road at around half past one yesterday morning.

Two gardai – Garda Gary Mc Loughlin and Garda Brendan Mc Loughlin – had been called out to support colleagues, in pursuit of a Northern registered Opel Astra, that had been seen leaving a filling station at high speed.

It’s understood the accident happened when the Northern registered car turned on the road and collided with the marked garda car.

Both officers were rushed to hospital, where Garda Gary Mc Loughlin lost his fight for life overnight.

In extending his sympathies this morning, the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said his thoughts and prayers are with Garda Mc Loughlin’s family, friends and colleagues.

He said this tragedy and the death earlier this year of Garda Robbie Mc Callion in Letterkenny, highlight in stark terms the dangers gardai face every day, as they go about their work.

The Mayor of Buncrana Lee Tedstone has been reacting to the news.

He says it’s a very difficult time: