The government is to unveil plans to upgrade Ireland’s water system.

300 million euro is being slated for the project, but that’s all expected to be allocated from within existing budgets.

Some homes in Donegal, Dublin and Clare are still suffering the after effects of the bad weather which saw frozen and burst pipes play havoc with public supplies.

The Rape Crisis Centre in Belfast is accusing the Republican Movement of using Donegal as a “dumping ground” for sex offenders within its ranks. The claim is made by a spokesperson for the centre in today’s Donegal on Sunday.

Spokesperson Eileen Calder says one high profile republican, who allegedly raped a young child, subsequently became involved in youth work and political campaigning in Donegal long after the republican movement became aware of the allegations.

In another incident a victim claims the IRA facilitated the escape to Donegal of an IRA man who raped her and two other children.

Ms Calder says the rape crisis centre has every reason to believe that these were not isolated incidents, and finds it ironic that the movement which was dedicated to removing the border was in fact using it and using Donegal as a closet in which to bury its skeletons.

Derry’s John Duddy took his 28th professional career win on Saturday Night at the Madison Square Garden in New York. Duddy defeated Mexican Juan Astorga thanks to a first round knocked out. The fight lasted just one minute and 55 seconds. Referee Wayne Kelly intervened after Duddy had completely outclassed his South American opponent. The Derry Destroyer’s next fight will be on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao/Joshua Clottey bill in Texas on the 13th March.

A teenager who alleges she was raped by a Donegal man when she was 15-years-old has denied that she had sex with one of the man’s friends a week before the alleged attack.

The 23-year-old accused has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape, and defilement of the girl on a date in February 2008.

The now 17-year-old complainant, who was recalled for further cross examination, told defence counsel, Mr David Goldberg SC that she was “not there” when he put it to her that she had sex with another male a week prior to the alleged incident.

She denied having had sex with the man in his house, and also denied telling the man he did not need to use a condom because she was using a contraceptive device.

The teenager told prosecuting counsel Conor Devally that she knew of the man making these allegations but had not spoken to him. She said she had never gone to his house or “hung out” with him.

She told Mr Devally that it remained her evidence that she had only one sexual experience before the alleged rape and that was with a person with whom she was having a relationship.

The trial continues before Mr Justice George Birmingham and a jury of seven men and five women.

The Bishop of Raphoe Dr Philip Boyce has denied there is any cover up of abuse in the diocese.

In an RTE interview, Sean O’Conaill of Voice of the Faithful Ireland discussed the Irish Bishops’ acknowledgement of a “a widespread culture of covering abuse”, and in the course of that discussion, he expressed ongoing concerns about some dioceses, particularly the Diocese of Raphoe.

Bishop Boyce says the proposition that such concerns exist about the Diocese of Raphoe is unfounded, stressing that accountable and robust procedures are in place to safeguard children.

However, Mr O’Conaill has told Highland Radio News that he was not referring to the present day when he made the comment, but to the period between 1982 and 1994, during which Bishop Seamus Hegarty was Bishop of Raphoe.

It’s emerged that that two cross-border bodies could be targetted for cuts totalling over £2 million as part of a rationalisation being discussed by the Stormont executive.

SDLP leader and Foyle MP says Tourism Ireland may have its budget cut by £1 million, and Inter-Trade Ireland by £1.6 million. He says this flies in the face of the need to develop effective North-South cooperation.

Donegal Councillor Padraig Mac Lochlainn is a member of the board of Inter-Trade Ireland. He says this is a very short sighted move which will hinder local businesses.

The Arranmore Lifeboat has carried out its first rescue of 2010. At 6 o’clock this morning, the lifeboat was called out to a French trawler 18 miles west of Arranmore after a crew member on the trawler was injured in an accident.

The crew reached the trawler at 7.20am, and brought the casualty to Burtonport, arriving at 9.30am. The man was then transferred to Letterkenny General Hospital.

The County Manager Micheal McLoone is to meet local union representatives to discuss how their planned strike action will effect council services.

Trade unions have informed served notice on public Sector employers across Donegal that from Monday its members will be engaging in a campaign of severe and wide ranging industrial action activity.

As part of a nationwide programme of action against cuts in pay introduced by the government,  union members will refuse to work outside their contractural employement.

Other aspects of the protest will be the refusal by members to operate with work associated with vacant posts, unfilled promotions or redeployments.

The County Manager Michael McLoone says there will be some disruption as a result:

A 20-year-old Derry man who admitted shining a laser pen at a police helicopter was told today that he faced the possibility of a ‘lengthy custodial sentence.’

Patrick White of Old School Lane in Derry pleaded guilty to endangering an aircraft on April 24 last year.

According to reports prepared on White he had told probation he had been smoking cannabis since he was aged 7 and that he had ten joints a day. It was said the night of the offence he was under the influence of drugs.

The court heard that at 10.25 p.m. a police helicopter had been in transit and flying at between 1500 and 2000 feet when the pilot was dazzled by a green laser light on several occasions.

The pilot was forced to fly away from the light but the observer was able to identify where the light was coming from.

Police on the ground were alerted and White was arrested at his home.

At interview he told police his father had told him to stop but he had not.

Judge Piers Grant said that White had expressed regret but it seemed to him to be after he was caught.

A forensic report on the device, which is illegal to have in this country, found that it was defective and Judge Grant expressed concern that possibly White had handed over a different device but was told both the defendant and his father had co-operated with police.

Defence counsel Mr. Kieran Mallon said his client was in no doubt this was a ‘very, very reckless and a very, very stupid offence.’

At interview White had admitted he could have brought an aircraft down and the judge said if it had crashed in a residential area the los of life ‘could have been enormous.’

Mr. Mallon said the courts were obviously concerned with this sort of activity and the judge told him that a custodial sentence was ‘in the forefront’ of his mind.

The judge asked about the defendant’s use of cannabis and said it was an issue of ‘very real concern’. He added that he was adjourning he case for full reports on White’s drug rehabilitation and his mental health.

He said people who do these things endangered not only the aircraft but people on the ground and told White he would have been responsible if there had been a crash.

The case was adjourned until June 28 to allow reports to be prepared.

The former head of Donegal VEC, Sean O’Longan,  has been reacting to his appointment to the  new board of FAS saying his is looking forward to the challenge.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan yesterday unveiled a new 11-member board which also includes Margaret Sweeney, an accountant originally from Kilcar.

Ms. Coughlan said along with new legislation it demonstrates the root and branch cultural change in accountability and transparency under way at the organisation.

However Fine Gael claimed the government missed the opportunity of a fresh start  saying the new board of the troubled state training agency is “dominated by insiders”.

Reacting to his appointment Sean O’Longan said it was a role he was keen to take on: