Letterkenny Sinn Fein Councillor Gerry Mc Monagle has welcomed indications from the HSE that they are to surrender some rental accommodation around Letterkenny, and transfer part of its services and staff to the St Conals Hospital Campus.

Cllr Mc Monagle claims more than a million euro is being paid in rent each year in Letterkenny alone, and that is worsened by the fact that the HSE owns five houses which are boarded up in the Sliabh Sneacht area.

He says money saved should be ploughed into mental health services in Donegal.

A PSNI team probing the theft of cash machines has arrested a 44 year old man in Fermanagh.

He was detained in Derrylin on suspicion of attempted theft and criminal damage in Co Tyrone on June 29th last year.

A total of thirteen ATM’s were stolen in Northern Ireland in the past year.

Less money is now being stored in machines deemed vulnerable to attacks.

The prospect of industrial action by almost 12,000 rank and file Gardai is looming once more. The Garda Representitive Association has sent its members a questionnaire, asking them their views on a number of options, including the withdrawl of labour.

At the end of last year, the GRA announced plans to hold a ballot on strike action, but backed down following warnings from the Garda Commissioner and Justice Minister that such a move wouold be illegal.

The Donegal based GRA President Michael O’Boyce says nothing is ruled in or out, and they will base any future decisions on the outcome of the questionnaire.

Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has insisted that the A5 and A6 road schemes will go ahead as planned, despite opposition from some landowners.

Mr. McGuinness was responding to an Assembly question by Foyle MLA Martina Anderson who sought assurances that the Derry to Aughnacloy and Derry to Dungiven roads would go ahead.

These are two vitally important road projects, Mr. McGuinness said, adding that while he understand that some landowners have concerns, but there will be processes and opportunities for inquiries where people can bring those forward.

He concluded there is no doubt that the two projects will go ahead.

The national cost of repairing roads following damage from ice and flooding over recent weeks could exceed 150 million euro.

Donegal County Council has already held a speciall meeting to discuss the cost, with a bill of up to €4 million anticipated, and other councils are now following suit, with growing calls on the Government to provide extra funding.

Now the Government is being urged to provide funding on a per-kilometre basis

If introduced this change would benefit counties such as Cork, Donegal, Mayo and Galway which have some of the largest road networks in the country

With engineers estimating the total repair bill to around 150 million euro – there are now fears that some of the cash may now have to be taken from road building budgets

Councils in the North and West are worried the repairs could wipeout their roads maintainance budgets for 2010 unless the Transport Minister sanctions emergency support

North West MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher is predicting a May by-election to determine his successor in Donegal South West.

Fine Gael and Labour have already announced plans to hold selection conventions to determine their candidates while Sinn Fein has made numerous calls on government to set a date.

Meanwhile Pat the Cope has rejected suggestion that the process of Fianna Fail selecting their candidate could prove devisive for the party in Donegal given the various camps that exist.

He says the root and branch members will determine the candidate and that is the way it should be

Police are appealing for witnesses to an armed robbery on the Buncrana Road during which staff were threatened and thousand of pounds stolen.

Three men armed with guns entered Jolly’s Petfood store at around 6 o’clock last evening with staff forced to hand over money from the safe at gunpoint.

The men told the Manager, David Scott, that his wife and baby were being held hostage, it was only after they left that he found out his family was safe.

Mr Scott says it was a harrowing experience:

Water supplies are showing signs of stabilising in most areas of the county though demand remains above normal. Problems continue to be experienced with outdoor service lines, services to field troughs and outbuildings and vacant properties. We urge members of the public to check taps and service lines at home, in outbuildings and in fields, and in vacant premises. Where running water is found please close taps or valves in order to prevent more general water shortages.

The following is an update summary of the situation across the county by electoral area.

Donegal Electoral Area
The overall water demand in the Donegal area remains very high, but is reducing. There are no plans to close reservoirs in the Donegal Electoral area tonight, 18th January 2010.

Glenties Electoral area
The overall water demand in the Glenties area remains very high, but is reducing. There are no plans to close reservoirs in the area tonight, 18th January 2010.

Inishowen Electoral area
Supply in the Inishowen area generally has stabilised, though demand remains high. Reservoir closures are not planned tonight. Supply problems persist at Gleneely village, where supply to parts of the village are affected.

Stranorlar Electoral Area
Consumption remained unsustainably high last night throughout the Lough Mourne supply area. As a result the council has no option but to continue the regime of nightime restrictions from 8.00 pm tp 8.00 am in order to ensure daytime supply. Reservoirs at the following locations will be closed overnight: at Argery, Gleneely, Kinletter, Ballinacor, Tievebrack, Coradooie, Lifford, Convoy and Raphoe while the supply pipelines to the Letterkenny Road Area of Stranorlar, Liscooley Area, Glenfin, Porthall and Cavan Hill areas will been turned off too.

We still have the ongoing problem of insufficient flow from NI Water into both our reservoir at Alt, Castlefinn and the Meenreagh/Tieveclogher area. The Alt reservoir will be turned off tonight also.

No significant mains bursts have been reported today indicating that the bulk of this wastage is due an accumulation of of internal problems, field troughs, unoccupied houses etc.

Letterkenny Electoral Area
Supply to the Gartan Group Scheme will be turned off overnight 18th January due to excess demand / leakage. There is also leakage in the Aughnagaddy GWSS and suspaected leakage in the Glenmaquin GWSS. Interruptions to supply in these areas can be expected.
There are no plans to restrict supply elsewhere in the Letterkenny Electoral Area tonight 18th January 2010, though demand generally remains high. The appeal to members of the public to conserve water and to check for leakage / wastage applies.

Water Services Staff are actively engaged in efforts to restore and maintain supply in all areas.

Once again, we urge the public to check taps and service lines at home, in outbuildings and in fields, and in vacant premises. Where running water is found please close taps or valves in order to prevent more general water shortages. Thank you for your co-operation in this effort.

The trial of 14 people charged with various offences in relation to a protest at the arm manufacturer Raytheon in Derry will be heard in Belfast.

At today’ sitting of Derry Crown Court the Recorder, Judge Des Marrinan said that for logistical reasons he felt it was necessary to move the venue of the trial.

He said that the accommodation in the Derry Courthouse was simply ‘inadequate’ for 14 defendants and 28 defence counsel.

He added that he was making the decision with ‘great regret’.

The case will be mentioned on January 26 at Belfast Crown Court so that a date can be set for the trial.

The 14 face a series of charges including criminal damage, obstruction, burglary and impersonating a police officer that relate to a protest at the Raytheon plant last January 12. All have pleased not guilty.

"time to move on"

A special meeting of Donegal County Council has today heard claim and counter claim over how the budget for 2010 was adopted last month.

Non-Fianna Fail Councillors have been heavily critical of Mayor Brenden Byrne allowing the budget be adopted while only Fianna Councillors were present in the chamber.

However legal advice presented today backed Mayor Byrne’s handling of the situation and all but ruled out suggestions of a vote of no confidence.

Meanwhile Independent Councillor Seamus O’Domhnaill has described today’s meeting as a pantomime – he says it is time now to put the controversy to rest and move on with important council business: