Donegal North East TD Joe Mc Hugh has told the Dail that hundreds of jobs can be created in Donegal.

Speaking during a debate on the economy last night, he said Mc Cormick Transport in Greencastle will provide 150 offshore jobs, if training is given to unemployed fishermen in Greencastle.

He said Global Flexi Systems will provide 50 jobs in Moville if supports are available, Beattie Fuels will provide over 40 jobs in Killybegs if it is cleared to use the harbour, and Marine Harvest will provide 30 jobs if licencing issues are resolved.

He told the Dail he is responding to a challenge laid down in the newspapers last weekend.

A major police investigation is underway after the body of a man was found off the Letterkenny Road in Derry.

The body was found just before midnight on the Braehead Road, close to the Donegal border.

The area has been cordoned off by police and traffic is being diverted. Forensic officers are currently examining the area. As of yet, the man hasn’t been formally identified.

Foyle MLA and Policing Board member Martina Anderson who visited the scene last night said community workers who arrived there before her described what they had seen as “horrendous”.

Three men arrested as part of a garda investigation into dissident republican activity here in Co Donegal have been charged with IRA membership at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today.

57-year-old Desmond Donnelly, of Drumall, Lisnarick, Co Fermanagh, 45 year-old, Gerard Mc Garrigle, of Mount Carmel Heights, Strabane and Jim Murphy, for whom no age or address is available, were each charged with membership of an illegal organisation.

The trio were amongst five men arrested as part of a Garda probe into dissident Republican activity.

Two other men who were arrested as part of the operation were released without charge.

Gardai said a sixth man in his 30s, was arrested last night. He’s being held at Letterkenny Gardai station.

The court heard evidence that the three men were arrested last night at Letterkenny and Milford in Co Donegal on suspicion of membership of an illegal organisation.

Detective Garda Greg Regan, who arrested Mc Garrigle, said that when he was cautioned, Mc Garrigle replied: “I think your laws is up the left and you are a disgrace to the Irish people.”

When he was formally charged, Mc Garrigle replied: “I am not a member of any organisation.”

Detective Garda Sean Barrett said that Jim Murphy had declined to give his date of birth or address to gardaí.

The court remanded all three men in custody until March 4 when bail applications are expected to be made.

It’s emerged that the new US Special Envoy to the north is to visit Donegal. Declan Kelly was one of the keynote speakers at this week’s British Irish Interparliamentary Asembley meeting in Cavan which was co-chaired by Donegal North East Deputy Niall Blaney.

Deputy Blaney says Mr Kelly has agreed to come to Donegal to discuss a number of issues, but also to tel politicians and business leaders that a more positive attitude towards business would attract more US investment.

Deputy Blaney says Declan Kelly is showing a very genuine interest in the border counties as well as Northern Ireland.

Colm Murphy has walked free from the Special Criminal Court after it directed his acquittal on a charge connected to the Omagh bombing.

Mr Murphy from Ravensdale near Dundalk in Co Louth was standing retrial after being freed on bail in 2005 when the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his original conviction.

The prosecution alleged that Colm Murphy lent two phones to a man who used them while transporting a bomb in a stolen Vauxhall Cavalier car from Dundalk to Omagh.

Mr Murphy was charged with conspiring to cause an explosion between 13 and 16 August 1998.
On this day 20 of his re- trial the 3 judge special criminal court directed his acquittal after ruling that all the garda interviews conducted with Mr Murphy were inadmissable.

Michael Gallagher lost his son in the 1998 bomb attack on Omagh, and speaks on behalf of a number of bereaved families.

He says they feel deeply dissapointed and very let down by the justice systems in both juristictions.

A 29-year-old man has been shot in both legs in Derry.

The man was discovered behind the Creggan shops at about 1840 yesterday evening.

He was brought to hospital where his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Dissident republicans are being blamed for this latest shooting in Derry.

Police are investigating what may have motivated the shooting and have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

Derry SDLP Foyle MLA, Pat Ramsey, says no-one in Derry supports these attacks.

Three men are due to appear at a sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin this morning.

The trio were amongst five men arrested here in County Donegal as part of a Garda probe into dissident republican activity.

Two other men who were arrested as part of the operation were released without charge.

Gardai said a sixth man in his 30s, was arrested last night.

He’s being detained at Letterkenny Garda Station.

Donegal County Council’s Roads Department is assessing the money it’s received for the regional road network to determine how much money will be available for emergency road repairs after the recent wintry weather.

Roads Director John Mc Laughlin says there’s more scope for the council to transfer funds from one project to another and ensure that the most important repair jobs are done.

However, he says rather than provide the council with extra money, the government is giving the authority more flexibility.

The families of people killed on Bloody Sunday have criticised the Secretary of State for failing to let them know when they will receive the Saville Report.

It’s due to be delivered to Shaun Woodward on the week of 22 March, but the relatives may have to wait at least another two weeks.

They fear it could be amended or have parts withheld by government agencies.

The families held a press conference at the Rath Mór Centre in Creggan yesterday, where they called on theSecretary of State to allow Lord Saville to publish the report himself, independently from the British Government.

Foyle MP Mark Durkan says the families have now lost all confidence in Shaun Woodward.

It’s emerged that Donegal County Council has reached an €800,000 settlement with the revenue commissioners after a PAYE and PRSI audit in 2008 found a number of irregularities in allowances paid to staff.

Briefing members on the settlement, the county manager said the irregularities arose because of a national change in the way allowances were calculated, and measures are being put in place to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

The irregularities arose in the area of site supervision and fixed travel allowances for certain outdoor staff, along with related subsistence allowances. County Manager Michael Mc Loone says the problem arose when what had previously been a standard allowance was changed to a requirement that specific transactions be identified and claimed for.

The new rates were agreed nationally, but had to be changed later based on revenue interpretation.

A total of just under €800,000 was paid by the council, including €250,000 in interest and penalties.

Mr Mc Loone told the council that procedures have been put in place to reduce the liklihood of this happening again, including upgrading of the council’s financial management system and a full review of how allowances are calculated and paid.