The Community Workers Co-operative is welcoming the creation of the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, saying it unifies a number of important issues.

For the first time, community, poverty and equality issues will be aligned under one ministry, and that’s something that CWCs nationally have been advocating for many years.

Donegal CWC Project Officer Annette Patton says it’s an important development…………

Sinn Féin Councillor Daren Lalor has announced that he is to stand down from Buncrana Town Council.

Cllr Lalor, a married father of four young children, who was first elected to the council in June 2004 and reelected last June said that he “remains a proud member of Sinn Féin but wants to pursue a new educational direction in his life at this time”.

A male teenager charged with having sex with a 14 year old girl in Donegal has lost a High Court challenge to try stop the trial on grounds of gender discrimination.

He’s been charged under the Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act which was hastily passed by the Oireachtas in 2006 after the Supreme Court struck down the 1935 law on statutory rape.

In this case a boy was charged under the Act with having sexual intercourse with a 14 year old girl in Donegal in August 2006. He was 15 at the time

His lawyers argued the legislation assumes the boy is the ‘guilty party’ while it patronises girls as comely maidens whose virtue must be protected.

In her judgment Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne has upheld the 2006 Act.

She finds the gender discrimination is legitimate as the adverse conseqences that flow from under age sexual activity fall to a greater extent on girls than boys due to the risk of pregnancy

A 29-year-old man who admitted assaulting two gardai and causing them harm when he was stopped drink-driving has been jailed for 18 months for the offences.

Philip Melly, of Caravan Rd, Dungloe, was also given a concurrent three months sentence and banned for six years for drink-driving at Doochary on September 1st, 2008.

Donegal Circuit Court heard that Melly was stopped a half-hour after midnight. He had a very negative attitude to gardai, and gardai Brendan McCann and David Mulkearns were forced to draw their batons and a violent struggle ensued.

Garda Mulkearns sustained an injury to a middle finger and Melly held his hands around Gda McCann’s neck for a minute and a half. Gda McCann had to attend the doctor for throat injuries.

Melly was more than twice over the drink-drive limit at the time of the offences.

Judge John O’Hagan heard Melly had served prison sentences, and was already banned for five years.

A new project to promote and develop Marine Tourism in three partner regions is being lauinched today in Donegal Town,

The Sail West project brings together partners from Donegal, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

It’ll be launched this afternoon by Tanaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan.

Donegal County Council Director of Services Michael Heany says it’s a very significant project for the county.

Calls are being made to bring Belfasts big wheel to Derry.

It was annouced on Tuesday that the Belfast Wheel is to shut down in a matter of weeks. It’s understood the last ride on the wheel in Belfast will be Sunday 11th April.

The wheel has been a familiar sight outside Belfast City Hall since October 2007.

Now, SDLP Derry City Councillor, Mark H Durkan, has said the “big wheel” should be relocated in Derry.

Legal drug mephedrone could be banned within weeks, the Northern Ireland Health Committee has been told.

At an urgent session tabled by the Committee, a drugs official told members that the issue is being regarded by the government as high priority.

The committee chair, Jim Wells, said he was concerned that the legal high wont be banned in the Republican until June.

Mr Wells said people in North would still have the opportunity to cross the border and by the drug, even if its banned in the UK within a few weeks.

The former Financial Director of Anglo Irish Bank has been released from Garda custody without charge.

Rathmullan born William McAteer – who was also the Chief Risk Officer at the bank – was arrested at his home in Rathgar in Dublin by officers from the Garda Fraud Bureau at 6.30 yesterday morning.

The 59 year old was questioned at Irishtown Garda Station as part of the investigation into alleged financial irregularities at Anglo.

Last week the bank’s former Chief Executive Sean FitzPatrick was also arrested for questioning and later released without charge.

A young man was driving almost naked with his trousers off when he careered across the road and crashed into an oncoming car causing severe injuries to a 69-year-old Derry man and his wife.

Later, Donegal Circuit Court heard today, Colm Nibbs celebrated his 30th birthday lying in a hospital bed beside the injured man, John Lynch, who was still unconscious.

Father of three Colm Nibbs, of Trentagh, Letterkenny, admitted careless driving on a bend on the N15 in the middle of Barnesmore Gap near Donegal town.on September 9, 2007, at 10.30 a.m..

Gda Sgt Iggy Larkin said Nibbs’ silver Peugeot 307 collided with the car driven by insurance agent Mr Lynch of Bundrana Road, Derry, who was travelling with his wife Ann.

Sgt Larkin said that witnesses said Nibbs was wearing no clothes at the time of the accident.

The court heard that Nibbs when driving  spilled drink on his jeans in his crotch area. He removed the jeans to put them near the heater and continued driving.

Judge John O’Hagan was told Mr Lynch could not attend court but a statement was read in which he said Mr Nibbs had not shown remorse and celebrated his 30th birthday in the bed beside him when he was not expected to survive.

Judge O’Hagan said he accepted Mr Nibbs wanted to write a remorseful letter to Mr Lynch but had been legally advised against doing so for fear it would be seen to interfere with a witness.

Nibbs was fined €500 and ordered do 100 hours community service, and banned from driving for a year.

The campaign against ‘head shops’ in Donegal is to escalate with a public protest march to be held next month.

The announcement was made at a public meeting  last night with the march scheduled for Saturday April the 3rd in Donegal Town.

A number of the so called ‘legal highs’ sold in head shops are due to be criminalised later this year but many feel that they will simply be replaced by other similar products.

One of those, Councillor Thomas Pringle, says the only solution is to ban the head shops themselves: