A resolution has been finally been found to the long running dispute at the Derry sorting office over payment rates fro the delivery of election leaflets.

Derry postal workers had voted not to deliver election literature because they had been offered less money for the job than workers elsewhere.

Foyle MLA Martina Anderson has welcomed the agreement in the long running dispute.

The Irish Drivers Association are urging the general public not to vote for any candidates in the next Donegal elections who doesn’t have a clear policy on VRT.

They are also demanding for the immediate termination of the tax, and they want any vehicles that have been seized to be released under the finance act.

Donegal Branch Chairman of the Irish Drivers Association, John Doherty, says all elected representatives in the County should be opposed to VRT.

Donegal County Council has had a heated discussion on the approval of a new policy on processing grants for disabled people and the elderly.

Last year, the council suspended the acceptance of new applications after it emerged the amount allocated had exceeded the budget available.

In October, the council began accepting applications again, with applicatants warned that they would be dealt with under the new policy, whenever it was agreed.

There are currently 147 such applicants on the books.

The most controversial of the policy changes is that applications for the elderly now be accepted only from persons over 66, as distinct from 60, as was previously the case.

The changes, which have already been accepted by the housing SPC, were accepted by the council. by a narrow majority.

Acting Housing Director Liam Ward says there is now 4.6 million euro available, and the priority is to help the largest amount of people

Fifteen parishes in the Derry Diocese will have no priest in 15 years time, a priest as said.

Fr Michael Canny of St Eugenes Cathedral blamed the falling numbers joining the priesthood.

And Fr Canny says it’s going to be hard for the Catholic Church to attract people to join the priesthood, especially in light of recent child abuse allegations.

[podcasthttp://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/frcan.mp3[/podcast]

The Donegal Association in Dublin has been honoured by Donegal County Council at a civic reception in Lifford this afternoon.

A large crowd from Donegal and Dublin gathered for the function at county house.

Mayor Brendan Byrne said it’s a well deserved honour on the 75th anniversary of the association’s foundation.

Tony Dunleavy is President of the Donegal Association, which raises money for several Donegal charities, as well as hosting the annual Donegal Person of the Year event.

This year, the association is closely involved in the Donegal Live event, a promotion which takes place in Dublin on the 16th of next month.

Tony Dunleavy says it’s an event with a lot of potential.

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Finn Harps Chairman, Joey O’Leary, has appealed for supporters to get involved in the day to day running of the club and describes the future for the club as “pretty bleak” if more people aren’t willing to come on board to help.  O’Leary is one of only five members on the current board and is actively seeking to bring on two new members – a Finance Officer and an Operations/Facilities Officer.
Harps held a Special General Meeting in Stranorlar on Sunday in which the Shareholders ratified changes to the clubs constitution, but the main item on the agenda was to discuss an emergency plan to address the clubs increasingly difficult financial situation.
The board feel that they need in the region of €300,000 between now and the end of the year just to see the season through and in the current climate that will be difficult to achieve.

Former garda commissioner and Donegal native Eamonn Doherty has died following a long illness.

The 86-year-old passed away on Saturday morning at the Beacon hospital, south Dublin.

Originally from Donegal, Mr Doherty joined An Garda Síochána in 1943 and spent 45 years in the force, retiring in 1988.

He was the first member of the force to train with the FBI in the US and was also the first training officer appointed to the new Garda Training Centre at Templemore in 1964.

He was commissioner from November 1987 to December 1988. On retirement, he was the government’s nominee to the EU Task Force on Drugs.

He also chaired the Doherty Commission which led to the transfer of Air Sea Rescue Service from the Irish Air Corps to the Irish Coast Guard.

In 2006, he received the Ireland Medal Award from the Royal Life Saving Society for his work on the commission.

In 1987 he was Donegal Man of the Year and Irish American of the Year in Chicago.

He was also a patron of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association and had been chairman of Cospoir, the Irish Sports Council.

His funeral Mass will be held at the Church of St Paul of the Cross, Mount Argus, Dublin, at 11am tomorrow, followed by burial at Mount Venus Cemetery.”

Four new members have been appointed to the Donegal VEC on the basis of nominations received after the positions were publically advertised last year. The new members were appointed by Donegal County Council following a secret ballot of the membership this afternoon.

Two women and two men had to be appointed today following a lengthy process which saw two rounds of nominations and two consultative meetings of council.

The two female members appointed today are Mary Ellen Orpen of Letterkenny, who was nominated by the Donegal Women’s Network, and Marietta Herraghty of Downings, who was nominated by the Moville and District Family and Resource Centre.

The two males appointed are Peter Cutliffe from Illistrin, who was nominated by the Friends of Letterkenny General Hospital, and Oliver Mc Devitt, who was nominated by Ionad Lae Baile na Finne.

Four new pre-fab classrooms are to be provided for St Eunan’s College in Letterkenny. The new rooms are intended to ease pressure on the school, which has applied for a comprehensive extension under the Capital Building Programme.

This year, the college confirmed it is limiting its new student intake from September, an indication of the lack of space in the college at present.

Deputy Niall Blaney says today’s ammouncement should not affect the application for a major extension.

A new campaign to tidy up key tourist areas doesn’t go far enough, according to a major anti-litter group.

The Department of the Environment has set aside 1.5 million euro to help local authorities tackle rubbish in scenic spots and visitor areas, with Donegal County Council expected to benefit substantially.

However, Irish Business Against Litter says that major roads in the country are the responsibility of the National Roads Authority – who are failing in their job to maintain them.

The Chairman of IBAL Tom Cavanagh says there’s little point in cleaning up attrractions if the roads leading to them are filthy.