The man expected to be named as the new Fine Gael Deputy Leader will be in Donegal on Monday next for a public meeting on how the party proposes to improve the health service.

Former Health Spokesperson Dr James Reilly will also meet with campaigners seeking to keep hospitals open in Lifford and Ballyshannon.

Dr James Reilly will arrive in Donegal on Monday afternoon, and meet with a number of health sector workers in Ballyshannon. he’ll meet with campaigners to keep the Ropck and Shiel hospitals open, and a;sp meet with representitives of the Save Lifford Hospital campaign.

The key event of Dr Reilly’s Donegal visit will be a public meeting in Kee’s Hotel, Stranorlar on Monday night, during which he will present the details of Fine Gael’s “FairCare” proposals. This is one of over thirty such meetings that have taken place nationwide since the party’s policy launch back in March.

Dr Reilly was Health Spokesperson when the meeting was arranged, and even though the front bench was dissolved earlier this week, party sources say they were anxious to press on with the Donegal engagements.

Dr Reilly is thought to be the most likely Health Minister in a Fine Gael led government, and many are now tipping him as the partys’s next Deputy Leader.

One of the victims of a group of brothers in Fermanagh has called for mental health laws to be changed. after a judge in Omagh today said the village of Donagh in Fermanagh had “an appalling secret” and faced a “tidal wave of abuse”.

The judge sentenced 60 year old John Michael McDermott, of Moorlough Road, Donagh to nine years imprisonment for 35 charges of sexually abusing children over 30 years.

Two of his brothers – mentally unfit to stand trial – were given lifetime sexual offences prevention orders.

61 year old James and 52 year old Owen Roe McDermott were banned from schools and playgrounds in the village and from having access to anyone aged under 16.

A fourth brother, 62 year oldPeter Paul Mc Dermott, killed himself after the start of his trial last month.

Their victims said the brothers had destroyed their childhoods.

One of the victims, who now lives in Donegal, says the judge did the best he could under the constraints of the law, but it’s now time the law was changed……….

Police in Tyrone say the van abandoned outside a police station in Augnacloy in Co Tyrone last night, contained a 300lb bomb.

The device failed to detonate and has been made safe by Army bomb disposal officers.

The bomb bid has been blamed on dissident republican terrorists.

The A5 has now reopened.

A school principal in Inishowen says he fears students doing their Junior and Leaving Cert exams may have been distracted this afternoon by the noise of rally cars on the roads outside the school.

Paul Fiorintini, Principal of Carndonagh Community School, says he’d been given assurances that there would be no disruption.

Leaving Cert students have taking Design and Graphics papers this afternoon, while Junior Cert students have been doing Home Economics.

Mr Fiorintini says his biggest fear is that the sound of the cars may have affected the students’ work……..

The Donegal International Rally gets underway this morning, with thousands of visitors in the county for what is one of the biggest events of the year.

Gardai are promising a significant presence on the roads over the next three days, and are urging people to obey marshalls at all times.

There will be road closures in place at various locations over the weekend, with the Lough Swilly Ferry saying it will be dedicated to foot passengers while town stages are being held in Buncrana.

Inspector Michael Harrison had this advice for anybody attending the rally .

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has confirmed that new legislation is being considered to have all jet skis registered, with compulsory training courses for jet ski operators also under consideration.

The issue was raised in the Seanad by Senator Cecilia Keavney, who said that jet skis have the potential to be deadly, and their use should be regulated by the state.

She said her decision to raise the issue was partly prompted by an incident on Glenburney Beach last month

Responding, Minister Dempsey confirmed that registration and training are being considered. However, he predicted any such measures would not be universally welcomed.

Five out of six people accused of sex assaults on a 13-year-old schoolgirl in South Donegal have now been convicted, with one man awaitiong trial in December.

One man was jailed a year ago for two years and three months on four counts of sex assaults on the girl in the South Donegal area.

Three others last week admitted sex assaults on the girl and they were remanded on bail for sentence later, while the fifth has found guilty in court yesterday.

Leo Forde, an apartment maintenance manager in Limerick,  lived in Rathnenney, Laghey, Co. Donegal, at the time of the offences on three consecutive nights in September, 2003.

Judge Gerard Griffin ordered him to be immediately placed on the sex-offenders’ register.

The young woman, who is now 20 years old, was in court sitting one seat behind Forde less than three metres to his left when she heard the verdict that the jury convicted him by a majority of 11 to one.

Forde, on his way out in handcuffs, accused her of lying in court about her age when they had an affair.

He admitted having sex with the girl but insisted he believed she was 17 years of age at the time.

However, the court had been told by investigating gardai the girl had been honest about her age.

Forde was remanded in custody until July 5th for probation reports.

Donegal County Council has issued an appeal to people in the county to conserve water, saying water levels in lakes and reservoirs are worryingly low.

People are being urged to report any leaks to wastage, and to avoid using the mains supply for washing cars or watering gardens.

The council says 2010 has been particularly dry in Donegal, with rainfall levels down more than 30% when compared with the same period last year.

As a result, a number of lakes used for water supplies are at a low level, and as a result the council is urging people not to use the piped water supply for activities such as watering lawns and gardens, washing cars and washing down yards.

Conservation has been identifies as a major priotity, with people urged not to leave taps or cisterns running, and to report any suspected leaks on water-mains.

The Council says it is continually working to eliminate losses and conserve water, and good progress is being made. Now, more than ever, the statement concludes, it’s important the whole community joins in that effort.

Enda Kenny will remain as leader of the Fine Gael party.

A meeting of the parliamentary party’s TDs, Senators and MEPS has opted to keep him at the helm.

It follows a challenge to deputy Kenny’s leadership by Richard Bruton.

Among those who spoke in support of Enda Kenny was Donegal South West Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley. Speaking to Highland Radio News after the meeting he said he believes the issue is now put to bed, and ther the priority now is to build the party back up as a credible, alternative government.

He says the meeting was a long one, at which all the issues were comprehensively discussed……….

Derry has made its final bid for the title of UK Capital of Culture 2013.

The bid team made a one-and-a-half-hour showcase to judges this morning at the O2 conference centre at Albert Dock in Liverpool, watched via a live online link by hundreds of supporters in the Nerve Centre, including local MP Mark Durkan.

Mayor Cllr Colum Eastwood who attended todays final presentation in Liverpool, told Highland Radio News afterwards that this week has been a very good one for Derry, and that was reflected in their pitch…….