Failte Ireland has today announced the development of a forum which will focus specifically on spearheading and overseeing a 3-year development plan for tourism in the northwest region.

Failtre Ireland northwest is made up of business and political representatives along with tourism service providers.

The announcement comes as new figures show the number of trips to Ireland from overseas in May dropped by more than a fifth, compared to the same month in 2009.

Paul McLoone, Head of Operations with Fáilte Ireland in the North West; says with that in mind the new forum will have its work cut out:

Ireland’s Jason Smyth was placed a very credible fourth in the first of the men’s 100m semi-finals at the European Championships in Barcelona. The City of Derry unfortunately missed out on a final place. Smyth ran 10.42 to finish behind Britain’s Mark Lewis-Francis who later in the night went on to win the silver medal in the 100m final. The eventual winner of the event was Christophe Lemaitre of France. Smyth, who is partially sighted and the first Paralympian to compete at these Championships was almost getting more media attention in the mixed zone than French star Lemaitre after the semi final.

On reflection Jason says the championsips went well.
 

On Monday night the 26th of July, Glenties man Jim Mc Guinness was ratified as Donegal Senior Team Manager at a County Commitee Meeting. Mc Guinness has taken the job for a four year term.
On Wednesday Nights GAA Programme the new county boss spoke indepth with Tom Comack.

Part1
 

Part2
 

A High Court case which aims to force the government to hold the Donegal South West By Election will open today.

Sinn Fein Senator Pearse Doherty is taking the action.

A vacancy arose in the constituency after FF’s Pat The Cope Gallagher was elected a MEP in June of last year

The Government is expected to be represented in court today.

Senator Doherty hopes the action will force the Goverment to change its mind:

A Joint Oireachtas Committee has recommended that Udaras na Gaeltachta retain responsibility for employment and development of gaeltacht areas, as well as taking on new responsibilities in the area of planning and housing.

The recommendation comes amid speculation that the agency might lose some of its development role to Enterprise Ireland as part of a cost cutting programme.

However, Donegal Udaras representitive Cllr David Alcorn says the agency remains firmly committed to guiding the development of gaeltacht areas, and at their first meeting with new ministwer Pat Carey at the weekend, the whole board was adamant its role should not be diluted.

Battle lines are being drawn ahead of this morning’s crunch meeting between health unions and management at Letterkenny General Hospital. The hospital is running €8 million over budget, and senior HSE management say measures must be taken to claw that money back.

That will inevitably mean curtailing services, closing wards and reducing the hours of temporary staff.

Unions say they will not stand for such proposals, and will act to protect their members, and the people of Donegal. They’re seeking a meeting with TDs, Senators and health campaigners tomorrow to discuss a coordinated response to whatever comes out of today’s meeting.

The HSE says there is no alternative to cuts, Martin O’Rourke says that’s not the case.

Three children had to be taken to safety off the main beach in Bundoran, Co Donegal yesterday after getting into difficulty while swimming close to the waters edge.

Two of the children were taken to the shore by local beach lifeguards..

The RNLI lifeboat brought the third child to safety where all three received first aid and oxygen before being taken to Sligo General hospital.

The lifeboat was called out a second time yesterday when two adults in their mid twenties got into difficulties as they walked their dog on Roughey Walk.

The crew assisted the couple to safety.

Colm Hamrogue, from the RNLI in Bundoran, says it was a very busy day for them yesterday.

The Postmistress of Carrigans Post Office has finally spoken out about her ordeal, and the strain she is under because An Post are terminating her contract.

Bernie Moore, has run the post office in the border village for 30 years.

In February 2009, three armed raiders put a gun to her head and got away with one hundred thousand euro.

A couple of weeks later An Post told Mrs Moore they were terminating her contract as she failed to to follow security procedures.

But Bernie says there was nothing she could of done the day of the robbery.

The people of Donegal need to hold a mass rally aimed at resisting cuts at Letterkenny General Hospital.

Senator Pearse Doherty says that a large attendance would send a clear message to the government that the people of Donegal will not accept these cuts without a fight.

Yesterday, a number of staff members on temporary contracts contacted Highland Radio to say they had been told their jobs would go at the end of this month, although the HSE denied this.

Senator Pearse Doherty, says the people of Donegal need to pressurise the government in relation to these proposed cuts.

A number of Donegal County Councillors have stated that they are against the governments proposed long term leasing scheme.

Under the rent to buy scheme, councils will lease houses for five years from developers.

However, Cllr Marie Therese Gallagher, who raised the issue this week, says she believes this scheme is the government bailing out developers.

However, Cllr Jimmy Harte says while not perfect, at least the scheme ensures that people do get a house.

He doesn’t accept that the council and the government should be buying the houses themselves, saying that in his view, house prices may fall even further.