Gardaí are seeking to interview three people in relation to the murder of Andrew Burns who was shot dead outside a church more than two years ago, the Special Criminal Court heard.

Martin Kelly, who is charged with the murder of Mr Burns in Donneyloop in February 2008, made a brief appearance at the court yesterday.

The court heard that “very sensitive information” in relation to the murder investigation was contained in a voluntary interview given by Martin Kelly to two senior policemen in the North.

Superintendent Kevin English told the court that the murder inquiry was “very much alive” and gardaí had a very considerable part yet to complete.

36-year-old Kelly of Barrack Street, Strabane is charged with the murder of 27-year-old Andrew Burns at Donnyloop, Castlefin on February 12, 2008.

Mr Burns was found with gunshot wounds outside a church, by teenagers attending a nearby youth club.

Mr Kelly was charged before the three-judge non-jury court in March of this year, with the unlawful possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, in connection with the same incident.

Supt English told the court that Kelly was interviewed by gardaí at Letterkenny Garda Station on February 24 this year.

Subsequently he made contact with the PSNI and on March 11 he and Detective Superintendent Diarmuid O’ Sullivan interviewed Kelly in the North.

The court agreed to hand over one copy of the transcript of the interview to Kelly’s legal team as well as an audio tape and DVD of the interview but specified that no other copies should be made.

Kelly was remanded in custody until July 30 when his case will be mentioned again

The Community for a Clean Estuary for Moville has hit out at Senator Cecilia Keavney, after she issued a statement calling for progress on the Moville Greencastle Sewrage Scheme.

Senator Keavney said the delay in progressing the scheme is hampering development, and could lead to legal action being taken by the EU, as happened in Letterkenny.

However, local campaigner Enda Craig says that after consultation locally, a site was identified for a secondary treatment plant, but that was abandoned in favour of the controversial plan to build it in Carnagarve instead.

He says this was a political decision, and claims Senator Keavney was centrally involved in it:

A Councillor is bring forward a motion before Donegal County Council which he hopes will put an end to unfinished housing estates in the future.

Councillor Mick Quinn is proposing a number of measures include the review of the bond system.

A bond is paid to the council which can be spent if the contractor fails to meet stipulations set out in the planning permission, however in the current set-up, it has not been an effective way to force a contractor to finish an estate to the expected standard.

Councillor Mick Quinn says that if adopted, his motion would put an end to that and make contractors more accountable:

Senator Cecilia Keavney is calling for progress on the Moville Greencastle Sewerage Scheme, saying that delays in improving infrastructure are hampering development in the area.

A proposal to develop a treatment plant at Carnagarve as part of the scheme has been vociferously opposed locally, while confusion reigned for years over whether or not an Environmental Impact Study was needed.

At present, that’s in the hands of An Bord Pleanala, and the project remains stalled.

The Department of the Environment says Moville has a population equivalent of 2,000 discharging into freshwater and, as such, should have had secondary treatment of its waste water in place since the end of 2005.

Almost five years on, Senator Keavney says it’s not acceptable that the project is still only at the planning stage…………

The farmer – who shot dead a man for trespassing on his land – says he would consider the same action, if his life was in danger.

It follows the publication of the Home Defence Bill, which allows people to use ‘reasonable force’ against intruders to defend themselves, others or their property.

There’s been major public debate about defence in the home, since the case of Mayo farmer Pádraig Nally who killed Donegal native John ‘frog’Ward in 2004.

Mr Nally was jailed for six years for his manslaughter – he served 11 months before the Court of Criminal Appeal acquitted him after it was accepted he acted in self-defence.

Pádraig Nally says when you fear for you life, you will do anything.

Fine Gael has launched the party’s 9 point plan to support employment and economic development in the border region.

The plan, which Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh helped formulate, was launched Cavan in light of the recent announcement of job losses at Quinn Insurance.

Deputy McHugh says the plan suggest that job creation agencies and others north and south work together to attract jobs and investment in the border region.

He says tourism and foreign direct investment are key areas for job creation:

The American Ambassador to Ireland has said he’s optimistic legislation will be passed to address the issue of the undocumented Irish living in the United States.

Daniel Rooney was speaking during a visit to Donegal during which met with local public representatives and business leaders.

Mr Rooney says however that the problem of the Irish undocumented is complicated by the number of illegal immigrants from other countries living in the US:

Senator Pearse Doherty has proposed a radical change to how the elecoral system works in Ireland suggesting that the age at which people can vote and be elected to the Dail be reduced.

He was speaking at the MacGill summer school on the topic of Ireland’s electoral system and political culture and whether or not is should reformed.

Senator Doherty, who will contest the Donegal Southwest bye-election also called for the Seanad, in its current form, to be scrapped.

He says the whole system needs to be overhauled:

Meanwhile Minister Noel Dempsey addressed the summer school on the same topic.

Fianna Fail Councillors who wish to contest a selection convension were put on notice – Minister Dempsey says that regardless of what happens in the locality, it’s party HQ who make the decision:

The Foreign Affairs Minister Michéal Martin has defended the Government’s decision not to proceed with the Donegal South West by-election.

Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties – Minister Martin said the Government is faced with a choice of either preparing a difficult budget in the Autumn or running a by-election.

Sinn Fein is taking the Government to the High Court – seeking to force them to hold the election.

But Minister Martin says they will eventually do it:

Fine Gael has defended its decision to accept corporate donations from bankers and builders who owe money to NAMA.

It follows newspaper reports of a Fine Gael fundraiser the K-Club attended by construction industry bosses and bank chiefs.

The party’s director of elections Phil Hogan says Fine Gael will oppose plans by the Government to introduce legislation banning corporate donations.

Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties – he said the party makes no apology – and offers no favours in return for accepting corporate gifts: