A day after it was annouced on Highland Radio that 30 jobs are to go at the Oatfield factory in Letterkenny, a local Councillor says that these job losses could spell the end of the factory.

Highland Radio News obtained a letter circulated to staff yesterday by the company’s board of management confirming the job losses.

Local Cllr Gerry McMonagle says its a huge blow.

Fingers cross for a good clear day because the annual, all-island whale watch takes place tomorrow.

Organised by Whale Watch Ireland, there are over a dozen viewing sites around the country including Lough Swilly in Donegal.

Watch leader in Donegal is Dermott McLaughlin, and he had this advice for people taking place in tomorrows watch.

A leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement has been charged with committing an offence under terrorism legislation.

39-year-old Gary Donnelly of Sackville Court in Derry, appeared at Derry Magistrates’ Court, on Friday.

The charge relates to three pipe bomb attacks in September 2009.

Gary Donnelly is accused of having a mobile phone in circumstances that lead to the reasonable suspicion that its possession was in connection with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

During the hearing, a detective constable told the court that the charge against the defendant related to claims of responsibility by the Real IRA on 11 September 2009.

He said the claims were about “two pipe bomb attacks and a punishment shooting” on that date.

The detective constable said the defendant was charged with the offence as a result of statements made by freelance journalist, Eamonn MacDermott, who received claim of responsibility and on the basis of extensive telephone inquiries.

Applying for bail, defence solicitor Paddy McGurk, said that one month after the pipe bombs and shooting incident, the police contacted Mr MacDermott and took a statement from him.

Mr McGurk said Mr MacDermott told the police that the person who made the phone call of responsibility was not Mr Donnelly.

He added that Mr MacDermott was again interviewed by the police yesterday.

During his interview, Mr MacDermott’s phone was seized.

Judge McElholm said before he made a decision on whether to remand Mr Donnelly in custody or release him on bail, he wanted to know if notes of Mr MacDermott’s interview with the police were available.

The hearing was adjourned until that has been established.

30 jobs are to go at the Oatfield Confectionery factory in Letterkenny.

Highland Radio News has obtained a letter circulated to staff today by the company’s board of management confirming the job losses.

In the letter the company says that it is with regret that they have to transfer the ‘boiling production’ from Oatfield in Letterkenny to its sister company Tilley’s in the UK

The letter states the transfer of the production will result in the loss of 30 jobs.

It says the decision follows a detailed strategic review of all the operating costs of the business.

The letter states that in recent years Oatfield has struggled to maintain profitability and blames rising manufacturing costs for the decision to move production to the UK.

It is understood 15 staff will be retained in Letterkenny  to continue the company’s toffee production.

The transfer will take place in mid October with company stating that it will now work with unions on a financial package and a range of support measures to help all affected staff.

The PSNI say they will return a SIM card to the Derry journalist whose mobile phone was seized, but they are holding on to his handset.

Eamon Mc Dermott’s phone was taken as part of an investigation into a bomb attack in the city last year for which he received the claim of responsibility.

He says while the return of the SIM card is a small step, he’s been without his contacts list since the phoine was taken, and that’s stopped him from doing his job………

The Mayor of Letterkenny says if more gardai are needed on the streets ofthe town, then thy should be provided.

Cllr Tadhg Culbert was speaking in the wake of a brutal attack on a retired nurse in Mc Clures Terrace las Tuesday afternoon as she walked to the shops. Anna Mc Daid underwent surgery to insert pins into a broken arm after she was attacked by a man who took her handbag.

Cllr Culbert, who knows the Mc Daid family was himself the victim of an assault some years ago. He says such incidents leave people afraid to go out, and that must be addressed………

Both Donegal County Council and the VEC are reporting 3rd level grant applications in excess of last year with intending students urged to submit applications if they haven’t already done so.

The date for which applications can be submitted for the next term was brought forward this year in an effort to avoid delays in students receiving their grants as has been the case in the past.

Figures obtains by VEC member Councillor David Alcorn show that already the council has received 301 applications while the VEC has recieved 1484.

He says a sizable percentage of forms submitted have been incorrectly or incompletely filled out, and he has this advice:

It has been confirmed that a new 200 square metre building is to be provided for Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada on Arranmore island.

The new building will house three new class rooms and will replace the current prefabs at the school which are said to be falling into a state of disrepair.

School principal Mary Doherty says great news not only for the school, but for the whole island……

The NUJ is calling for the return of a mobile phone seized from a Derry journalist yesterday.

Eamon Mc Dermott is a freelance journalist who regularly covers court sittings in Derry for several media outlets, including Highland Radio News.

He also writes about dissident republicans, and occasionally receives claims of responsibility for actions they have carried out. Six weeks ago, he was questioned about a claim he received regarding a Real IRA bomb attack on the car of a relative of a PSNI officer.

Yesterday, however, the phone was seized on foot of a warrant, even though he says they have been able to access his records remotely through his service provider.

He now says his livlihood is compromised because he has no phone.

The NUJ’s Irish secretary Seamus Dooley described the seizure as a threat to journalists’ rights to protect their sources’ confidentiality, and says there is a question mark over how possession of the handset can assist the specific investigation.

Mr Mc Dermott fears his contacts list will now be trawled through by the PSNI, and potentially used in a way which may endanger him.

Gardai in Letterkenny have renewed an appeal for information after a vicious daylight mugging in the town left a woman in Letterkenny General Hospital with broken bones and severe bruising.

Anna Mc Daid, a retired nurse, was violently knocked to the ground and had her handbag stolen in the attack at Mc Clures Terrace just off the High Road in the town at quarter to five on Tuesday.

Mrs McDaid’s arm was badly broken, her shoulder dislocated and left unconcious during the assult.

Her husband Joe McDaid says she spent much if yesterday in surgery. He’s been outlining how he heard about what happened………