Donegal County Council is to begin developing a new halting site at Elaghbeg in Inishowen with work due to start early next year.

The new site will eventually replace the site at Lisfannon outside Buncrana.

Buncrana Town Manager John Mc Laughlin has told concillors that a legal dispute over ownership of part of the Elaghbeg site has yet to be resolved, but the rest of the site can be developed while that issue is outstanding.

He says consultation will get underway immediately…….

A Donegal father has been jailed for seven and a half years for sexually abusing three young girls in his daughter’s bed while they were on sleepovers at his house.

44 year old Martin McCurdy of Emmet Park, Castlefinn, Co Donegal had pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting the then 13 year olds on separate dates between February 2006 and January 2007 at his home.

The allegations came to light when one of the girls became distressed after seeing a photo of the accused and revealed to a friend what had happened to her. Later that day two of her friends also disclosed they had been abused.

Martin McCurdy’s sentencing hearing heard that all three of his victims suffered from extreme emotional distress following the abuse and one girl made a “serious attempt” at suicide, damaging her liver in the process.

The court heard the girls wished to waive their right to anonymity so McCurdy could be publicly named.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy called the offences “squalid” and “obnoxious” due to the young age of the victims – he also noted the man showed no signs of remorse.

He sentenced McCurdy to a total of seven and a half years in consecutive sentences and ordered he be added to the Sexual Offenders Register. He had reduced the sentence from ten years after taking into account McCurdy’ s work history and family support.

Donegal County Council has agreed to issue reminder notices for those who are liable for the second home tax.

This year, for many the first reminder the got about the tax was 3 months after it is due.

It is claimed many were unaware that the new deadline was earlier this year and are now being told that they owe, not only the 200 euros but also 20 euros per month that they are over.

Councillor Dessie Larking is Chairperson of the council’s  housing and corporate SPC:
 

The Donegal Mayor has confirmed that she will not be travelling to the US for St Patrick’s Day next year and will instead invite dignitaries to visit Donegal.

Councillor Cora Harvey made the announcement in the same week as a Donegal County Council meeting was adjourned when a row broke out over a trip by the Mayor to Boston.

But Councillor Harvey says the two issues are not related and chose the state she was staying home for St Patrick’s Day to quell growing speculation.

She says the decision is in line with Sinn Fein policy:

The High Court has granted an injunction restraining a builder from cutting off sewerage services to Áras Uí Dómhnaill nursing home.

The home, which  has 32 residents, is in receivership.

The interim order was granted by Ms Justice Mary Laffoy against John O’Donnell, Ballyherrin, Kilmacrennan, Letterkenny,and Kilmac Formwork Ltd of the same address, to receiver Declan Taite.

Declan Taite said the defendants had claimed they had a 2007 agreement with the operator of the Áras Uí Dómhnaill nursing home in Milford that they would be paid €500,000 for providing a connection to a new sewage treatment plant they had built on adjoining lands.

That money had not been paid and they were now threatening to sever the connection, it was claimed.

Yesterday, Mr Taite was granted an injunction restraining Mr O’Donnell and Kilmac disconnecting, impeding or interfering with the sewerage system.

Buncrana Town Council is urging people to consult with planners before submitting applications.

It follows refusal of a planning application for the change of use of an apartment into an office in an area of the town.

However, Cllr Peter Mc Laughlin told the council monthly meeting that the applicant told him the development was to been the precurssor to the creation of up to 15 new jobs, which may now be lost to the town.

Planner Martin Mc Dermott told the meeting the council has indicated to the applicant that there were specific issues, but they can be addressed and he believes a resolution can be found.

He confirmed the applicant had not sought a pre-planning meeting and both he and Town Manager John Mc Laughlin suggested applicants should seek meetings, particularly if there are development and employment issues involved.

Cllr Peter Mc Laughlin says it would be a tragedy if jobs were lost as a result of a planning decision, and he hopes the situation can be rectified:

The mother of a man who killed himself after being discharged from a hospital psychiatric unit where he went following a deliberate overdose has sued the HSE, alleging it failed to provide adequate care to her son.

Reported in the Irish TImes it is claimed that Michael Orpen had attended the Emergency Department of Letterkenny General Hospital and the Department of Psychiatry there on the night of November 14th 2006 after taking a deliberate overdose of 50 tablets.

He received some treatment and was discharged early on November 15th, it is claimed.

It is claimed that Mr Orpan was later assessed at the Parview day hospital at Letterkenny General Hospital and again discharged.

That evening, November 15th, he left his home and was reported missing on November 16th, the following day,on November 17th, he was found dead in his car off Bruckless Pier in south Donegal.

It is alleged there was a failure to properly treat Mr Orpen, failure to recognise he was clinically depressed and required hospitalisation, and failure to alert his family. The HSE has denied negligence, breach of duty or contract.

His mother Ellen Ann Orpen from Dunkineely says she should have been told by the hospital her son had attempted self harm as there was a history of suicide in the family.

Cross examined by Hugh Mohan, for the HSE, Ms Orpen said she was not aware of any low moods by her son or if he required treatment for depression before attending the hospital.

The hearing continues.

Donegal County Council officials are to examine the possibility of implementing a number of new Community Employment Schemes through FAS.

The issue was raised in the chamber this week by Cllr Ciaran Brogan who says many improvements are needed in the county which could be done through CES schemes, and there are plenty of people willing and able to do the work.

He says if the council shows imagination and makes a strong case to FAS and the government, then much can be achieved.

Cllr Brogan says there are thousands of people on the Live register who want to work:

A man had to be rescued off Creevey Pier in Ballyshannon yesterday after it was reported that a man was seen in the water.

The casualty had been thrown from his boat when the steering wheel broke.

He was spotted by two local fishermen who raised the alarm with the coastguard and then the Bundoran RNLI lifeboat was tasked to the scene.

Speaking after the rescue, Colm Hamrogue, Press Officer for Bundoran Lifeboat says the man had a very lucky escape.

Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh is in Belfast to meet Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford and PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott.

Deputy Mchugh is Fine Gael North-South Cooperation Spokesperson and Justice Spokesperson.

On the agenda will be Security and policing concerns in the Border region and in Northern Ireland, Justice and legal issues of common interest and the re-emergence of the threat posed by paramilitary forces