SDLP Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey has said the community is horrified after a pensioner was held at gunpoint and robbed in his home in the Gobnascale area of Derry.

He said: “The people of the Waterside are appalled that an elderly man in their community has been brutalised in this way.

“The SDLP wholeheartedly condemn this attack and want to make an urgent plea to people in the area to be vigilant of those who are attempting to raise money before Christmas by instilling fear in innocent vulnerable pensioners.

“As a community we have a duty of care to try and keep our neighbours and friends safe, particularly at this time of the year, when many older people may feel lonely and isolated.

A number of Bus Éireann services in the and north west are experiencing delays today.

Bus Éireann will continue to monitor weather and road conditions throughout the day.

The affected services are:

1 Dublin-Belfast – delayed
32 Dublin-Letterkenny – delayed
33 Dublin-Derry – delayed

Donegal Sinn Fein Senator Pearse Doherty is to move from Seanad Eireann to the Dail after winning the Donegal South West by-election in emphatic fashion. He was declared elected after the fourth count, without reaching the quota. However, as his total vote exceeded the combined votes of the remaining candidates, Cllr Barry O’Neill of Fine Gael and Senator Brian O’Domhnaill of Fianna Fail.

Deputy Doherty finished with 16,897 votes, 316 votes off the quota

Distribution of Cllr Thomas Pringle’s 3,763 votes

Senator Pearse Doherty   SF      +1,709     16,897

Senator Brian O’Domhmaill FF  + 433       8.069

Cllr Barry O’Neill   FG    +869    8,182

As Pearse Doherty cannot be mathematically be passed, he has been declared elected.

Distribution of Cllr Frank Mc Brearty’s 3,375 votes

Senator Pearse Doherty   SF      +1,452       15,188

Senator Brian O’Domhmaill FF  + 278        7,636

Cllr Barry O’Neill   FG    +871       7,313

Cllr Thomas Pringle  Ind  +272    3,763

Cllr Thomas Pringle eliminated

Distribution of Anne Sweeney’s 133 votes

Senator Pearse Doherty   SF  +17       13,736

Cllr Frank Mc Brearty Lab +9    3,375

Senator Brian O’Domhmaill FF  +14    7,358

Cllr Barry O’Neill   FG   +18    6,442

Cllr Thomas Pringle  Ind   +53    3,491

Cllr Frank Mc Brearty eliminated

Electorate       62,299

Total Poll  34.908

Invalid Votes   484

Valid Poll   34,424

Quota   17,213

First Count

Senator Pearse Doherty   SF   13,719

Cllr Frank Mc Brearty Lab  3,366

Senator Brian O’Domhmaill FF  7,344

Cllr Barry O’Neill   FG    6,424

Cllr Thomas Pringle  Ind  3,438

Anne Sweeney Ind  133

Anne Sweeney eliminated

Speaking at the count centre in Stranorlar this morning, Senator Pearse Doherty said he is confident, but is taking nothing for granted until there is an official count…….

For Fianna Fail, the analysis of what went wrong now begins. Cllr Seamus O’Domhnaill, the brother of Senator Brian O’Domhnaill, says there is no doubt that national factors had an effect……….

Fine Gael are refusing to concede defeat. Although Cllr Barry O’Neill is well behind, his Director of Elections Deputy Joe Mc Hugh believes transfers will be absolutely crucial…….

Counting is continuing in the Donegal South West by-election.

Counting began at 9 o clock this morning.

Final and complete tally:

PEARSE DOHERTY 39.7%

BRIAN O’DOMHNAILL 21.2%

BARRY O’NEILL 18.4%

FRANK MCBREARTY 10.2%

THOMAS PRINGLE 10.1%

Counting is underway this morning in the Donegal South West by-election.

Counting began at 9 o clock.

The latest tallies with 72% of the boxes (out of 100) are as follows:

PEARSE DOHERTY – 39.8%

BRIAN O’DOMHNAILL 21.5%

BARRY O’NEILL 18.8%

THOMAS PRINGLE 10.1%

FRANK MCBREARTY 9.8%