The Green Party says it wants a General Election in the second half of next January.

The leader of the Junior coalition party says the Irish people feel betrayed and misled, and it’s time they were given the chance to decide who will run the country.

However, he says, before gong to the country, the Green Party believes three things must be done to safeguard the future prosperity and independence of the Irish people.

These are producing the four year plan, delivering the budget and securing funduing from the IMF and EU.

Once that is done, John Gormley says, the Green Party wants an election……….

Police in Derry have come under attack during a security alert in the city.

30 families were evacuated from their homes overnight after a pipebomb was found at Cromore Gardens.

Missiles, including bricks and fireworks, were thrown at PSNI officers working at the scene.

A 17-year-old youth was arrested and charged in connection with the disorder.

Islanders go to the polls in the Donegal South West by-election today, with polling stations on Arranmore, Tory, Gola, Inishfree and Inishboffin opening at 10.30 this morning.

Voting will close on Arranmore at 7.30 this evening, and on the other islands at 3 o’clock this afternoon.

A St Johnston man says Donegal County Council is trying to put himself and his family on to the street.

Donegal County Council went to court to put a final stay on the home of Joe Lynch, because his house has been built a number of nmetres from where the original planning permission stated.

The matter will be raised at Buncrana Court again on Wednesday.

Mr Lynch says he is at his wits end, and will not be taken out of his home in Carrickmore alive.

He acknowledges that he is technically in the wrong, but says he has tried everything he could to resolve the situation, but the council will not listen.

The 45 year old truck driver who also sells potatoes, says he was told by his builder that he had to push his house back from the nearby River Foyle which flows right up to his front garden. Pictures of the surrounding fields show them heavily flooded in the winter months.

He claims he had no choice, and if he had built the house to the letter of the planning then he would be standing in three feet of water.

After objections were raised when the house was completed in 2003, Mr.Lynch applied for, and was granted retention planning by  Donegal County Council, subject to a number of conditions.

However, An Bord Pleannala refused permission for the development.

The receiver appointed to Michael McNamara & Company, has put its main assets up for sale.

Declan Taite, of Farrell Grant Sparks, has invited offers for the business and for its assets.

Work on the new emergency department at Letterkenny General Hospital has ground to a halt as a result of the company going in to receivership.

Declan Taite has invited offers for the company’s assets that include substantial work in progress sites, large premises in Dublin and Galway, plant and machinery and motor vehicles.

The company was well advanced in the construction of the new emergency department at Letterkenny General Hospital, however it is not clear how the assets sale will effect that project.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen says the money has been allocated to finish the department but said that how it would be finished was for the determination of  NAMA.

Michael McNamara & Company went into receivership following a legal action by NAMA as part of its efforts to recover the millions owed to Irish banks.

Declan Taite has already closed down the company’s sites and laid off half of its 110 staff.

The asset sale is the next part of the process to recover as much money as possible to pay off the debts Mr McNamara owes. He personally owes about €1.5bn.

Fine Gael Donegal South-West by-election candidate, Cllr Barry O’Neill has said that comments made yesterday afternoon by Brian O’Domhnaill in relation to cancer services expose how out of touch the Fianna Fail candidate is.

Senator O’Domhnaill said during a debate on Highland Radio that his party is committed to providing a cancer centre of excellence in Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

Barry O’Neill says the government plans are for a radiotherapy service  and not a centre of excellence.

And says Senator O’Domhnaill has no consideration for the facts and should know his parties own policies

Fine Gael will hold a Dail vote on protecting Ireland’s 12.5 percent Corporation Tax rate next week.

Party leader Enda Kenny says there are genuine fears the Fianna Fail/Green coalition will sacrifice the low rate as part of bailout negotiations.

Speaking to Highland Radio news, Deputy Kenny says that cannot be allowed happen:
 

Deputy Kenny also called on Sinn Fein to clarify it’s position on Corporation Tax and state whether it will back Fine Gael’s Private Members Debate on the issue.

Respinding Sinn Fein Councillor Padraig MacLoughlain said the fine Gael was mischief making and that Sinn Fein will be backing Fine Gael’s motion on the issue:

The Minister for Social Protection says people should ‘pray’ that the finances of the country improve.

Eamon O’Cuiv says the next three weeks, due to the government’s budget and  four year year recovery plan , are crucial for Ireland’s future.

Speaking on the ‘Shaun Doherty Show’ Minister O’Cuiv said that not everything is in the control of the government and people should pray that things improve:

It’s emerged that thousands of polling cards which has been printed for next Thursday’s Donegal South West by-election have had to be scrapped, because the polling times listed on them were wrong.

Polling on November 25th is between 7am and 10pm, but the cards which have been printed said 7.30 to 10.30.

A spokesperson for the returning officer said printing the cards is a matter for Donegal County Council. So far, the council has not issued any statement.

The North West of Ireland has been named European Golf Destination of the Year.

The award was announced last night in Valencia, Spain by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators.

The award was presented to North and West Coast Links Golf,  which represents 12 of Ireland’s premium clubs, including Ballyliffin, Rossapenna, Portalon, Narin Portnoo and Royal Portrush.

John Mc Laughlin is General Manager of North and West Coast Links, he says this is a good news story for the hotel and wider tourism sector………….