Deputy Richard Bruton is in Donegal campainging with Fine Gael byelection candidate Barry O’Neill.

He says that policy’s that their party intend to introduce will have a positive impact on Donegal:

Indpendent by-election candidate Ann Sweeney is calling on the Green party to withdraw its support for government and by doing so, force a General Election.

Ms. Sweeney is also urging the Health Minister Mary Harney and the other indpendents supporting the government to do so.

She says the people of Ireland should be consulted before any budget is passed:

The Special Criminal Court in Dublin has reserved judgment in the trial of three Northern Ireland men arrested during a garda investigation into dissident republican activity who are accused of IRA membership.

Ms Una Ni Raifeartaigh SC, for the State, has told the court that the prosecution case was not solely reliant on the belief evidence of a garda Chief Superintendant, but consisted of different “strands” of evidence which weighed against the accused men.

Ms Ni Raifeartaigh said that items found in a car used by the men, including an imitation firearm, latex gloves and cable ties, assisted in proving their membership of an unlawful organisation.

She also said that this evidence, taken in conjunction with the men’s failure to answer material questions in interview and witness evidence contradicting their claims of having travelled to Donegal to seek work at a nightclub, demonstrated the prosecution had proven its case against each man beyond a reasonable doubt.

46-year-old Gerard McGarrigle of Mount Carmel Heights, Strabane, 58-year-old Desmond Donnelly of Drumall, Lisnarick, Co Fermanagh, and 61-year-old Jim Murphy of Floraville, Enniskillen, have each denied membership of an illegal organisation styling itself on the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, on February 22 last.

The court heard that the three men were arrested at a garda checkpoint outside Letterkenny in the early hours of February 22. The accused men told gardaí that they had driven to Letterkenny in the hope of securing security work at the Golden Grill nightclub.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, said the court would give its verdict in the case at a later date.

A senior garda in Inishowen has renewed a garda appeal for information about an apparent hit and run at The Mullins outside Carndonagh between 4.30 and 5 o’clock on Sunday morning.

A pedestrian was found on the side of the road by an ambulance crew which was transporting another person to Letterkenny General Hospital.

Inspector David Kelly has confirmed an ongoing investigation has found debris at the scene, and while repeating a public appeal for information, he says gardai are particularly interested to hear from anyone in the garage or motor trade who may have noticed anything suspicious………

Councillors in Inishowen have asked County Manager Seamus Neely to put the application for Moville Greencastle sewerage scheme on hold pending an independent review into progress on the scheme, partricularly over the past 10 years.

At an oral hearing in Redcastle last year, the council’s experts were questioned by an oceanographer hired by the Campaign for a Clean Estuary in Moville. He argued that critical information was missing from a modelling report that was presented as part of the application, and that effectively renders the model obsolete.

Now, after being presented with a breakdown of costs at an area meeting last night, councillors want the issue examined.

Cllr Padraig Mac Lochlainn says the review must be carried out from somebody outside of the council……

Donegal South West Independent Candidate Cllr Thomas Pringle is backing a campaign for radical change to the Common Fisheries Policy, and will travel to Brussels next month to meet with Fisheries Commissioner.

Cllr Pringle is travelling with a deputation from ROSA, the “Reclaim our Seas Alliance”, which invoves a number of  fishing groups from the Ireland, Scotland, England and France.

The alliance argues that EU member states with an interest in particular fisheries areas should decide the right policy for those areas.

Cllr Pringle says the Common Fisheries Police is based on a status quo that works to the detriment of Ireland………..

Donegal Senator Cecilias Keavney says it’s vital that specific commitments are given for the upgrading of roads linking Lifford to Letterkenny and the Twin Towns.

Senator Keavney raised the issue of the A5 and connecting routes in the Seanad last night. She was told by Junior Minister Sean Haughey that payment schedules have been agreed for the Irish government’s contribution to the A5 Derry to Aughnacloy route, planning for which is on schedule.

However, when asked for a commitment on connecting roads in Donegal, he said budgets are tight and prioritisation is a matter for the NRA.

Senator Keavney says that’s not good enough…………

As polling day, November 25th, fast  candidates have been vocal on a number of issues. Below is a selection of some of the issues raised:

Donegal South West Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill today welcomed confirmation that following a meeting that both himself and Cllr Seamus O Domhnaill had with the Minister for Transport,  Noel Dempsey TD that €540,000 has been allocated from the National Roads Authority for the Road at Murroe Junction in Dunfanaghy towards Falcarragh.

Senator Ó Domhnaill said; “I warmly welcome this funding which will complete the upgrade works on the N56 from Dunfanaghy to Falcarragh and the works include resurfacing (Bitumen) and relining. “

“I am very pleased to have been in a position to ensure that this funding has been allocated and I understand that the work will begin on Monday 29th November and will be carried out by Mc Caffrey Contractors.”

Councillor Barry O’Neill raised the concerns for the fishing industry:

Speaking today (Tuesday) from Killybegs, Fine Gael bye-election candidate, Cllr. Barry O’Neill, reaffirmed his Party’s commitment, when in Government, to getting the fishing industry back on its feet by ending the criminalisation of fishermen for minor breaches.

“Ireland is completely out of step with all the other maritime jurisdictions in Europe as we rely exclusively on criminal sanctions for sea fisheries offences. This means fishermen are being criminally penalised for minor or technical violations which are dragged through the courts at great expense. This is having a seriously damaging affect on the fishing trade in places like Killybegs and the entire west of Donegal, with the industry at a standstill for much of the year because of the way fishermen are being treated.
Councillor Thomas Pringle also raised the issue of fishermen:

SW Donegal Independent Candidate Thomas Pringle is travelling to Brussels in December to meet with Fisheries Commissioner, Ms Maria Damanaki.  Pringle will travel as part of the international group Reclaim our Seas Alliance (ROSA)

The Independent has been working with ROSA – an alliance of fishing groups from the Republic of Ireland, North of Ireland, Scotland, England and France – for some time now on the issue of the Common Fisheries Policy.

The EU Commission is ‘reviewing’ the Common Fisheries Policy but ROSA members are proposing a strategy to halt the economic and social decline suffered by fishing communities caused by the CFP.   The new direction proposed gives Member States with an interest in particular fisheries areas the primacy of deciding the right policy for that area – by initiating a process immediately of repatriating control of policy, management and stocks to individual EU maritime member States.

ROSA contends the CFP has failed to support sustainability, match capacity with opportunity, establish clear and fair levels of compliance across the EU and has not engaged with the industry to improve policies.

A charity endurance drive from Malin Head to Cape Town has finally been completed.

Two Donegal men and a Tyrone man drove in their 4×4′s through sixteen countries in aid of the Donegal Hospice and The Foyle Hospice.

Jay Dolan from Lifford, Vincent Tully from Mannorcunningham and Gary Patterson from Castlederg set off on their gruelling trip six weeks ago.

Speaking to Highland Radio News from Cape Town, Jay Dolan, said it was a tough, but enjoyable trip:

A trawler which got into difficulty off the coast of Fanad in the early hours of this morning is been towed into Rathmullan by the Lough Swilly lifeboat.

The Galway registered “Glor na Dun”, with four people on board, lost all mechanical power in gale force winds. It arrioved at Rathmullan just after 11.30 this morning.

Joe Joyce is spokesperson for the Lough Swilly lifeboat………..