A meeting is underway between management at Gallagher’s Bakery in Ardara and representatives of Uduras Na Gaeltachta to discuss yesterday’s announcement of at least 124 job losses.

With the parent company apparently intent on moving its frozen section to Dublin, focus is now on protecting up to 40 jobs in the Gallagher’s Fresh section of the business.

It is being sold off as a going concern.

A further 25 jobs opportunities are being offered through re-deployment opportunities in Dublin – but this employee says it is unlikely anyone would take up the option:
 

The Principle of St Eunan’s College in Letterkenny says three student alleged to have been involved in a fight which left one hospitalised, are not welcome back.

The three students were suspended following the incident in a car park of the town’s main street on Monday lunchtime – one student was taken to hospital with a face injury.

Speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show College Principle Chris Derby says the three are not welcome back at the college:
 

A review into the performance of the Western Health Trust has found that thousands of X rays went missing in Altnagelvin Hospital Derry last year.

As a result, thousands of patients have been recalled.

A number of departments at the hospital are affected including those who deal with chest complaints.

The SDLP’s Pol Callaghan is to raise the issue in Stormont today, he says there are serious questions over the performance of the Western Health Trust:
 

Dr.McKenna Cup
Fermanagh 0-11 v 2-11 Tyrone

Tyrone secured a second straight victory in the competition with a six point win over Fermanagh at Brewster Park on Wednesday night. Martin Penrose scored the opening goal of the clash with a penalty after 28 minutes. The teams were level at the break at 1-3 to 0-6 but Tyrone edged clear in the second half. Ciaran Girvan netted the second goal in the 40th minute. The north west county pulled away comfortably towards the end with  Penrose finishing on  a 1-4 tally.  Tyrone are now in the driving seat for a place in the semi finals.
After the game Martin Penrose spoke with Francis Mooney.
 

A Strabane man has said his two young sons could have been killed when they found a pipe bomb in his car on Monday morning.

Details have only now emerged of the incident, which happened at Springhill Park.

A neighbour removed the device.

The man says he is not involved in crime or anti-social behaviour, and does not understand why he has been targetted.

The Donegal based founder of the road safety organisation PARC says she is angry at the latest delay in the introduction of mandatory breath testing of drivers involved in fatal and serious injury collisions.

Legislation recently went through the Dail and Seanad which was aimed at introducing the measure by the end of this month. However,  it’s reported it has become one of a number of bills stalled by the latest political developments and the fast tracking of the Finance Bill, and the measures will now come into effect along with new drink drive limits at the end of September.

Susan Gray of PARC says the new bill was presented as a means of speeding up the introduction of mandatory, but it was in fact a watered down version of the bill passed last year which PARC was satisfied with.

She says former minister Noel Dempsey rejected amendments which would have closed a number of legal loopholes………..

Figures released which show children in Donegal have to wait up to four years for an orthodontist at Letterkenny General Hospital have been described as scandalous.

The issue was raised via a Parliamentary Question tabled by Deputy Pearse Doherty to the Minister for Health.

He was told that public patients in Letterkenny Hospital who need to see an orthodontist must wait a year for a priority appointment and over four years for a routine appointment, many are forced to travel to Sligo for treatment.

Deputy Doherty says The Tanaiste Mary Coughlan, who now has responsibility for health, must act to address the issue………

The owners of Gallagher’s Bakery in Ardara are being urged to reverse a decision to close some of its operations which will lead to loss of at least of 124 jobs.

A further 40 jobs are dependent on the company completing the sale of its Gallagher’s Fresh division.

Údarás na Gaeltachta approved a funding package for the company early last year, but it was not drawn down.

Udarus Bord member Senator Brian O’Domhnaill has confirmed that this funding remains available to them.

Uduras will meet with management of the company later today, Senator O’Domhnaill hopes they will reverse their decision to close…….

124 jobs are to be lost at Gallagher’s Bakery in Ardara.

Employees were told of the news during a meeting with management this afternoon.

Parent company Aryzta (formally I.A.W.S ) said deteriorating market conditions in Ireland and the UK meant the Cuisine de France bakery in Ardara is being phased out

The company says it hopes to save 40 jobs at the plant as efforts continue to sell the Gallagher’s fresh business – a further 25 jobs may be saved through re-deployement opportunities.

Tanaiste Mary Coughlan says efforts are on now to save as many jobs as possible:

Fine Gael Deputy Dinny McGinley says the job losses will lead to emigration:

Concern is growing for the future of Gallagher’s Bakery  in Ardara following confirmation that staff have been called to a meeting at 3 o’clock this afternoon. 190 people are employed at the plant.

It’s understood there’s been a review of operations at the Ardara plant by parent company I.A.W.S., which also owns the Cuisine de France brand. A new bakery has been developed in Dublin for Cuisine de France, with speculation that I.A.W.S. will move production of the Gallaghers and French Mill brands to Dublin as well.

There’s been no comment from the company, but Stephen Mc Cahill, Chairperson of Ardara Parish Council, says there’s a sense of  fear in the area today……..