City of Derry Airport has announced a new summer route to Paris.

Flybe will be flying to Charles De Gaulle Airport from Derry five days a week during the summer months.

It is hoped that the new route will bring in new visitors to Northern Ireland from Paris, as well as providing a gateway to Northern Europe for local travellers.

In February, Ryanair launched a new weekly service to Tenerife from the airport.

City of Derry Airport manager, Damien Tierney, said the Paris flight is an excellent service:

A case of Tuberculosis has been confirmed at Loreto Convent in Letterkenny, with HSE West offering screening to students and staff at the school.

The screening will begin on Monday of next week, weith parents invited to an information briefing at the school this afternoon.

The HSE is stressing the overall risk of transmission of the disease is low, and the screening is being offered as a precaution.

Dr Anthony Breslin is a Specialist in Public Health Medicine. he says parents shouldn’t be alarmed:

The new Mayor of Buncrana says there are a number of important events on the horiozon to help develop the town as a centre for business and tourism.

Cllr Michael Grant was speaking after he been elected to replace Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn.

Cllr Nicholas Crossan, who assumes the role of mayor in June under the inter party pact is the new Deputy Mayor, while the cooption of a new SF councillor has been deferred.

Cllr Grant had served as Deputy Mayor up to now, and says his priority weill be to ensure that projects which he and Padraig Mac Lochlainn had worked on are brought to fruition:

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has refused to drop the States appeal against Donegal South-West Deputy Pearse Dohertys High Court victory, that resulted in the by-election last year.

Last year the Sinn Fein Deputy successfully argued in the courts for a by-election in the constituency.

He won the by-election – and the subsequent General Election by a landslide.

However the new Government under Enda Kenny are going ahead with an appeal against Doherty’s victory in the by-election.

Deputy Doherty has described Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s refusal to withdraw the State’s appeal against his High Court victory as a waste of time and money:

Derry City Council has revealed a masterplan that will see at least nine million pounds spent developing the former landfill site at Culmore.

Most of the money will be spent on making the site safe and extracting methane gas, which will be used for electricity generation.

The works will also include landscaping and the development of a community and education building. The site was last used for landfill four years ago.

The mayor of Derry, Councillor Colm Eastwood says the project should take three years……………

Up to a hundred people who drive from Derry to work in Belfast every day may now be spared that round trip.

The Department of Social Development has announced the transfer of 95 jobs dealing with the state pension from Belfast to Derry.

According to Minister Alex Atwood, the process is set to begin this autumn and will be completed by spring of next year.

Foyle MLA Pol Callaghan says this is at least a start to decentralisation……

Solicitors acting on behalf of businessman Francois De Dietrich have issued a statement in response to financial allegations raised recently in the press and media.

The Financial Services Authority in the North has obtained a High Court order freezing over £20 million in assests in the name of Mr De Deitrich and his company ETIC Solutions. The FSA say they are believed to be behind an illegal investment scheme.

In January the High Court in Northern Ireland committed Mr De Deitrich to an 18 month prison sentence for failing to comply with a court order obtained by the FSA.

However, his solicitors, Madden and Finucane, say they stand firm in strenuously denying the claims of the FSA.

In the statement issued this afternoon, Madden and Finucane say they are actively pursuing their defence to the allegations, and the negative implications these have had on a number of levels.

The statement suggests there may be a racial motive behind this entire investigation, which has resulted in harassment, defamation of character, libel, slander, innuendo not to mention serious financial hardship for so many. Far from hiding and refusing to deal with the issues, as portrayed in sections of the media, they say they are actively conducting their own intensive investigations.

They say they will continue to fight back vigorously against the sanctions imposed by the FSA, and are commencing proceedings against certain journalists, media outlets and others who have inaccurately reported aspects of this case.

The statement concludes that they are not in fact being elusive and uncooperative, and attempts by ETIC Solutions to meet with and make additional funds available to the FSA have been rejected.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has announced the portfolios allocated to each of the party’s TDs today.

And Donegal’s two Sinn Fein Deputies have been allocated two of the most senior positions within the party in the Dail.

Donegal South-West Deputy Pearse Doherty will remain as Finance spokesperson for the party.While Donegal North-East Deputy Padraig McLaughlin has been allocated the portfolio of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Deputy McLaughlin said he is looking forward to the challange:

It’s hoped the Bay View Hotel can still be saved, despite a reciever being appointed last week.

The Killybegs hotel is one of the oldest in the county and was established in 1850.

A reciever was appointed by the Bank of Scotland last week, but management at the hotel are still optimistic of opening the 40-bedroom premises.

And newly elected Deputy Thomas Pringle, says he is hopeful that a deal can be struck and jobs can be saved…..

Buncrana Town Council meets this evening to select a new mayor, with current Deputy Mayor Michael Grant expected to be chosen.

The agendas also provides for the co-option of a new Sinn Fein Councillor to replace Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn, but we understand the party has not yet decided who that will be.

The first item on the agenda for tonight’s meeting is the filling of the causal vacancy following the election of Padraig MacLochlainn to Dáil Eireann.

However, we understand that Sinn Fein Cllr Mary Kelly will seek to have that deferred, with no final decision on who will be co-opted onto the council. Discussions are ongoing, but even if a preferred candidate were to be identified ahead of the meeting, they would still have to go before a convention.

The second item on the agenda is the election of a new mayor, with the expectation being that Deputy Mayor Cllr Michael Grant will be unanimously selected to see out the remainder of this term. That possibility is reflected in the third item on the agenda, the filling of any “consequential vacancy”.

So far, we understand there have been no discussions on a new Deputy Mayor ; it’s though members may meet informally ahead of this evening’s meeting to agree an approach before the special meeting gets under way.