The Minister for Health has ruled out a return of breast cancer surgery to Sligo General Hospital.

After a meeting with representatives from the Sligo area earlier  – James Reilly said the matter was still under review.

Junior Minister and Sligo-Leitrim TD John Perry admitted last week that it was a mistake to promise that breast cancer services would resume at Sligo General Hospital within 100 days of the Government taking office.

During the election campaign, Fine Gael promised to restore the service – while Labour said a ninth centre of excellence would be provided in Sligo.

Fine Gael Councillor Barry O’Neill said he would resign from the party if services were not restored during the term of this Government. It is not yet clear if he is to actually now tender his resignation.

A senior garda in Donegal says the level of property crime in Donegal is rising, and that’s a sign of the recession.

Inspector Pat O’Donnell was speaking on today’s Shaun Doherty Show as gardai renew their appeal for information about a robbery at the Dry Arch Filling Station in Letterkenny in the early hours of yesterday. He says on this occasion, the amount of money taken was not significant, and urged the owners of overnight establishments to keep as little money as possible on the premises.

Asked his advice to people who are threatened in such incidents, he said the number one priority must be to cooperate and protect their own lives……

With just a week to go before the deadline passes, Donegal County Council has said  that many of those who paid the NPPR charge in 2010 have still not paid the charge so far this year.

The Council is reminding people that they can still pay their 2011 charge, which remains at €200, up to 30th June without the addition of any penalties.

Last year the council collected over €3 million from the holiday home / second home tax.

From the 1st of July, anyone who has not paid the charge will face a €20 penalty for every month it goes unpaid.

A young woman has revealed how she lost grip of a man’s jumper just a split second before he was struck by a speeding rally car.

Richard O’Donnell, from Strabane,  was killed instantly as he tried to cross a country road during the Donegal International Rally in 2008.

An inquest into the 18 year olds’ death revealed how he had only jumped over a gate and was on a road for two seconds before being struck by the Fiesta SR rally car, which was traveling at speeds of up to 103kph.

Eye-witness Laura Cole had traveled to see the rally with the victim and some other friends.

They found a suitable location in a field in a townland called Ballyare, outside Ramelton on the 11th stage of the rally known as Carnhill.

However after he had watched the first 20 cars dive by, Richard O’Donnell decided he wanted to move to another stage at a different location.

Ms Cole revealed how she followed the victim who jumped over a gate as another friend called to him.

“A marshall blew a whistle and I grabbed Richard by his jumper to stop him going on. But I lost my grip on his jumper, and I heard another friend Gary shouting at him.

Chief medical officer at the rally, Dr Pauric Conneally, attended the victim but said Richard of Jefferson’s Court,  Strabane,  died instantly.

Coroner John Cannon said it appeared the victim was almost across the road and “on dry land” but turned back for some reason.

The jury found in accordance with the Coroner’s direction that death was in accordance with the medical evidence due to a road traffic accident.

A spokesperson for the O’Donnell’s asked the organisers of car rallies to assist spectators as much as they can.

A Donegal Deputy has called on the Minister for the Enviroment to ensure that if water meters are being installed in houses, local contractors get the work.

Fianna Fail’s Charlie McConalogue says while the installation of water meters   will not be popular, the government must take steps to ensure that any benefits from the work are secured locally.

He says that many Donegal people have have undertaken specialist training courses in water meter installation, and are ready to avail of any job opportunities in the event of metering going ahead.

Deputy McConalogue says its now up to Enviroment Minister Phil Hogan, to ensure they get the work……….

The government has said there is no money available to build three new fire stations in Donegal which the council says are required.

The Council has applied for funding for new stations in Bundoran, Ballyshannon and Glencolumcille with the last government indicating they would be going ahead.

The issue was raised in the Seanad last night by Senator Brian O’Domhnaill who outlined the importance of the new stations…….

Minister Phil Hogan was clear in his repsonse that no time frame for the stations’ construction can be given – He laid the blame at the feet of Fianna Fail…………

A young woman has told how she lost grip of a young  man’s jumper just a split second before he was struck by a speeding rally car.

Richard O’Donnell, from Strabane,  was killed instantly as he tried to cross a country road during the Donegal International Rally in 2008.

An inquest into the 18 year olds’ death revealed how he had only jumped over a gate and was on a road for two seconds before being struck by the Fiesta SR rally car which was traveling at speeds of up to 103kph.

Eye-witness Laura Cole had traveled to see the rally with the victim and some other friends.

They found a suitable location in a field in a town land called Ballyare, outside Ramelton on the 11th stage of the rally known as Carnhill.

However after he had watched the first 20 cars drive by, Richard O’Donnell decided he wanted to move to another stage at a different location.

Ms Cole revealed how she followed the victim who jumped over a gate as another friend called to him.

“A Marshall blew a whistle and I grabbed Richard by his jumper to stop him going on. But I lost grip on is jumper and I heard another friend Gary shouting at him.

Chief medical officer at the rally, Dr Pauric Conneally, attended the victim but said Richard of Jefferson’s Court, Strabane died instantly.

Coroner John Cannon said it appeared the victim was almost across the road and “on dry land” but turned back for some reason.

The jury found in accordance with the Coroner’s direction that death was in accordance with the medical evidence due to a road traffic accident.

A spokesperson for the O’Donnell’s asked the organisers of car rallies to assist spectators as much as they can.

A Donegal security company has put up a 500 euro award for any information that would lead to the arrest of those responsible for a violent racist attack on a security guard in Letterkenny.

On Friday night the security guard, who is originally from Ghana, was patrolling the Bernard McGlinchey Town Park in Letterkenny when he tried to move on a group of people who were drinking.

They refused and began to attack the man, spitting on him and using racial slurs.

Head of Orbit security, Martin Hilferty, is seeking the public’s help in tracking those responsible – particularly that of a woman who was along with the men when the attack took place.

The Government is accusing the Sinn Féin leader of scaremongering over the future of ambulance services in the North-West and West.

Gerry Adams has told the Dáil that people needing dialysis and cancer treatment will not be provided ambulance transport from the 1st of July.

But the Taoiseach’s insisted in the Dáil that no decision has been made.

Mr Adams then read from a letter stating money for the service has run out, and urged the Taoiseach to intervene…….

The Taoiseach again reiterated that no decisions have been made, and said meetings are taking place to address the situation………….

Donegal fighters Willie Mc Laughlin and Cathal Mc Monagle suffered defeat at the European Championships in Turkey this week. Mc Laughlin lost out in his quest to secure at least a bronze medal going down to a Georgian opponent on Tuesday. The Illies Golden Gloves man went down 28-21 in a cracking duel which was one of the matches of the tournament. McLaughlin booked his place in the quarter finals of the welterweights with two wins over the weekend. He won 12-8 on Saturday against a fighter from Holland and then on Sunday he beat a Croatian 20-14.

Letterkenny’s Cathal Mc Monagle who fights out of Holy Trinity in Belfast reached the last 16 of the super heavyweight division. On Saturday in his opening fight Cathal won a dramatic 75-74 countback against a fighter from Bosnia and Herzegovina following a 15 points draw. McMonagle’s tournament would come to an end on Monday when he suffered defeat at the hands of Anthony Joshua of England losing 22-18.