Donegal County Council says it hopes a footpath at Drumboe Lower leading to the new  Finn Valley College will be finished by September 30th.

In a statement issued this afternoon, the council acknowledges that it would have been better to have had this work finished before new the school year.

However, the council says the contractor has started, and proper traffic management arrangements are being put in place for traffic and pedestrians.

The traffic management plan provides for one way traffic to operate on the uphill lane and is controlled by traffic lights. Pedestrians will be directed by cones and signs through a safe walking corridor. There may be intermittent delays while a house is demolished and construction of the footpath is completed.

On the delay in completing the work, the council says it originally intended to undertake the work by direct labour using its own work crews but due to a number of constraints had to arrange for an external contractor to carry out the work. That meant it had to issue tender documents, and allow time to award the contract, and that delayed the start of the work.

The estimated date for completion of the footpath is 30 September 2011, with the council saying this will be monitored regularly with every effort made to finish sooner if possible.

Today we continue our build up to Sunday’s clash in Croke Park between Dublin and Donegal…..

Neil McGee has been solid in defence for Donegal this year.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s game he said its nice to be playing inter county football in late August but added that Donegal will have to up their game against Dublin:

Leo Mcloone was another of the players  involved in last year’s defeat to Dublin in the All Ireland U21 Final.

This year the Noamh Conaill man has been dogged by injury but is returning to full fitness.

He is delighted to be in the fray once again with the senior side:

Donegal’s double All Star Karl Lacey has been having another tremendous season with the county.

The Four Masters man is hoping to notch up another win on Sunday:

Dermott ‘ The Brick’ Molloy has been more effective as an impact sub this season taking some crucial scores including the winning goal against Tyrone n the Ulster Semi-Final game.

He says this year has been amazing but that Sunday’s game will be the team’s biggest test:

Two men arrested over the attempted murder of a Derry civil servant five years ago have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

The suspects, aged 25 and 21, were arrested in the city on Wednesday.

Five men were arrested last month in connection with the attack.

Four were released on police bail pending further inquiries and the other unconditionally.

34-year-old Paul McCauley suffered brain damage when he was attacked by a gang at a barbecue in Derry in 2006.

A Derry Sinn Fein councillor has been suspended from the party following an allegation of assault.

Cllr Colin Kelly, who is in his 20s was suspended by the party following an allegation of assault by a member of the public. The party is examining the claim.

It’s not known if a complaint has been made to police.

The 17 year old youth who died after falling from a roof in Bundoran early yesterday morning has been named as Joe Olwill from Santry in Dublin. He had been on a surfing holiday with a group of friends.

It’s understood he was locked out of his apartment, and was trying to climb in the window from the roof when he fell.

He had been due to start sixth year studies in school yesterday.

One person has been charged and two are still being questioned by gardai investigating 11 suspected arson attacks in South Inishowen since July.

A 17 year old youth was charged at Buncrana Garda Station last night. He was released on bail, to appear at Buncrana District Court on the 8th of September.

A second man remains in custody in Buncrana, and is still being questioned.

Of the two men being detained at Letterkenny Garda Station, one man has been released pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The second remains in custody.

The four were among five men aged between 17 and 24 arrested since Wednesday – One was released without charge on Wednesday night.

A meeting of parents of students attending Finn Valley College will take place this evening, amid concerns that a dispute between the contractor and a sub contractor may compromise the school’s opening next week.

It had been intended that Donegal VEC would receive the keys tomorrow, and the school would open on Monday. However, parents have now been told it’s expected the school will open on Wednesday.

Tonight’s meeting at St Mary’s Parish Centre in Stranorlar will also consider the road safety issue after it emerged that footpaths leading to and from the new school will not be finished until mid October.

Speaking to Greg Hughes on the Shaun Doherty Show today, Parents’ Representitive Maggie Gilbert said they have very real and genuine concerns……….

A 17 year old youth has died after falling from a roof in Bundoran.

Gardai say at 2.30 this morning, they went to the Tirconnell Holiday Apartments on Station Road after being called by the ambulance service.

They say the 17 year old, from the Dublin area, was lying on the ground. Attempts were made to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardai say it appears to have been a tragic accident.

It’s understood the teenager, who had been in Bundoran with a group, was locked out of an apartment, and was trying to get in through a window when the tragedy occured.

Gardai investigating fires in Inishowen have arrested five young men  ranging in age from 17 to 24.

One was detained under Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act 1939 and the other four under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

A 17 year old male was released from custody at Buncrana last night the 24th of August and the other four remain in custody. Of the remaining four, two are in custody in Buncrana, the other two in Letterkenny.

Gardai say there have been eleven incidents of fires in Buncrana and its environs. The attacks have been random and some  have occurred in isolated rural areas.  Properties targeted included unoccupied buildings;  farm sheds, vehicles and a health centre.

The Chairperson of Finn Harps Football Club says the club must raise €30,000 through its current fundraising drive just to meet its targets for the current season.

Figures presented at an Extraordinary General Meeting last night showed income is well down on 2010. A public meeting following the EGM was told that the situation would be far worse if a number of committee members hadn’t put more of their own money into the club.

Appealing for public support for the club’s current fundraising initiative, Harps Chairman Joey O’Leary told Highland Radio Sport the situation is serious………..