Donegal Senator Jimmy Harte has called on schools to talk to parents who haven’t recieved their Back to School Allowance yet.

There’s currently a backlog of 45 thousand applicants for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.

Many families who dont recieve the allowance will not be able to afford uniforms and schoolbags.

The Department of Social Protection has put on extra staff to process applications.

Senator Harte says he doesnt want to see parents penalised if their children turn up without a uniform next week………………..

The transport minister in the North has again expressed his commitment to the Derry to Coleraine rail link, but said he does not have the funding to upgrade the line.

Danny Kennedy met with Derry MLAs, MPs and councillors yesterday to discuss the future of the service….

Last week Mr Kennedy announced work on link would be delayed because of a lack of funding.

A full upgrade – costing £75m – will now not be completed until 2016-17.

Instead safety work will start next year. A third of passengers will be transferred by bus while the work is underway.

A meeting, chaired by the Mayor of Derry, Maurice Devenney was held yesterday.

The meeting was attended by Derry MLAs, MPs and councillors, as well as Tranport Minister Danny Kennedy.

Speaking after the meeting, Danny Kennedy said he simply didn’t have access to the necessary levels of funding to upgrade the Derry rail link.

Management at Donegal Airport have confirmed that Aer Aran will continue their flight to Dublin up until November.

It was confirmed yesterday that Logan Air has been awarded the new contract for the operation of the Donegal Dublin air service.

The new Donegal contract is for a three year period commencing on the 3rd November. The current Aer Aran contract will continue to this date.

And the Chairman of Donegal Airport, Michael McLoone, confirmed that anyone who has flights booked with Aer Aran after November 5th will be able to fly with Logan Air…..

The Bishop of Raphoe has said the catholic church is under pressure from the outside and the inside, but it will survive.

Dr Philip Boyce made his comments druing a novena at the basillica in Knock.

His comments come as the Abused Catholic Children Association of Ireland confirm it’s weekly protest in Dublin this week will be directed on Raphoe ahead of the expected publication of a key audit of how abuse complaints were handled.

In a sermon at the Basillica in Knock on Saturday last, Bishop Boyce said the church is being attacked from the outside by the arrows of a secular and godless culture, and rocked from the inside by the sins and crimes of priests and consecrated people.

He said the church in Ireland is engulfed in a spiritual dark night,  because some of those anointed to preach the word of God and to sanctify, were found to have betrayed the trust placed in them by innocent souls.

Bishop Boyce’s comments come ahead of the expected publication of the National Board for the Safeguarding of Children’s audit into how abuse complaints were handled in the Diocese of Raphoe.

Meanwhile, the weekly protest by abuse victims outside the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin his weekend will focus on Raphoe, to reflect the fact that many Donegal people will be in the capital for Sunday’s All-Ireland Semi Final.

Transport Minister Leo Varadker has confirmed that Logan Air has been awarded the contract for the operation of the Donegal Dublin air service. The other remaining PSO contract linking Dublin and Kerry will be run by Aer Arrain.

The new Donegal contract is for a three year period commencing on the 3rd November, 2011 with two return flights each day on the route.

The Kerry Dublin and the Donegal Dublin will involve an average subvention of E7.6 million per annum.

There’s been another suspicious fire in Inishowen, this one in the Hilltown area of Buncrana.

Shortly before half past three, a car was set alight outside an elderly woman’s home, two sheds containing farm machinery and a load of turf were also burned.

Chief Fire Officer Bobby Mc Menamin says it’s worrying that such incidents are continuing, and says if they continue, there could be a tragedy.

He’s been outlining what happened this morning………

A former Irish soldier and his co-accused, due to stand trial accused of being dissident republican gunmen, claim an alleged murder bid on a trainee police officer was a prank.

The 28-year-old ex soldier, Gerard James McManus, from Fernhill in Letterkenny and 35-year-old Kevin Barry Nolan, from Main Street in Blacklion, deny attempted murder.

The men were returned for trial to Belfast Crown Court.

The men were detained by undercover police, during a shooting incident in the border town of Garrison in Co Fermanagh on November 21 2009.

Both are also charged with possession of a gun with intent to endanger life, while McManus of Letterkenny also faces a further charge of using a gun to resist arrest.

But the pair say they only meant to scare the young policeman and that they were put up to “the prank” by a police agent.

Having heard legal arguement the judge remanded both men back into custody after granting them each legal aid certificates for two counsel

The City of Culture Company in Derry is calling for a rail platform to be built at City of Derry Airport.

The company chairperson, former Mayor Martin Bradley, says it’s “nonsense that visitors to the city should not be able to avail of a direct rail service.”

He also called for a meeting with Transport Minister Danny Kennedy over cuts to the budget to upgrade the rail line.

The calls come as the current Mayor Maurice Devenney prepares to chair a meeting in the Guildhall to discuss the rail situation this afternoon.

A prominent Donegal anti-drugs campaigner says the issue of people driving under the influence of drugs is being completely ignored in the road safety debate.

PJ Blake says that while news of stricter laws on drinking driving are to be welcomed, he feels nothing is being done to address the issue of drug driving.

Mr Blake says that it is a very serious issue that is being completely overlooked:

Three Outpatient Clinics have been cancelled at Letterkenny General Hospital this morning after what’s been described as unprecedented numbers attending A&E overnight.

The 20 bed overflow ward is full, with a number of patients now being accomodated in Outpatient department.

As a result, the medical clinics of Dr Steele, Dr Mohommad and Dr Oshodi have been cancelled.

Patients due to attend clinics this afternoon will be notified if there is any change to their appointments.

People are being urged not to attend A&E unless absolutely necessary.