Lifford Councillor Gerry Crawford, a paramedic by profession, says the closure of Lifford Hospital and cuts elsewhere would have a significant impact on the General Hospital.

He says pre election promises were made by the parties now in government, and they should be honoured.

Cllr Crawford says a year and a half after the threat of closure first emerged, there’s concern once again for the future of Lifford Hospital…….

Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle has expressed his dismay at the closure of the Library in Killybegs claiming that other council run libraries are now also under threat.

The library in Killybegs has closed as the council is prevented to employ another part-time librarian by the government’s recruitment embargo .

There are fears the same fate could await libraries in Ballyshannon, Lifford and Clonmany. – the library at Ramelton has already closed.

Deputy Pringle says council management must seek derogation from the recruitment embargo to allow new staff be employed:

There are further concerns over the future of Donegal’s three smaller Town Council’s this morning.

The Donegal Democrat quotes a local Fine Gael source who states that Buncrana, Ballyshannon and Bundoran town council’s could be abolished as part of the review of local government.

While there are fears Ballyshannon and Bundoran Town Counci’s could be under threat, only this month another source suggested that Buncrana would most likely be retained and strengthened.

Commenting at the time, the Mayor of Buncrana, Nicolas Crosson, said this was consistent with recent comments from the responsible Minister; Phil Hogan:

A Derry businessman has revealed details of how he and his family have been threatened at gunpoint in their Bridgend home.

The incident  happened at the property of Kevin Doherty at Carrowreagh on Sunday evening.

Three armed men broke into Mr Doherty’s home at 7.30pm.

Mr Doherty ,his wife and their 18-month-old daughter were held at gunpoint as the men searched the house.

Gardai say cash and cigarettes were taken from the house.

Kevin Doherty spoke extensively about his ordeal earlier on ‘The Shaun Doherty Show’:

It has been confirmed that NRA officials have allocated €545,000 to have the N56 between Falcarragh and Gortahork Re- Surfaced

In welcoming the confirmation local councillor Seamus O’Domhnaill stated “This funding represents a major boost to the Local Area of Cloughaneely as this work is very much needed. I am pleased that  through lengthy negotiations which I had over the last few months with both NRA Officials and the Council Roads section that this project has come to fruition’

This project will commence in the first week of December and will continue if needed into early 2012.

In total a length of 2.7 Kms will be fully resurfaced with Tarmacadam as well as any preliminary works along verges and ancillary works which are deemed necessary.

The project will begin at the Tulloghabegley Bridge in Falcarragh and continue into the village of Gortahork.

Community hospitals arcross Donegal could be under threat of closure according to an internal HSE document.

Lifford Community Hospital is under threat of full closure with the loss of 20 beds

Long-term care hospital beds at community hospitals in Buncrana, Ramelton and Carndonagh could be closed.

The hospital are on a list being circulated among HSE management  in a document which is reported to state that ‘all these units are currently being reviewed under viability and cost of care.

They are among 12 hospitals and 840 beds which face being shutdown across the country.

A defence solicitor yesterday claimed that Senator Brian O’ Domhnaill should also have  been charged in a case in which two men are accused of assaulting him.

Paudge Dorrian was speaking during a prosecution application to alter the name of a townland in summonses being prepared for a trial in a higher court.

He told Glenties District Court that the State was “playing little games” against defendants Jim Sharkey and Cathal O’Donovan to ensure proceedings couldn’t be taken against the injured party, Senator Brian O’Domnhaill.

The court was told the charges arise out of offences alleged to have been committed in a mini-bus after a night out.

An earlier court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions had approved the prosecutions against Sharkey and O’Donovan but decided there were to be no proceedings against Senator O’Domhnaill

Mr Dorrian submitted that the defendants couldn’t even take out a private prosecution against Senator O’Domhnaill because they had run out of statutory time.

Judge Paul Kelly rejected Mr Dorrian’s argument that the trial judge in the Circuit Court decide whether a townland name could be changed.

He granted the State permission to change the name of a townland in documents being prepared for the book of evidence which is expected to be served on January 10 at Dungloe District Court.

The case will then go to the Circuit Court.

43-year-old Jim Sharkey, with an address at Bayside, New York, and 42-year-old Cathal O’Donovan, with an address at New Eltham, London, are accused of assaulting Senator O Domhnaill and causing him harm near Gweedore, on August 22, 2010.

© Highland Radio 2011

A woman fought back tears as she told a judge yesterday of a vicious attack by a teenage girl who only knew her to see and stole her handbag, mobile phone and passport.

29-year-old Sarah Kerr, said that she was set upon violently by 17-yearold Nicola McLaren in Main Street, Milford.

Ms Kerr told Glenties District Court that she was hit, kicked and on the ground screaming for help but nobody was there.

Her head was held against the window of a pub and she thought her head was going to go through the window.

Soon afterwards a person she knew intervened. Ms Kerr added that but for that she believed she would have been killed, probably murdered.

McLaren, now 21 and the mother of two children, one a four month-old baby, was arrested by gardai by arrangement at the border in Bridgend, a few hours before the court hearing after she was earlier arrested on a European warrant by the PSNI.

She admitted robbing Ms Kerr on June 15, 2008, of her handbag, mobile phone, Irish passport and €20 cash.

The court heard that since then she had a string of convictions in Northern Ireland, including for possession of offensive weapons and assault and had served a six-month jail term.

Judge Paul Kelly was told she carried out the Milford attack after drinking 12 bottles of Carlsberg.

Defence solicitor Patsy Gallagher said McLaren, now cared for with her four-month-old baby in a Derry shelter, was sorry for her “stupid, horrendous and unbelievable thuggery” committed in a very small County Donegal town when she was in addiction.

She came from a deprived background, had “a wake-up call” with her recently-served jail sentence, and was in counselling for her addiction..

Judge Kelly remanded McLaren, of Shepherd’s view, Derry, on bail to Letterkenny District Court on January 9 and ordered a Probation report which he was told the Republic’s Probation service will prepare in liaison with the Northern Ireland authorities.

© Highland Radio 2011

A pub run by an All-Ireland football captain was still open three minutes before 2 a.m. but raiding gardai were told clients were waiting for taxis home although fresh drinks had just been poured for them, a court was told today.

Anthony Molloy, Donegal captain when the county won it’s only All-Ireland title in 1992, admitted his first after-hours offence at his Central Bar in Ardara on December 11 last year and his barmaid Geraldine Curley admitted aiding and abetting.

Judge Paul Kelly said at Glenties District Court if Mr Molloy paid a €200 donation to the Vincent De Paul Society he would apply the Probation Act. Ms Curley was also given the Probation Act.

The Donegal Domestic Violence Service are to recieve funding from the Government for a purpose built shelter.

The current refuge had to turn away 33 women and 27 children last year as they didnt have enough spaces in their current refuge.

The Manager of the Centre, Fiona Doherty, speaking in todays Shaun Doherty Show, said with this funding, they’ll be able to help more people……