:: News In Brief

Burst water main in Inishowen 11.08.20
Irish Water and Donegal County Council wish to advise customers in Fahan, Burnfoot, Bridgend, Burt, Killea, Newtowncunningham and surrounding areas that their water supply has been impacted as a result of a burst water main.
It is expected that the repairs will be completed by 5pm but some customers may not receive a full water supply for a further two to three hours while reservoirs refill and water returns to the network.
The Irish Water customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278. For updates please see the water supply and services section of their website.

Missing Person Appeal, Milford 10.08.20
Gardaí in Milford are seeking the public's assistance in tracing the whereabouts of Seamus McCarney, 34 years, who is missing from Ramelton, since Friday, 7th August, 2020.
Seamus is originally from Omagh but was visiting Ramelton with family and was last seen in Milford town on Saturday morning, 8th August, 2020 at approximately 9:30am.
He is described as being 5'9", with short brown hair and a beard, of medium build with brown eyes. When last seen Seamus was wearing black tracksuit bottoms, black tracksuit top, black shoes and a black Nike peaked cap.
Anyone who knows of Seamus's whereabouts or can assist Gardaí in locating him are asked to contact Milford Garda Station on 074 91 53060, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

Expressway 32 Letterkenny / Dublin bus service 07.08.20
From Sunday, 9th August, Bus Éireann will run an additional Expressway 32 service, seven days a week between Letterkenny and Dublin, serving Lifford and Monaghan. The coach will depart Letterkenny at 5.45pm and depart Dublin at 10.45pm. Online booking is available at www.expressway.ie and a number of seats are available on a ‘walk up’ basis for people unable to book online.

Artlink Members Show 21.07.20
This years Artlink Members Show 2020 will be held at VSG a virtual replica of the Saldanha Gallery in Fort Dunree, where Artlink has hosted the members show since it’s inception in 2015. It will be curated by a panel of Artlink studio artists and members may submit up to three artworks. Deadline for submissions is Wednesday 22nd July at 11pm. The exhibition will open with a live online event on Sunday 2nd August 2020. For more information please view the video below or visit www.artlinkonline.ie .

Local Property Tax in Donegal 16.07.20
Have your say on varying the rate of Local Property Tax in Donegal. Donegal County Council is inviting submissions from members of the public on proposals to vary the basic rate of Local Property Tax in Donegal in 2021. The Council is keen to hear views and opinions on any proposal and in particular on the potential effects of any variance on households, individuals, businesses, and on council services.
Further information, including a list of frequently asked questions, is available on www.donegalcoco.ie .
The deadline date for receipt of submissions is the 21st August 2020. Submissions should be made in writing, by email to LPT@donegalcoco.ie or posted to Donegal County Council, LPT Submissions, County House, Lifford, Co. Donegal.

Lough Foyle Ferry Service 15.07.20
The Greencastle to Magilligan ferry service commenced on Friday 3rd July and will run until at least Wednesday 30th September 2020. The daily service will start from Greencastle at 9am with a continuous shuttle service until the last sailing departing Magilligan at 8.15pm. For more info visit www.loughfoyleferry.com .

Pollen levels expected to rise 10.07.20
The Asthma Society of Ireland is today warning the 9,926 people who have both asthma and hayfever in Donegal to take precautions as pollen levels expected to rise this weekend. The Pollen Tracker on www.asthma.ie  provides an update of pollen levels across the four provinces each day and a predictor of the pollen levels for the following day.

Gardaí conduct pub checks 08.07.20
An Garda Síochána have conducted checks of licenced premises nationwide in relation to adherence to the public health guidelines. This follows concerns from Garda management, the public and industry representative bodies that some licensed premises and their customers have not been adhering to the public health guidelines since the re-opening of licensed premises. The public health guidelines are in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Update: Gardaí visit 6,830 pubs 10.07.20

Review of hosepipe ban 07.07.20
Following recent heavy rainfall and improving river and ground water conditions Irish Water is reviewing the need for the Water Conservation Order, more commonly known as the hosepipe ban.
The National Water Conservation Order was put in place on the 9th June and was expected to remain in place until 21st July. It was issued in a bid to safeguard water supplies for essential purposes, in particular water needed for sanitation purposes during the COVID-19 crisis.
Update: Hosepipe ban lifted 09.07.20

Carndonagh Recycling Centre 01.07.20
Donegal County Council is delighted to announce that in association with Bryson Recycling there will be a half price bulky goods two week promotion, from 6th - 18th July, at the Carndonagh Recycling Centre.
Bulky Goods such as mattresses, sofas, 3 piece suites, carpets etc will be all ½ price during this period. Further details on the event can be found on Donegal County Council’s social media platforms.

Water outages in Inishowen 20.06.20
Irish Water and Donegal County Council wish to advise people in South Inishowen that their water supply may be impacted as a result of essential water main repair works taking place on Monday, 22 June, 2020 from 8am to 6pm. This work is being undertaken to safeguard the drinking water supply and reduce leakage in the area.
The works will affect customers in Fahan, Cristlamore, Inch, Brunfoot, Bridgend, Newtown, Moyle, Whin Hill, Burt and surrounding areas.
It is expected that the repairs will be completed by 6pm on Monday evening but some customers’ supply may take a further two to three hours while water returns to the network.
The Irish Water customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278. For updates please see the water supply and services section of their website.

Buncrana Harbour dredging 17.06.20
A dredging campaign will take place at Buncrana Harbour from Wednesday 17th June to Friday 26th June 2020. MV Otterbank will carry out plough dredging daily from 7am to 8pm. Access to the pier and movements within the harbour will be restricted during these works and all other harbour users and boat operators are asked to exercise caution while manoeuvring within the harbour.
This is essential work to ensure the safe operation of the harbour for all users and to enable any necessary rescue launch by the RNLI Lifeboat for the safety of those at sea.
All necessary and appropriate Covid-19 protocols will be strictly adhered throughout the process. The work will be supervised by Donegal County Council.

Donegal has the most Blue Flags in Ireland 12.06.20
Donegal County Council welcomes this week’s announcement by An Taisce that 12 beaches and 2 marinas in the county are receiving Blue Flags. As a result Donegal now tops the charts as the county with the most Blue Flags for 2020. In addition 4 other beaches will also receive Green Coast awards.
In Inishowen, Culdaff and Stroove beaches and the marina at Greencastle received the Blue Flags. Donegal County Council encourages the public to enjoy our award winning beaches this year. However, it asks that all are mindful of the ongoing need to respect social distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette in relation to COVID-19. The restrictions have delayed the deployment of lifeguards for the summer season but the Council plans to commence lifeguarding in the coming weeks.



Guidelines for the safe re-opening of the tourism industry 12.06.20
Fáilte Ireland has published sector specific operational guidelines for the tourism industry to ensure the safe re-opening of tourism businesses on June 29th. They provide detailed advice on the necessary systems to be implemented in order to instil public confidence and reboot business while adhering to public health advice and Government protocols.
The guidelines are live on Fáilte Ireland’s dedicated COVID-19 Business Support Hub at https://covid19.failteireland.ie .

Echoes of the Decade History Project 05.06.20
Reach out to your family and become an amateur historian from home.
The Echoes of the Decade Project by Donegal County Museum and Donegal County Archives is running an online history project while Covid 19 restrictions are in place. Let’s use this time to share our past. We are looking forward to seeing your stories of Donegal.
To get involved visit the Echoes of the Decades page on Facebook.

Games and experiments for children at home 04.06.20
Teagasc has developed a range of engaging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activities and fun games for children currently at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ever wondered about how to make instant ice, water rainbows or extract DNA from a strawberry? Then this online content is for you. For more details, visit www.teagasc.ie .

Burst water main in Muff 19.05.20
IRISH Water and Donegal County Council wish to advise customers in Muff that their water supply has been impacted as a result of a burst water main. It is estimated that up to 100 properties may be affected by this unplanned outage in the Drumhaggart and Soppog area.
It is expected that the repairs will be completed by 3.30pm today.
The Irish Water customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278. For updates please see the water supply and services section of their website.

Traffic wardens return to work 18.05.20
DONEGAL County Council traffic wardens will return to work with other outdoor workers today, Monday 18th May, as part of phase 1 of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.   
For an initial transition period, from the 18th of May to the 7th of June, enforcement of Pay and Display offences will remain suspended. During this period traffic wardens will concentrate on the enforcement of road traffic offences i.e. illegal parking on disabled bays, double yellow lines, loading bays and on footpaths.  
From the 8th of June it is intended that traffic wardens will return to normal duties, including the enforcement of both Pay and Display and Road Traffic offences.
As a result of the measures introduced to curb the spread of COVID-19, many holders of annual and bi-annual car parking permits were restricted from using these permits. However, the validity period of all current annual and bi-annual car park parking permits has been extended by 8 weeks to compensate for this.

Covid-19: Business Financial Planning Grant 16.05.20
As part of the Covid-19 Business Response recently announced by the Government, Enterprise Ireland has announced that it will administer a Business Financial Planning Grant to specifically support domestic focused companies as well as a Sustaining Enterprise Fund for small enterprises.
Worth up to €5,000, the Business Financial Planning Grant will assist companies to develop a Business Sustainment Plan and to engage the services of an approved Financial Consultant when applying for funding. By having a financial plan in place, a business will be better positioned to understand its immediate financial position, manage costs and identify the finance it requires.
Additional supports available from Enterprise Ireland to help Covid-19 impacted businesses include:
• A €2,500 LEAN Business Continuity Voucher
• The Sustaining Enterprise Fund for Small Enterprises
For further information, please contact Enterprise Ireland Regional Office in Letterkenny on 074 91 69800 or by email on startup.borderregion@enterprise-ireland.com .

Burst water main in Greencastle 15.05.20
Irish Water and Donegal County Council wish to advise customers in Greencastle that their water supply has been impacted as a result of a burst water main. It is estimated that up to 500 properties may be affected by this unplanned outage in the Drumaweir area.
It is expected that the repairs will be completed by 4pm today.
Irish Water understands the inconvenience when a burst occurs and thanks customers for their patience while we work to repair the burst and restore normal supply to impacted customers.
The Irish Water customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278. For updates please see the water supply and services section of their website.

Irish Water repair burst water main in Urris 07.05.20
Irish Water wish to advise their customers in the Urris area that their water supply has been impacted as a result of a burst water main. It is estimated that up to 500 properties may be affected by this unplanned outage.
It is expected that the repairs will be completed by 4pm today.
The Irish Water customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278. For updates please see the water supply and services section of their website.

Irish Heart Foundation launches phone support service 30.04.20
A national phone support service to help newly discharged stroke survivors make the transition back home in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic has been launched by the Irish Heart Foundation in conjunction with the HSE’s National Stroke Programme.
The check-in service is a ground-breaking response to significant reductions in community supports for stroke survivors resulting from both illness and the redeployment of large numbers of healthcare professionals to help tackle the COVID-19 emergency, coupled with earlier than usual discharge of many patients from hospital.
The Irish Heart Foundation’s nurse support line is open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm to take calls and emails from people living with heart disease and stroke and who are concerned about the coronavirus. Call 01 668 5001 or email support@irishheart.ie .

Alzheimer Society National Helpline 29.04.20
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s National Helpline is expanding with a new free call-back service which offers people with dementia and family carers from anywhere in Ireland the opportunity to book a 1:1 session with a Dementia Nurse or a Dementia Adviser during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
People with dementia and their family carers who want to avail of this new service please contact the National Helpline to make an appointment which is open six days a week Monday to Friday 10am–5pm and Saturday 10am–4pm on 1800 341 341. Email at helpline@alzheimer.ie or via Live Chat at www.alzheimer.ie .

How much do you know about your family’s past? 27.04.20
Reach out to your family and become an amateur historian from home.
As a result of social distancing measures most of us are at home and separated from loved ones. Gathering family and local stories is one way we can feel closer. Donegal County Archives ask children and young people to reach out to grandparents or older people in the community who are confined to their homes. Download our questionnaire and advice sheet from the Donegal Archives website. Phone your grandparent and discuss one or two questions each day. Write down or record the interviews.
Resources are available on the Donegal County Archives website. These include interview questionnaires for children and adults and advice on carrying out interviews. There are also links to sources which will help you carry out family and local research.

Moville Community College magazine 16.04.20
Moville Community College has launched its 2020 school magazine. Due to the current COVID-19 containment measures, it's only available in digital format this year. Check it out here .

COVID-19: Teagasc launch helpline for farmers 08.04.20
A new Teagasc helpline to assist farmers with queries in relation to the current COVID-19 challenge has been set up. It was announced by Professor Tom Kelly, Teagasc Director of Knowledge Transfer: “Teagasc have put in place a dedicated helpline for farmers to get advice on the range of issues that they may face as they continue to do their essential work in maintaining the food supply chain. This helpline is open to all farmers for a range of farming issues they face on a day to day basis.”
The information helpline number is +353 76 1113533 and will be open from 9.30am to 12.30pm and from 2pm to 5pm Monday to Friday.
As usual, the Teagasc website www.teagasc.ie is a prime source of information on the full range of issues facing farm businesses. Teagasc clients should continue to use advisor mobiles and office numbers.

COVID-19 - RTÉ to air daily Mass from Letterkenny 19.03.20
In response to Covid-19-related restrictions on public gatherings, RTÉ will start, from Thursday 19th March, to air Mass every weekday at 10.30am from St Eunan’s Cathedral, Letterkenny, on RTÉ News Now. The broadcasts will continue at least until 29th March, when current public health measures will be reviewed by the Government.
Mass will be followed each day by a short religious message from representatives of Ireland’s other faith communities and Christian denominations.

COVID -19 - Information and posters 12.03.20
A checklist for business continuity planning has been updated in consultation with the HSE with specific references to COVID-19 and is available on the Local Enterprise Office website .



To access a copy of the COVID -19 Poster, click here .

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