Details

The exemption that allows over 70's to apply for a driving licence without the need to provide a medical report will be extended until June.

That has been announced today by the Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton T.D.

The Galway West Deputy says the move was made in light of the surge of Covid-19 cases and in order to ease the burden on medical services.

All eligible drivers will be contacted directly with an application pack allowing them to apply for a new licence by post.

Minister Naughton told Midwest News this will eliminate the need for over 70's to make an unnecessary journey to their GP, or to the NDLS centre.

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  • Feb 18, 2021

    Dog owners who fail to clean up after their animals should be DNA tested & fined, says Ballina Councillor

    People who fail to clean –up after they allow their dog to foul on public footpaths should be DNA tested and fined. That was the view expressed by Ballina councillor Annie Mae Reape at this week’s monthly meeting of Ballina Municipal District. The councillor…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    Just Eat introduces drone delivery services in Oranmore from today

    Just Eat, a food ordering and delivery service company, today confirmed that drone delivery will now be available to customers in Oranmore, Co. Galway. Powered by Manna, the world’s first aviation-grade B2B drone delivery ‘as-a-service’ platform, and…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    Mayo, among 15 Camile Thai new locations

    Thai food chain Camile Thai is to open 15 new outlets across Ireland and the UK, including Mayo, with the creation of over 300 jobs. 220 of the jobs will be based in Ireland, as the chain plans to open new outlets in Dublin, Cork, Mayo and Waterford. The…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    Mayo Senator welcomes choice for Leaving Cert students

    Students will have a choice between written exams and predictive grades for this year's Leaving Cert. The Cabinet sub-committee on education approved a model yesterday evening that will see all students offered predictive grades for each subject. They will…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    "Normal People" nominated for Broadcasting Press Guild TV and Streaming Awards

    Normal People is among the programmes nominated for the 2021 Broadcasting Press Guild TV and Streaming Awards. The TV show set in Sligo and Dublin, based on the novel by Castlebar author Sally Rooney, is up for best drama series. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    Slight improvement in Castlebar's air quality, following ban on smoky coal

    The Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has taken the first step towards a nationwide ban on the sale and burning of smoky coal. The Minister has launched a public consultation to seek views on the further regulation of solid fuel use for domestic home heating.…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    Minister hopes for phased reopening of schools from 1st March

    The Education Minister is cautiously optimistic schools can begin a phased reopening on the 1st of March. The plan is to bring back Leaving Cert students and the youngest classes in primary school first. Other classes are likely to follow around two weeks…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    Latest Covid-19 figures across Connacht

    The Taoiseach says health officials are 'hugely concerned' as the so-called 'UK variant' which emerged in December now accounts for 90 per cent of Covid-19 cases. It comes as the death toll from the virus exceeded 4,000 here yesterday, and more than 6,000 on…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    Cash and cannabis herb seized during search in Co Roscommon

    Gardai seized €18,000 in cash and a small quantity of cannabis herb during the search of a property in Frenchpark, Co Roscommon earlier this week. The search was carried out on Tuesday by the Roscommon / Longford Divisional Drugs Unit, as part of an…
  • Feb 18, 2021

    Two people due in court following Westport burglary

    Two people were arrested in relation to a burglary at a business premises in Westport on Tuesday night. Gardai have confirmed to Midwest News that a quantity of cash and some items were taken from the premises. A man and a woman, both in their 20's, were…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Leaving Certs 2021 to be given a choice

    This year's Leaving Cert will go ahead with a choice for students between written exams and calculated grades. Junior Cert 2021 has also been cancelled after a meeting of the cabinet sub-committee on education. Each student will be given a calculated grade…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Galway has second highest number of Covid cases nationally this evening

    The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 57 additional deaths related to Covid-19. 34 of these deaths occurred in February, 21 in January, 1 in December and 1 in November. The median age of those who died was 82 years and the age…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Funding needs to be secured for infrastructure around SDZ designated IWAK, according to councillor

    An application for capital funding to develop the strategic development zone (SDZ) at Ireland West Airport was proposed and approved this week by members of Mayo County Council’s Economic and Enterprise Special Policy Committee (SPC) meeting. Foxford based…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    4 people to be charged with breaches of Covid regulations in connection with Clifden Golf Dinner

    Gardaí have confirmed they're seeking to prosecute four people in relation to the organisation of last year's Golfgate dinner in Co. Galway. Two politicians are among the group that will be summonsed before the District Court facing allegations of organising…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    40 percent of students in Mayo have insufficient broadband, according to survey on Leaving Cert conducted by deputy Alan Dillon

    Mayo deputy Alan Dillon has published the key points of his survey for Leaving Certificate students in county Mayo. With over 520 respondents, almost 400 of whom were Leaving Certificate students the survey indicates a strong preference for a calculated…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Over 85s, as promised, will all receive Covid Vaccine in 3 week timeframe, according to Mayo deputy

    The government’s three week window to have all over 85 year olds in the community receive their first Covid 19 vaccination is on track and will be achieved, according to Mayo Fianna Fail deputy Dara Calleary. Midwest News is aware of many over 85 year olds in…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    LISTEN: No recognition for the work home carers do - The Tommy Marren Show

    We had a huge response to this very open and honest interview with Anne Marie this morning. She feels that there is no recognition for the work home carers do. "We are saving the state billions and propping up a faulty health service. I'm just looking for…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Green light for new Aldi store in Ballina

    Aldi Stores (Ireland) Ltd has secured the green light to develop a supermarket in Ballina. Conditional planning permission for the development has been secured from Mayo County Council. Colin Breslin, Regional Managing Director, Aldi Ireland, told Midwest…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Castlerea GP claims uncertainty over Leaving Cert affecting mental health

    The Government is hoping final plans for this year's Leaving Cert can be agreed this afternoon. The Cabinet sub-committee on education is due to be updated on the process by the Education Minister Norma Foley. Castlerea-based GP Dr Madeleine Ní Dhálaigh is a…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Increase in number of Covid patients at Mayo University Hospital

    The number of people in hospital with Covid 19 is continuing to decline. 861 people with the virus are in hospital today, with 151 of these patients in intensive care. However, there's an increase in the number of Covid patients being treated at Mayo…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Grants allocated for 16 swimming pools in Mayo

    Sixteen swimming pools in Mayo have been awarded grants today, in the second phase of the Covid-19 swimming pool grant scheme, to help maintain pools while closed. Sport Ireland, which administers the scheme, has announced total funding of €700,000, as pools…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Body of missing Mayo man located in Galway

    Gardai have called off the search for a Mayo man missing in Galway after his body was located. Public appeals were made for information on 38-year old Joseph Langan - a native of Lacken - who was missing from the Wellpark Road area of Galway since 26th…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Mayo TDs urged to support new Bill to ban dual pricing by insurance companies

    Sinn Fein will bring a Bill before the Dail later today, seeking to ban dual pricing when it comes to insurance premiums. Currently, insurance companies are allowed to charge a higher premium to loyal customers - and Mayo TD Rose Conway-Walsh says this…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Final plans for Leaving Cert expected to be agreed later today

    The final plans for this year's Leaving Cert are expected to be agreed this afternoon. The cabinet sub-committee on education is due to be updated by Education Minister Norma Foley on the process, in order to give clarity to the 60,000 or so students due to…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    New Covid cases could fall to 200 daily by March 1st, says NPHET

    The National Public Health Emergency Team is predicting a 70% drop in Covid-19 hospital admissions by mid-March if the country continues on its current path. It says the number could drop to 250 in less than a month - 813 people are currently receiving…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Mary Robinson "misled" in case involving missing Dubai princess

    Former President of Ireland, Ballina native Mary Robinson claims she was completely misled in the case involving a missing princess from Dubai. It's after Princess Latifa sent secret video messages saying she was being held hostage in her own country. The…
  • Feb 17, 2021

    Appointment of Aaron Forde as chair of Shannon Group will not be proceeding

    The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has announced he will not be proceeding with the appointment of Aaron Forde as chair of the Shannon Group. Yesterday, Minister Ryan had announced the appointment of the former Aurivo CEO as the new chairperson of the…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Galway records second-highest number of new Covid-19 cases

    A further 33 deaths have been recorded this evening from Covid-19. There's also 744 new cases of the virus - the second lowest in a single day this year. 301 of the cases are in Dublin, with 77 in Galway. Elsewhere in Connacht, 22 new cases have been reported…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Former Aurivo CEO appointed new Chairman of the Shannon Group

    Former CEO of Aurivo Co-op Aaron Forde has been appointed the new Chairman of the Shannon Group. A native of Co Cavan, Mr Forde has a track record at senior level with international leadership experience gained across Ireland and the UK. He was Chief…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Minister planning phased return to school next month

    The Education Minister Norma Foley has told the Cabinet she's planning for a phased return to school for all students next month. March 1st has been set as a target date, but talks with unions and other stakeholders are still ongoing. The Cabinet also heard…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    5 Star Ranking from Forbes Travel Guide for Ashford Castle Cong

    Forbes Travel Guide has just announced its Star Rating winners for 2021 and, for the second consecutive year, Ashford Castle is the only hotel in Ireland to achieve a Five-Star ranking in the annual honours list, the top rating possible and the ultimate gold…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    LISTEN: Pharmacist Mark Jordan talking about the new Covid-19 Vaccines.

    Mark Jordan is a Supervising Pharmacist in Ballina. He is also a PSI (Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland) council member which is an elected position and he writes many articles for various pharmacy publications including The Irish Pharmacy News. Mark has…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Another wind warning issued for tonight for Mayo, Galway & Donegal

    Another status yellow wind warning has been issued for Mayo, Galway and Donegal from midnight tonight. Met Eireann says southwesterly winds tonight will gust to between 80 and 100 km/h, highest in coastal areas. Where winds are onshore, there's a risk of…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Covid-19 hospital numbers drop to lowest levels since early January

    861 people with Covid-19 are receiving treatment in Irish hospitals this morning - the lowest number since early January. It's 6 percent down on yesterday's total, while it is 22 percent less than last Tuesday. In the past 24 hours there were 45 admissions…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Mayo GP calls for clarity on when vaccine supplies will be delivered

    A Belmullet GP is calling for clarity on when practices across Mayo will get Covid-19 vaccine supplies. Dr Fergal Ruane says the uncertainty means his Belmullet practice and practices across the region can’t plan clinics, staffing levels, or set vaccine…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Udaras welcomes IPSOS/MRBI decision to establish a presence in gteic@Béal an Mhuirthead

    Údarás na Gaeltachta has welcomed the decision by leading market research company IPSOS/MRBI to establish a presence in gteic@Béal an Mhuirthead. Two full time jobs will be created in Belmullet initially and IPSOS has announced that they are looking to…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Company to develop electric motors for boats in Achill secures research assistance

    A company that intends to set up its manufacturing base on Achill Island later this year is to collaborate with a UCD research team on the development of highly efficient electric motors for the marine industry. I-Form, the Science Fund Ireland Research…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Taoiseach defends locations of new Covid vaccination centres

    The Taoiseach is defending the locations of the new Covid-19 vaccination centres. 37 are to be rolled out nationwide, with at least one in every county. However, some local TDs are raising concerns that people will have to travel some distance for their…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Three say it hopes to have its services restored by tomorrow in Erris

    Three coverage in the Erris area is down since Saturday, and the company told Midwest News today that it may be tomorrow, (Wed) before the full service is restored. The company confirmed that due to high winds over the weekend, a mast is down in the…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    100,000 euro bill to reopen Ballina footbridge by May

    The pedestrian bridge over the river Moy in Ballina will not re-open to the public until May, and the cost of repairing the relatively new structure could be well in excess of 100,000 euro. That was confirmed today by the Manager of the Ballina Municipal…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Three coverage down in the Erris area since Saturday

    Three coverage in the Erris area is down since Saturday with no indication of when the telecommunications service will be restored. Listeners to Midwest News say that the service went down on Saturday last and remains down. When Three customers complained to…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    IWT calls on Oireachtas committee today to reduce the cost of using rail lines for freight

    International Warehousing and Transport, a company that runs daily freight trains from Ballina to Dublin is today making a presentation to the Oireachtas Transport Committee today calling for the cost of using the railway lines to be decreased. There's an…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    West Mayo national school fundraiser exceeds goal in one week

    A fundraising campaign to raise funds to complete the modernisation of Ballintubber National School in Co mayo has raised over €11,000 in a week. The target was to raise €8,000. In the region of €800,000 has been spent on the modernisation of Ballintubber…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Mayo personalities star in 'stay home' Covid-19 video message

    Midwest Radio presenter David Cawley and Erris singer Chantelle Padden are among a number of familiar Mayo voices featured in a new video message from Mayo County Council, urging people across the county to stay home and stay safe in the fight against…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Irish Water commits to refurnishing rusty Ballina pipeline by December

    Irish Water has committed to refurnishing 4km of rusty pipe at Currower, just outside Ballina. That was confirmed by Cllr John O’Hara, who says the news will be welcomed by some 40 affected residents along the network. The metal and rust coming off the old…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Legislation allowing mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals from 20 countries goes before cabinet later

    Legislation to allow for mandatory hotel quarantine for some people arriving into the country will go before the cabinet this morning. Under the plans anyone arriving from a list of 20 countries deemed high risk will have to isolate at a state facility. While…
  • Feb 16, 2021

    Hundreds of homes across Mayo and Galway without power this morning

    Hundreds of homes across Mayo and Galway are without power this morning following strong winds overnight. There are up to 800 homes without power in Belmullet according to the ESB powercheck app. It is currently unknown when supply will be restored to…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    No new deaths reported from Covid-19 today

    There are 821 new cases of Covid-19 in the Republic this evening, and no additional deaths. 333 of the cases are in Dublin. The second highest number - 91 - are in Galway, while elsewhere in the West, there are 17 new cases in Mayo, 10 in Sligo, 8 in…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Mayo TD calls for second vaccination centre for North Mayo

    Mayo FG Deputy Alan Dillon is calling for a second Covid vaccination centre for Co Mayo, to be located in the north of the county. While welcoming confirmation that Breaffy House Resort will be the primary vaccination centre for Mayo, Deputy Dillon says that…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Ashes being made available for take-away ahead of Ash Wednesday

    Parishes across the country are handing out take-away ashes for people to use on Ash Wednesday. Mass will be offered online in many churches around the country, with people applying the ashes themselves in their homes. Sachets of blessed ashes can be picked…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Gardai investigate theft of gates from Co Roscommon cemetery

    Gardai in Castlerea are investigating the theft of gates from a cemetery over the weekend. The gates were stolen from Rathmoyle Cemetery, which is located near Castleplunkett. The cemetery dates back to the early 1800's and is maintained by the local…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    N60 closed in Ballinlough and Castlerea from today to allow for roadworks

    Roadworks are taking place from today on the N60, both in Ballinlough village and in Castlerea town. In Castlerea, the main road is closed between Clonalis and Hell's Kitchen corner - which is the junction with the Frenchpark road. and this closure will…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    LISTEN: Laura & Pat are suffering with Long Covid - The Tommy Marren Show

    Some people have long-lasting symptoms after their Covid-19 infection, this has been dubbed "long Covid". Scientists are still researching long Covid. Tommy spoke to two listeners this morning experiencing long Covid. Laura is a student nurse in her final…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Breaffy House Resort Castlebar confirmed as the new Mayo Vaccination Centre for the county

    Breaffy House Resort in Castlebar is among the 37 locations / centres announced this afternoon nationally by the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. The 37 centres have been confirmed by the HSE, with at least one in…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    €33.5 million allocated for regional and local roads in Mayo for 2021

    €33.5 million has been allocated today for regional and local roads in Mayo for 2021. This is up from last year's €32 million allocation, and includes €17 million for restoration and improvement works, almost €5 million for maintenance and €1.3 million for…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Retired GP says most Mayo practices won't experience delays in vaccine rollout

    Over 85’s across Mayo can expect to receive their Covid-19 vaccines from today. That’s according to retired Ballindine-based GP Dr. Ken Egan, who says the age group should get their first inoculations before the 8th of March. The former IMO President says…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Man arrested in connection with 85,000 euro drug seizure in Ballinrobe yesterday

    Gardaí in Mayo seized €85,500 worth of suspected cocaine, and a further €1,400 in suspected cannabis in Ballinrobe yesterday (Sunday) Gardaí attached to the Mayo Divisional Drugs Unit made the detection at approximately 1pm when a man was observed retrieving…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Minister Rabbitte says 16,000 over 85s nationally will receive their first Covid jabs this week

    The rollout of the Covid vaccinations for the over 85s in the community is now underway, and according to Galway based Minister Anne Rabbitte, 16,000 will receive their first jab this week. The Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability,…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Wind warning for the northwest extended

    A Status Yellow wind warning has been extended to include Mayo, Galway, Sligo and Donegal. Met Eireann say south-westerly winds will reach mean speeds of 50 to 65km/h and gusts of 90 to 110km/h, with possibly higher speeds in exposed coastal fringes. Where…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Talks on plans for the Leaving Certificate continue later

    Talks between government and teacher unions on plans for this year's Leaving Cert will continue today. Confidential discussions were held over the weekend in a bid to reach agreement ahead of Tuesday's Cabinet meeting. One of the proposals being discussed is…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Vaccine rollout to Over 85's commences

    A major rollout of the covid vaccination programme is to get underway from today. Up to 80 thousand people aged over 85 will start getting the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines over the next 3 weeks. RCSI Professor Sam McConkey says if someone in the over 85 age…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Jobs boost for the Erris region

    IPSOS/MRBI is set to establish a presence in the Mayo Gaeltacht. The leading market research company will create two full time jobs at the Belmullet gteic hub initially, followed by a further 30 for a mixture of part and full-time positions in the greater…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    New Living with Covid Plan not expected to include reopening dates

    The government's updated Living with Covid plan will involve a staggered return of construction and schools but maintain a ban on indoor household visits and hospitality. The Irish Times reports the draft plan doesn't include dates for the reopening of…
  • Feb 15, 2021

    Status Yellow wind warning issued for Mayo and Galway

    A Status Yellow wind warning comes into effect across Mayo, Galway and Donegal tonight. Met Eireann say southwesterly winds will reach mean speeds of 50 to 65km/h and gusts of 90 to 110km/h and where winds are onshore there is a risk of coastal flooding…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Galway records one of the highest new case totals

    788 more people have contracted Covid-19, and 17 more patients have died. The youngest victim was just 50 years old. There are 899 people in hospital with the virus after 34 more people were admitted today -- with 160 receiving intensive care. All counties in…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Thousands of homes remain without power in Mayo and Roscommon

    Thousands of ESB customers remain without power this afternoon across County Mayo and Roscommon following strong winds. ESB say customers right across Belmullet, Crossmolina, Westport, Ballinrobe, Achill, Knockaphunta, Castlerea, Boyle and Ballaghaderreen are…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Leaving Cert students could return to school in eight days time

    Leaving Cert students could be going back to school on a phased basis from Monday week under new government plans. The Sunday Independent reports primary schools would return gradually from March 1st, followed by other secondary classes later next month. The…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Roscommon player shares in sizeable Lotto prize

    A lucky Roscommon Lotto player will share a prize of over €100,000 after coming within one number of last night’s Lotto jackpot which was worth €3,75m. The lucky player from Roscommon purchased their winning Quick Pick ticket at Mitchell’s Supermarket in…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Sligo native appears in court in connection with a large drugs haul

    A Sligo man appeared before court yesterday evening, charged in connection with an €8.2m drugs find in Co. Kildare this week. 49-year-old Eugene Mulligan with an address at Carrigans Upper, Ballymore, County Sligo, faces an allegation of possessing cannabis…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Thousands without power across North Mayo

    Thousands of ESB customers are without power this morning across County Mayo following strong winds. ESB say customers right across the Erris region, Newport, Crossmolina and parts of Ballina are affected. Crews are working to restore power but the weather…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Dedicated helpline at NUIG following Covid-19 outbreak

    Students at NUI Galway are being urged to contact the university if they feel unwell, or think they're a close contact, after a Covid-19 outbreak there. Helplines have been set up to assist students, and will be staffed from 9am to 9pm. NUI Galway also says…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Motorists advised to exercise caution on the roads this morning with Status Orange Wind Warning across the region

    Gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour are expected across the country today, with a status yellow wind warning in place nationwide. That's set to be upgraded to orange from 11am for Donegal, Mayo and Galway, where coastal flooding is possible. Motorists are…
  • Feb 14, 2021

    Gardai investigating a number of burglaries in Sligo

    Gardaí in Sligo received reports of a person rummaging through unlocked vehicles in Ballisodare on Friday night. This man was chased by some locals, but was not apprehended. Later that night, Gardaí received a report of a male interfering with a vehicle just…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    All counties record new Covid-19 infections this evening

    1,078 more people have contracted Covid-19, and 66 more patients with the virus have died. 41 of those deaths happened in February -- with the youngest victim aged just 39. All counties recorded new infections today, with 433 in Dublin, 139 in Galway, 52 in…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    ASTI re-enter Leaving Certificate talks

    The ASTI has decided to re-enter talks with the Department of Education to discuss how this year's Leaving Cert will work. The union pulled out of discussions earlier this week over proposals to prioritise a system of calculated grades. The ASTI now says it's…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    LCSS proposed to tackle traffic congestion at a Ballina national school

    A low cost safety scheme will look to tackle congestion problems at Breaffy National School in Ballina. That’s according to local councillor John O’Hara who raised the issue at a recent Municipal District meeting. The cllr says that congestion on route to the…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    Farmers invited to consult on new agri-enviro pilot

    Farmers across the region are invited to take part in a questionnaire regarding a new agri-environmental scheme. The new E70m scheme is being piloted by the Government this year, according to Mayo Deputy Dara Calleary. The Fianna Fail TD says that this…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    Status Orange wind alert for Mayo and Galway tomorrow

    A Status Orange wind warning and two Status Yellow wind alerts have been issued across the region tomorrow. The 12-hour Status Yellow alert for Mayo, Galway, Sligo, Leitrim, Dublin, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, Meath, Donegal, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    Vaccination hubs operational in Sligo and Galway for GPs today

    Just under two thousand doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine will be administered to GPs today. Four vaccination hubs have been set up in Galway, Sligo, Dublin and Portlaoise so doctors can get their second jab. It comes ahead of the rollout of Covid-19…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    Government prepared to plan for Leaving Cert without ASTI

    The Government says it's prepared to go ahead with planning for the Leaving Cert, with or without the support of the ASTI. The Irish Times reports under draft plans, all students would have the option to avail of calculated grades and complete written exams…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    NUIG operating Covid-19 student health service following outbreak

    NUI Galway is operating a Covid-19 student health service this weekend following an outbreak of the virus on campus. The university says there's been an increase in student cases in Galway. Students who have symptoms are being asked to call a helpline in…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    Country is 'back on track' in battle against Covid-19

    The Tánaiste insists the country is 'back on track' in the battle against Covid-19 - but he says the fight is far from over. The five-day average has dropped to 835 cases, after 921 new infections were confirmed yesterday. There were 32 new cases in Galway,…
  • Feb 13, 2021

    Thousands without power across the West following strong winds and snow

    Thousands of homes, farms and businesses are without power this morning after strong winds and snow overnight. The ESB says there are large outages across Mayo in Facefield, Swinford, Achill, Crossmolina, Ardnaree and Ballyhaunis; Enniscrone in Co. Sligo; and…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    More than 20 deaths related to Covid 19 nationally reported this evening

    The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has this evening been notified of 23 additional deaths related to Covid-19 in the Republic. 21 of these deaths occurred in February and two occurred in January. As of midnight last night (Thurs) 921 new cases of the…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    75 jobs to go as Galway pharmaceutical company to close

    The pharmaceutical company AbbVie is set to close its Galway operation with the loss of around 75 jobs. RTE is reporting this evening that he facility, in the Knocknacarra area of the city, has had a number of owners since it was established in 2016.…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Public view sought on option routes for Galway to Athlone Greenway

    Public Consultation on five potential route corridor options for the new Galway to Athlone Cycleway Project is still open and the project team is encouraging the public and interested parties to view the proposals and make their submissions over the coming…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Third weather warning issued by Met Eireann for Connaught counties tonight

    Met Eireann has issued a third weather warning that is due to come into effect at 9 o'clock tonight for 9 coastal counties. The 12 hour yellow wind alert affects Mayo, Galway, Leitrim, Donegal, Sligo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Waterford with gusts of up to…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Ballinrobe community angered by last night's vandalism to local football pitch, according to councillor

    The community of Ballinrobe is upset and angered by the act of vandalism that occurred last night when the local National School’s football pitch was extensively damaged, according to local councillor Michael Burke. Cllr Burke told Midwest News this evening…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    WATCH: School football pitch extensively damaged in county Mayo overnight

    Gardai in Ballinrobe are investigating criminal damage caused to the local primary school’s football pitch overnight. It’s understood that 4 males drove on to the pitch at St Joseph’s NS last night with three vehicles and began doing donuts on the surface,…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Castlebar teacher offers alternative to traditional Leaving Cert exams

    A Castlebar teacher is proposing ‘Open Access’ to university be used as an alternative to the traditional state exams for the Leaving Cert class of 2021. Joe Daly is a science teacher in St Gerald’s College and he believes the Leaving Cert exams are no longer…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Section of Castlebar's main street remains closed off to traffic today

    The section of Castlebar’s main street that was closed off to traffic yesterday following debris coming off the roof of a building and falling on a car, remains closed to traffic today. A spokesperson for Mayo County Council told Midwest News this afternoon…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Almost 9 million euro invested in the South West region of Mayo under the Leader programme 2014-2020

    Over 120 projects have progressed to full approval by the South West Mayo Development Company, under LEADER 2014-2020. Sabina Trench, LEADER Programme Coordinator for the company working with Mayo Local Action Group and Mayo County Council, says the total…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Galway based businessman is suing CNN over a report

    Telecoms entrepreneur, Galway based business man, Declan Ganley is suing CNN over a report suggesting Donald Trump’s administration pressurised US defence officials to award his company a multi-billion dollar contract without a competitive tender. According…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    7 cents a day tax rebate for staff working from home during the pandemic last year

    Remote workers will receive as little as 7 cent a day in a tax refund for remote working last year (2020), despite forking out at least €210 in extra heating and lighting over that period as a result of having to work from home due to the pandemic, according…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Power outages along the Mayo and Galway coast this morning

    A number of homes along the west coast of Mayo and Galway are without power this morning, according to the ESB powercheck app. Almost 200 are without power in Achill, a number of homes are without power in the Leenane area and over 70 are without power in the…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Call for swift action to address road safety concerns in Kilmaine

    A local councillor is calling for swift action to be taken with regards to addressing road safety concerns in Kilmaine village. Fianna Fail's Damien Ryan has called on Mayo County Council to solve the exit from Kilmaine Community Grounds and connectivity to…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Local MEP welcomes commitment on Northern Ireland Protocol

    The EU and the UK say they're 'fully committed' to implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol. It's after their negotiators met in London last night and had a 'frank but constructive discussion'. They're promising to address problems the new checks on goods…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Covid-19 numbers in hospital continue downward trend

    The number of Covid-19 hospitalisations has fallen by nearly two thirds since the peak of the third wave. 866 more people have tested positive for the virus, and a further 52 patients have died. There were 28 new cases of Covid 19 in Mayo, 63 in Galway, 14 in…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Treacherous conditions on roads across the region this morning

    People are being warned of dangerous driving conditions across the region this morning. A status yellow snow and ice alerts expired in Connacht and 11 other counties at 8 o'clock this morning. There was snow and sleet in many areas yesterday, but Met Éireann…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Castlebar LEA has Covid-19 rate over twice the national average

    The Castlebar LEA has the fourth highest 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 in the country, at over twice the national average. It had 700 cases per 100,000 people as of Monday last, while the national rate of infection was 319. That accounts for 210 cases out…
  • Feb 12, 2021

    Fresh talks on row over Leaving Cert plans resume today

    A fresh round of talks will take place today between the ASTI and Department of Education aimed at resolving a row over plans for the Leaving Cert. The main secondary teachers union pulled out of discussions last night, describing a proposal to rely heavily…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Galway has second highest new cases of Covid 19 nationally this evening

    The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has this evening been notified of 52 additional deaths related to Covid-19. 33 of these deaths occurred in February, 12 occurred in January, 6 in December or earlier and 1 is still under investigation. The median age…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    20 countries on government's mandatory hotel quarantine list

    Twenty countries now feature on the Government's mandatory hotel quarantine list. They include Brazil, Austria, the UAE, South Africa and 16 countries within sub-Saharan Africa. Meanwhile fines for non-essential travel abroad are being increased. Travellers…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Protesters want answers from HSE Regional West Forum re letter sent by MUH management to staff last March

    A small group of people have been protesting in Castlebar’s Market Square for months now, looking for clarity on how Covid patients were and are being managed at Mayo University Hospital since the start of the pandemic. Martina Burke is one of the protesters…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    More than 1500 Learner Drivers waiting for a driving test in Mayo

    A Mayo deputy is calling on the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, to take decisive action to tackle the massive driving test backlog. Sinn Fein Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh’s plea come as the Road Safety Authority (RSA) confirmed that there are now 1,548…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    A section of Main Street Castlebar is cordoned off to traffic this afternoon

    A section of upper Main Street in Castlebar is cordoned off to traffic this afternoon. It’s understood that debris fell from the roof of a building along Ellison Street and damaged a car on the street this afternoon. Following the incident Mayo County Council…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    St Brid's special school in Castlebar has reopened today

    Children with special needs are returning to school from today, as special schools have been allowed to reopen, for the first time since before Christmas. The special schools are only permitted 50% capacity, with children attending on alternate days. Special…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Galway student with chronic kidney failure pleads for clarity on priority vaccination list and Leaving Cert format for 2021

    A county Galway Leaving Cert student living with chronic kidney failure is calling for clarity now on when people with her condition will be vaccinated and what format this year’s leaving cert exam will take. 19 year old Lauren Melia from Oughterard is…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    More than 2,000 signatures on new online petition not in favour of Achill's Keem Bay Signature Discovery Point

    More than 2,000 signatures have been secured on a new online petition calling on Mayo County Council not to proceed with the Keem Bay ‘Signature Discovery Point’. The petition to the local authority was started by a group/ individual calling themselves…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Covid restrictions may continue until Easter says Taoiseach

    The Taoiseach says people should expect tight Covid 19 restrictions to continue until at least early April. Micheál Martin says some classrooms and construction will reopen over the next few weeks. But he's warning case numbers are still too high for the…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Vaccination centres will be confirmed shortly for Mayo, Roscommon & Galway

    The HSE is finalising details of Covid-19 vaccination centres in Mayo, Roscommon and Galway. The centres will be stood up when the availability of vaccines is increased. The HSE has confirmed today that they're actively considering locations for a number of…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    LISTEN: "My experience on a Covid ward" - Declan Howley

    Declan (41) says he was fit and healthy before he contracted Covid-19. He says: "You see how exhausted and overwhelmed the staff are and they are not getting the thanks they deserve. They don't have the adequate staff to cover the ward. The HSE is at its…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    60 new jobs at financial services firm in Galway

    A financial services firm is to create 60 new jobs in Galway. Fidelity Investments has announced the creation of 90 new positions - 60 in Galway and 30 in Dublin. The company is looking to have all the new jobs filled within the first half of this year, and…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Snow/ice & wind warnings now in place across Connacht

    Status yellow snow/ice and wind warnings are now in place across Connacht until 8am tomorrow morning. While this morning is dry, sleet and snow showers are expected throughout the afternoon and evening with up to 5 cm of snow in places. The sleet and snow,…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Galway player wins over €27,000 in Tuesday's EuroMillions draw

    People in the Oughterard area of Galway are urged to check their lottery tickets, after one lucky EuroMillions player won over €27,000 by matching 5 numbers in Tuesday night's draw. The winning quick pick ticket worth €27,310 was sold last Saturday 6th…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Man's body recovered from the sea at Salthill, Galway

    Galway RNLI assisted in the recovery of a man's body at Salthill yesterday evening. The lifeboat was launched after the alarm was raised by a member of the public while out walking at about 5pm. Emergency services recovered the body from the water at…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    EPA report shows 6 small private group schemes in Mayo not monitored

    The Environmental Protection Agency is warning that drinking water in the country's private water supplies is not good enough and is putting people's health at risk. In its latest Drinking Water Quality report for 2019, the watchdog says more than 100 private…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Special schools across the region to reopen today

    Thousands of children with special needs are returning to the classroom today, with the reopening of special schools. Classes will initially be limited to 50 per cent capacity, with children attending school every second day. Special classes in primary…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Taoiseach says country to remain in a prolonged period of Covid restrictions

    Taoiseach Micheal Martin told his party last night that the country is to remain in a "prolonged" period of restrictions to get virus numbers to a very low level. A further 1,006 new Covid-19 cases were announced last night, along with 54 deaths. The new…
  • Feb 11, 2021

    Driver arrested in Sligo following discovery of cannabis

    A driver was arrested yesterday after Gardai from the Sligo / Leitrim division who were on patrol in the Coolaney area found the man at a scenic spot, drinking beer and having a smoke while enjoying the view. He was found to be outside the 5km permitted under…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Galway has the third highest number nationally of new confirmed cases of Covid 19 this evening

    The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 54 additional deaths related to Covid-19. 45 of these deaths occurred in February, 5 occurred in January and 4 are still under investigation. The median age of those who died was 86 years…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    RSA advises due caution on roads as snow and wind warning in place from tomorrow

    The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is advising all road users to take extra care when using the roads for the remainder of the week as Met Eireann has issued yellow weather warnings for snow and Wind. There is a yellow Snow/Ice and Wind warning for Munster,…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    No significant re-opening of the economy after March 5th, the Taoiseach insists

    The Taoiseach has said there will be no significant re-opening of the economy after the 5th of March. Micheál Martin has told the Dáil the priority next month will be the phased re-opening of schools. Yesterday Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said construction could…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Close contacts of positive Covid 19 cases should be tested twice, according to NPHET

    NPHET has recommended that the HSE resumes testing close contacts of positive covid cases, twice. Close contacts of a confirmed case will no longer need to restrict their movements if they test negative for Covid-19 on day 10. Before the testing of close…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    The Organic Farming Scheme will reopen to new entrants next month

    The Organic Farming Scheme will reopen to new entrants in the first week of March. Minister Pippa Hackett expects between 400 and 500 new farmers to be able to join the scheme, as an additional €4 million Budget funding was secured for the organic sector. She…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Cllrs Cruise and Duffy discuss declaring Mayo a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency

    Just weeks after a controversial motion declaring a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency in Mayo was voted through by elected councillors on Mayo county council, an attempt was made this week to invalidate it. The revocation of the motion was proposed by…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    LISTEN: Anti-Covid Campaigners - The Tommy Marren Show

    Tommy opened up the airwaves to some anti-covid, anti-mask and anti-vaccine campaigners this morning. Liam said "I don't wear a mask in shops and I tell them to call the Guards because I would like to be up in court to present all the studies that masks don't…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Fine increase for people travelling abroad on holidays

    The Government is planning to increase the 500 euro fine for going on holidays abroad to 2,000 euro. It would mean a couple travelling abroad on an unnecessary journey could face a 4,000 euro add on bill if stopped on the way to the airport. Around 4,500…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Minister Feighin opts for greenway over railway on the old Mayo-Sligo railway route

    Sligo TD and Minister of State, Frank Feighan has put his weight behind the greenway option for the old Mayo-Sligo railway route which has been closed for some years. In a statement to Midwest News today, Minister Feighan stressed that the greenway option is…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Valentine's road safety campaign in Mayo

    Ahead of St Valentine's Day this weekend, balloons in the shape of love hearts will be erected at different locations around Co Mayo to remind users to share the love by being considerate to other road users - drivers, passengers,, cyclists, bikers and…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Number of Covid-19 patients continues to reduce at Mayo University Hospital

    1,032 people with Covid-19 are in Irish hospitals today, the lowest number since January 7th. It's a 6 percent fall on yesterday, and 24 percent down on last Wednesday. This includes 178 people with Covid receiving treatment in intensive care units. In this…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Call for Church Road in Ballina to be included in council's gritting programme

    A Ballina area councillor is calling for Church Road in the town to be included in the county's road gritting plan. Councillor John O'Hara raised the issue at a recent Municipal District meeting, and claims Church Road in Ballina is like an ice-skating rink…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Mayo TD welcomes new €160m supports for businesses affected by Covid-19

    The Government yesterday funding of €160m in additional supports for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. It includes €10m extra for Live Science companies that are developing and making PPE & equipment used in the fight against Covid-19 There is 90…
  • Feb 10, 2021

    Roscommon now has lowest 14-day incidence rate of Covid nationally

    The World Health Organisation say Ireland's recovery from the third wave of Covid-19 has been 'strong and dramatic' - but is warning of the danger of a fourth wave. 556 new cases were confirmed here yesterday, along with 68 additional deaths. It was the…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    68 more deaths reported from Covid-19

    A further 68 deaths have been reported this evening from Covid-19 - 50 of the deaths occurred this month. There are also 556 new cases of the virus - including 38 in Galway and 14 in Mayo. Sligo and Roscommon both have less than 5 new cases, with none in…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    UNESCO World Heritage Site status to be sought for Sligo's Neolithic landscape

    The unique Neolithic monuments and landscapes of Co Sligo must be preserved and protected for future generations, and for that reason, an application will be made for UNESCO World Heritage Site Status for the county's neolithic landscape. That's according to…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Judge reactivates part of suspended sentence handed down to Connemara woman

    A judge has reactivated a large portion of the suspended sentence handed down to a Connemara woman who killed her ex-boyfriend ten years ago. 38-year-old Maura Thornton, from Inverin, Co Galway, was sent back to prison after failing to comply with the terms…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Medical Cards to be made available to the terminally ill

    The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly today secured Government approval to expand access to medical cards, making them available to all those who are terminally ill and have a prognosis of up to 24 months. He will now direct the HSE to put in place…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Call on Education Minister to give go-ahead for new Holy Trinity school in Westport

    This week marks 11 years since a campaign got underway for a new school building for the Holy Trinity National School in Westport. The 200-year old Church of Ireland school is full to capacity with 62 pupils at present. In 2010, the Department of Education…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Drop in Covid patients at Mayo University Hospital

    1,104 people with Covid-19 are in hospitals today. It's a fall of nine percent on yesterday's total and 22 percent down on last Tuesday. In the past 24 hours there were 55 admissions and 124 discharges. There are 58 patients with the virus at Mayo University…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Taoiseach says any reopening of society will be "cautious and conservative"

    The Taoiseach says any reopening of society will be cautious and conservative. Mícheál Martin says Covid 19 figures are reducing but there's still some way to go before restrictions can be eased. As it stands, the current Level 5 restrictions are due to last…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Yellow snow & ice warning issued for Connacht for Thursday

    While the east of the country is seeing the most severe weather today, a status yellow snow & ice warning has been issued for Connacht, Munster and Leinster for this Thursday. Met Eireann says a band of sleet and snow spreading northeastwards during Thursday…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Mayo councillors will go to Comreg if Eir fails to address concerns over customer services

    If Eir fails to address the concerns of elected councillors in Mayo over the level of customer service the telecommunications company provides to customers, than the matter will be raised with ComReg and the problems will be highlighted nationally. That’s…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Deputy CMO says the worst of the pandemic is over

    Ireland has passed the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic this year, according to the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. Dr Ronan Glynn says he's hopeful people won't have to go through what happened in January, again. NPHET's reporting "steady progress" against all…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    HSE encouraged by number of nursing home staff getting vaccinated

    The HSE is "encouraged" by the number of nursing home staff getting vaccinated, according to a senior official. Up to 15 per cent of staff in some nursing homes may have refused a Covid-19 vaccine. Yesterday, HSE CEO Paul Reid said staff in the facilities…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Nurses seek compensation for work during the pandemic

    Nurses are calling for compensation for their work during the pandemic, according to the INMO. The group will go before the Oireachtas Health Committee later today and say the vaccine rollout has been 'haphazard'. The committee will also hear 1,400 people…
  • Feb 09, 2021

    Man taken to hospital following a road traffic collision in Galway

    Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a road traffic collision in Galway. The incident occurred along a stretch of the Loughgeorge /Abbeyknockmoy Road (R354) at Lackagh Bridge in Turloughmore at 5am this morning. A car collided with the bridge…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    6 additional deaths reported from Covid-19

    There has been a further 6 Covid-19 deaths reported this evening - the lowest reported number of fatalities in a single day since the beginning of January. An additional 829 new cases of the virus have also been announced - including 28 in Galway, 17 in Mayo,…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Mayo man will be sentenced later this month for killing his mother

    The Central Criminal Court has heard that a young Mayo man who killed his mother is likely to have nowhere to go if he's released from prison anytime soon. In 2014, Celyn Eadon, was handed a life sentence for murdering her at their home at Islandeady in…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    "Appalling service" by Eir hghlighted by councillors at today's monthly meeting of MCC

    There was an onslaught of criticism addressed to the Operations Manager of Eir who joined today’s monthly meeting of Mayo County Council, held online. Councillor after councillor spoke of what they termed the “appalling service” that the telecommunications…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Covid case numbers in Galway "concerning" says HSE West

    Covid-19 case numbers are continuing to fall across Mayo and Roscommon, but the figures for Galway are concerning, according to the HSE West. Mayo's 14-day incidence rate is now 377 per 100,000 - higher than the national average. Galway's 14-day is 334 per…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Elective surgery could resume at Mayo University Hospital later this month

    It's hoped that elective surgery at Mayo University Hospital can resume later this month. That's according to the hospital's manager Catherine Donohoe, who says pressure on the hospital has eased somewhat since the peak of the third wave of Covid-19. There…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Cathaoirleach praises work of front line and health care workers during the pandemic

    At the start of today’s monthly meeting of Mayo County Council, the Cathaoirleach, cllr Richard Finn expressed his and his colleagues condolences with anyone in the county grieving the loss of a loved one through Covid 19. He complimented the “trojan work” of…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    The late Buddy Valkenburg of Belmullet described as "one in a million"

    Tributes have been paid to the late Buddy Valkenburg of Belmullet. The 85-year old lived on Quay Street in the town and was a well known businessman and was a decorated member of Ballyglass RNLI. He passed away at the weekend in a Dublin hospital. He is…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Mayo Garda Chief says gardai in the county are making inroads on drug dealing

    The garda drugs unit in Mayo, routinely stopped a man acting suspiciously on the street in Balla on Friday evening last, and in a follow up search of a private house in the area, seized over 73,000 euro in cocaine. Three people appeared before a Special…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    HID Global to create over 100 new jobs in Galway

    A technology security company in Galway has announced plans to hire more than 100 new staff over the next 3 years. HID Global is to open a Centre of Excellence at Mervue Business Park in Galway later this year, and will increase its total number of employees…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Covid-19 patient numbers remain unchanged at MUH

    1,212 people with Covid-19 are in Irish hospitals today. It's an increase of 9 patients since yesterday, however there's been a drop of 20 percent on last Monday. In the past 24 hours there have been 47 admissions and 18 discharges to hospitals. As of 8pm…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Galway, Sligo and Athlone to be among the HSE's major centres for vaccination

    Galway, Sligo and Athlone are to be among the locations where the HSE now intends to establish centres nationally to provide Covid-19 vaccines to the wider population in the weeks ahead. The vaccination of people over the age of 70,starting with those over…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Rubbish dumped in rural locations outside Castlebar over the weekend to be raised at today's meeting of Mayo County Council

    Bags of household waste continue to be dumped indiscriminately along rural roads in the Castlebar area. Over the weekend, Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne, became aware of a number of incidents where rubbish was dumped over this weekend in locations…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Gardaí seize vehicle and trailer with major defects in Mayo

    Gardaí seized a vehicle and trailer off a motorist in Mayo at the weekend. This incident occurred in the Swinford area on Friday afternoon. Mayo Roads Policing Unit stopped the vehicle in question and found major defects which could cause serious injuries.…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Retirees aged 65 will no longer be required to sign on

    Those caught in the pension gap won't have to sign on anymore. A new benefit is set to be announced for those over the age of 65. At present many people are forced to leave their job at the traditional retirement age of 65. However they then have to sign on…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Average rents in Connacht rise by 3% according to Daft.ie

    A lack of supply in rental properties is continuing to drive up rents across the region, despite rising unemployment. Rents rose by over 5 percent on average last year, according to new data from Daft.ie, with supply on the market this month down 17 percent.…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Local public health teams need reinforcement to allow easing of Covid restrictions

    Local public health teams need to be reinforced before Covid-19 restrictions can be eased, according to an infectious disease expert. 12 more deaths were confirmed last night, while another 1,024 cases were detected. In this region there are 55 new cases in…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Cold spell set to intensify throughout the week

    Temperatures could reach as low as minus five in parts this week as the country is being hit with winds from Siberia. A significant snow event is expected later this week, with a weather advisory for cold weather currently in place by Met Eireann. The…
  • Feb 08, 2021

    Searches continuing for Mayo man missing from Galway City

    Searches are continuing in Galway for a Mayo man missing from the city for nearly two weeks. Galway Gardai issued an appeal for information into the disappearance of Joseph Langan, who was originally from the Lacken area. The 38-year old has been missing from…
  • Feb 07, 2021

    12 more people have died from Covid-19 and over a thousand new cases

    The Department of Health has reported 12 more people with Covid-19 have died and there have been 1,024 new cases of the virus. 380 are in Dublin, 70 in Meath, 63 in Cork, 55 in Galway, 48 in Limerick and the remaining 408 cases are spread across all other…
  • Feb 07, 2021

    Mayo's Chantelle Padden hopeful Voice UK appearance will open doors

    Mayo’s country music star Chantelle Padden gave a mesmerising performance on The Voice UK last night. The 24-year-old from Binghamstown, Belmullet turned Will.i.am and Olly Murs in the blind auditions of the show, before joining team Olly. Murs said he was…
  • Feb 07, 2021

    AstraZeneca is adapting its vaccine against new strains of Covid

    AstraZeneca has started work with Oxford University to adapt its coronavirus vaccine against new strains of the virus. The company says a trial suggests it only has "limited" effectiveness against the South African variant. It hopes to have an adapted jab…
  • Feb 07, 2021

    CMO says UK variant of Covid-19 accounts for 75% of cases

    The Chief Medical Officer says the UK variant of Covid-19 accounts for almost three quarters of cases of infection here. Dr Tony Holohon says it's more transmissible and it'll make it harder to get down to low levels of the virus. 827 new cases have been…
  • Feb 07, 2021

    Weather advisory for wintery conditions in effect nationally

    Showers of sleet and snow are expected to fall in the east of the country later today. A national weather advisory is in place from today until Wednesday evening. The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management also has a crisis plan ready for a…
  • Feb 07, 2021

    Taoiseach regrets easing of Covid restriction before Christmas

    The Taoiseach says he regrets the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in the run-up to Christmas. Michael Martin's told the Mail on Sunday that in hindsight, the government wouldn't have relaxed measures in the way it did. Health officials have said the…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Three people arrested following drugs seizure in Galway

    There has been a drugs and cash seizure in County Galway. A man in his late teens was searched at a residential complex in Salthill village at 9:30pm last night. 250 euro worth of cannabis herb was seized, then gardai stopped a man and woman in their late…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Covid-19 case numbers continue to fall

    New cases of coronavirus in this country are continuing to tumble. 827 new cases have been confirmed, down from 1,047 yesterday and 55 more people with the virus have died. There are 297 new infections in Dublin, 76 in Cork, 56 in Galway, 46 in Wexford, 37 in…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    New NCT centre set to open in North Galway following delays

    A new NCT centre is to open in Tuam - possibly next month. The new centre has been constructed on the site of a former dancehall in Tuam, but its opening has been delayed by several factors. Tuam-based Independent TD Sean Canney has welcomed confirmation from…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Three people appear in court following large drugs haul in Mayo

    Three people have appeared in court, charged after gardai seized drugs worth over 73, 000 euro in County Mayo. It's after two separate seizures in Balla. Gardai stopped and searched a man in his 20s on the Main Street in Balla shortly before 7 o'clock…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    CMO expects Covid-19 related deaths to decline

    The Chief Medical Officer says Covid-19 deaths have stabilised and should decline in the coming weeks. 101 deaths were recorded on Tuesday - the highest since the pandemic began - and 94 on Wednesday. Over 1,000 were reported in January, which was almost a…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Man who died in Sligo crash is named locally

    The man who died in a road traffic collision in Sligo on Thursday evening has been named locally as 22-year-old Shane Flanagan of Fermoyle, Calry. The incident involving a car and a jeep occurred shortly after 5pm along the R278 near Calry. Mr Flanagan was…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Weather alerts likely over coming days as cold spell descends

    Ireland's bracing itself for more snow, with temperatures set to drop over the coming days. Severe frost, ice as well as sleet or snow's to affect eastern counties from tomorrow, before spreading to most areas by mid-week. Met Eireann's weather advisory's due…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Call for safety works at a notorious junction in Ballinrobe

    An Independent Councillor has called on Mayo County Council to carry out safety works at a notorious junction in Ballinrobe. Patsy O'Brien says safety works need to be carried out at the junction of Aurivo and the entry to Waterside Housing Estate and has…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    €500,000 Euromillions ticket sold in Tuam

    One lucky person is half a million richer today after purchasing a winning Euromillions ticket from O'Toole's Supervalu in Tuam. The winning ticket was in the Euromillions Plus Draw. Mary Lardner who is the CEO of O'Toole's says there is a great excitement…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Gardaí have located a man missing from Ballina

    Gardaí have located a man missing from the Ballina area. He went missing from the Gurteens, Crossmolina Road area of the town some time after 7:30am this morning. Gardaí appealed for assistance to locate the elderly man earlier this morning. He has since been…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Rise in Covid-19 patients at Mayo University Hospital

    There are 43 per cent fewer people in hospital with the virus now than on January 18th. This morning, there are 1,196 people hospitalised with Covid-19 according to the HSE, including 177 in intensive care. As of last night there were 62 patients with the…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    LISTEN: Mayo Vintners Chairman reacting to High Court Insurance Ruling

    "What are you paying insurance for if you have to contest what it says on your policy?" That's the view of the Chairman of the Mayo Vintners Association who has been giving his reaction to yesterday's high court ruling that four pub owners are entitled to be…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Gardaí appeal for assistance locating a man missing from Ballina

    Gardaí are appealing for assistance in locating a man missing from the Ballina area. It is understood he went missing from the Gurteens, Crossmolina Road area of the town some time after 7:30am this morning. The man is described as being in his 70s, 5 ft 8 in…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Student choice will be central to both Leaving Cert format options

    Students will be given a choice of formats for this year's Leaving Cert, according to a government minister. The Department of Education has identified two clear possibilities, and more talks will take place with stakeholders next week. One option is full…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    Large-scale vaccination centres set for the over-70s

    A number of large-scale Covid-19 vaccination centres are to be set up across the country as part of the rollout to over 70s. The first will be at DCU where around 120 smaller GP practices will come together to administer the Pfizer and Moderna jabs. Over 85s…
  • Feb 06, 2021

    CMO says some restrictions could be eased if daily cases drop further

    The Chief Medical Officer says we can consider lifting some restrictions if Covid-19 cases drop below 500 a day later this month. Dr Tony Holohan says the Republic is the fastest improving country in Europe at the moment. 1,047 new cases were confirmed…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    35 additional deaths from Covid-19 while there is over a thousand new cases

    1,047 new Covid-19 cases have been reported, as well as 35 additional deaths. 1,221 Covid patients are in hospital with 181 in intensive care units. 292 cases are in Dublin, 119 in Cork, 76 in Wexford, 60 in Limerick, 47 in Kildare and the remaining 453 cases…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    More discussions to take place over the Leaving Cert

    Two distinct possibilities for how this year's Leaving Cert will be run have been identified by the Department of Education. Minister Norma Foley has called on education stakeholders to take part in more discussions on what the exams will look like. One…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    Over 3,500 people fined in the past month for going beyond their 5km limit

    Gardai will be able to fine people 100 euro for making non-essential cross-border trips from Monday. In the past seven days, 375 people have been fined at Dublin Airport for leaving the country on holiday. Over the past month or so more than 3,500 fines have…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    21,600 AZ vaccine doses arriving this weekend

    The Health Minister says the first batch of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine will arrive in Ireland this weekend with 21,600 doses. The rollout to all over 70s by the end of March is now in doubt after new advice to give people in that age group the Pfizer or…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    Foxford publican cautiously optimistic as HC rules pubs are entitled to insurance over Covid closures

    A Foxford-based publican is welcoming today’s ruling from the High Court, that four pub owners should be compensated by their insurer for financial losses incurred as a result of the pandemic, with ‘cautious optimism’. Neil Cruise of Cruisers Bar says the…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    Children & Staff at Special School in Castlebar are ready to return to the classroom next week

    Children attending St. Anthony's Special School in Castlebar are to return to their classrooms over the course of next Thursday and Friday. Earlier this week it was confirmed that in-person education for children in special schools is to resume on a phased…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    High Court rules pubs are entitled to insurance over Covid closures

    The High Court has ruled that four pub owners should be compensated by their insurer for financial losses incurred as a result of the pandemic. The decision could have a major knock-on effect for over a thousand other publicans with similar policies. Sean's…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    Planning permission granted for Multimillion Euro Developments at IT Sligo

    Planning permission has been approved for two major developments at IT Sligo. It will include a complete rebuild of J Block, turning the single floor 1970’s building into a modern four storey complex that will enhance the modern state-of-the-art campus. The…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    Education stakeholders meet later to discuss the fate of the Leaving Cert

    Education stakeholders will meet today to discuss the fate of this summer's Leaving Cert. The Government's expected to make a decision on the options for the exams at Tuesday's cabinet meeting. Unions, student and parent groups along with Department of…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    20 percent fall in the Covid-19 positivity rate over the past month

    The positivity rate for Covid-19 tests in the community has fallen by nearly 20 per cent over the past month, according to NPHET. The number of people with the virus in public hospitals fell to 1,239 last night - the lowest level since January 8th. The amount…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    Roscommon Deputy concerned by the amount of welfare payments reclaimed

    The state recovered social welfare payments from 87,000 people last year, after they got money they weren't entitled to. The total value of them was over 75 million euro, which includes 6.5 million euro worth of pandemic unemployment payments. The Department…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    Castlebar LEA now has a higher Covid-19 infection rate than Belmullet

    The Castlebar Local Electoral are is now the worst affected area by Covid-19 in Mayo. The 14-day incidence rate there is now the fifth-highest nationally at 930 per 100, 000 people. That’s more than double the national infection rate of 455 per 100,000…
  • Feb 05, 2021

    Man dies following a road traffic collision in Sligo yesterday

    Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a fatal road traffic collision in Sligo yesterday evening. The incident occurred shortly after 5pm along the R278 at Magheranrush in Calry. The collision involved a car and a jeep. The driver of the car, a…
  • Feb 04, 2021

    75 further deaths from Covid-19 with over 1300 new cases

    The total number of cases of Covid-19 in the Republic has passed 200,000 for the first time. It's after another 1,318 cases and 75 additional deaths were reported this evening. 428 of the cases are in Dublin, with 122 in Cork, 93 in Galway, 78 in Kildare, 77…
  • Feb 04, 2021

    Westport Councillor calling on the local authority to identify land banks to support affordable housing

    Mayo needs to be ready, with “shovel ready” land banks, when the green light is given by government for a scheme that will support affordable housing. That’s the view of West Mayo Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn At the monthly meeting of the West Mayo…
  • Feb 04, 2021

    Over 200,000 people have received Covid-19 vaccine

    The head of the HSE says new guidance on Covid vaccines will pose "significant challenges" to the rollout to over 70s. It's been advised that people in that age group should get the Pfizer or Moderna jab - rather than the AstraZeneca one. Over 219 thousand…
  • Feb 04, 2021

    Seamus Woulfe sitting as a Supreme Court judge for the first time today

    Seamus Woulfe is sitting as a Supreme Court judge for the first time today. The former Attorney General is part of a three judge panel considering a number of cases that have applied for appeals to the court. It is the first time he has taken his Supreme…
  • Feb 04, 2021

    Call for Govt to outline contingency vaccination plan for over-70's

    The Government needs to immediately outline their contingency plan for rolling out Covid-19 vaccines to the over-70's. That's according to Galway East TD Séan Canney, a member of the Regional Group of TDs who say clear and concise information in now needed to…