Articles in the General News Category

Fears that local authorities could lose their role in the delivery of social housing were voiced at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. The Monaghan elected members aligned themselves with the growing tide of opposition at local authority level throughout the country to the Government’s Land Development Agency Bill, passing a motion from Seamus Coyle (Fianna Fáil) which called on Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien TD to remove some of the proposed legislation’s more contentious elements, in particular the plan to end a long-standing provision which gives elected councillors a say ...

Michael Fisher The number of Covid cases in County Monaghan has continued to decline steadily, with no new cases being reported on Monday, when the figures are usually lower than in midweek. Meanwhile the HSE vaccination centre for the county situated at the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan town has received its first clients for injections. It opened on Tuesday and yesterday to cater for some priority groups, namely those from non-designated centres and also to give vaccinations to priority healthcare workers. The HSE says a recruitment process is now underway to ...

NEED TO UNDERGROUND PROPOSED NORTH SOUTH INTERCONNECTOR – BRENDAN SMITH TD… Michael Fisher EirGrid is consulting the public nationally about the future shape of Ireland’s electricity system. It is seeking comments during the next three months on its plans to meet ambitious targets set by the government of achieving 70% of supply generated from renewable sources by 2030, replacing fossil fuels such as coal and peat. Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, leader of the Green Party, is strongly supporting EirGrid’s plans. These include the construction of ...

Executive members of Monaghan Co Council expressed confidence on Monday that the programme of works on non-national roads in the county for 2021 will be delivered in full despite current restrictions on the work of outdoor staff arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Fears were voiced by Fianna Fáil councillor P J O’Hanlon that the Council might find itself in a position where it was returning roads money to the Government at the end of the year because of the reduced working capacity of their staff under Level 5 Covid- 19 ...

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan Monaghan, Brendan Smith, has said vulnerable people will suffer arising from the recent decision of the Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland to close branches in towns across the constituency. Speaking in the Dáil last week, Deputy Brendan Smith stated: “The Financial Services Union made the very strong point that the Bank of Ireland decision will result in the removal of vital services from elderly people, those with no internet access, those who lack confidence in doing business online, and people with literacy and numeracy ...

Work of pupils from Lisdoonan National School and Scoil Naomh Padraig showcased in new Our World Irish Aid Awards online magazine Minister of State for Overseas Development and Diaspora, Colm Brophy T.D., has pressed the ‘go live’ button on the first edition of Global Goal Getters, a new online publication showcasing the work of primary school pupils across Ireland participating in this year’s Our World Irish Aid Awards, the Department of Foreign Affairs’ flagship global citizenship award scheme. Amongst the 33 schools selected whose work has been to be included in ...

The sadness but warmth of recollection current in the minds and hearts of the members of Rossmore Golf Club following the passing of their friend and club stalwart George Leonard is encapsulated in the following tribute from VINCENT GILHAWLEY… A stalwart of Rossmore -George Leonard remembered George Leonard was a man I was extremely honoured to call a staunch loyal friend ever since I first met him through golf at Rossmore Golf Club in the early 1980s. George was the quintessential loyal club member, the one who believed in totally ...

Athletics From temporarily setting aside Leaving Cert worries to going toe to toe with veteran Mark English to contesting a first senior European Championship, it has been a whirlwind month for Longford athlete Cian McPhillips (PICTURED), who has strong family connections in north Monaghan. Eyes in Co Monaghan, particularly in Scotstown, would have been fixed on RTÉ’s coverage of the European Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland, where 18-yearold McPhillips ran in the 800m. A composed run in his heat on Friday saw the Longford AC youngster breeze through the field in ...

‘WRONG DECISION AT WRONG TIME’ – CARTHY Michael Fisher In another blow for banking services in Co. Monaghan, the Bank of Ireland announced on Monday it was closing its branches in Castleblayney and Clones, along with Cootehill and Kingscourt in Co. Cavan, as part of a major re-organisation. Sinn Féin Deputy Matt Carthy said it could be potentially devastating for the towns affected and described it as “the wrong decision at the wrong time.” A senior bank executive said it remained committed to Co. Monaghan and the changes would allow the ...

Michael Fisher Cavan Monaghan Deputy Matt Carthy has made a scathing attack on the government’s failure to address what he claimed was the rôle of some meat factories in spreading Covid-19. During a Dáil debate last week Deputy Carthy accused the government of giving meat processing plants a ‘free rein’ throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson suggested that factories found to have failed in their responsibilities should be held financially responsible. He also expressed a belief that the recent cases of a Covid-19 variant first discovered in ...