Articles in the General News Category

A man is in custody after being arrested by Gardaí conducting a Covid-19 patrol in Monaghan Town. The Gardaí have reiterated the importance of the public adhering to the current health and social distancing requirements following the incident, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon. A Garda statement said that, at approximately 5.30 pm on April 14, the Gardaí in Monaghan received a report of a group of people drinking in public. On arrival the Gardaí requested them to disperse and to go home. The group complied and ...

Michael Fisher As Covid-19 restrictions of movement in Northern Ireland were extended until May 6th, it was revealed that the number of recorded Covid-19 cases in Co. Monaghan has doubled in the past week according to official figures released by the Department of Health. They show that from midnight on April 6th when there were 62 cases, the number has risen to 147 by midnight on Monday April 13th. The first recorded case was on March 20th. One of the reasons the cases have increased nationally is because test results sent ...

Don’t forget next printed edition of the Northern Standard in shops Thursday April 23rd.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport have agreed a further extension of the temporary derogation from certain provisions of the EU driving and resting time rules. This extension includes additional measures, which will apply from 17 April to 31 May 2020. The derogation will apply to all operators and drivers subject to the EU driver’s hours and tachograph rules engaged in the carriage of all goods (including oil supplies etc.) and will continue to be reviewed by the RSA during ...

The parliamentary parties of both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are to meet this evening to consider the contents of the joint framework for a potential coalition government involving the parties which has been published after intensive negotiations. If endorsed at parliamentary party level the document is expected to be circulated to the leaders of smaller parties and political groupings in the Dáil in a bid to garner the support necessary for a new government to be formed. Although the coming together of FF and FG to consider ...

Sinn Féin deputy Dáil leader Pearse Doherty TD has described the joint framework paper published by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael as the basis for the formation of a government as a ‘”wish list of vague promises”. Deputy Doherty claimed the aim of the document was “to keep Sinn Féin out of government and hoodwink people into thinking they [FF and FG] will deliver change.” He said that, for some time now, FF and FG had been working to exclude his party from government, adding: “The reality ...

Michael Fisher As the Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy, said, it was an Easter like no other because of the coronavirus restrictions. Public health guidelines meant that crowds could not gather for the annual republican commemoration of the 1916 Rising. Instead, individual Sinn Féin members laid wreaths at different monuments in Co. Monaghan. Deputy Matt Carthy recorded a video message at the 1916 memorial in the Market Square, Carrickmacross. He said the movement towards a united Ireland must continue when we get through this difficult period. MATT CARTHY’S EASTER MESSAGE Deputy Carthy stated: ...

Due to the exceptional circumstances surrounding the current Coronavirus pandemic, for the first time in 180 years, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) will not be holding its annual General Assembly this June. The decision not to hold the meeting of the Church’s supreme governing body was taken by ministers and elders meeting in a unique virtual Special Meeting of the General Assembly. The Special Meeting was called by Presbyterian Moderator, Rt Rev Dr William Henry, at the unanimous request of PCI’s General Council when it last ...

Michael Fisher A Monaghan native who is an international expert on viral infection has said the social distancing and staying at home measures introduced by the government to stop the spread of coronavirus have helped to reduce drastically the number of community-based cases. RCSI Professor of International Health and Tropical Medicine Sam McConkey from Killeevan said two more measures could help to eliminate the virus within six to eight weeks, if that was to be made the priority. This would involve the enforcement of a two-week quarantine for people ...

Michael Fisher In a speech on Good Friday, Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD announced that the Covid-19 restrictions that had been put in place up to Easter Sunday, 12th April, would have to be extended for a further three weeks until after the Bank Holiday at the start of May (Tuesday May 5th). He told the nation: “Throughout our history, Good Friday has had a special meaning.  It’s a day associated with suffering, and sacrifice, and sorrow. And also with new beginnings. The promise of rebirth and renewal, and better days to come. It’s ...