Articles in the General News Category

Michael Fisher Over the Easter weekend, a major Garda operation was in place on the N2 road at Moybridge, the main cross-border road between Monaghan and Aughnacloy. A Garda Sergeant on checkpoint duty on Holy Thursday told me: “In a couple of hours, we must have turned back over one hundred northern registered cars coming (from Co. Tyrone) to fill up with fuel in Monaghan.” It seems many of the drivers were not on essential journeys but had travelled from Dungannon and other areas to fill up their tanks with diesel, ...

The Chair of ICOS National Marts Committee, Liam Williams, has written to Business Enterprise and Innovation Minister Heather Humphreys TD seeking three measures to be implemented, specific to the marts sector, in addition to other Government supports for the general business community. “Government support for businesses is welcome, and most particularly for SMEs in an economy where unemployment has now leaped from 4.8% in February to a current projected rate of 16% which will continue to rise towards June. “The recent Covid-19 restrictions on everyone in ...

By Veronica Corr SOSAD (Save Our Sons and Daughters) suicide prevention and bereavement service would like to inform all of their clients and the public at large that their 24-hour support line is still operational. The office based in Carrickmacross is temporarily closed but there is someone always at the end of the phone. The service has a new website www.sosadireland.ie and the email: sosadcarrick@gmail.com is still monitored during the day, but in case of emergencies always use the phone numbers listed below. Denise Marron, Co-ordinator of SOSAD Carrickmacross said that since the ...

Michael Fisher The Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, has indicated that it’s up to the Stormont Executive to make more money available for some cross border workers in the Republic who have been temporarily laid off. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection says people who work in the south (in Co. Monaghan, for example) but are resident in Northern Ireland are ineligible for the emergency Covid-19 pandemic payment announced last month by the government. A weekly payment of €350 is available for ...

On Tuesday April 14 a group of young individuals from around Co Monaghan along with numerous established officials from Fianna Fáil’s Ógra national executive came together to form the youth wing of Fianna Fáil in the county of Monaghan. A media release stated: “Under the circumstances that our communities are currently experiencing – the youth party decided to meet online in the interest of public health. The county has been without a youth wing of Fianna Fáil for over 10 years. The group’s first order of business was to ...

This is an important Message from the HSE’s Crisis Management Team (CMT) in Community Healthcare Area 1 and Acute Hospitals in Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim.  The CMT co-ordinating all HSE Services across the CHO1 area in the fight to identify, contain and stop the spread of Covid-19 has appealed to the general public to continue adhering to the public health guidelines over the Easter holidays.  The CMT Chair, John Hayes (Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Area 1) has also thanked all healthcare staff and their families, patients, carers and their families, ...

Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has called on the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty to extend the Covid-19 payment to persons aged over 66. Deputy Smith said that, in many instances, people in receipt of a reduced pension payment had an income through employment or they had their own small business enterprise. “At present, they are not entitled to the Covid-19 Unemployment payment and that should be reviewed. In many instances those people have been providing a worthwhile business in many small rural ...

By Veronica Corr Many people from Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan and the region in general will be disappointed to learn that Carrickmacross Street Festival, (which ironically came about as the result of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade being cancelled in 2001 during the Foot and Mouth outbreak), will not take place because of ongoing efforts to contain the COVID-19. In a statement this week, Chairperson David Maggs wrote that the festival committee were sincerely disappointed to have to announce their decision to cancel the June Bank Holiday event for 2020. The reasons ...

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed TD has reminded farmers and their advisors that the online application process for both the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler (BEEP-S) for 2020 and the Basic Payment Scheme is open until May 15 2020. A media release from Minister Creed’s Department stated: “Suckler farmers should ensure that they apply for the BEEP-S programme in time so as to ensure that they get the full benefits. So far, over 5,400 farmers have applied for it. “Separately, all farmers ...

Michael Fisher In his Easter message, the Catholic Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has said seclusion imposed on many people because of the coronavirus restrictions has helped them to think about what they value. He urged them to maintain the current restrictions in order to protect and save lives. Delivering the homily at an Easter Sunday Mass broadcast by webcam from the Cathedral of St Patrick and St Colman in Newry, he said he hoped the public will come through the coronavirus pandemic spiritually strengthened by the experience. The Archbishop ...