News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

Derry

The leader of the SDLP on Derry City Council, Helen Quigley, has confirmed she's not going to contest the next Assembly elections and won't be seeking re-election to Derry City Council. The shock news that the former Mayor was considering her future as an SLDP public representative was broken in last week's Derry Journal. The SDLP confirmed that Councilor Quigley had resigned as party leader on the Council, but said she would remain a party member.
(Source: Derry Journal)

Donegal

The feeling of helplessness coupled with the inability to influence government policy is what prompted former Donegal North East Deputy, James McDaid, to resign his Dail seat last Tuesday morning. In an interview with the Donegal Democrat, the former government minister also rubbished any suggestion that he might contest the next general election following his shock departure from the political arena.
(Source: Donegal Democrat)

Down

Fifty jobs are to be lost in the local dairy industry with the closure of the Armagh Down creamery in Newry. The bottling plant has been in operation since 1935. Its owner, Fane Valley Co-op, blames competitive pressures for getting out of liquid milk. The Fane Valley brand has approximately a 5% share of the local milk market and the business has now been sold to the market leader, Dale Farm.
(Source: BBC News)

Dublin

A peaceful student demonstration outside the Dail turned bloody after it was hijacked by left-wing republican militants. The student march, which was organized to protest against a hike in student registration fees, turned ugly as they reached the gates of the Dail. Violence erupted at the Department of Finance after a group of people believed to be from left-wing republican group Eirigi and the Socialist Workers Party staged a sit-in.
(Source: The Evening Hearld)

Fermanagh

A man accused of murdering a 15-month-old baby in Enniskillen last December, has again been refused bail. Millie Martin suffered fractured ribs and a blow to the stomach days before she died last December. Barry McCarney, 31, denies murdering the child. The third application on behalf of Mr McCarney was made in "substantially changed circumstances" as the baby's mother is now a suspect in the case.
(Source: BBC News)

Galway

Up to 1,000 construction and retail jobs will be created by the €200 million redevelopment of the Galway Shopping Centre, after the developers insisted last week the project will go ahead. The owners of the shopping centre on the Headford Road told the Galway City Tribune that the retail development is creating ‘lively interest’ among potential anchor tenants, and said the figure of 1,000 jobs was realistic. There had been fears for the future of the proposed development, after it emerged that Harcourt currently has debts in the region of €700m.
(Source: GalwayBay Fm)

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