Articles in the General News Category

By PATSY McARDLE THE signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Private Security Authority and the Department of Social Protection is being seen this week as a major move towards enabling a further intensive crackdown on social welfare fraudsters, including “dole jobbers,” in the Border region, involving counties Monaghan, Louth, and Cavan. The Chief Executive of the Private Security Authority (PSA), Paul Scallan, and the Head of the Special Investigation Unit in the Department of Social Protection, Philip Cox, both signed the memorandum of understanding at the weekend. According ...

Funeral of former deputy NI First Minister in Derry Michael Fisher “My heart lies in the Bogside and with the people of Derry”. The words of Martin McGuinness during one of his last public appearances in January after announcing he would not be contesting the NI Assembly election. He was suffering from a rare heart condition. Early on Tuesday the former deputy First Minister passed away at Altnagelvin hospital, aged 66.   There have been many tributes from political representatives on both sides of the border and further afield. But relatives of some ...

Call on Political Parties to fulfil election promises Postmasters protested outside the GPO last week saying that they will resist any Post Office closures driven by An Post, and are to mobilise a national campaign to support communities and keep Post Offices open. The Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) called on politicians, communities and social organisations to give their support. A representative number of Postmasters attended the protest which the IPU said wouldn’t affect Post Office services, while a more comprehensive Dáil rally is planned for April. The IPU said all political parties had pledged ...

Dublin to Derry Expressway Faces Axe in June Michael Fisher Bus Éireann is to press ahead with significant cost reduction measures without union agreement, including the closure of its twice daily services in each direction on the Dublin to Derry route via Monaghan.   The two unions involved have consistently warned that if management did so, it would trigger an all-out, indefinite strike.   In a letter to staff yesterday, acting Chief Executive Ray Hernan accused unions of refusing to accept any reduction of earnings, including unnecessary overtime, in previous negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission.   He said ...

Newbliss couple Liza Hanley and Dean Watkin can be seen on RTE 2 TV programme Don’t Tell the Bride on Monday night, 27th March, at 10pm. Engaged to Dean for a decade, Liza has had time to think long and hard about her big day! She dreams of a country estate and a day filled with luxury and elegance but groom Dean has other ideas. Dean wants to recreate the 1980s Valentine’s disco they never got to go to when they were kids. With the help from groomsmen Warren and ...

Minister met with key Govt figures to discuss Brexit and promoted Irish beef through a range of events The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD, this weekend concluded a very productive visit to Sweden and Denmark. The Minister visited four cities in four days; Gothenburg, Stockholm, Uppsala and Copenhagen. She was accompanied on the visit by local representatives from Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland and a key focus of the visit was the promotion of Irish beef and lamb in the Nordic markets. Minister Humphreys met ...

Three hundred Transition Year students from schools in Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and Ballybay attended a road safety awareness programme in Iontas, Castleblayney on Tuesday. Emergency personnel including representatives from the gardai, fire and ambulance services presented to the students the stark reality of dealing with road traffic crashes and how they impact on lives. Pictured at this event are L – R Sergeant in charge of traffic units in Carrickmacross and Monaghan, Tony Campbell, Monaghan Co Council’s Chief Executive Eamon O’Sullivan and Sergeant Niall Leech. Full story and more photos ...

Sinn Féin MEPs Martina Anderson and Matt Carthy will be bringing a task force of MEPs from the European Parliament to Ireland this week on a fact finding mission to see at first hand the impact Brexit will have on Ireland, North and South.    The delegation will be made up of MEPs from the GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament and will visit Monaghan, Louth and Armagh to learn how disastrous the British government’s Brexit agenda will be for border areas in particular.    The MEPs will meet with local councillors and representatives of councils ...

The platform party at the Monaghan Town St Patrick’s Day Parade were (L-R) Donal McElwaine, Monaghan Municipal District, Cllr Sean Conlon, Mayor of Douglas Councillor, John Skinner, Cllr Seamus Treanor, Mayoress of Douglas, Mrs Gillian Skinner, Cllr David Maxwell, Cathaoirleach, Monaghan Municipal District, Monsignor Joseph McGuinness, Supt Noel Cunningham, Trevor Connolly, Monaghan Retail Manager and Alan Johnston, chairman, Monaghan Town Team. ©Rory Geary/The Northern Standard

MONAGHAN GOES GREEN: St Patrick’s Church and Monaghan Courthouse, which were both lit up green for the St Patrick’s celebrations in the town last week. ©Rory Geary/The Northern Standard