District Court to deal with case over €8,500 damage to new Donegal hospital - Donegal Daily

A District Court judge has accepted jurisdiction in the case of a man charged with causing almost €9,000 worth of damage to a new hospital in Donegal.Matthew Ga...

A District Court judge has accepted jurisdiction in the case of a man charged with causing almost €9,000 worth of damage to a new hospital in Donegal.

Matthew Gallagher, who is on remand in Castelrea Prison, will have his case dealt with at Letterkenny District Court.

A medical report is awaited on Gallagher, a 26-year-old of no fixed abode, who has been in custody since the incident on May 29.

He is charged with causing €8,541.26 worth of damage to a building at the Letterkenny Community Nursing Unit at around 10pm on May 27, 2026.

A total of 24 windows were smashed as well as three glass doors, eight toilets and cisterns and three porcelain sinks.

The first 25 beds in the facility are expected to come on stream by the end of 2026.

The 110-bed community healthcare facility, located on the Letterkenny University Hospital campus, is expected to complete construction in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Once fully operational, the three-storey residential care facility will include four 25-bed households and a dedicated 10-bed dementia unit.

Garda Sergeant Maurice Doyle told the court that it is alleged that Gallagher entered the premises at a Boyle Construction site on the Kilmacrennan Road, Letterkenny at 10pm on the date in question.

Judge Emile Daly accepted jurisdiction and the man’s solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said that his client has had “a lot of mental health issues”.

A body warrant was sought meaning that Gallagher will be brought to the court from prison to have the matter dealt with.

“This matter will not cause the court difficulty,” the solicitor said and the case was adjourned until a later date.

Gallagher is also charged that on May 28, 2026 at Newline Road, Letterkenny, he did have in his custody or under his control, aluminium Playwell Martial Arts nunchucks intending to use to damage property, to wit, a grey Ford Transit belonging to Foroige National Youth Development. This charge is contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1991.

Gallagher is also charged on May 27, 2026 at Newline Road, Letterkenny, with having €120 worth of cannabis in his possession. This charge is contrary to section 3 of the Misuse of drugs act, 1997.

After being brought before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court in May, Gallagher was remanded in custody.

In August, a fitness-to-plead report was ordered for Gallagher and the court heard on that occasion that the accused man would need “an extensive medical assessment”.