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A Sligo Fianna Fail Cllr feels Michael Martin won't be leading the party into the next election. It comes as Fianna Fail TDs and Senators are due to see the report into how Jim Gavin was chosen as the party's candidate for the Presidential election. Party leader, and Taoiseach, Micheál Martin has come under harsh criticism for the failed campaign. The report into the debacle was finally handed to...

Bus Eireann has come in for some criticism locally following a decision to increase fares. The price of a bus ticket is set to increase by 5% with adult single fares rising by a minimum of 50 cent. The adjustments are to take effect from January 7th with Bus Eireann stating that the changes are required to maintain service quality and ensure long-term sustainability across all routes. However, the...

Continued power outages in parts of North Leitrim are a real cause of concern for many people in areas such as Killargue and Cory as we approach the festive period. Local Councillor Mary Bohan says the outages are taking place in relatively mild weather which would suggest that there are legacy infrastructure issues with poles and wires. The Fianna Fail Councillor says that while the North west es...

The December meeting of the Manorhamilton Municipal District of Leitrim County Council heard calls about how elected representatives are being left frustrated by Uisce Eireann when it comes to restoration times for water outages. Cllr Mary Bohan tabled a motion on the issue. She outlined to the meeting that the task of attempting to establish information about water leakages was a difficult and fr...

There's a warning that more farmers in the North West will be forced out of business if the Mercosur deal is approved. It comes following what's been described as another nail in the coffin of the Irish fishing industry at the weekend, after the EU reached a new fishing agreement which groups say will result in thousands of job losses. There are fears that the Mercosur Deal will spell a similar fa...

Sligo University Hospital continues to grapple with a number of flu outbreaks this week. On Friday, the hospital confirmed that staff had been battling five flu outbreaks in various wards at the hospital and visiting restrictions remain in place. Due to a sharp increase in flu cases in the community and the hospital, management continue to appeal to anyone with flu like symptoms, not to visit the...

A Sligo Councillor has described the government's stance to the Ursuline College Sligo redevelopment as 'a penny wise and a pound foolish approach'. Cllr Edel McSharry has called on the Department of Education to progress the long-delayed redevelopment, warning that continued stagnation is undermining education standards, costing the taxpayer millions, and placing a critical school project at risk...

A Leitrim Councillor is expressing serious concern wiht the Government's decision to proceed with plans to build a liquefied natural gas terminal at Shannon to protect energy supplies. Michael Martin confirmed the news in an interview with the Sunday Times at the weekend. The confirmation that the terminal is being constructed will come as disappointing news to many anti fracking campaigners in th...

Preparations are underway in coastal areas of County Sligo ahead of Storm Bram. Residents and those travelling in the likes of Strandhill, Rosses Point and Enniscrone are being asked to be extra vigilant throughout tomorrow. The storm is set to bring heavy winds with much of the North West coast set to be affected from 10am to 6pm with an orange weather alert in place during that time. There are w...

Sinn Féin has accused the Government of ignoring advice when it announced that it would not be including energy credits in October's budget. The government say such supports were not sustainable. Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that the Government scrapped the energy credits despite advice to the contrary from their own officials. Drumkeerin Councillor Padraig Fallon...

Storm Bram has been named by Met Éireann and will bring very strong winds to the west and south tomorrow. Status orange warnings for wind have been issued for Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal and eight other counties along the coast. Much of the North West coast will be affected from 10am to 6pm. The storm's expected to bring flooding in low lying areas, especially at high tide, wave overtopping and dif...

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan was in Donegal Town on Friday as part of a wider trip to the County, visiting a number of Garda Stations. Among the big issues locally is an apparent question mark over the reopening of Donegal Courthouse. Reporter Catherine Gaffney has been speaking to the Minister from Donegal Town where he was also asked for a commitment to fast track a new Garda Station for Sli...

The Solace Café in Sligo town is reminding people locally that supports will be available over the festive season. The café offers a free, out-of-hours, non-clinical mental health support space for anyone in the Sligo/Leitrim area aged 18 and over. The facility is open just over a year now and is located at the Retreat House, The Lungy. Ocean FM news paid them a visit in recent days: See omnystudi...

Sligo Town is being allocated an additional two full time Gardai. The members will be stationed in Sligo for a three month period and will act as a visible presence walking the streets. The move is part of a wider Garda initiative, building upon a pre-existing project delivered by Gardai in Sligo town and was approved using data from the Garda Pulse System. Gardai have been confirmed that there ha...

A Sligo Councillor says the latest assurances from the Minister for Minster which expressed his desire for a new garda station for Sligo to be got across the line in the years to come is not good enough. Independent Councillor Marie Casserly says the current station which was constructed in the 1840's is no longer fit for purpose and not suitable for officers to work in. The Sligo Drumcliff Counci...

The Justice Minister has given a commitment to see Donegal Town courthouse reopened. The courthouse closed in September due to health and safety concerns with sittings now housed in Ballyshannon. The move has been deemed temporary by the OPW but there is huge concern locally that it will become permanent. Minister Jim O’Callaghan has been visiting Donegal Town this afternoon and speaking to ocean...

As Toy Show night arrives, Sligo's ten-year-old Kilglass pupil Roisín Donegan is filled with excitement as she prepares to take part in this year's Grinch-themed show. Chosen from thousands, the Sligo dancer will take to the stage tonight as the only performer representing the county. Roisín, who will compete at the World Irish Dancing Championships in Chicago next April, says she “literally cried...

The Justice Minister has given a commitment to see Donegal Town courthouse reopened.  The courthouse closed in September due to health and safety concerns with sittings now housed in Ballyshannon.  The move has been deemed temporary by the OPW but there is huge concern locally that it will become permanent.  Minister Jim O’Callaghan has been visiting Donegal Town this afternoon and...

The North West is set to benefit from a major funding announcement. It comes as the Tertiary Sector Capital Investment Plan 2026-2030 was published today. The plan is being described as a landmark €4.55 billion investment to expand capacity, modernise infrastructure with a big focus on the ATU in the years ahead. Minister of State for Further Education Marian Harkin says the plan is about building...

Donegal County Council has finally agreed its budget for 2026. After much deliberation and weeks of negotiations, it was agreed last night that commercial rates would not be increased in the year ahead, despite a 5% rise proposal by the executive. It had been thought at one point that a compromise may have been reached with a counter-proposal put forward by Fianna Fail to commercial raise the rate...

The Justice Minister is facing renewed calls to accelerate the business case for a Garda Station in Sligo. It comes as Minister Jim O'Callaghan is in the region today and is set to visit the recently refurbished Donegal Town Garda Station this afternoon. Meanwhile, plans for a new Garda Divisional Headquarters in Sligo have suffered numerous delays due to initial plans to merge the Sligo/Leitrim D...

Tributes are being paid to two men who were killed in a crash involving a car and a Bus Éireann bus in Enniskillen. The men, who were travelling in the car, died following the incident on the Derrylin Road  shortly after 7 o'clock on Friday evening. The Bus Éireann Expressway coach was en route from Dublin to Donegal at the time of the collision. Police say investigations are continuing and a...

Calls will be made at today's meeting of Sligo County Council for the Local Authority to meet with the NTA in relation to a number of issues that have arisen with bus services in the town. Councillor Tom MacSharry has tabled a motion on the issues. The Sligo Strandhill Councillor says it's vital that an efficient bus service is available for residents across the Sligo Strandhill MD:   See omn...

This morning's meeting of the Ballinamore MD of Leitrim County Council will hear calls for the speed limits to be reviewed on the Dowra road in Drumshanbo. Local Councillor Enda McGloin will ask the Local Authority to review the current position of the various speed limit signs to take into consideration new housing developments and the reopening of a factory in the area. The Fine Gael elected rep...

A junior Minister and local TD says there should be an obligation on financial instructions to ensure that that there are ATM machines available in rural Ireland The situation may be about to improve with the Finance Minister expected to sign off on laws protecting people's access to cash today. The new legislation will require financial institutions to ensure that an ATM machine is located within...