Ocean FM News Reports

Reassurances have been given that Gardai in the North West are actively tackling rural crime and bringing criminals to justice. It comes as the case of three men arrested this week in the Capital following a burglary spree in five counties including Sligo, was raised in the Dail last night. The trio, which included two men aged 21 and 26 and a juvenile were subsequently taken to Garda stations in...

On this week’s programme… Donegal’s early Christmas present, the return of Michael Murphy to county colours. Manus Boyle’s with us  to discuss. Two bronze medals for Sligo kickboxers at the European Championships in Athens – we talk to Michael McDermott, who’s in the Greek capital. Gurteen’s Roisin Molloy joins us to talk about her stellar soccer season with Athlone Town FC. Maastricht isn’t...

Gardaí are out in force across the region to combat speeding on National Slow Down Day. A number of patrols and checkpoints will be carried out over the course of the next 24 hours, as Gardaí encourage drivers to take more care on the roads. There have already been multiple instances of drivers caught speeding so far today. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Sergeant Aoife Hayes, of the Sligo Roads Polici...

250 new jobs are on the way to Co. Leitrim. Freudenberg Medical is hiring the staff to work at its newly expanded facility in Carrick-on-Shannon. The medical device company is recruiting for positions in engineering, R&D, manufacturing and support services. Speaking to Ocean FM News, General Manager at Freudenberg Medical in Carrick on Shannon, Barry Regan, says they hope to expand even furthe...

There’s been a mixed reaction to plans to allow Sligo County Councillors attend meetings remotely.   Sligo is one of five local authorities to receive funding under the Hybrid Council Meeting Scheme.   Forty thousand euro has been allocated by the Government and an additional twenty thousand euro will be provided by Sligo County Council for the project.   It’ll ultimately upgrade th...

The number of people attending a new Mental Health Café in Sligo is said to be steadily increasing since it opened a few weeks ago.   Solace Café, located in Retreat House on Charles Street in the town, has been described as a much needed initiative, not only for Sligo, but for the wider North West region.   Appointments can be made from Thursday right through to Sunday from 5pm until 10...

The Government have been asked to engage with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to review their policy on the N56 in Donegal. Currently, people are not able to build houses along the route due to the unsafe nature of the road. The TII are suggesting a reduction in speed limits along the road, but speaking in the Dáil this morning, Donegal Sinn Fein TD, Pearse Doherty, says that their blanket approa...

Sligo's Winter Maintenance Programme for this year has come under fire. The plan grits a number of high priority routes in the County but it's thought that there's still a lot of treacherous roads locally that should be added to it. The programme is already said to be at full capacity with no room for more routes to be included. Fine Gael Cllr Thomas Walsh says that's hugely disappointing but hope...

Sligo County Council is one of five local authorities around the country to receive funding to facilitate councillors attending meetings remotely. Sligo County Council have been allocated 40,000 euro by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, while the Council will also provide 20,000 euro, bringing the total cost of the project to 60,000. Other Councils around the country includ...

Recent developments show that there is no EU budget to support the Nature Restoration Law, despite previous assurances given to North West farmers. Taoiseach Simon Harris is now being called upon to address the issue immediately, before the Dáil is dissolved. It's understood that a number of farmers from Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal feel misled regarding a compensation fund in relation to the rewett...

The government has been called on locally to enact the Occupied Territories Bill. The Occupied Territories Bill is a proposed law in Ireland aimed at preventing the country from trading goods and services from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories. Following Israel's war on Gaza, hopes have escalated that the Dáil will pass the bill. However, time is running out with a General Ele...

A group of Donegal homeowners who saw remediation scheme forms downgraded without their knowledge are protesting outside the Department of Housing Headquarters this afternoon. Around 50 people have travelled to Dublin from Donegal and further afield today. It was previously revealed that a number of application forms had been altered, without the knowledge of the homeowners, to cheaper, cost-effec...

It's thought that there should be an extension to the local link service across Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal over the festive season. There's been a big success locally with the scheme and it's thought that a later schedule over the Christmas period would prove popular with various rural communities in the region. Sligo County Council is to write to the TII, urging them to explore the possibility. L...

Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal have been used as examples in Dáil today as to why the Carer’s Allowance Means Test should be abolished. Across the North West, it’s approximated that family carers save the state a combined €985 million in healthcare every year. Sligo-Leitrim Independent TD Marian Harkin highlighted that care is a societal issue that impacts the lives of everyone. Deputy Harkin says tha...

There is no immediate risk of homes being inspected and turf confiscated in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal amid attempts to crackdown on the sale of smoky fuels.   In the Draft Air Pollution Bill, there is the possibility that local authority staff could have the right to enter private dwellings to search and seize.   However, no more consideration will be given to the Bill before the Dáil d...

ATU are set to be awarded €6.2m in funding towards research and infrastructure upgrades. It's part of an €80m windfall for higher education institutions, with the announcement made by the Department of Further and Higher Education today. The funding announced today is set to be shared between ATU Campuses in Sligo, Donegal and Galway. Following news this week that the sale of land to ATU Sligo fro...

Farmers across Sligo and Leitrim are said to be living in fear over roaming gangs and criminals potentially targeting their property.   The latest crime figures for Sligo have previously shown that theft, damage offences and burglary are all on the rise.   Independent Ireland General Election candidate and Cllr Michael Clarke has once again reiterated that there must be extra resources p...

Another candidate has stepped forward to run in the upcoming General Election   Gerry McKeever has declared his intention to run as an Independent candidate in the Donegal constituency.   A barber by trade, Mr McKeever has never contested an election before, either at local or national level.   Speaking to Ocean FM News, he feels he would be a voice for those on the ground:

Calls have been made for Leitrim to be included in the Defective Concrete Block Scheme. It comes as number of cases have been discovered in the north of the county -  in Manorhamilton and Tullaghan. Sligo was recently added to the redress scheme, but the Government is now being urged to expand the supports further, following backing from Leitrim County Council. Independent Manorhamilton Cllr...

An Bord Pleanala has yet to confirm if Benbulben Court in Sligo is fully complying with planning regulations.   There have been a substantial amount of queries over the planning status of the apartment complex, after a decision was taken to house hundreds of asylum seekers there.   The premises traditionally housed students but is privately owned.   Now clarity is being sought as to...

Reassurances have been given to passengers flying from Donegal and Dublin that the service is officially secured. The flight is used extensively by business, students, tourists and above all patients travelling to and from Dublin for Medical appointments. The service has been extended, with that Emerald Airlines will continuing to operate it for an additional one-year period up until 25 February 2...

Farmers across the north west were among those who gathered outside Leinster House this afternoon against the potential ratification of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement.   Among the details in the agreement would see 99,000 tonnes of South American beef allowed into the European market every year.   It is understood that the European Commission is planning to finalise the trade-deal in mi...

A reduction in class sizes are among the priorities outlined by the INTO in their pre-election manifesto. Currently, average class sizes are at 23 students per group, which is above the EU average. Among the 30 other priorities the union outline are addressing the shortage in supply of teachers, more support for students with special education needs, and protection of the Irish language. Speaking...

It's been confirmed that Sinn Fein Cllr Noel Jordan is set to contest the upcoming General Election in the Donegal constituency. Cllr Jordan will be the third Sinn Fein Candidate added to the party ticket for Donegal, after sitting TDs Pearse Doherty and Padraig MacLochlainn were selected at convention in recent weeks. A three candidate strategy was adopted by Sinn Fein in Donegal back in 2016 whi...

A number of former An Post workers from the North West will be protesting in Dublin tomorrow. Organised by Post Office Pensioners United, they aim to overturn a restriction that limits pension increases to 2%. Concerns are being raised that the An Post pensions will not be sustainable going forward. Paul Moreland, of POPU and former An Post employee, says the protest is about the future: