Ocean FM News Reports

It's been claimed that no repsonsibility is being taken over the amount of patients forced to wait on trolleys at Sligo University Hospital. Statistics released by the INMO yesterday show that Sligo University Hospital has been the fourth busiest hospital in the country so far this year. Over 6,000 patients have been treated on trolleys or inappropriate areas in the hospital so far this year, with...

Wheelchair swings are set to be installed in a number of playgrounds around Leitrim, including the Manorhamilton Municipal District. €67,500 has been allocated to Leitrim Sports Partnership as part of the Participation Nation Outdoor Fund. There will also be sensory equipment installed to improve accessibility for children with additional needs. Michelle Maguire, Sports Inclusion Development Offic...

Legislation has been passed in the Dáil to ensure that records from the Magdalene Laundries are kept intact. An amendment was made to the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Bill 2024 to protect records of what happened in Mother and Baby homes, and to ensure victims and their relatives have access to them in future. It will now be a criminal offence if th...

Wilson Waweru extends his stay at Sligo Rovers on the eve of Rovers must-win game in Galway. A bumper weekend of club championship finals in Sligo and Fermanagh. Can St Molaise Gaels make it second-time lucky at Markievicz Park this Sunday? We’ll hear from team captain Alan McLoughlin and manager Jimmy Langan. We’ll look at Owenmore Gaels fairytale run to the intermediate final too. And from Ferma...

Donegal TD criticises government's housing record

Concerns have been raised over the deployment of soldiers from the North West to Lebanon. Irish soldiers are currently operating in the area on peacekeeping efforts amid heightening tensions with Israel in the region. There have long been calls for an immediate ceasefire, as troops from Donegal, Sligo and Mayo prepare to travel to the warzone. Midlands-North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly says local par...

There is currently a near-neighbour payment available to those who live within 1km of a windfarm, but many believe this payment should be reviewed. Some residents living near Cloghervaddy windfarm outside Donegal town had prevoisuly been recieving the funds have since had the payments discontinued. Independent councillor Jimmy Brogan says anyone who is affected by the wind farms should receive fun...

Department of Justice becomes JAM card-friendly department

A public meeting is to be held in Donegal Town this evening to address the issues of traffic congestion and parking. This follows on from a similar meeting that took place in May, and will have local representatives in attendance with the discussion starting at 8pm in the Public Services Centre. People are being urged to attend and express their opinions in relation to matters such as the recently...

The plight of ambulance services in south west Donegal has been raised on the floor of the Dáil. Lengthy waiting times coupled with a severe staff shortage are said to be just two of the issues impacting the service. Earlier this year, figures showed ambulances nationally, on average, took over an hour to arrive at high priority calls 500 times in the first six months of 2024. Donegal Deputy Thoma...

Disappointment has been expressed at the news that the bus stop in Collooney village on the 981 route will be removed again. The stop was to return to the village in conjunction with the beginning of the trial one-way system on Main Street, however, a number of cars double-parked on the street have made it difficult for buses to pass through. It's understood the bus was held up for 15 minutes in C...

Major concerns have been raised over the amount of vacancies within the mental health service in the North West region. It's understood that there are 80-90 vacant positions spread across Sligo, Leitrim and South Donegal. Sligo-Drumcliff Fianna Fail Cllr Edel MacSharry has called for the vacancies to be immediately filled, an increase of inpatient beds, and an improved mental health budget allocat...

Responding, Taoiseach Simon Harris said the tax should be implemented in a fair manner.

Fresh calls have been made for counties in the north west to be dropped from the “one size fits all” approach as it relates to the residential land zoned tax. The residential zoned land tax has been planned for a number of years as an attempt to target land hoarding by developers and other individuals during the housing crisis. Each local authority will prepare and publish a map identifying land w...

A victim of rape and coercive control hopes her decision to waive her anonymity will help others. Earlier this week, 48 year old Sergio Correia of Front Street, Ardara, County Donegal was jailed for eight years for the rape and coercive control of his wife in 2019. Kathleen Correia waived her right to anonymity to allow her ex-husband to be named. She hopes her decision will benefit other women.

Sligo University Hospital is in a state of a 'severe emergency'.   That's according to Independent Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin, who fears that the hospital is being left behind when compared to other facilities across the country.   In 2008, Sligo lost 60 beds and while plans are afoot to provide a new 40 bed ward, it's thought that it won't be enough to address the shortfall.  ...

Donegal Sports Partnership has been allocated just under €80,000 as part of the new Participation Nation Outdoor Fund. The funding is designed to support the purchase and installation of permanent sport infrastructure that can be placed on public land for community use. The supports will be invested in a number of projects including the Dungloe to Glenties N56 Greenway, and Creeslough to Falcarrag...

The Taoiseach has confirmed that he will look to escalate the issue of Norwegian and Faroese overfishing on Irish waters, including those off the north west coast.     The European Commission is being urged to block vessels amid fears of overfishing, while local fisheries are stuck with limited quotas.     The Irish Fish Producers Organisation say Ireland’s small fishing fleet...

It's predicted a State apology will be issued in the future to children currently living in direct provision. There are still thousands of children living in such accommodation right across the country, many here in the North West and there are calls for more supports to be made available to them. In particular, the Minister for Social Protection is being asked to address the barriers to the intro...

The government have been taken to task on engaging in a discussion on Irish unity. A poll published earlier this week suggested that the majority are in favour of unity north of the border, with calls for a citizen's assembly. Donegal Deputy Pádraig MacLochlainn is just one of those who spoken in favour of the matter previously. Speaking in the Dáil, the Sinn Féin TD says the time is now. >* In...

It's emerged that Sligo County Council is set to make a proposal to sell 16 acres of land to ATU, in a bid to provide student accommodation.   The plan will come before members of the council on Monday November 4th, where they will make a decision on the sale.   It is hoped that this move will help address the major accommodation shortage for students within the county, while also giving...

An investigation is continuing into yesterday's incident in Collooney.   The Main Street was sealed off for several hours as emergency services, including the armed support unit, Gardai and ambulance personnel attending the scene.   The alarm was raised after a man reportedly locked himself inside a van and produced equipment believed to be suspicious.   Gardai initiated its Hostage...

Locals have been reacting to what unfolded in Collooney this afternoon 

Speaking from Collooney this afternoon, Cllr Thomas Healy says he’s thankful of a positive outcome 

The suggestion to increase the fees for driving licenses and car tests has not been rejected locally. A review into the RSA has advised the government that the increase is necessary in order to fund road safety. The current waiting list backlog in Sligo and across the region has been highlighted as a need for improvements in the service. Sligo-Drumcliff Independent Cllr Marie Casserly says the who...