Ocean FM News Reports

Irish Rail have confirmed that they will continue to work alongside Gardaí to carry-out high-visibility patrols on the Sligo to Dublin rail line.     Earlier this year saw calls for a dedicated transport police force to be rolled out, including on routes to and from the north west.     Unions representing bus and train drivers have been calling for increased security on public...

Criticism has been levelled towards the government locally over the move to fine unemployed people €90 if they fail to engage with employment services. People had previously stood to see their Jobseeker's benefit cut by €44, but the penalty has now been doubled. There are concerns that this measure may only target disadvantaged members of society. Sligo People Before Profit Cllr Gino O'Boyle says...

Businesses in Collooney are hopeful that the new one way system will be hugely beneficial to all concerned.   The new system is coming into effect this afternoon, with traffic now flowing along the Old Boyle Road, up towards the Square along Barrack Road and back down Main Street towards Lower Main Street and onto the Bridge.   It'll be a trialled for six months.   Rory Maitland of...

As the one-way system trial gets underway in Collooney today, one of the changes will see the 981 bus stopping in the village once again. Local Link had made the decision to remove the stop from Collooney village altogether due to congestion, with passengers having to walk outside the village to the stop at Quigley's shop to catch the bus. The bus will now be stopping at both Barrack Road and Quig...

The Government has been accused of having a lack of leadership and accountability over the recent increase to Sligo Boroughs population.   Hundreds of asylum seekers moved into two apartment complexes in the town which used to house students.   Meanwhile, the OPW is to defend the cost of building modular homes for Ukrainian refugees.   They now cost around 440 thousand euro per unit...

A major incident in Collooney has now ended. There was significant disruption to the village for a number of hours today. The Main Street of Collooney was sealed off for several hours this afternoon as emergency services, including a number of armed support units, Gardai and ambulance personnel attending the scene. The alarm was raised after a man reportedly barricaded himself inside a van and pro...

There are calls for Sligo County Council to implement a hedge-cutting scheme, in the aftermath of Storm Ashley.     This follows numerous reports over the weekend of trees blocking roads and falling branches damaging power lines.     It's hoped that the council will adopt a similar scheme to that of Leitrim County Council, where a grant of €50/km is available with conditions. &...

Frustration is growing among General Election candidates as a polling date is still to be confirmed. Coalition leaders met at Leinster House last night, but the only information forthcoming afterwards was that the election will be held in 2024. November 29th is widely being touted as the most likely date. Sligo Leitrim Sinn Fein TD, Martin Kenny, has described the delay as inconvenient, as candida...

The National Golf Tourism Conference held in Sligo this week has been hailed a huge success. The Ireland Golf Tour Operator Association hosted the event, with Golf industry leaders and golf tourism providers from around the world descending on Rosses Point for the last two days. In addition to golf and networking, delegates at this year's event also had the opportunity to explore Sligo's attractio...

Eir have been criticised for their lack of adequate customer support in the case of customers in north Leitrim. Due to a number of fallen trees and poles, many were left without power and connectivity during Sunday's stormy weather. Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Justin Warnock has hit out at the increased barriers in sourcing assistance to the matter. He says in a time where broadband and phone con...

The people of the North West want a renewed focus on issues affecting them.   That's according to Independent Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin, who has been speaking as coalition leaders are to discuss the date of the election tonight.   The leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens will have their first substantive talks about the election.   November 29th is seen as the most...

It's been confirmed that the speed limit on rural roads in county Leitrim are to move to 60km/h. The move comes following the county's yearly speed limit review which was discussed at today's meeting of the Manorhamilton Municipal District.    Measures are set to be in place from February next year.   Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Mary Bohan is hopeful in a time where there is increa...

There are fears that the passenger cap at Dublin Airport could put some cancer patients at risk. Donegal Cancer Flights and Services says it wants to make sure their flights are '100 per cent secure'. The organisation helps bring patients from Donegal to Dublin for treatment. The Irish Independent reports that the Department of Transport is engaging with the IAA on the issue of slot allocation. Th...

Sligo Rovers European hopes fade after Saturday's home defeat to Bohs. Rovers manager John Russell gives his assessment. Plus - Odhrán Keating canvasses opinion from some of Rovers hardcore supporters on what the club means to them.

A number of flights were cancelled at Ireland West Airport yesterday due to the severe weather conditions.  Services to London Heathrow, London Stanstead, and Manchester were all halted due to the effects of Storm Ashley.  The three flights attempted to land in Knock, but were rebuffed due to the strong winds.  Donal Healy, of Ireland West Airport, says safety is always the top prio...

Pressure is being put on Donegal County Council to carry out works on a coastal path in Inver. The path has been wearing away of late, with coastal erosion measures in place in an effort to protect it. However, following the effects of Storm Ashley yesterday, a lot of the rock armour has worn away, leaving a lot of the concrete exposed. It remains to be seen whether Donegal County Council or the O...

Over 950 teaching positions are currently vacant in schools across the country. A survey from the INTO, which covered 40% of primary and secondary schools, found 195 permanent posts and 756 long term temporary or substitute jobs are unfilled. That number is set more than to double after Christmas, with a further 1,816 vacancies expected by next January. General Secretary of the Irish National Teac...

Tributes have been paid locally to Heather Humphreys, following her surprise resignation from Fine Gael. Humphreys, who is Deputy Leader of Fine Gael, made the announcement late on Saturday evening that she would not contest the imminent General Election. She is set to be replaced as Deputy Leader of the party by Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee. Humphreys' withdrawal means she is the eighteent...

As the country begins to recover from the effects of Storm Ashley, calls are being made for the Government to implement an emergency protocol for homes affected by defective concrete blocks. The storm wreaked havoc across the North West, with a number of trees falling and a lot of homes left without power. Many homeowners affected in Donegal fear the worst in storm season, with some homes unable t...

Emergency services and Council staff in Sligo have been praised for their efforts during Storm Ashley yesterday.   ESB staff had the mammoth operation of restoring power to thousands of homes and businesses while staff at Sligo County Council were busy lifting fallen trees and clearing debris from various routes across the county.   There’s still a number of pockets in the region without...

It is hoped that three historic structures can be preserved in Sligo town. Earlier this year, Sligo County Council served a notice for the demolition of numbers 5,6,7,8 and 9 on the street. However, it's now feared that 16 and 17 High Street as well as a house on Lower Quay Street are in danger. All three buildings are included in the council's list of protected structures, however. Cathaoirleach...

A weather bomb's hitting the country over the next 12 hours, bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 80 miles an hour. Storm Ashley is hitting the West Coast first, before moving east across the country. Orange weather warnings are now in place for Galway, Mayo, Clare, Kerry, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. The rest of the country is under a yellow weather warning until 3am tomorrow. Meteorologist Kirs...

A proposed forming of a south Sligo Mácra branch will be discussed at a public meeting this evening.     Branches currently exist throughout the country, including in the north west.     However, with the winter months fast approaching, it’s hoped that members of the public can meet on a frequent basis.     This evening’s meeting will take place at The Miller’s Inn, B...

The imminent arrival of Rory Gallagher's guitar to Ireland has been welcomed in Ballyshannon. The guitar was sold yesterday at an auction in London for just over 1 million euro, and will be donated to the National Museum of Ireland by Live Nation Gaiety. While the guitar will be housed in Dublin for the forseeable future, a number of other items belonging to Rory Gallagher bought at the auction wi...

It's hoped that more traffic calming measures will be introduced in Leitrim. Calls are being made for the R280 leaving Kinlough to be upgraded, as speeding has been prevalent in the area of late. The road also sees a heavy amount of traffic passing over it, both entering and exiting Kinlough on a daily basis. Independent Councillor, James Gilmartin, feels that the council needs to be proactive on...