Ocean FM News Reports

Support has been given locally to the government's decision to approve the Nature Restoration Law. Just yesterday, it was confirmed that the law had been officially approved by EU member members states. It will require all member states to introduce measures to restore nature on at least a fifth of their land and sea by 2030m and all ecosystems by 2050. Bláithín Gallagher, chair of the north west...

Road safety is being highlighted ahead of the Donegal International Rally, which takes place this weekend. The "Keep The Race In Its Place" campaign is urging safety for all road users heading to Donegal for the event. With a high number of road deaths so far this year, members of the public are concerned over additional traffic in the county this weekend. Cathoirleach of Donegal County Council Cl...

Domestic violence is happening right across the North West. That's according to DVAS manager, Carmel McNamee, who highlighted the situation following a report published today by Women's Aid Ireland. The issue of domestic abuse in Ireland was addressed in the study, and it is a concern reflected locally. The organisation's Annual Report for 2023 outlines over 40,000 disclosures - up 18 percent on t...

Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim are under the national average for the recycling of e-waste. Recent figures from WEEE Ireland showed Ireland had recycled a record-breaking over 40,000 tonnes of e-waste in 2023. Included in the items recycled were a quarter of a million TVs and 750,000 vapes nationwide. Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland, says there is a little more work to do in the north west:

A Sligo-Leitrim TD has called on communities to apply for funding dedicated towards the development of community centres. Grants of between €10,000-€100,000 will be made available for the upgrade and refurbishment of the facilities. It is part of the Community Centres Investment Fund 2024, which aims to improve existing premises in local communities. Fine Gael Deputy Frank Feighan issued a reminde...

A number of popular outdoor swimming projects in south Donegal are to receive funding from the Department of Health and Health Ireland.   Mountcharles pier, Killybegs, Rossnowlagh and Bundoran outdoor pool and four other locations in the county are to share 24,000 as part of the 500,000 funding in outdoor swimming projects.   This will go towards new precast swim shelters and changing fa...

The EU Nature Restoration Law has been officially approved by member states. It will be enacted across the European Union after being passed by 20 countries - including Ireland - at the EU Environment Council this morning. The law requires all member states to introduce measures to restore nature on at least a fifth of their land and sea by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050. Chairperson of the Slig...

Hundreds of supporters and wellwishers greeted Sligo's European Athletics silver medallist Lauren Cadden at ATU Sligo on Sunday afternoon. Ocean FM broadcast the celebration event live.

Mobile breastcheck services are to return to Sligo Town this autumn. The mobile service will also return to it's usual location at the back of Teach Laighne in Tubbercurry in the middle of next year. Breastcheck offers free screening services to women aged between 50-69, and its last cycle finished in Sligo town in March 2023. Speaking to Ocean FM News, local Sinn Fein councillor Thomas Healy outl...

The Green Party need to go into an electoral pact with Social Democrats and Labour going forward.   That's according to recent local election Green Party candidate in the Sligo-Strandhill electoral area, Johnny Gogan.   The situation was highlighted by the candidate that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael may not be the most reliable partners for his party.   Mr Gogan said statements were ma...

Women need to feel they are almost overqualified for a position before they'll go for it. That's according to recent Fine Gael candidate for the Manorhamilton local electoral area, Caitriona Bergin, on the representation of women on local councils. Following the 2024 local elections, just 5 out of the 30 seats on local electoral areas in the Ocean FM franchise area will be filled by women. While r...

There's said to be ongoing fear in north Leitrim that a joint up venture between Coillte and an overseas investment fund will see large quantities of land purchased for afforestation use. Coillte's venture with Gresham House has caused widespread concern among environmentalists, farmers, the forestry sector and local communities. It's believed the venture will see an average of 700 hectares of new...

Paddy McGill, Manus Boyle, Peter Campbell and guests reflect on another impressive Donegal championship showing in Castlebar on Saturday. Their 2-23 to 0-5 victory over Clare, coupled with Tyrone's 1-18 to 0-17 vwin over Cork, means Donegal finish top of Group 3 and go straight into the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

28 Sligo community groups will receive over €50,000 in funding from SSE Renewables Kingsmountain and Dunneill Community Fund. The supports aim to share the value of renewable energy projects with communities, maximising the benefits of local, sustainable power. Recently re-elected Ballymote-Tubbercurry Independent Cllr Michael Clarke highlighted the important funding this provides to small groups....

The final Irish seats for the European Parliament have been filled, with the conclusion of the count in the Midlands-North-West constituency in the early hours of this morning. Five candidates were elected following a five-day marathon count, which concluded at 3.30 am in the TF Royal in Castlebar. The election of Independent Luke 'Ming' Flanagan on the 20th count last night was followed by that o...

For many GAA fans, this weekend is when the football championship really begins - as counties face make-or-break group matches to reach the knockout stages of the All-Ireland football championship. Paddy McGill, Peter Campbell and Conor Breslin assess the challenge in front of Donegal in Castlebar this weekend - Clare.

“Illegal drugs are in every town, village and rural community in the country.”   That's according to Fine Gael Sligo-Leitrim TD Frank Feighan, who was sharing his thoughts following the recent meeting of the Joint Committee on Drugs Use.   A discussion was highlighted regarding a more health-based approach to addiction and the decriminalisation of drug use.   Deputy Feighan says an...

It seems that a new bus service from Ballintrillick to Grange will be coming on stream shortly. The new seven day service will see a Local Link run from Ballintrillick as far as Cliffoney and then on to Grange, where it can connect with other bus services heading towards Sligo town. The roll out has now passed all stages and is just waiting for the green light for funding. Local Independent Cllr M...

As the dust has well and truly settled after the local elections, Donegal has been deemed as the worst local authority when it comes to gender balance.   Only three of the 37 Councillors on Donegal County Council are now women.   Nationally, a record number of women ran in this year's local elections, with 681 putting their names on the ballot, a significant increase on the 561 who conte...

A Donegal TD has called on the Government to ensure families of migrant health care professionals can get visas. This move would be with the hopes of encouraging migrant professionals to remain working within the health system, which has repeatedly found its services operating at capacity. The Independent TD highlighted how their work prevents the system from collapsing completely. Speaking in the...

It's emerged that not only are there pressure issues with the water supply in Collooney but now there's reports of severe discolouration.   Some residents supply is currently running a brownish colour through the taps, leaving it undrinkable and unfit for washing clothes.   Sinn Fein Cllr Thomas Healy says it's simply not good enough.   He has made several representations to Uisce E...

The Government is under increasing pressure to provide more core funding to the Bluestack Foundation in south Donegal.   The foundation, based in Donegal Town, provides supports to families and carers of people with special needs and raise most of their funds through the local community and fundraising activities.   For years, there's been a campaign, calling on the Government to provide...

The Tanaiste says its not certain Fianna Fail would have won two seats in the Midlands Northwest with a two candidate strategy.   Barry Cowen, Lisa Chambers and Niall Blaney all ran for the party in the fifteen county constituency.   However Barry Cowen was the only Fianna Fail candidate who was elected, despite the party getting almost 150,000 first preference votes between the three wh...

“Shocking, appalling… absolutely unacceptable.” These were some of the words used by Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue in the Dáil today to describe the scenes on an RTE investigates programme last night. An undercover report showed distressing footage of the treatment of horses sent for slaughter at a licensed abattoir in Straffan, Co Kildare. Minister McConalogue wanted to address the ima...

The Health Minister has conceded that neurology patients in Donegal travelling to Sligo for care is a big ask.   Currently, patients from the likes of Letterkenny have to endure a 224km round trip to Sligo University Hospital for neurology appointments.   A campaign, calling for consultants to be appointed to Letterkenny, was launched earlier this year.   The issue was raised in the...