Ocean FM News Reports

A yellow wind warning effect for Donegal will come into effect at 4 p.m. today. The Met Eireann warning has been issued for Mayo and it's understood that parts of Sligo and Leitrim may experience windy conditions until 6 a.m. tomorrow morning. Strong to gale force and gusty winds are being forecast with difficult travelling conditions as well as the possibility of debris and loose objects being di...

A Leitrim Councillor has urged to consider running a new housing initiative being introduced by Bank of Ireland to tackle the housing crisis     The country's largest bank has announced a new loan which will help people 'downsize' to smaller homes.     A pilot scheme will be launched in the new year which will allow people to buy a smaller home before they close the sale of the...

Warnings are being issued to the online shoppers in the North West to be mindful of scam websites that are offering Black Friday deals.   These websites are run by fraudsters, who use the realistic looking pages to earn money.   Scams have risen by 50% across the country in the first half of the year.   Speaking to Ocean FM News, Cathaoirleach of the Sligo-Drumcliffe MD Marie Casser...

Sligo Councillor has blasted yesterday's infrastructure announcement as spin doctoring of the highest order by the government.   The announcement confirmed that a number of key local road projects are set to be under construction by 2030 with Funding secured and plans are being finalised to advance the construction of the N17 from Knock to Collooney, the Eastern Garavogue Bridge and the Carri...

A public conference is set to take place in Enniskillen on delivering health and care in a new Ireland Sinn Feins Commission on the Future of Ireland will be holding the event, which will be chaired by Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen. Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald is also due to be guest speaker The conference is getting underway in the Westville Hotel, on Wednesday next at 7pm. Spea...

A Sligo Senator has described the Employment Bill as a missed opportunity to do more for older workers. The bill allows employees to object to their contractual retirement age and prevents employers from retiring an employee if they are below pensionable age, even if the contract states otherwise. Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Nessa Cosgrove says the Bill has a lot of positives but the Governmen...

A Donegal TD is calling for an all island approach to domestic violence. A Bill entitled an Act to provide victims of sexual violence with the right to seek civil protection orders was debated in the Dail last night. The bill has the support of victims, survivors, and organisations who work with victims and survivors, including Rape Crisis Ireland. Speaking in the Dail last night, Donegal TD Charl...

It's been confirmed that a number of key local road projects are set to be under construction by 2030. Funding has been secured and plans are being finalised to advance the construction of the N17 from Knock to Collooney, the Eastern Garavogue Bridge and the Carrick on Shannon by-pass. The N15 from Sligo to the county boundary is also being reinstated and advanced through the different stages from...

Additional funding has been earmarked for the Fintra Bridge Project. Work on the long awaited project started in recent months and more money has been now provided to support the delivery of the current programme of works. The project is now approximately 20% complete and is said to be progressing in line with schedule, with completion due in 2026. Donegal Fianna Fail TD Pat the Cope Gallagher is...

The West End Walk in Bundoran is being extended. The project has faced a number of delays but work has now started on expending the route on the outskirts of the town. It is hoped that a significant amount of the work will be completed ahead of the 2026 tourism season. Sinn Fein Cllr Michael McMahon believes it'll improve the over recreational experience for both residents and tourists alike:

It's been claimed that a key road project in County Sligo has vanished off the radar. Sligo County Council are called on to give an update on the long awaited improvement works needed along the busy N59 road from Ballisodare towards West Sligo. It follows yet more crashes along this stretch with further claims that there have been ten crashes at one junction this year alone. Drivers have also repo...

There are renewed calls for stronger protections for Killybegs and Ireland's fishing industry and coastal communities. Fine Gael spokesperson on fisheries and the marine in the Seanad, Senator Manus Boyle, has tabled a motion which highlights the economic, cultural and social importance of the fishing sector to Ireland. The motion also raises concerns around the impact of international agreements...

It's emerged that a Leitrim woman had to wait in an ambulance outside Sligo University Hospital for six hours due to overcrowding. The incident which happened in recent weeks left the south Leitrim area without ambulance cover during that time frame. It was also claimed that ambulance personnel in Sligo were recently redirected from Sligo University Hospital with non-urgent cases due to chronic ov...

A standby private ambulance at Sligo University Hospital has cost the HSE over €300,000 for just four months. The vehicle is used for patient transfers between Sligo University Hospital and the Satellite ward on the St. Johns campus. The HSE has confirmed that the ambulance cost for patient transport from the medical offsite ward is €950 per day. Between March 3rd and June 30th of this year, a tot...

Five towns across County Sligo are receiving town team committees to help boost their local areas. It's part of a national efforts to revive regional towns and provide more opportunities around these areas. An information evening on the Town Team in Enniscrone is taking place tonight in the Ocean Sands hotel in the town. Local councillor Joe Queenan says previous efforts have have a positive impac...

Sligo County Council has launched a public consultation on proposed road safety improvements in the centre of Ballisodare, including a new controlled pedestrian crossing on the N59. The plans also feature widened footpaths, dropped kerbs and other accessibility upgrades aimed at improving safety for all road users. An in-person public information event will take place on December 10th at the Peaco...

Sligo's Safe & Sound campaign encourages everyone to enjoy the town's vibrant nightlife with respect and care. It aims to reduce anti-social behaviour, promote respect, and support the 4,100 people who work in Sligo's night-time economy. New free training for nightlife staff is helping venues keep patrons safe throughout the festive season and all year round. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Night-T...

Questions are being asked over a long term plan for elective surgeries at Sligo University Hospital. It comes as work on the roof of the orthopaedic theatre the hospital has finally been completed with full surgical activity resuming only last week - over seven weeks after rain leaked through the ceiling during Storm Amy. No elective surgeries happened at the hospital during that timeframe. The is...

Efforts are said to be ongoing to improve student accommodation in the North West. It comes as the first veterinary medicine programme in the region was launched at ATU Letterkenny yesterday. It marks a milestone in veterinary education as students locally who previously wished to become veterinary surgeons had to study in University College Dublin or overseas institutions. However, with new cours...

It's hoped that the new Deer Management Unit co-ordinator for Donegal will tackle the county's deer population in an effective manner. It was announced this week that Ballyshannon native Declan Gillen is set to be in charge of coordinating the deer management strategy in Donegal. He will liaise with local hunters, farmers/landowners, and other stakeholders in relation to deer sightings and hunting...

There are renewed calls for a proposed upgrade to the N15 in County Sligo to be fast-tracked. It comes as there was another minor crash along the route this week - this time North of Cliffoney on Monday afternoon. It's the latest in string of collision along the busy road which stretches from Sligo to Ballybofey. Local TD Eamon Scanlon mentioned the issue in the Dail only last week, and Cathaoirle...

A Leitrim Councillor says the government levies on oil prices are driving customers across the border in search of better value while at the same time crippling low income families.   A report in today’s Irish Independent claims that the cost of home-heating oil is surging in the North West as the winter sets in.   It’s estimated that around one million homes rely on kerosene-based heati...

The Garda Commissioner has been asked to visit Sligo as concerns for the force locally continue. It comes as no new Gardaí were allocated to the Division from the latest round of Garda graduates from the training college in Templemore. In the letter to Commissioner Justin Kelly, Cathaoirleach of the Sligo Drumcliff MD Cllr Marie Casserly has asked him to visit Sligo to see first-hand the condition...

A Sligo Leitrim Deputy is warning that the safety of politicians will continue to be placed as risk as long as social media continue to court controversy.     The comments from Deputy Martin Kenny come as A 40-year-old woman appeared in court last week, charged with sending threatening online messages to the Tánaiste, Simon Harris.   The Sinn Fein TD has personal experience of viole...

The number of learner drivers on the roads in the North West currently stands at over sixteen and a half thousand.   That's according to figures provided to the Irish Road Haulage Association through a Freedom of Information request to the RSA.   The figure in Sligo stands at 4,574.  In Leitrim it’s reported at 2,281 while in Donegal there are 9,872 learner drivers waiting for a tes...