Ocean FM News Reports

The Taoiseach has met those impacted by a freak weather event in Leitrim Village.   During his visit this afternoon, which lasted over an hour and a half, Leo Varadkar met with business owners, residents and members of the emergency services where on duty on the day.   Hundreds remain without power following the incident with many displaced from their homes.   The Taoiseach says the...

With the impending arrival of the Taoiseach in Leitrim Village, one opposition TD is calling for supports to be provided.     Assessors visited the village this morning to assess the damage to yesterday's incident.     Deputy Martin Kenny has commended the work of the emergency services and local community.     He says its imperative supports are put in place.

Leitrim Village's postmaster has recounted his experienced during Sunday afternoon’s freak weather event. Locals throughout the village continue to clean up and count the cost after a tornado ripped through the south Leitrim village. Gardaí and Emergency Services attended the scene with some people being treated for minor injuries. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Willie Donnellan, who is also a renowne...

A local resident has described the horror of what she witnessed during an eight second period in Leitrim Village.   A major clean-up operation is underway in the village after a tornado ripped through the popular tourist destination yesterday afternoon.   Serious damage was caused to properties, cars, trees and boats that were docked in the area.   Gardaí and Emergency Services atte...

A Leitrim area representative for the Green Party is urging the general public to pay notice to climate change after the events in Leitrim Village yesterday.   Following on from yesterday's near tragedy when a tornado hit Leitrim village, the former Green party local election candidate, Leslie O' Hora says in the space of 30 seconds, millions of Euro worth of damage was caused to the area. &n...

The sod will be turned later today on a major housing development in Bundoran. 42 new houses will be constructed as part of the development situated at Drumacrin. Preliminary groundwork had already commenced on what will be the first major social housing investment in the town for a number of years. The houses will be constructed by Glebe Builders and it's expected that the construction will be co...

Over 900 homes and premises in Leitrim Village are without power following a freak weather event on Sunday afternoon.   Gardaí and Emergency Services attended the scene as it is believed a tornado ripped through through the village.   The tornado caused serious damage to properties, cars, trees and walls.   No major injuries have been reported.   Diversions are in place at Drum...

In the lead up to Christmas, The Organic Centre in Rossinver is hosting an event.   The centre will host a ‘Green Christmas Market’ on Sunday, December 10th from 11am until 5pm.   The activities include over 20 stalls packed with an array of local and sustainable gifts, ideas and foods.   A special free sustainable Santa will also be there from 12-3 for the children, while Chef...

Over €200,000 euro is to be divided among local authorities right across the country to encourage and support women and diversity ahead of the 2024 local elections. The announcement was made by the Government today. It's been confirmed that Sligo is to €8,000 euro, however there's been no funding announcement for Donegal and Leitrim. It's understood that every local authority that applied for the...

There's warning that many restaurants and cafés in County Sligo are at risk of closure unless theey stop ripping off customers and the Government urgently intervenes.   It comes as new figures show that almost 200 restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and gastropubs nationwide have closed in the past five months.   48 businesses shut their doors for good in November.   Speaking to Ocean...

The CEO of Sligo Chamber of commerce says the greater availability of goods will provide a boost for Sligo based business in the lead up to Christmas.   It seems more people are travelling south of the border for their Christmas shopping this year.   Traditionally, people from the Republic have travelled north to get cheaper groceries, alcohol, and presents.   In the past December 8...

The Government is being urged to meet the demands for pay parity from supervisors on the TUS Scheme and the Rural Social Schemes.   Currently, if you're a supervisor on a CE scheme, after 10 years you are getting about €42,000 per annum whereas if you're on an RSS or a TUS supervisor you're getting about €35,000.   A meeting about the issue was due to be held in Sligo but was postponed s...

It's estimated that Donegal County Council will need about 24 additional people employed to meet the demands of new incoming planning legislation.   At over 700 pages in length, Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien described the planning and development bill as the cornerstone for Irish planning for the coming decades.   The Bill is said to impact many areas from housing to roads to renewabl...

Fórsa members staged a protest this afternoon outside Sligo University Hospital, campaigning for an end to the current recruitment ban. As it stands, the HSE has a moratorium on recruitment for clerical staff, leaving current staff under severe pressure in the lead-up to Christmas. The protest today was one of a few that have taken place at hospitals around the country over the last two days. Spea...

A Donegal TD has accused the Housing Minister of having no plan in tackling the ongoing housing crisis.   Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty has lashed out the Government yet again, amid reports of rising house prices and increases in rents across the country.   But Minister Darragh O'Brien says it's Sinn Fein's job to produce an alternative, which they haven't.   He also says the party ha...

Ballygawley is set to benefit from a share of 50 million euro under the Rural Water Scheme. The scheme targets waste water collection and treatment needs for villages without access to Public Waste Water Services. The funding was announced today by the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Darragh O'Brien. Ballygawley is one of seven villages to receive a share of the funds, with Clarinbridge...

The Dail has heard that there are a lot of false stories in circulation over immigrants in Ireland.   It comes as it was revealed this week that accommodation for international protection seekers has run out in the country.   Drop-in day services will be provided for international protection applicants who cannot be accommodated, with tents and sleeping bags provided where required. &nbs...

The Children's Minister has pledged that will be a more 'considered response' to the case of a Donegal man who was wrongly accused of abusing his son and daughter.   The Dail has heard claims this morning that William Porter and his family's lives were destroyed by the failings of Tusla, after false accusations were made about him within the agency.   It took three years for Tulsa to inv...

The Government is being urged to immediately introduce a three year ban on rent increases.   Latest figures from the residential tenancies board show that there was an almost 12% increase in rental costs for new tenancies across Sligo and Leitrim.   In Donegal the figure was over 12%.   Existing tenants also saw their rent rise by 8.5% in Sligo and 9% in Leitrim in the last year. &n...

Questions are being asked on the state of play on a number of planned roadworks in County Sligo.   There's currently ten roads in the County on Work in Progress Schemes.   But there's concern that a number of projects are not moving at a quick enough pace, with the condition of some of the routes reportedly treacherous for road users.   Local Fianna Fail Cllr Donal Gilroy has seriou...

A North West independent TD who voted against the Justice Minister in the motion of no confidence yesterday evening is warning that a close eye now needs to be kept on how garda resources will be deployed across the Country.   The Government won a Dáil confidence vote in the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.   The no-confidence motion was tabled by Sinn Fein, in the aftermath of the Du...

It's thought that designated car parking spaces should be located north and south of Sligo town with a shuttle bus providing transport to the town centre.   The call comes in light of a reported increase in traffic in and around the town.   Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Cllr Gerard Mullaney says while it was trialled in the past and proved unsuccessful, he feels that it could wor...

A Sligo Leitrim TD has criticised the decision taken by Transport Infrastructure Ireland to increase toll charges on ten routes around the country.     The Sinn Fein spokesperson on transport, Deputy Martin Kenny says Motorists can't take any more financial hits.   The increases in the charges will take place on from January 1st.     It's the second increase in the last ye...

There are calls for speed vans to be located on the Ballyshannon/Bundoran bypass at night time and at weekends.   It's reported that speeding along the route has become a huge issue in recent times with claims that there have also been a number of crashes.   Sinn Fein Cllr Michael McMahon thinks that having speed vans there is necessary and they should be in places where there are proble...

It's been confirmed that Tánaiste Micheál Martin has again raised the Michael Leonard case with the British Secretary of State.   Earlier this year marked 50 years since the Donegal man was killed at the border between Fermanagh and Donegal.   The Leonard family has long been campaigning for a fresh inquest into his death.   Donegal Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty believes that further...