Ocean FM News Reports

A Leitrim councillor has expressed concern over the potential for a serious accident to take place around a major junction linking north and south Leitrim. Drumbshanbo based councillor Enda McGloin is highlighting the concerns after an increase in the town's population. He's calling on the Road Design Department of Leitrim County Council to consider new road markings and a pedestrian safety study,...

A Leitrim councillor is calling on the HSE to provide a building for the Leitrim/West Cavan Children's Disability Network Team.     Cllr Brendan Barry says the team and its patients need a building with therapy rooms and office space to maximise the amount of time Therapists will have to help the children of the area.   Recently it emerged that over half of occupational therapists a...

Calls have been made in the Dáil to increase top-up payments for community employment schemes. The Rural Social scheme and the Tús Community Employment scheme both received increases of five euro in last year's Budget, but no change was made in this year's allocation. Independent Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin feels the current allocation of 27.50 is not enough to cover the costs of those particip...

The Minister for Education has been asked when a review for more accommodations for the Mercy College in Sligo town will be approved. The issue was raised in the Dáil by Sligo Leitrim Fine Gael TD, Frank Feighan. The Mercy has seen an increase in student enrollment by 25%, and following an initial review carried out three years ago, requests were made for specialist rooms and two special needs cla...

Tensions boiled over in the Dáil again over the current state of the health service in Ireland. Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson, Pearse Doherty, accused the Government of under-funding health in this year's Budget. However, Tánaiste Mícheal Martin said that the Government's allocation was quite similar to what Sinn Féin offered in their own alternative budget. This prompted an angry response from D...

Every Councillor in the Manorhamilton Municipal District are 'up in arms' over the ongoing hedge cutting issue in the area.   Many minor routes have reportedly become dangerous as a result of hedges and trees not being cut on regular basis.   In one recent case, a bus driver who couldn't get a bus down a lane had to take matters into his own hands and take a chainsaw to a problematic hed...

A Sligo Councillor has called on the Local Authority to progress the development of all local water schemes.   The comments from Independent Councillor Marie Casserly come as calls are made for urgent action so as to improve the quality of private drinking water provided by Group  Schemes and Small Private Supplies.   It's estimated that there are 380 group water schemes operating a...

The constraints surrounding the Home Help service in Sligo and Leitrim has been branded ridiculous.   It's emerged that local one man in his 90s was told 'if you can't light a fire then too bad' because the person providing home help wasn't allowed to go beyond their designated time or duties.   There's major ongoing concern locally over people being unable to access home help or if they...

The Sitting Fianna Fáil councillor, Dónal Gilroy has failed in his bid to be selected as a party candidate for the upcoming local elections in the Sligo-Drumcliffe MD.       Edel MacSharry was selected by local party members at last night’s convention and will be put forward on the Fianna Fáil ticket for the elections which are due to be held in June of next year.     The...

MEP and Sligo native Chris MacManus has called for an immediate ceasefire and for a proper negotiation process to get underway to try and resolve the conflict in the Middle East.   He has also expressed his regret about today's missed opportunity in the European Parliament to help bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and contribute to the building of a durable and just solution to the conflict. &n...

A north Leitrim Fianna Fáil councillor says the Party should consider running two candidates in the next general election. Councillor Justin Warnock says a clearer picture will be available once the local elections have been completed. When it comes to his own political future, the Kinlough based councillor says he is concentrating on serving as Cathaoirelach of the local authority and contesting...

A Sligo Leitrim TD has hit out at the European Commission President for recent made comments on the Middle East conflict.   Ursula von der Leyen did not include a call for Israel's retaliation to conform to international law.   Meanwhile, talks between the Government and Opposition parties to table an agreed joint motion in the Dáil last night responding to this month's horrific violence...

The Health Minister is said to be ‘concerned’ over a letter he recently received about Letterkenny University hospital.   The letter, penned by almost 80 GPs highlights grave concerns over the current conditions at the ED and was subsequently backed by 11 consultants.   The issue was raised in the Dail this afternoon by Independent TD Thomas Pringle to the Tánaiste Michael Martin.  ...

It's been claimed that it took years before flood damaged community facilities in Donegal were repaired or replaced.   The comments were made in the Dail by Donegal Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty over the latest flooding incident which has devastated parts of Cork.   Deputy Doherty says there are many communities the length and breadth of the country which have been in the same boat.  ...

The Outgoing CEO of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, says securing funding promised under the Brexit adjustment fund is his main objective before he departs from the role.     Sean O Donoughe has announced that he will retire from the position at the end of the year.   He has spent 23 years in the role and a total of 43 years working in fisheries.     The Killybegs...

The Government has been criticised for carrying a motion without debate by a Donegal TD.     Deputy Thomas Pringle has questioned the balance of a motion on the ongoing situation between Israel and Palestine.     With the intensifying siege in Gaza continuing, Independent TD Pringle has labelled the move as “wrong”.     Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Pringle says the na...

Parents of children with special needs have been forced to take matters regarding supports into their own hands. That's according to Fine Gael TD for Donegal, Joe McHugh. Deputy McHugh spoke in the Dáil on behalf of the Special Needs Parents Network in Donegal, who have carried out research themselves on supports needed, with vacancy levels within the HSE across the country almost at 60%. Access t...

Enhanced public transport services are on the way for Ballintogher and Ballygawley. The local link service has confirmed that a connection to Sligo from Ballintogher will be provided 4 times per day each way Monday to Sunday on the Route 566. Two additional night time services will be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Ballygawley and Carraroe villages will also be connected to Sligo...

A widely anticipated Dail debate between Sinn Fein and the Health Minister over Letterkenny University Hospital has been deferred.   The discussion was to call for an external review of the hospital after almost 80 Donegal GPs penned a damning letter over current conditions in the ED.   This was subsequently backed by 11 consultants.   But Minister Stephen Donnelly didn't show up in...

re-design of the T-junction at the Barrack Road in Collooney is nearing completion.   Following this, formal approval on the re-design will be forthcoming.   As part of a one million euro active travel upgrade, the junction was narrowed which has caused huge difficulty for those driving Lorries and HGVs.   Local residents have previously raised serious concern over the issue.  ...

The government has been called out to provide clarity on road networks and road safety funding outlined in the budget. In the budget estimates published last week, it looks set to be cut by 10%. 152 people have been killed in crashes so far this year, an increase of 35 on this time last year. Sligo Leitrim TD Martin Kenny has previously been a critic of the governments approach to roads and transp...

A North West representative from the Labour Party is expressing her frustration with the continued number of building that are empty or derelict while the homeless figures continue to soar.   Bernie Linnane has sharply criticised the Government for the lack of ambition on housing in Budget 2024 adding that instead of penalising landlords for leaving building they instead rewarded them with ta...

A Donegal TD has given a cautious welcome to news that a strike by health and social care workers in community and voluntary sectors - which was meant to start this morning - has been called off.   It's understood that an agreement was reached between unions and Government representatives in the early hours of this morning.   The agreement includes pay increases backdated to April 2023 a...

A Sligo restaurateur says the recent budget provides ample evidence that the current government are not interested in supporting one of the North West’s most important industries.   Anthony Gray made the comments after the government ended the special 9 per cent VAT rate that benefited hospitality sector.   Many working in the sector had hoped for more supports in last week’s budget howe...

It’s been claimed that a large number of people from Manorhamilton and further afield were angry over recent works on the N16.   The works took place between Manorhamilton and Glenfarne and saw the complete closure of the route entirely for a time.   Diversions were said to be poorly thought out which led to huge traffic congestion and confusion.    Cllr Sean McDermott says tha...