Ocean FM News Reports

A Sligo-Leitrim TD has asked the Taoiseach to ensure that the government fulfils its promise that public transport will be prioritised for people will be delivered. Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Martin Kenny said that 6 passengers in Boyle on Monday night waiting Expressway's 23 bus to Dublin Airport. Deputy Kenny, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on transport also called for the provision of the S3 bus se...

The Government are being urged to cancel its planned increases in student fees and instead expand the Free Book Scheme to secondary schools. Those are the views of Donegal TD Padraig MacLochlainn. The Sinn Fein TD has challenged the notion that Primary and post-primary education in this state is free under the constitution and legislation. He says Fees continue to be a barrier to education, are ho...

Gardaí in Sligo are seeking the public’s assistance after two evens of criminal damage took place in the Sligo Town area yesterday. Investigations have been launched after separate fires were started at Caltra Cresent and Crozon Park areas in Sligo. The fires took place after 3 a.m. at Caltra Cresent while an hour later the fire at Crozon Park was  believed to have been started. Two youths were re...

On this weeks On The Beat we were joined by Sgt Enda Browne from Manorhamilton Garda Station. Appeals were made in relation to crimes in Sligo and Leitrim while there was also an appeal for information over Fridays serious collision in south Donegal:

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty TD, has described comments made by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as "completely out-of-touch from the acute financial pressure so many households face, as mortgage interest rates continue to rise". Deputy Doherty joined us on the programme to discuss:

Liam Feeney from Feeney’s Garden Centre in Sligo joined us for the North West Today gardening slot. As per usual there were loads of texts and phone queries for Liam to address from the listeners.

Independent Councillor Joe Queenan is the new Cathaoirleach for the Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District. The announcement was made at Monday's Annual General Meeting of the Municipal District at County Hall. Former Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Michael Clarke has assumed the role of Leas-Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District. It is the second time that Councillor Queenan has held th...

The newly elected Cathaoirleach of the Sligo-Drumcliff Municipal District says a lot of work needs to be done in the electoral area Councillor Thomas Walsh has been elected as the new Cathaoirleach of Sligo-Drumcliff Municipal District. It is the second time that the Fine Gael Councillor has assumed the role having previously held the position from June 2020 to 2021. Councillor Marie Casserly has...

A Leitrim councillor says he is appalled by Eir's level of customer service and their refusal to engage with north Leitrim residents that want poles removed on health and safety grounds. Leitrim Councillor Padraig Fallon says efforts to have a pole removed that is blocking the line of sight on the R280 has been going on for a period of time. The Sinn Fein Councillor Claims eir want to charge over...

On-call firefighters across the counties of Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal are back responding to calls, servicing their equipment and co-operating with control centres across the north west from this morning. SIPTU has called off its planned strike following the decision to have a formal hearing at the Labour Court next week. Negotiations attended by SIPTU and the local government management agency l...

Retained firefighters in the North West and elsewhere could start resigning from today. SIPTU is warning that move may result in 'large numbers' quitting the job in an ongoing row over pay and working conditions. Strike action by retained firefighters is already ongoing and there's still no sign of a breakthrough. From tomorrow (Tuesday) all out strike action could begin which will result in the c...

A new Automated External Defibrillator has been installed at Sligo’s Queen Maeve Trail. The defibrillator can be found adjacent to the Base Camp in the main car park of the Queen Maeve Trail, Glen Road, Knocknarea. The device will further assist the team of Strandhill Community First Responders in enhancing the chain of survival in emergency situations. Coordinator of Strandhill Community First Re...

Sligo-Drumcliff Fine Gael Councillor Tom Fox has taken over the role of Leas Cathaoirleach of the local Authority in Sligo. Councillor Fox says these are exciting times for Sligo

Sligo and Letterkenny University Hospitals are among the three highest in the county today. Sligo University Hospital is the second most crowed hospital in the country today. There are currently 49 people waiting for a bed at Sligo University Hospital including 30 in the emergency department. There are 31 people waiting at Letterkenny University Hospital where 12 in the emergency Department.  Ther...

The funeral mass of Jessica Mc Loughlin has taken place in Sligo. Her funeral mass was celebrated in St Anne's Church in Sligo she will be laid to rest in Sligo Cemetery. The Sligo native lost her life after she was struck by a train in Ballisodare on Wednesday last. During her funeral mass, Jessica's brother Graham has described his sister as having “a smile that could light up any room.” Chief c...

We returned to the issue of Campervans on this morning's programme following concern raised on Friday's show over some parking illegally in the region. Bill Lupton of the Motor Caravan Club of Ireland says its only a small number of people who give everyone else a bad name:

We were joined on this morning's programme by former Education Minister and Fine Gael Deputy Joe McHugh to discuss the issue of pupils being taken out of school for holidays. Deputy McHugh also last week voted against the Government over a Sinn Fein motion calling for better pay and conditions for firefighters. The Government tabled a counter motion which Deputy McHugh voted against on Wednesday e...

The newly elected Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council has described today as the peak of his political career. Fine Gael Cllr Gerard Mullaney was elected at a special sitting of Sligo County Council this morning. A number of Cathaoirligh and Leas-Chathaoirleach are being elected across Sligo and Leitrim today. Speaking to Ocean FM news, Cllr Mullaney has been outlining his objectives for the yea...

Donegal County Council will hold a special meeting later today in relation to it’s Development Plan. The Members of the Council will consider whether to publish the County Donegal Development Plan or to make amendments. A decision on publishing the draft document was deferred at the end of May after Councillors from the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District asked that more time be given to consid...

A Sligo Leitrim TD has described today’s talks between Retained Fire fighters and their employers at the Labour Court as crucial. Strike action by retained firefighters has been suspended for 24 hours in order to facilitate the talks. The Labour Court has intervened in the fire service dispute ahead of the closure of all stations tomorrow and has invited both sides to exploratory discussions. Sinn...

The funeral of a Sligo woman who died after being stuck by a train in Ballisodare on Wednesday last will take place later today. The funeral mass of Jessica Mc Loughlin from Yeats Drive, Cranmore is due to take place in St. Anne's Church, Sligo at 11am. She will be laid to rest afterwards in Sligo Cemetery. Jessica's friends and family are still coming to terms with her tragic death. Local Council...

The funeral of a Sligo woman who died after being stuck by a train in Ballisodare on Wednesday last will take place later today. The funeral mass of Jessica Mc Loughlin from Yeats Drive, Cranmore is due to take place in St. Anne's Church Sligo at 11am. She will be laid to rest afterwards in Sligo Cemetery. Jessica's friends and family are still coming to terms with her tragic death. Local Councill...

The Housing Minister says 'real progress' is being made on delivering housing. Darragh O'Brien says 1 in 2 new homes bought last year were purchased by first-time buyers. More of them were able to buy their own homes last year - than we've seen since 2007. Minister O'Brien describes what's helping first-time buyers get on the property ladder:

Spending was up in Donegal and other coastal counties during the month of May. AIB's Spend Trend shows spending on Homeware rose 4 per cent and clothes by 3 per cent last month due to an increase in outdoor activity. The biggest increase in May daily spending was in Health and Beauty, Hardware and Homeware. AIB Head of SME Retail Banking, John Brennan says spending was up in coastal counties like...

A Sligo Councillor is calling for upgrade works to be carried out on cycle lanes and footpath facilities on a stretch of road in the county. Sligo-Drumcliff Municipal District Councillor Dónal Gilroy is making the calls in relation to the Mardyke on the R291 between Cartron and Scotsmans Walk. The road, which falls between two municipal districts has seen upgrade works on the Scotsmans Walk side p...