Ocean FM News Reports

The announcement of a safe road crossing commitment over the N4 in Collooney has been welcomed by the community. Sligo County Council have issued a response to the Safe Crossing for Collooney Group, stating that they have advertised for tendering for the project for phases 2, 3 and 4 of the Toberbride to Collooney Active Travel Scheme. The issue has been a bone of contention for some time, as the...

A Sligo Restaurateur says proposals for a waiver for commercial rates waver for the Hospitality Sector does not go far enough to make up for the loss of tourism income due to limited accommodation being available. The State has indicated it could help those in the hospitality industry in towns where there isn't enough tourist accommodation due to hotels housing asylum seekers. Anthony Gray says re...

Calls have been made for the Minister for Housing to include Sligo in the defective block scheme. Following a report carried out by the Sligo Pyrite Action Group (SPAG), it is believed a number of properties in Sligo are currently affected by defective blocks. The report has been finalised and its findings have been forwarded to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Speaking to...

A Donegal councillor is warning that lack of hotel rooms coupled with extravagant prices being charged by accommodation providers in the north west is driving those taking staycations to Northern Ireland. Donegal Independent Councillor Niamh Kennedy made the comments after it recently emerged that overnight trips from the Republic to Northern Ireland reached record levels last year Republic of Ire...

Rent prices in the North West were higher in the first quarter of 2023 than a year previously. That's according to the latest Daft.ie report which shows market rents in counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal have each seen an increase in rent prices. According to Daft.ie's 1st Quarter report, prices have risen in Leitrim by 17.4% compared to the same stage last year to €960. In Donegal, the average r...

A Sligo Councillor is calling for all correspondence issued by government and statuary agencies to be suitable for those who are visually impaired. Councillor Marie Casserly is making the calls with many having medical information and bills delivered in an inaccessible manner. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Councillor Marie Casserly believes it's important information can be accessed.

The May monthly meeting of Leitrim County Council heard how continuing power outages in parts of north Leitrim is disrupting life for family homes and businesses. The situation is believed to be of particular concern in Dromahair and Killargue. Councillor Mary Bohan raised the issue and says the Energy providers worked to address the issues:

Gardai have issued warning to rural businesses in the North West over the presence of Organised Crime Groups operating in the area. Owners and operations of businesses premises, particularly in rural areas of shops and filling stations are urged to be aware of current crime trends where filling stations have been targeted in the region. The criminals are said to be after ATMs, cash alcohol and tob...

There is further pressure on banks to play a major role in the enhanced defective block scheme. Despite the new scheme claiming to provide 100% redress there's concern that homeowners will still have to foot some of the bill for repair and rebuild costs. Banks are being urged to fill any gaps that should be present when the scheme is eventually rolled out. Speaking in the Dail, Independent TD for...

A Sligo Councillor is calling on the Government to make GlaxoSmithKline pay for medical experiments carried out in Mother and Baby Homes. GSK are said to be responsible for vaccine and baby-milk trials on children living in mother-and-baby homes. Some 1,148 children were involved in clinical trials that included vaccines against measles and other serious conditions. Speaking to Ocean FM, Councillo...

A Sligo Leitrim TD says she's 'fed up' talking about Sligo University Hospital on the floor of the Dail. Independent Deputy Marian Harkin was speaking following a warning this week from the Irish Hospital Consultants Association which stated that excessive delays in care is impacting on patient outcomes in the North West. Meanwhile Sligo University Hospital was the third most overcrowded hospital...

A Leitrim Councillor and member of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association is calling for protection to be afforded to farmers when it comes to price reductions being sought when it comes to shopping for groceries. The calls come as SuperValu has followed Tesco, Lidl and Aldi in cutting the price of its own-brand bread. All four of the country's major supermarkets have announced a 10 cent r...

A Donegal TD has said he the government needs to “significantly increase development” of the country's rural towns and smaller villages. Speaking in the Dáil, Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle named checked villages Teelin, Carrick and Glencolmcille in calling for “proper policies that prioritise the development of rural areas.” The Killybegs-based TD previously voted against the Government in a m...

There are calls for nightly litter patrols in south Donegal in a bid to catch the culprits behind dumping rubbish at bottle banks. One recent in Bundoran included bags of 'nasty rubbish' discarded at the banks which wasn't fit for recycling. Local Cllr Michael McMahon says it's totally unfair to voluntary groups having to clean up the mess time and time again. He believes that Donegal County Counc...

A Spokesperson for the charity ALONE has sharply criticised the local Authorities in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal for failing to provide adequate accommodation for an ageing population that will continue to live in rented accommodation. The comments come as a quarter of older renters say they expect to remain in the private rental sector for life. Joint research by Threshold and ALONE found 42 per c...

The Taoiseach says it is the hope of the Government to see hundred of homes affected by the defective block issue in Donegal and the North West repaired or rebuilt by this time next year. Leo Varadkar was responding to Donegal Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh who quizzed the Taoiseach on a number of issues relating to the defective blocks scheme. It's estimated that applications to the original scheme have...

Calls are being made on the local Authority in Sligo to provide support to develop a women's refuge in the local area. Last year a report from Túsla identified the need for a refuge to be established in Sligo. 2022 saw the largest rate of domestic violence reported on record. Sligo-Strandhill Councillor Sineád Maguire says the provision of accommodation would be the first step to assisting victims...

The Finance Minister has admitted that rules and costs surrounding importing vehicles into Ireland from Northern Ireland and the UK have become 'a bit messy'. Minister Michael McGrath was responding to Sinn Fein’s Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty who says the change in criteria for car dealerships locally is also becoming a major problem. The North in particular has long been deemed as a major...

A National Council member of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and has warned that the growing shortage of essential acute hospital beds and Consultants across the North-West region is leading to longer waiting lists for treatment which is putting people’s welfare at risk. Dr Aine Burke, Consultant Haematologist at Sligo University Hospital says that with over 131 000, waiting for care ac...

There's outrage in Dromore West village after a monument and plaque were discovered vandalised this morning. Volunteer workers came across the destruction when carrying out works in the area. What appears to be black paint has been thrown over a monument and plaque which was erected in 2018 to honour local woman Hannah Rutledge Ormsby. It's understood that vandalism on another nature and biodivers...

A Sligo Councillor is calling on the Minister for Transport to carry out a review into the NCT system. A number of motorists are currently experiencing long delays at test centres. Speaking at this month's meeting of Sligo County Council, Councillor Arthur Gibbons has labelled the current NCT system as "ridiculous".

A Donegal TD is calling on the government to address issues within youth clubs and services around the county. Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Thomas Pringle said youth clubs are a “lifeline for many families in Donegal.” The Killybegs-based TD outlined two main issues being faced by youth clubs and services in Donegal. In response, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar acknowelged Deputy Pringle’s concerns and wil...

The current condition of some of the footpaths in south Donegal are said to be in a serious state of disrepair. Many of the footpaths in the towns in the area have been deemed unfit for use for people with a disability or those pushing prams. Donegal County Council say that works are afoot to carry out some repairs but funding and satting are obstacles. Ballyshannon Fine Gael Cllr Barry Sweeney sa...

National Council member of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and has warned that the growing shortage of essential acute hospital beds and Consultants across the North-West region is leading to longer waiting lists for treatment which is putting people’s welfare at risk. Dr Aine Burke Consultant Haematologist at Sligo University Hospital says that with over 131 000,  waiting for care acro...

Issues preventing the construction of one off rural housing can easily be remedied. That's according to Sinn Feins Transport spokesperson Martin Kenny who was speaking this morning as part of a statements on a motion on planning and rural housing. Deputy Kenny claims that people are being discouraged from living in rural Ireland. He says many people in Leitrim are desperate to get on the property...