Ocean FM News Reports

It remains to be seen what the future holds for clothing banks in county Sligo. This month's meeting of the local authority heard that textile companies are no long operating at a profit and are considering reducing their services. While Sligo County Council's current contract with a textile company is set to expire in the near future. Local Sinn Féin Councillor Thomas Healy is concerned over the...

The victims of last weekend’s swimming tragedy in Donegal have been remembered in the Dáil. Emmanuel Familola, who was 16 and 18-year-old Matt Sibanda had been playing football on the beach at Ned's Point, just outside Buncrana on Saturday afternoon and had gone into the water to retrieve a ball. Later that evening, the body of Matt Sibanda was recovered from Lough Swilly. While Emmanuel Familola...

Members of the Donegal MD have united in solidarity to condemn a weekend incident outside the home of Sinn Fein Cllr Michael McMahon in Bundoran. An anti immigration protest descended on the doorstep of the Cllrs family home on Saturday. At todays sitting of the Donegal MD, a number of local representatives described the incident as unacceptable and branded those involved as bullies. Fellow Cllrs,...

The victims of last weekend’s swimming tragedy in Donegal have been remembered in the Dail. Emmanuel Familola, who was 16 and 18-year-old Matt Sibanda had been playing football on the beach at Ned's Point, just outside Buncrana on Saturday afternoon and had gone into the water to retrieve a ball. Later that evening, the body of Matt Sibanda was recovered from Lough Swilly. While Emmanuel Familola...

The tenant-in-situ scheme will not be able to progress in Sligo this year. The scheme enables local authorities to purchase a house where tenants are facing eviction, and enables them to continue renting and preventing homelessness. However, the county over spent on the scheme last year, using up this year’s funding, and now has now allocation left for 2025. This follows a number of changes in the...

Founders of the Rossnowlagh Farmers Market are calling on Donegal County Council for more support.  The market, currently operating out of the friary, has been described as a lifeline for the local community and there are now aspirations to expand and enhance it further.  The Council is being urged to support a number of funding applications for infrastructure and other projects.  A...

A Donegal Publican and member of the Vintners Association has called on the government to introduce support measures that will not lead to a two-tier hospitality sector in Ireland.     Ballybofey Publican, Martin Harley, says there is a serious danger that more small rural pubs will cease trading and as a result tourism projects such as the Wild Atlantic way will be negatively impacted....

A Leitrim Councillor has questioned how a proposed social media ban for those under the age of 16 would work.     The comments from Sinn Fein’s Padraig Fallon come as the Tánaiste says he’s very serious about banning social media for under 16s.   Opposition parties have dismissed the proposal as kite flying.   The Councillor and father of teenage children says the used of socia...

It remains to be seen whether or not teachers will accept a number of proposals to change the Leaving Cert. Policy makers have suggested that instead of students sitting multiple papers, grades should instead be decided by one written exam and one project per subject. This includes the introduction of project work or practical exams worth 40 per cent of the overall grade for each subject. Teachers...

It’s hoped the establishment of the new Oireachtas Fisheries and Maritime Committee will be the first step in greater supports for the sector. The committee will meet for the first time later this week at Leinster House. Members of both the Dáil and Seanad are part of the committee which leads national policy discussions on Ireland’s fishing industry, coastal communities, and marine sustainability...

A Sligo Secondary School Teacher and County councillor is expressing concern that there has not been adequate consolation between Department of Education officials and teachers ahead of proposed changes to the leaving cert. The Education Minister will update Cabinet this morning on starting reform of the Leaving Cert. Major changes from the next academic year will see 40 per cent of marks in all s...

Over €400,000 was left unspent from the Active Travel Scheme for 2024 in Sligo.   Half a million had been allocated by the government for the year, with the funds not allowed to be carried over.   Another €500,000 has been issued again for this year, with little of it being availed of once again.  

The Government has to act to prevent publicans close due to escalating costs of doing business.     The Vintners Federation is calling for a 40 per cent rebate on the excise charged to draught products sold in pubs as well as a level playing ground when it comes to any reduction in VAT.     The call comes as the VFI gathers in Limerick for its annual general conference.  ...

It's hoped that greater staffing resources will see a reduction in average waiting times for patients waiting in north west emergency departments. The HSE measures patient experience time (PET), covering the entire visit from the point at which a person registers at the emergency department to when they get a bed or are discharged. In figures published by the Irish Independent, 7.6 hours is now th...

Concerns have been raised locally over the resources available to the ambulance service. Last week, it emerged that an elderly Kilcar man had to wait nearly two hours for an ambulance after having a fall outside his home. The man who's in his, mid-80s, eventually arrived at hospital three hours and 40 minutes after the initial emergency call was made. That's one of numerous instances which have be...

Businesses in Killybegs have been given further reassurances that imminent works will cause minimal disruption. The works are due to get underway this evening and had sparked controversy that it could negatively impact on local business. A meeting was held with Donegal County Council and business owners earlier to try and reach a compromise. Owner of the local Centra Store Kevin Hegarty hopes that...

A Donegal GRA representative has warned of the dangers of Irish roads adding that the safety of road policing Gardai are also at risk.       The comments from Brendan O' Connor come in the wake of Garda Kevin Flatley's death.       The 49 year old father-of two was struck by a motorcycle while carrying out a speed checkpoint in Dublin yesterday afternoon.   The T...

The Bishop of Derry says people are "still numb" following the tragic deaths of two teenagers in County Donegal at the weekend. 16-year-old Emmanuel Famil-ola and 18-year-old Matt Sibanda died after getting into difficulty in Lough Swilly on Saturday. Bishop Donal McKeown led a prayer vigil in Buncrana yesterday - and says the support from the local community was overwhelming:

Options such as moving some of the services currently available in the Primary Care Centre in Drumshanbo may be necessary in an attempt to meet the growing demand for GP services in the area.     The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill recently visited the Leitrim based facility to discuss the issue.   During the visit she spoke to local GP Alan Loftus to discuss how addi...

Reassurances have been given that disruption as part of imminent works in Killybegs will be minimal. The latest works as part of the regeneration of the town centre are due to get underway this evening and there's major concern locally that it may impact trade. Businesses are due to meet with Donegal County Council today to seek more clarity over what's in store. But Cathaoirleach of Donegal Count...

The Housing Minister is visiting Donegal today for a number engagements. Minister James Browne is due in the County Offices in Lifford later to discuss housing matters with Council Officials while he will also meet with local Cllrs over progress on the defective concrete block scheme. He's also set to meet with affected homeowners and will visit some defective block houses. Donegal Fianna Fail Cll...

A Sligo Leitrim TD has strongly criticised protestors that protested outside the home of a Donegal Councillor at the weekend.   A number of people gathered outside the home of Mick McMahon on Saturday to protest against IP applicants being housed in Bundoran.   Deputy Martin Kenny has strongly criticised their actions.   He says Councillor McMahon has given years of service to publi...

A Sligo teacher and General Secretary of the ASTI is warning this morning that teachers will take further measures if they reject proposals to reform the leaving cert.   Secondary School Teachers are to vote on whether or not they accept proposals outlined in the Senior Cycle Redevelopment document published on the 8th of May.     The document contains a list of support measures for...

The Buncrana community in Donegal is attempting to come to terms this morning with the tragic events of the weekend which claimed two lives of two teenagers.   They died after getting into difficulty in Lough Swilly.     16 year old Emmanuel Familola, originally from Nigeria, died in hospital yesterday morning, after being rescued from the water on Saturday afternoon.    ...

A Donegal community has been plunged into shock and sadness following the passing of two teenagers in a swimming tragedy. The Coast Guard were alerted to a report of three teenagers in difficulty in the water at Lough Swilly at around 4pm on Saturday. One teenager’s body was recovered from the water while another who was brought to Letterkenny University Hospital has since died. The third teenager...