Ocean FM News Reports

Government Ministers are to be contacted by Sligo County Council over an elderly person's grant that only applies to second-hand boilers.   A rule change came from the EU at the start of this year, that does not allow the grant to avail of new boilers.   There are a number of local people who are left unhappy with the current conditions of the grant. Local Fine Gael Cllr Dara Mulvey says...

Pressure is growing to add a statue of rebel leader Countess Markievicz to Dublin's O'Connell Street. Plans for the statue were put on hold in 2018 - and seven years later, the work is still on ice. Countess Markievicz was born in London but grew up in Sligo. She was elected Minister for Labour in April 1919. Social Democrats' Councillor Cat O'Driscoll this week said the city is good at putting me...

There are calls in Sligo for government regulation over smartphone use by young teenagers and early access to social media. This follows the success of Netflix’s hit tv show Adolescence, which explores how harmful online content is impacting how young males see the world. There’s also been a recent push locally for the series to be shown in schools, after Tanaiste Simon Harris gave his support for...

Manorhamilton & District Credit Union has surpassed €7 million in loans. It marks a significant milestone in their 29-year history, and reflects the impact on the local community. Manorhamilton Credit Union continues to grow in the region, with 5,000 members contributing to this latest achievement. Pauline Murray, Manager of Manorhamilton & District Credit Union, says every cent made goes...

One Sligo trader is fearful for the future of their business if a resolution is not found for the Strandhill People’s Market. Driftwood Coffee Cart has been operating at the market every Sunday for 11 years, however the market will not be reopening at Sligo Airport until December at the earliest. This is due to delays in the transfer of operations of the search and rescue services based at the air...

A second Cardiology CT Scanner will be provided at Sligo University Hospital following the latest capital funding plan. There have been recent calls for the equipment and a full-time Cath Lab service, so patients wouldn’t have to go elsewhere in the country. As is stands, a number of people have had to travel to Galway and Sligo, despite SUH having the IT capable of operating the system. Speaking...

The OPW Minister is being urged to do more for areas in Donegal that are vulnerable to flooding. Killybegs, Donegal Town and Pettigo are just some of the areas which have been devastated by flooding in the recent past. Speaking in the Seanad, Fine Gael Senator Manus Boyle believes that having some emergency equipment in place to combat any potential issues going forward could be a solution. Senato...

Frustration is building in Rossnowlagh over the ongoing public toilets debacle. This week saw one of the portable facilities left unfit for use until a major clean-up operation was carried out. There's been a long-running desire among the local community for permanent toilets to be established there. There's also said to be concern surrounding the maintenance and general up-keep of the facilities....

There are calls on the Government to fund the regeneration of the marina in Donegal Town. There's said to be number of boat people who wish to dock in Donegal Town but are currently unable to do so. Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael Naughton, who says such an amenity would have far-reaching benefits both economically and for tourism. Donegal County Council is to write to the relevant bodies, asking them to...

Sligo Airport has reaffirmed its commitment to the Strandhill People's Market, despite currently not having the space to accommodate it. The market was due to reopen in March, however it has now postponed until December due to delays in the transfer of operations of the search and rescue services based at the airport. Meanwhile, support has already been given for a temporary hangar to be construct...

Uisce Eireann is being urged to provide a contribution to a minor road development scheme in Sligo. Rural roads will not be included in national resurfacing plans, but local residents can apply to the Community Involvement Scheme, which will provide a grant covering up to 90% of resurfacing costs. It has been suggested that the remaining 10% shouldn’t just be covered by residents but also state bo...

The Minister for Transport, the NTA, and Irish Rail are all being urged to establish an early train running from Longford to Sligo. It’s hoped the train would arrive in Sligo no later than 8.30am, giving people an opportunity to go to work or attend studies. Following recent research by ATU Sligo on the topic, there has proved to be a huge demand for the service. Local Labour Cllr Ann Higgins says...

Sinn Fein is calling for an audit into hundreds of hip surgeries on young children to be expanded. A draft review of paediatric hip surgeries at Children's Health Ireland hospitals at Cappagh and Temple Street found hundreds of children operated on between 2021 and 2023 did not meet the threshold for the procedure. CHI says the investigation is not yet complete, so it currently cannot provide any...

Sinn Fein is to hold the Chairperson position of the new Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. The party is to take the chair's position on seven Oireachtas committees in total, including the justice and defence panels, with Government parties taking the positions on the committees on housing and infrastructure. Donegal TD Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Fisheries and the Marine, Pádra...

One possible solution to bring back the Strandhill People's Market is to construct a temporary hangar at Sligo airport. The market was due to reopen in March, however it has now been delayed until December due to complications in the transfer of operations of the search and rescue services based at the airport. Support has already been given for the idea by a number of North West TDs, and Tanaiste...

Donald Trump's U-turn on tariffs may come as somewhat of a relief for North West companies. A 90 pause has been introduced, as has a flat 10 per cent tax rate on everyone except China who were the biggest losers from his announcement. Chinese goods will now face a 125 per cent tax hike and the Irish pharma sector isn't out of the woods just yet. Reacting to the developments, Sligo Leitrim Fine Gae...

The TII is facing increasing pressure to produce a plan for safety measures outside both Dunkineely and Killaghtee National Schools. Major concerns over the safety for pupils are ongoing and despite several serious incidents, there's been little progress on eagerly awaited safety measures. Despite numerous calls on the TII to carry out the necessary work, there's said to be obstacles, given the fa...

The public toilets in Rossnowlagh have been vandalised yet again. One of the facilities in particular was deemed totally inaccessible as of yesterday evening. The toilet itself was blocked with mass amounts of wipes and cans and bottles were also discarded around it. A clean-up operation is due to take place this morning. Local Sinn Fein Cllr Michael McMahon has hit out at those responsible and sa...

The Taoiseach is being urged to intervene in the long running disagreement between the Garda Commissioner and the Garda Representative Association. The GRA isn't inviting Drew Harris to its annual conference for the second year in a row. As a result the Justice Minister will also not attend. Former Donegal sergeant Christy Galligan says this has to be resolved:

The Government has been requested to increase the current budget for home care hours in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, and also expand past the current staffing cap. The North West region has the highest percentage of residents over the age of 65, and potentially in need of home care packages. It's feared that waiting lists are only going to worsen, with people then attending Emergency Departments an...

A Leitrim Councillor says a new practice being deployed by Uisce Eireann in hiring contractors from outside of the county to deal with burst water pipes does not make sense. Councillor Brendan Barry has expressed concern with the practice. The Drumshanbo based elected representative says contractors based in the County are in a position to provide a fast and efficient service and are familiar with...

It's anticipated that long awaited works on the public toilets in Donegal Town will be completed ahead of the summer months. Assessments are currently taking place to determine costings. The works will include overall improvements to the facilities themselves and the building itself. Fianna Fail Cllr Michael Naughton is confident that the works will begin shortly:

Serious safety concern have been raised over a road leading up one of south Donegal's top tourist attractions. The Secret Waterfall, close to Kilcar, has become an increasingly popular place to visit, but with that has resulted in a major rise in traffic on the narrow route. It's understood that there was one serious collision there in recent months. Fine Gael Cllr Michael Boyle says while there a...

It's been confirmed that 330 grants have been approved under the Croí Cónaithe grant scheme in Sligo. The grant provides up to €70,000 for the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties. Government measures have previously been introduced to help alleviate parts of the housing crisis. Among those, include staged payments under Croí Cónaithe which aims to make the scheme more accessible for pe...

A Sligo Senator says it's vital that every effort is made to wipe out the practice of sex for rent in Ireland. The calls from Senator Nessa Cosgrove come as a bill on the issue will be debated in the Seanad today. Another Labour Senator, Laura Harmon's tabling the Bill. It's being supported by a cross-party group of senators, along with a range of social groups including the National Women's Counc...