Ocean FM News Reports

The planned protest against the relocation of the Donegal Education Centre has been put on hold until further discussions with the Minister of Education take place. Following a meeting with local representatives last week, Minister Helen McEntee has asked for some time to address the situation on the centre being moved to Letterkenny. The Save Donegal Education Committee held a meeting last night,...

A North West based Minister say's it's important that the row over speaking time in the Dáil is resolved today.   The Dáil reform committee will meet later for a showdown between Opposition and Government on how independents deemed to be supporting the government will get speaking time. Minister of State for Further Education Marian Harkin says the country needs a functioning Parliament. &nbs...

A lack of available driving testers has been earmarked as just one of the reasons behind the large number waiting to sit a driving test in the north west. Figures published by the RSA show that over 1 thousand 700 people are currently waiting for a test across Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. There are 803 waiting at the Sligo test centre, 493 are waiting in Donegal Town while in Carrick-on-Shannon, th...

A Sligo Leitrim TD has raised in the Dáil, how the continued loss of communications infrastructure following storm Eowyn is impacting parts of the North West.   Fine Gael Deputy Frank Feighan told the Taoiseach that many people still have no phone, mobile phone coverage or broadband.    The Sligo based Deputy requested that Eir speed up their repairs, and bring in additional support...

A Sligo Leitrim TD has highlighted the importance of retaining Ireland’s nitrates derogation for farmers. The project has huge economic and environmental significance for the agricultural sector, as it can markedly improve Ireland’s water quality. It will enable North West farmers to maximise the advantage of a unique grass-based dairy system. Speaking in the Dail, Fianna Fail Deputy Eamon Scanlon...

A delegation from Donegal County Council is set to meet with their counterparts in Sligo. The meeting is to be scheduled for April and will focus on a number of key issues facing the North West region. Infrastructural deficits across Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal are expected to dominate proceedings. Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Niamh Kennedy says it will be a hugely important engage...

It's claimed that learner drivers in Sligo are waiting up to seven months for a test. In Leitrim, waiting times are up to six months. It has sparked major concern over a potential increase in learners driving unaccompanied, especially in rural areas. Former Transport Spokesperson for Sinn Fein, Deputy Martin Kenny spoke in Dail last night as part of a motion brought forward about the issue. He acc...

There's significant challenges over a proposal to expand Gurteen Health Centre.   That's according to the HSE, who have been facing ongoing pressure to look at improving facilities there.   The footprint of the building itself is said to be biggest stumbling block.   The HSE has further stated that there's no easy solution to facilitating the extra space required on the site  b...

A spokesperson for the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association has expressed his confidence in the Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley TD to help the industry develop over the next number of years.     Brendan Byrne, chief executive of the group made the comments after Minster Dooley held a meeting yesterday with representatives from the seafood sect...

There are calls for a dedicated surf rescue team at Strandhill.   It comes as applications are now being sought for a beach warden ahead of the upcoming 2025 bathing season.   Water safety is ongoing concern at Strandhill, and while there are no swimming byelaws in place there, they need to be strictly enforced as a small minority continue to disobey them.   This is despite numerous...

It's emerged that the North West and West have some of the worst wait times for cancer treatment in the country.   New figures show that patients at Letterkenny University hospital face an average wait time of 22 days for their first chemotherapy appointment.   HSE guidelines recommend treatment of patients within 15 working days.   31% of patients are treated in this timeframe at L...

There are local concerns over the Government using special powers to rezone land in attempt to build more houses. According to a report in the Irish Independent, the Government could overrule decisions made be councillors in the county development plan. Although it’s understood that the Government are only considering Dublin with these measures, it’s possible that they could then be enforced elsew...

The Taoiseach says that momentum needs to be kept behind getting mica homes rebuilt in Donegal. Michael Martin was reacting to comments made in the Dail by 100% Redress Party and Donegal TD Charles Ward, who further reiterated the scheme is not working. Deputy Ward claimed that only 69 house have been repaired or rebuilt. Responding, the Taoiseach defended the scheme and the Governments approach t...

The date has been announced for the election of a New Honorary Mayor of Donegal Town. People are now being asked to make their submissions for the next Mayor to the Donegal Town Community Chamber, with voting to take place in The St. John Bosco Centre in Donegal Town between 10.00 am and 7.00pm on Friday 28th March. Pauric Kennedy will be stepping down as Mayor next month, having held the position...

Recent adverse weather conditions have severely impacted both young and the elderly. The north Leitrim area in particular bore the brunt of destructive gusts of over 130 kilometres an hour causing several trees and power lines to collapse. It's felt more of a balance can be struck between landowners, state bodies and the government to prevent future outages. One of those impacted, Maureen O'Hara a...

A Donegal TD says the Opposition simply will not stand for plans to change the rules in Leinster House. The proposal, put forward by the Government last week, would give speaking time to Michael Lowry's regional independents. They want to create another type of TD who sits somewhere in the middle, but has speaking time with the opposition. The row over the issue is expected to reignite in the Dail...

It's emerged that many residents in north Leitrim have been hit with persistent power outages regardless of recent storms.   Monday night's public meeting in Killargue heard stories of persistent power cuts, particularly in the Kiltyclogher.   One of those in attendance, Declan Sweeney spoke on behalf of 14 houses who have been affected by outages in the last twelve months.   He fee...

There are renewed calls for heavy duty generators to be imported into the North West and elsewhere. It's thought that the Government was found wanting in terms of being prepared for weather events, following the aftermath of Storm Eowyn. It's further claimed the Ireland previously had a big supply of generators but gave them away to other countries in need. Independent Donegal Cllr Michael McClaff...

New figures from road safety group PARC has shown a further decline in Gardaí assigned to road policing units in the north west.   Data published in the Irish Independent shows that in Donegal, there has been a drop of 13 personnel since 2009.   There were 34 Gardaí attached to the Donegal roads policing unit then, with the figure now standing at 21.   In Sligo-Leitrim, the number h...

It's feared that many farmers across, Sligo, Leitirm and Donegal are facing an uncertain future due to a major delay with ACRES payments. A number of farmers inspected and cleared as part of the ACRES environmental scheme, are still waiting for a payment. Farmers were previously met with claims that a glitch on the IT system resulted in many unsure whether or not it was a penalty. IFA Sligo Chairp...

A large crowd attended a public meeting in Killargue last night to discuss the impact of recent power and water outages following Storm Éowyn.   The meeting explored what can be done to prevent prolonged future outages, response efforts and people's general views on the topics.   Representatives from ESB, Coillte and Leitrim County Council were all invited to attend along with members of...

Junior Minister Marian Harkin and Sligo TD, Eamon Scanlon have given a public commitment to lobby the new Transport Minister on getting the N15 included in the revised National Development Plan.   About 200 people, made up of residents and business owners who live and work along the Sligo to Bundoran Road, attended a Public Meeting in Rathcormac's School Hall last night.   Elizabeth McSh...

More than half of international students studying here say their mental health has been impacted by the housing crisis. A study by The International Council for Overseas Students has shown that one in 20 have been exposed to offers of free accommodation in exchange for sex, while more than one in 10 have been the victim of a scam. 12 per cent don't have access to a cooker, one in 10 don't have hea...

There's major concern in Leitrim over a sharp rise in rental prices. Market rents in Leitrim were on average 13% higher in the final three months of 2024 than a year previously. It's the biggest increase nationwide, according to the latest report from Daft.ie The average listed rent in the County is now €1187, up 98% from prices just before the Covid 19 pandemic. Fine Gael Cllr Enda McGloin believ...

A sister of one of the victims of the Creeslough explosion claims “no compassion” has been shown towards the families impacted by the tragedy. Last week, Donegal County Council granted planning permission to redevelop a service station at the site where ten people died in October 2022. More than 30 objections were lodged to the plans, including many from grieving family members. Shauna Gallagher,...