Ocean FM News Reports

Sligo County Council have been urged to alert the Taoiseach to the outrage of people from the North West over Storm Eowyn. Answers and accountability is being called for in relation to the decay of the electricity and water network. With storms expected to become more frequent, it’s thought that the redevelopment of the networks has become a time-sensitive issue. Ballymote-Tubbercurry Independent...

Local Cllr speaks on the challenges facing students

Leitrim Cllr comments on "unacceptable" electricity situation

Sligo County Council are to seek the inclusion of mental health services as part of the emergency 999/112 telephone contact.   Although currently potential callers can contact that number, they may get brought to A&E, which it's thought my not always be the best place for them.   It's hoped that this would provide a more accessible route for anyone finding themselves in an emergency...

The community of Donegal Town and further afield are being urged to attend tonight's public meeting over the future of the Education Centre.   Plans are afoot to move the centre to Letterkenny.   The potential move has caused uproar in the wider south Donegal area with claims that staff at the facility in Donegal Town were not consulted in the process.   The meeting is getting under...

A Sligo Cllr has requested the government to not go ahead with the planned increase of VAT of electricity costs. As it stands, the VAT is set to be restored to 13.5% from 9% in May of this year, following its reduction in 2023. This has caused concerns that local vulnerable people may not be able to keep up with ever increasing costs. Sinn Fein Cllr Arthur Gibbons says people are already paying hi...

The relocation of the Donegal Education Centre has been raised on the floor of the Dáil. A decision was made recently to move the premises to Letterkenny, despite it being located in Donegal Town for 27 years. A public meeting on the move is due to take place on Thursday at the Abbey Hotel to inform the public on the situation. Donegal Deputy Charles Ward has lambasted the decision to move the cen...

The new Seanad is meeting for the first time today, with one Sligo and four Donegal representatives among the shake-up. Senators Manus Boyle and Nikki Bradley were nominated by the Taoiseach late last week, while Senator Nessa Cosgrove, Eileen Flynn and Niall Blaney were elected through the panel system last month. Taking to the floor of the Seanad for the very first time just a few moments ago, S...

Further calls have been for more robust measures to curb dog attacks on sheep. Recent incidents have led to a spate of deaths of a number of sheep with farmers right across the north west among those impacted. The IFA are hopeful of complete oversight, enforcement and accountability in the current system as outlined in its 'No Dogs Allowed' campaign launched earlier this week. The association's sh...

A Donegal TD has been involved in a row in the Dail after the Taoiseach was accused of using Irish to break the Dail rules. In a debate about housing, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said, as Gaeilge, that the Sinn Fein leader was 'ag insint bréaga' - meaning 'telling lies'. Mary Lou McDonald took exception to this, demanding the Taoiseach withdraw the remark. Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty accused the Taois...

Serious concern has been reignited over the overcrowding crisis at Sligo University Hospital. It comes in the wake of the INMO's released its first ever 'Behind the Trolley Numbers survey. Among the findings, 84 per cent of nurses have treated patients in inappropriate settings in the past year. Meanwhile Sligo was the third most overcrowded hospital in the country this morning with 45 people awai...

A representative for the 'Save Dough Mountain’ group has expressed his surprise with a recent survey which claims that four in five people support wind energy and more than half are happy to have a wind farm in their local area.   The findings will come as a surprise to many residents in North that have strongly opposed the developments of windfarms on the likes of Corry, Shass and Dough Moun...

The importance of turf has been highlighted in Sligo following the mass power outages that took place after Storm Eowyn.   Thousands of homes were left without electricity and heating, leading people to question the move away from fossil fuels.   While for those in possession of turf, there are still concerns around the draft Air Pollution Bill and whether the fuel could be seized by loc...

There are further calls for a major clearing operation of forestry from powerlines in County Leitrim. The amount of trees situated close to wires in the County was said to be the root of why there were so many outages and the length of time it took to get power restored to all premises. Sligo Leitrim Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny says the ESB have a responsibility to keep the lines clear, a job he cla...

Donegal is one the highest counties with unregistered tenancies in Ireland. According to recent CSO figures, it's thought that around 9.2% of Donegal landlords have failed to register their tenants, which is required by law. Serious consequences can apply to landlords including a civil sanction of up to €15,000 or a criminal prosecution and/or a fine of up to €4,000. Emer Morrissey, RTB Head of Co...

The OPW Minister is under pressure to fulfil promises made by his predecessor for flood mitigation works in south Donegal. Killybegs was devastated by flood water a few months ago while there's also ongoing concern in Inver, Donegal Town and Pettigo. The then Minister of State Kieran O'Donnell visited the area in the aftermath but the mantle has since been passed to Kevin Boxer Moran. Meanwhile, r...

It’s been claimed that the Governments response to Storm Eowyn failed the North West and rural Ireland.   It’s emerged that in one case in Donegal, an 85 year old man in poor health went without power and water for 10 days. The elderly man was too frail to attend any of the community hubs and in the end had to book into a hotel after the tenth day.   His story was raised in the Dail by S...

Concern has expressed over the waiting times that candidates have to wait before they can re sit their driving tests in the north west.   Data published earlier this year in The Irish Times showed there is currently a 23-week waiting time in Donegal while the figures in Sligo and Leitrim are 16 and 17 weeks respectively. The figures come as blow to those that need cars to travel to work or co...

Serious concern has been raised over a stench coming from a sewer in south Donegal.   The strong smell is said to be causing major discomfort among residents in the wider Donegal Town area.   While works have been done previously to remedy the situation, the issue is said to be prevalent again in recent weeks.   Sinn Fein Cllr Noel Jordan says there needs to be collaborative approac...

84% of nurses say they have treated patients in corridors, waiting rooms and other inappropriate areas in the last year.     That's according to the INMO's 'Behind The Trolley Numbers' survey which highlights the overcrowding crisis in hospitals across the country.     72 % of respondents say they have observed patient safety incidents such as falls and medication delays direct...

A Sligo taskforce is being sought to develop plans to prevent power outages impacting home healthcare equipment. Many local people with medical needs were unable to avail of standard services including sleep apnea masks, dialysis machines, and more. Although battery packs can be used for some of the equipment, there are also concerns around vulnerable people who were subjected to extremely cold co...

An emergency meeting is to held over the future of the Craft Village in Donegal Town.  It’s currently the home of a number of businesses but theres ongoing concern that part of the village has fallen into a state of disrepair.  Coupled with this - a number of units are vacant despite expressions of interest being made to occupy them.  Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael Naughten says it’s an i...

The Dáil will hear calls today for the ESB to make a goodwill payment to affected customers following recent power outages as a result of Storm Eowyn.   The Calls will be made by Sinn Fein. Rose Conway Walsh is the Party Spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Reform.   She says many people across the West and North West of eh country have endured terrible suffering as a result of power o...

A new survey has found increased positivity for the Irish language.   A survey by Studyclix has shown seven in ten sixth-year students have outlined a love and appreciation for the language, despite 81 per cent saying the teaching method is outdated.   Ronan Ó Dochartaigh is Course Manager at Oideas Gael, located in Glencolmcille, which provides graded language courses to adults from Mar...

There are calls in Sligo to alter the rules in who, and how, a planning application can be objected against. It's understood that there are concerns locally that "serial objectors" are hindering housing projects, preventing people from relocating to the North West. One suggestion was that anyone objecting to planning must live in the area of the development, and also pay an increased fee to lodge...