Ocean FM News Reports

It's thought that an imminent price hike to a stamp won't have a huge impact on local businesses. The cost of posting a letter is set to jump by 25 cent to 1 Euro 65 on the 27th of February. Businesses will be hit with the increase from March 1st. The price hike according to An Post is due to increased operating costs and a decline of 8 per cent in the number of letters posted in the last 12 month...

It's hoped that issues important to the North West can be teased out when the Dail resumes later. It comes as the row over speaking time in the Dail is over - for now at least. The Government has conceded the Regional Independents aren't getting opposition speaking time. Proceedings are set to continue this afternoon, following unsavoury scenes in the Dail Chamber a few weeks ago. Speaking to Ocea...

Reassurances have been given that the Sligo section of the N17 will not affected in the upcoming speed limit changes. From Friday, the default speed limit on national secondary roads will be reduced from 100kmh to 80kmh. On local roads the speed limit will drop from 80kmh to 60kmh. The new measures have raised questions locally over whether action will be taken on the N17, which already has an 80k...

Calls have been made in the North West for hardship payments to be issued to farmers. The calls come following the damages which was caused by Storm Éowyn. Massive damages have been caused to roofs, machinery and sheds as a result of trees that were uprooted by Storm Éowyn. Speaking to Ocean FM news, Sligo Leitrim Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny has described the damage as “devastating” to farms across...

A Sligo Councillor has expressed concern with recent CSO figures that has reported a decrease in the number of foreign visitors that used Ireland as holiday destination in December. The figures claim there was a fall of over 12 per cent More than 390 thousand 700 people travelled here last month, down from 445 thousand the year before. The figures also show there was also a sharp decline in the am...

Rory Gallagher's famous 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar will go on display in Dublin. This follows government intervention last year where there was strong public support for the guitar to be kept in Ireland. Questions have since turned to where the guitar will remain into the future. The Rory Gallagher Festival organiser, Barry O'Neill, says the guitar will see its way to Ballyshannon at some poi...

Local roads in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal will see speed reductions from 80km/h to 60km/h from Friday. It’s part of an initiative aiming to reduce the amount of fatalities and accidents on Irish roads. This is the first part of the speed decrease rollout, with national secondary roads along with cities and town centres to be reduced later in the year. Leitrim Independent Cllr Eddie Mitchell has we...

With the clean-up of Storm Éowyn still continuing, its hoped that more can be done with the increased impact forestation is having on the north west.   Many areas remain without power almost two weeks since the storm, with several trees having fallen on power lines or blocking pathways to access them.   An increase in planting trees coupled with adverse weather conditions becoming more f...

The Chairperson of the north west branch of the Green Party has hit out at the recent accusations that have been levelled at her party in the aftermath of Story Éowyn.     The Green Party have been accused of introducing bans on cutting turf, outlawing the use of chimneys on new builds and encouraging people to depend on heating systems that are driven by electricity.     Bláit...

Senator Eileen Flynn hopes her election to the Seanad will prove that anything is possible. The Ardara-based Independent Senator won a Seanad seat on the Administrative Panel and has become the first Traveller to be elected to the Oireachtas. She first entered the Seanad in 2020 as one of the nominees of Taoiseach Micheál Martin. In her first interview since the election, Senator Flynn says she ha...

Storm restoration work continues again at first light today. Hundres of homes and busineeses across the North West are now eleven days without power, since Storm Éowyn hit - nationally the figure is around 25 thousnad. Many are also still waiting for their water, phone coverage and broadband to be restored. Irish Rural Link says huge thanks are due to everyone working hard around the country to ge...

A Donegal TD is calling on the Taoiseach Michael Martin to 'finally show some leadership'. Its Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy ruled the Regional Independent Group of TDs cannot form a technical group for opposition speaking time in the Dáil. Party leaders are meeting today to discuss the two-week row, which has caused chaotic scenes since the Dáil returned. Sinn Féin Chief Whip and Donegal TD Pádra...

Many residents are still without power in the North West this Tuesday morning - eleven days on from Storm Eowyn. In Gurteen, questions are being asked over why a plan has not been put in place for those impacted. Residents in the area feel let down with many not expecting to have their power restored for days to come. Martina Clancy is a local resident and business woman. Her family have been...

Many residents are still without power in the North West this Tuesday morning - eleven days on from Storm Eowyn. In Gurteen, questions are being asked over why a plan has not been put in place for those impacted. Residents in the area feel let down with many not expecting to have their power restored for days to come. This local resident has a daughter with additional needs - she says many residen...

The S3 bus is finally operational in Sligo. The service officially began in the town yesterday, catering to various areas like Finisklin, Maugheraboy and into town. It follows a major campaign locally to get it up and running Independent Cllr Marie Casserly says it's hoped that the service will be extended further down the line but that this is hugely positive news for Sligo:

Gardai in the North West are continuing an extensive Roads Policing Operation throughout St. Brigid's Bank Holiday Weekend. It started at 7am on Thursday morning and finishes at 7am tomorrow morning. Throughout this weekend's Roads Policing Operation, Gardaí across the region are conducting both statutory Mandatory Intoxicant Testing and regular, high-visibility policing checkpoints. Sergeant Aoif...

With Labour's Nessa Cosgrove set to depart Sligo County Council, attentions are now turning to who will fill her seat. Cllr Cosgrove was elected to the Seanad's Labour Vocational panel over the weekend. It was her first Seanad election and she was elected Sligo County Council for the first time only last June. Her departure will mean someone from the Labour Party locally will be selected to be co-...

Listen back to a selection of interviews from the Donegal Sports Star Awards ceremony in Letterkenny, celebrating the 2024 sporting year in Donegal.

Labour Party candidate Nessa Cosgrove has been elected to the Seanad’s Labour Vocational panel.   Cosgrove, contesting her first Seanad election, was elected Sligo County Council for the first time in June 2024.   She also contested the 2020 and 2024 General Elections in the Sligo-Leitrim constituency.   Senator Cosgrove will be one of eleven members on the Labour Vocational Panel a...

Figures published by the INMO place the facility fourth overall in terms of patients waiting on trolleys throughout January.   852 people waited for a bed at the hospital over the course of the month.   It reflects an increase in the number of those who waited over the course of January 2024, where over 701 people were left without a bed at the facility.   Letterkenny University Hos...

Drivers across the north west are being warned about getting behind the wheel this morning if they were out last night. Gardaí are cracking down on driving under the influence of drink or drugs and speeding as part of their St. Brigid's weekend road safety campaign. The risk of being killed or seriously injured on the roads is at its highest between midday and 3pm on a bank holiday weekend.  ...

Donegal have got the start they wanted to this year's Division 1 league campaign. A four-point win against Dublin, in front of 12,250 spectators in Ballybofey will do nicely. Paddy McGill returns for a new season of podcasts - and canvasses the postmatch assessments of Martin McHugh, Jim McGuinness, Ryan McHugh, Frank Craig (Donegal Democrat) and Donnchadh Boyle (Irish Independent).

Three Maritime organisations are reminding swimmers and walkers to be careful this Bank Holiday Weekend. The Coast Guard, RNLI and Water Safety Ireland have said falling into cold waster can result in cold shock, which can lead to hypothermia. Members of the public are being advised to wear appropriate clothing like wetsuits, brightly coloured swimming caps and gloves to stay warm. Head of Operati...

The final stage of the XL bully ban comes into effect today. The ban was ruled into law in October 2024, however owners and animal charities had until yesterday to register and rehome XL bully type dogs to prevent them from being seized and destroyed. At the start of the year, just 10 dogs were registered to local councils across the north west.   The local authority in Donegal received 6 app...

Leitrim school celebrates competition victory