Ocean FM News Reports

A union representing secondary school teachers says more needs to be done to encourage registered teachers to take up vacant posts.   The ASTI says there are 122-thousand registered teachers, but only 70-thousand are employed in teaching jobs here.   The union is calling for the policy of offering part-time hours to new entrants to be scrapped, with the hopes of attracting those who've m...

Sligo homeowners are still waiting to be added to the defective block redress scheme.   It comes as those affected locally by the crisis have lent their full support to the People's Document'.   The statement is due to be discussed at a key meeting in Donegal this evening.   Representatives from Sligo are also set to be in attendance.   The document outlines a number of measure...

House prices locally were higher in the first quarter of 2024 than a year previously.   That's according to the latest Daft.ie report which shows market prices in Donegal rose by 13 per cent and 8% in both Sligo and Leitrim.   Nationwide, prices have increased by 6%.   Ronan Lyons, Author of the report says despite prices increasing, the same hasn't been reflected in the number of h...

There's said to be a notable increase of illegal dumping and fly-tipping in the region.   A pile of rubbish was discovered dumped in Hazelwood Forest this week while in west Donegal, mass amounts of nappies were found strewn across the local landscape.   Clean-up operations are set to take place in both locations.   But Cllr Michael Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig believes that the issue ru...

People are becoming frustrated with their local authority's lack of power in certain public issues.   That's according to local independent councillor Joe Queenan, who feels there is too much red tape impeding the effectiveness of local councils.   Cllr Queenan highlighted it at this month's meeting of the Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District.   He says local councils are not be...

It's too soon to say whether nightclubs in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal will remain open for longer under potential new laws.   The legislation would see night clubs stay open until 6am and bars until 2.30am.   The Chief Medical Officer is raising concerns about the health impacts of the late hours according to the Irish Examiner.   The Road Safety Authority has already expressed its...

The news that EV charging points in Ballymote won’t be put in place immediately has been met with disappointment at this month’s meeting of the Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District.   The charging points will be set up in areas based various reasons such as population, tourist attractions, but not on immediate need.       A grant of up to €21 million was launched earlier th...

The number of Gardaí assigned to Road Policing Units continues to decline in the north west.     The Sligo-Leitrim and Donegal Garda Divisions have both lost five officers each from their units since the end of 2022.     Concerns were once again raised on the situation, as 47 road deaths were recorded in 2024 up until the middle of last week, which is an increase on the same ti...

Another call has been made for staff to be restored at Sligo Municipal Cemetery.     It was revealed last September that both members working at the Cemetery had been suspended with full pay and are yet to be reinstated.     This has caused concern to both members of the public and relatives of people that are buried there.     Local Independent Councillor, Declan Bre...

Homeowners impacted by the Defective Concrete crisis are being urged to attend a meeting this week to hear politicians respond to the Peoples Document.   The statement, details what those affected feel would be 100% redress as they deemed the current scheme as unsatisfactory.   The meeting is getting underway tomorrow evening at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel, Buncrana with all Donegal publ...

Sligo appears to have been snubbed again by the NTA regarding the establishment of bus routes in the town. An urgent meeting was sought with the transport body to open the S3 route from Sligo to Maugheraboy, and to enhance the existing S1 route. It was thought that the S3 route would be in operation by January of this year, but there has been no response from the NTA at all. Local Fianna Fáil coun...

Works are set to get underway on a significant sinkhole in south Donegal.   The large hole emerged on the Shore Road in Mountcharles over the weekend after two stones along the sea road were initially washed away.   The area has since been sealed off and it's expected that Donegal County Council will be on site today to carry out repair works.   Local Sinn Fein Cllr Noel Jordan has...

The future of the fisheries in the EU is centre stage at a meeting in Belgium today.   An informal meeting of Ministers is taking place which will discuss ways to protect and boost the sector.   Marine Minister and Donegal TD Charlie Mc Conalogue welcomes the opportunity to discuss the future of the industry:

Families in Sligo are said to be struggling with skyrocketing rents, inaccessible mortgages, and inadequate social housing.   That's according to Labour's Sligo representative Nessa Cosgrove who says she has heard first-hand the challenges that the community are currently facing.   Ms. Cosgrove believes that poverty is a real concern, primarily for those families who endure it on a daily...

Part of the Aughris walk in west Sligo is said to be posing a potential health and safety hazard to the general public.   It's understood that the recent storms earlier this year wreaked havoc on the amenity, damaging part of the walkway.   With the high number of users and its exposure to the sea, there are calls on Sligo County Council to carry out some works in the area.   Cllr M...

There's a sense of renewed optimism among Fine Gael members.   That's according to local Cllr Thomas Walsh, who attended the party's conference yesterday.   Simon Harris was elected as leader of the party yesterday.   The Higher Education Minister ran unopposed, which meant he was installed as Leo Varadkar's replacement.   Cllr Walsh feels that a number of changes need to be ma...

Listen back to the heartstopping closing moments of Sunday's Lidl NFL Division 4 league semi-final between Leitrim and Limerick in Woodmount, Co Roscommon. With time almost up, Limerick were on the verge of victory, leading by 1-10 to 0-11. Ocean FM Sport's Ray Lannon & Maeve Quinn describe what happened next....

Sligo Rovers women's boss Tommy Hewitt sees signs of encouragement in Saturday night's 2-0 home defeat to holders Galway Utd in the All-Island Cup. Plus - Conor O'Grady gives us an insight into the seven-days-a-week job that is the Sligo Rovers Academy.

Donegal completed their regulation league schedule in Division 2 on Saturday night with a 1-18 to 1-10 win over Meath in Ballybofey. The only worries on the night - injuries to the Kilcar duo of team captain Paddy McBrearty & Ryan McHugh. Paddy McGill digests all of that in the company of Seosamh McKelvey and Brian McCabe. There are contributions too from Donegal manager Jim McGuinness, County...

It was announced today that an investment of one million euro will be provided for agricultural shows in 2024. As part of the initiative, each show will receive a grant of between €6,000-€11,000 depending on their size. This leads to a total of €59,150 to be invested in Donegal, €25,050 in Leitrim, and €30,930 in Sligo. Sligo Chair of the IFA, Michael O'Dowd, has welcomed the new funding from the...

There's major disappointment in Sligo following news that just twelve new Garda recruits are to be stationed in the entire North West region.   It's the lowest allocation nationwide.   A total of 165 Gardaí were attested as sworn members of An Garda Síochána earlier today.   They were recruited as part of the 2022 recruitment campaign.   Local Independent Cllr Michael Clarke sa...

The GRA is calling for clarity from the Garda Commissioner over what it has described as "inappropriate comments" surrounding an officer who loaned a farmer an unclaimed bicycle during the pandemic. The Garda has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a four year investigation. Yesterday, Drew Harris told TDs and Senators at the Public Accounts Committee that the public didn't know the full story. P...

People here generally support immigration - according to new ESRI research. The study finds some attitudes became less positive in the last six months of 2023 - including in November when the Dublin riots occurred. It also shows people are more supportive of helping Ukrainian refugees than asylum seekers, and responses to immigration are likely influenced by their own economic situations. Independ...

 The OPW is facing increasing pressure to provide security measures at the Carrowkeel tombs in Sligo.   The tombs have suffered countless acts of vandalism over the years and while they are crash barriers currently in place at the entrance, it's been claimed that some visitors are removing them.   Local Fianna Fail Cllr Donal Gilroy believes that more deterrents need to be added to...

A regeneration plan for the village of Creeslough has officially been launched. The aim of the project is to provide a number of new facilities to the area. The plan will centre around a new community hub, where counselling services will be made available to those still dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy in September 2022. There will also be a range of new sporting facilities included provi...