Ocean FM News Reports

The actions of the DUP over the last two years have been slammed by a Sinn Fein MLA. Jemma Dolan was speaking after overnight talks between the DUP and the British Government appear to have resolved the powersharing issue in Stormont. The assembly's not met for almost two years after the DUP walked out in protest over post-Brexit trading rules. Speaking to Ocean FM News this morning, Dolan, who's...

The National Transport Authority has come in for criticism over a further delay to the roll out of the S3 town bus service. The bus would cater to areas covers areas like Maugheraboy, Finisklin estate, and First Sea Road. While it had been hoped the service would be up and running by now, there’s still no definitive date. Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Tom MacSharry has requested and urgent meeting...

It's thought that the wearing of high vis gear should be mandatory for pedestrians. The issue was raised at the latest sitting of Donegal County Council by Independent Councillor Michael McClafferty who believes that the move could reduce the high number of crashes. The Council is to write to both the TII and the Health and Safety Authority about the issue. Councillor McClafferty feels that it's c...

Mayor Declan Bree then proposed that the word “detailed” be removed from the motion. The motion was eventually passed but both Councillor Maguire and MacSharry abstained from the vote as they wanted the motion deferred. Councillor MacSharry says he was somewhat disappointed at how his motion was handled:

A motion on immigration has caused controversy at the latest sitting of the Borough District Council. The motion was brought forward by Fianna Fáil Cllr Tom MacSharry and sought for better communication from Government over the housing of asylum seekers and to ensure that refugees are adequately catered to. However, Fine Gael Cllr Sinead Maguire believed that some of the wording may be interpreted...

Ireland could move towards a wholesale ban on disposable vapes. That's the view of Fianna Fail Councillor, Donal Gilroy, who was speaking on the matter after it was confirmed that the UK would ban all sales of disposable vapes today. Recent data has suggested the amount of children using vapes has tripled in the last three years. Legislation was passed in November to ban the sale of vapes to under...

Calls have been made for the Department of Agriculture to make ACRES payments in full to farmers following the payment delays in December. Sinn Fein Councillor, Padraig Fallon, has requested that the Manorhamilton Municipal District writes to the Department and to the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, on the issue. A large number of farmers were adversely affected by the delay before...

A new housing development is to be built in North Sligo. 25 houses are to be constructed in Carney, consisting of 10 one-beds, 5 two-beds, 8 three-beds, a four-bed and a five-bed. Similar to another project earmarked for Ballymote, the houses are being rolled out as part of a "fast-track" regional framework, led by Sligo County Council. Councillor Marie Casserly says the new development will go a...

The Chairperson of the Mica Action Group says the 100% redress scheme continues to be nowhere near full redress for the families impacted. Lisa Hone was reacting to a new report, which shows that only 43 affected homes in Donegal have received the full mica redress grant. In figures published by the Irish Independent, only 43 have fully completed the grant process out of over 1,800 applicants. Las...

Sligo football manager Tony McEntee could not hide his frustration with Sunday's 0-9 to 1-5 loss for Sligo against Clare in their opening Division 2 league game in Ennis.

Division 2 of the Allianz Football League is up and running - and Donegal have the start they wanted with a 1-20 to 2-6 win over Cork in Ballybofey. Paddy McGill, Peter Campbell and Manus Boyle digest Sunday's events and talking points - with postmatch thoughts at windy MacCumhaill Park from Jim McGuinness.

Students across the north west are being advised to avail of support for accessing third-level education. With the CAO deadline fast approaching, many young people may not think they can take advantage of the Hear and Dare schemes. Hear and Dare offer reduced points access to courses, amongst other benefits. Education Correspondent with the Irish Farmers Journal, Sarah McIntosh is encouraging stud...

The Dáil has heard calls for the review of the Community Contribution Scheme. The scheme encourages a joint approach with groups of local residents and landowners for the restoration of public roads including local roads. Community contributions were previously within the range of 10% to 20%. Funding, however, has been reduced by the department of transport in recent years. With the 2024 announcem...

There's said to be concern with public lighting in north Sligo. Currently, there are six lights between Maugherow hall and church, however the distance between two of them has left a “blackspot” according to a local councillor. Fianna Fáil Councillor Dónal Gilroy says with a number of events taking place in both the hall and church, the issue has become more and more apparent. He says it's in the...

Requests have been made for Sligo Leitrim TDs to allocate funding to resurface the N15. Its understood that TII do not have the funding available to carry out major repair works or maintenance schemes. Maintenance work is set to be carried out on the road by Sligo County Council, but that will only go some of the way to resolving the issue. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Councillor Marie Casserly says...

Concern has been expressed that many vacant health positions that currently exist in the north west will not be filled this year.   As a result of the recruitment freeze patients could be facing increased waiting times while those working in Hospitals such as Sligo and Letterkenny could be under more pressure.   The freeze was introduced in November in an effort to keep expenses down fol...

It's hoped that the tourism and hospitality industry in the North West may be able to recover following news that the Government could suspend the signing of new contracts with hotels to accommodate people fleeing Ukraine.   The Department of Integration is revising its accommodation strategy and intends to pause accepting of new offers of commercial accommodation.   Many local cafes and...

Workers at Emergency Call Answering Services centres (ECAS) are set to undertake industrial action.   There has been some unrest among workers for some time, and members of the Communications Workers Union have sought talks with their employer at the Workplace Relations Commission.   However, BT Ireland, who oversee the ECAS centres, have rejected the invitation to participate.   Th...

A motion is to be brought forward to Mondays sitting of the Sligo Borough District Council, calling for better communication over the housing of asylum seekers.   Fianna Fail Cllr Tom MacSharry believes that both the Government and IPAS have so far been found wanting.   The motion seeks to provide a coordinated approach from government, including detailed communication with Sligo County...

It’s down to business this weekend for Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim gaelic footballers as the Allianz Football League begins. As Donegal try to manage expectations around Jim McGuinness take 2, should Sligo and Leitrim be raising theirs in Divisions 3 and 4? We’ll hear from Manus Boyle, Noel Maguire and Martin McGowan. Plus - golf's West of Ireland championship is returning to its traditional matchp...

A petition, which has garnered over 26,000 signatures calling for a greenway on the closed railway between Sligo and Galway, has been discussed at an Oireachtas Committee this afternoon. However it's claimed that Mayo County Council is hampering progress on the project. In a statement, The Western Rail Trail campaign say that Sligo County Council share in their vision of a greenway from Collooney...

A Midlands North West MEP says the European Parliament's report on the defective concrete block crisis in Ireland should be amended to ensure that financial institutions take a more proactive role in supporting affected homeowners.   Members of the Committee have two weeks to make amendments to the report, ahead of a vote in March.   Colm Markey described it as robust but said it could g...

The Government has come under fire once more over hospital overcrowding. It comes as almost 70 people were awaiting admission to the two main North West hospitals this morning, according to the INMO - 35 in Sligo and 34 in Letterkenny. Speaking in the Dail this afternoon, Donegal Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty accused the Tanaiste of stumbling from disaster to another. He also called on the Governmen...

It’s been confirmed that 20 new social houses are on the way to Collooney in Sligo.   Construction is set to begin later this year and they will be situated on the site of the old reservoir beside Markree Heights.   It’s estimated that there are over 1600 people on the housing waiting list in Sligo.   Local Sinn Fein Cllr Thomas Healy says while this new development will in some way...

It's thought that Ballymote badly needs a youth facility.   Sligo County Council currently owns a number of vacant buildings in the town, namely the old courthouse along with adjacent buildings and it hoped that a drop in centre for young people could be established on the site.   There's an upcoming feasibility study this year which will look at repurposing buildings for alternative use...