Ocean FM News Reports

Passengers travelling on the Sligo to Dublin train will soon be able to avail of e-tickets on all fares.   From Tuesday, customers will no longer have to print their ticket from a machine at train stations, and can instead use their phones to get on board.   At the moment, tickets for all services can be booked online, but many require collection in order to be considered valid.   B...

Met Éireann has upgraded its weather warnings ahead of Storm Isha with the whole of the North West issued an Orange wind alert.   Storm Isha is due to make landfall in Ireland tomorrow morning.   A status yellow wind warning has been issued for Ireland from 11am tomorrow, which will be upgraded to orange in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal and all other counties except Kildare, Laois, Meath, O...

A Killybegs seafood business has launched a new tourist attraction which they hope will encourage visitors to stay in the village for longer. Shine's Seafood recently opened a new interpretive centre at it's shop on the pier in Killybegs. The centre offers a unique fish tasting experience, as well as the opportunity to learn more about fish from the area. Children under the age of 12 can also go f...

Questions have been asked regarding the septic tank and wastewater treatment upgrade scheme in Sligo. Currently, the system in place is quite strict in terms of the locations that are eligible for the scheme. A full map is areas that can participate is available online, with a very specific amount of areas meeting the criteria. Independent Councillor Marie Casserly has questioned how certain locat...

A meeting has been scheduled by the HSE with the relevant authorities in relation to the counselling services at the Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services.   On Monday, it was announced the counselling services across Donegal were to cease due to a lack of public funding for a full-time director of counselling.   Senior officials from Tusla also met with the service this week where a commitm...

It's anticipated that Sligo will be added to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme this year.   However, it's been revealed that the County may be added 'in whole or in part', leading to concern over potentially subdividing Sligo when it comes to the scheme.   Hundreds of homeowners in Sligo are thought to be affected by the issue and frustration is said to be building when seeing t...

Two more Active Travel Schemes are to be launched in Sligo. The two new schemes will increase connectivity between Carraroe and Sligo Town, and Sligo Town to the ATU Campus. Upon completion, the routes will be a lot safer for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. Fine Gael Councillor, Thomas Walsh, believes this will be a key project for the county.

Nurses, teachers and civil servants are among the estimated 170,000 public sector workers on strike across Northern Ireland today. They're walking out for 24 hours in a row over pay and conditions - in one of the largest demonstrations ever seen there. A financial package was offered by Westminster - but on the condition that power sharing was restored at Stormont, which is yet to happen. Fermanag...

The Garda Representative Association has criticised suggestions reserve Gardaí­ will be deployed to areas with a high number of migrants. It's one of the measures being considered to provide additional resources to the 10 regions taking in the most migrants in the country. Extra nurses in GPs and more English Language teachers are also being examined. President of the GRA, Donegal's Brendan O'Conn...

Sligo Town and Leitrim are both included in a list of areas with no homes to rent under the Home Assistance Payment scheme. A report carried out by the Simon Communites of Ireland showed that nine out of 16 areas surveyed had ad no properties to rent through HAP within the standard or discretionary rates in any of the household categories. Other areas listed were Athlone, Cork City suburbs, Galway...

The latest candidate to throw his name into the hat in the Ballinamore Municipal says young voices need to be heard. 21-year-old Adam Ó Ceallaigh will be the youngest Green Party nominee nationwide when he contests June's local elections. Ó Ceallaigh is currently a student in Trinity College Dublin, studying Geography and Political Science. Mr Ó Ceallaigh is also the youngest person ever to contes...

The Health Minister is insisting that maternity services have improved at Sligo University Hospital.   The hospital introduced a post-natal hub last year and provides online support, advice on postnatal services available to mothers and their families both in the hospital and the community.   Additional staff have also been employed right across the country.   Speaking in the Dail t...

It's hoped that work on a new funfair and waterpark in Bundoran will get underway sooner rather than later. The development was given the green light by An Bord Pleanála this week and will see it situated on the site of the former Astoria Ballroom in the town. Planning permission was granted to developer, TJ Wilmot & Sons Limited. The development will see the construction of a funfair and wate...

The Dáil has heard that the imminent closure of Donegal's only child and adolescent counselling service would leave a “dangerous void” in the county. Essential services are delivered across the county by the non-profit Raphoe Dioscesan Centre will cease in mid-March. The service, which is the only service of its kind in Ireland, will impact many people who need counselling in Donegal and nationwid...

Atlantic Technological University's Sligo and St Angela's campuses will be hosting open evening for the 2024/2025 academic year this week. The open evening will take place on Thursday from 6pm until 8pm. There will be opportunities to talk to current students about life in the college, as well as information stands on subjects and campus tours. Speaking to Ocean FM News, School Liaison Officer wit...

There's pressure on Cllrs in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal to follow in the footsteps of their counterparts in Mayo.   It's after Mayo County Council passed a non-binding motion calling on council staff to stop cooperating with the Department of Integration.   It's in relation to the housing of International Protection applicants.   The motion was passed by all parties, who want a bett...

There are hopes that Sligo primary schools can be enlisted for counselling services in the future.   A pilot scheme for counselling in primary schools was rolled out in Leitrim, Cavan, Laois, Longford, Tipperary, Monaghan and Mayo, with the Minister for Education making that announcement in May of last year.   The services include up to six counselling sessions per child.   Local In...

Further questions have been asked regarding an armed support unit for Sligo. Currently, the closest armed support unit to Sligo is in Ballyshannon, and many feel that that is too far away. It's thought that the reason that there's no unit in Sligo is down to a lack of space. Fine Gael Councillor, Thomas Walsh, says a report into the issue must be carried out as soon as possible.

The Government must ensure there's adequate GP and hospital services in areas with large numbers of asylum seekers. Independent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle says a lack of medical services is the main concern of communities dealing with new international protection applicants. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced yesterday extra resources in health, education and policing will be provided to the ten area...

There’s calls on the Local Authority in Leitrim to contact the Government and request a special allocation of funding for drainage in Leitrim. Councillor Mary Bohan says in particular at Corrasra on the R280 and areas around the Bonet river need attention. The Fianna Fail Councillor says residents in these areas have lived in the constant fear of flooding following inclement spells of weather for...

A planned extension for Sligo University Hospital has officially moved to the next stage.   The extension will see a new 42-bed unit added to the existing facility, consisting of two 21-bed wards, and single en-suite rooms with ancillary accommodation.   The project has gone out to tender, with progress expected within the first quarter of this year.   Speaking to Ocean FM News, Cou...

TDs in North West are being urged to put pressure on the Government over investment funds snapping up family homes.   It follows the bulk purchase of 85% of homes in a new housing development in Dublin.   Sligo Leitrim Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny says this is not an isolated incident and has labelled what's happening as an unacceptable practice.   He believes that the Government could...

39 new housing units are to be built in Ballymote this year.   It was heard at this month's meeting of Sligo County Council that the project will be going out to tender in April, with a view to construction beginning in November of this year.   Concerns were raised about the amount of one-bed houses in the development, with 16 of the 39 set to be one-bed houses.   Fine Gael Councill...

County Donegal's ONLY child and adolescent counselling service is set to close.       Essential services are delivered across the county by the non-profit Raphoe Dioscesan Centre will cease at all outreach centres in a number of locations including Letterkenny, Dunfanaghy and Stranorlar as well as at the local community-funded projects at Hughie's Corner in Carndonagh and Gemma's Le...

Pledges have been made to resolve flooding issues at a number of cemeteries around Sligo.   Councillor Rosaleen O'Grady raised the issue at this month's meeting of Sligo County Council, with particular emphasis on Ahamlish Cemetery in North Sligo.   Flooding has been an issue in Ahamlish for quite some time, due to the location of the cemetery and the surrounding landscape.   Counci...