Ocean FM News Reports

Serious concern has been raised over a lack of tourist accommodation in Manorhamilton with the expected increase in footfall from the new Greenway project.   The proposed greenway will link Sligo, Leitrim and onto Fermanagh.   While the project is still some time away from being completed, there are calls for a Masterplan of Manorhamilton to be carried out in tandem.   Leitrim Count...

Bus Eireann has lent its support to a proposed transport hub for Donegal Town.   While a suitable site has been identified, the idea of such a hub is still very much in the early stages.   It's thought that it would solve the major traffic congestion issues that the town centre is currently experiencing.   Fianna Fail Cllr Michael Naughton believes that if all goes to plan, the proj...

A Sligo councillor says unless sufficient numbers of Gardai are allocated to road policing units proposed changes to laws for bank holidays are a waste of time.   Motorists found guilty of traffic offences at bank holiday weekends will face higher penalty points under proposed legislation aimed at improving road safety.     The proposal for motorists to get higher penalty points at...

A North West representative from the Labour Party is calling on the government to provide backing to vital services and intervene ahead of planned strike action next week. Sligo's election candidate for Labour Nessa Cosgrove says private vital community workers deserve pay parity with their public sector colleagues. The group are planning to take strike action on Tuesday next. Speaking to Ocean FM...

A Sligo Leitrim TD has called for immediate Government intervention ahead of planned strike action by healthcare and community workers.    Workers in community and voluntary sector organisations, funded by the Health Service Executive and other State agencies, are preparing to take indefinite strike action from tomorrow, call for pay restoration.   The action will involve around 5,0...

It’s being reported that the ancient Carrowkeel passage tomb in county Sligo has been vandalised with words and spirals scratched into the stones.     The damage to the popular structures which are around 5,300 years old, was discovered over the weekend.     It’s claimed that a stone that formed the entrance to a cairn had also been knocked over.   It’s believed that the i...

A number of homes in Drumkeerin are said to be at risk of flooding due to blocked gullies and drains in the village.   It's a reoccurring issue however it's said to have worsened in recent times.   It has led to calls on Leitrim County Council to carry out a major clean-up operation ahead of the winter months.   Local Sinn Fein Cllr Padraig Fallon says it's important that the Local...

A letter of thanks is to be sent to the Emergency Services in south Donegal for their work during two recent tragedies in Bundoran. A major rescue effort was carried out to recover a man's body from the water at Rougey in recent weeks while they also dealt with a hit and run incident in the town in which a young boy was killed. Local Sinn Fein Cllr Michael McMahon says the emergency staff who were...

Sheep farmers in Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal look set to benefit from an increase to the targeted payment for sheep. The exisiting €12/ewe payment looks set to increase to €20/ewe. Leitrim native and IFA National Sheep Committee Chairperson Kevin Comiskey has previously lobbied Minister for Agriculture, Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue to increase the targeted payment. He says while the announcement doe...

Funding has been sanctioned for an extension at Naomh Mhuire NS in Castlegal. The successful application will provide for 2 mainstream classrooms. The exact amount of funding is not released due to procurement rules. It hoped that work will begin on the project early 2024. Sligo Leitrim TD Frank Feighan says the extension will accommodate the increasing number of students in the school:

The HSE recruitment freeze expansion to include junior doctors is 'deeply deeply disappointing'. That's the view of the Irish Medical Organisation, which is seeking an urgent meeting with the HSE over what they say is a 'dangerous decision'. It says junior doctors have been working illegal working hours for years and this will put even more pressure on them. IMO President Dr. John Cannon says recr...

As the fallout over Budget 2024 continues, one farming official has lambasted the government over what he has termed a 'complete non-event' to very serious problems facing the sector. President of the ICMSA, Pat McCormack says the response of farmers has been one of confusion and disappointment. Budget 2024 looks set to heap more income and regulatory pressures on farmers. Pat McCormack believes t...

Sligo Rovers Women's manager Steve Feeney has urged fans to come and support the team ahead of their historic FAI Cup semi-final tomorrow evening. The Bit O'Red welcome Athlone Town to the Showgrounds tomorrow night with a place in the Women's Sports Direct FAI Cup Final up for grabs. The game will also be live in full on Ocean FM Sport tomorrow, kicking off at 6pm. Speaking to Ocean FM Sport's Dó...

The Maritime Heritage Festival gets underway in Sligo this weekend. The event is running in Rosses Point for the next two days, and kicks off this evening. A number of talks and lectures will take place over the course of the weekend, starting tonight in Harry's Bar. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Dr Jim McAdam, who will be speaking tonight on Conor O'Brien and the voyage of the Saoirse, is looking fo...

The Garda Representative Association isn't convinced the raising of the age limit for joining An Garda Síochána will tackle recruitment and retention issues.   It's being raised from 35 to 50, and the Justice Minister has said it's to give as many people as possible the opportunity to apply.   The Garda fitness test is also going to be adapted in line with the current age-related graduat...

Donegal County Council is to meet monthly to discuss the housing shortage.   The move was confirmed at a special meeting held this week.   It's hoped that the meetings would aim to address the housing shortage in the County and to allow members and staff to engage more regularly in order to understand what the challenges are.   There is also a new team in place in Donegal to work wi...

The 100% Redress Scheme is currently nowhere near full redress for the families affected by the mica scandal.   That's the view of Independent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle, who raised the issue in the Dáil recently.   Deputy Pringle highlighted that people need to have money on the table to participate in the scheme, and that there has been no engagement between all relevant parties on the...

A resource and recreational facility in Kinlough is a step closer.   It follows confirmation that Leitrim County Council has purchased Kerr's house and yards in the village.   The property, located in the centre of Kinlough, was bought with funding from the building acquisition measure.   It is anticipated that the building will house a range of services for both young and older peo...

The Fianna Fáil Party will select a candidate to contest the local elections in the Sligo Drumcliff Municipal District next week.   The Party's convention will take place in the Southern Hotel in Sligo on Thursday October 19th.   It's expected that three names will be in the running for the nomination with sitting councillor Donal Gilroy likely to be challenged for the nomination by Edel...

There’s been further clashes in the Dail this afternoon between Donegal Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty and Tánaiste Michael Martin over Budget 2024.   During leader’s questions this afternoon, Deputy Pearse Doherty accused the Government of ‘throwing in the towel’ over underfunding the health system after no allocation was made for extra hospital beds in the Budget.   This was contested by...

The health and safety of many farmers while the future of many family farms could be at risk due to the increased drug use by many young farmers.   An investigation by Irish Country Living has found young farmers are sourcing cocaine via social media, as a result increased numbers are having to attend addiction services. Drugs counsellors say young farmers aged 18 to 30 who are most affected...

There needs to be a review of the hedge cutting policy in the North West.   That’s the view of Sinn Fein Cllr Noel Jordan who says there are major issues with overgrown bushes and hedges in the south Donegal area.   While Donegal County Council has contacted landowners, some are not carrying out the works.   Cllr Jordan believes more clarity is needed as to who is responsible for he...

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on Fisheries and the Marine, has described the cuts to the fisheries Budget for next year as “shocking”.   Sinn Fein claim that the budget allocation to fisheries and seafood for 2024 is almost half of the allocation for 2023.     Donegal TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn accused Minister McConalogue of adding the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund and taking credit...

A number of primary schools in the south Donegal area are set to receive funding from Donegal Town Credit Union for green projects.   The money will go towards the likes of high vis jackets for walk to school schemes to planting pollinator gardens in their yard.   Our next step in the DTCU Green project is to focus on the wider community, through a collaboration with the local primary sc...

There’s a warning that small businesses in the North West will be ‘crucified’ unless targeted supports are put in place by the Government.   The measures announced in Budget 2024 have been deemed insufficient to help rural business owners in the region.   Cllr Niamh Kennedy is adamant that with a winter of uncertainty on the horizon, there will be multiple closures unless the necessary s...