Ocean FM News Reports

A local farming official is warning that the damage caused to farms by flooding in the west of Ireland could leave farmers in the North West facing higher animal feed prices or even a potential fodder shortage. Farmers are counting the cost of the recent bad weather, which saw the wettest July on record. Around 5,000 bales of hay and silage have been lost due to flooding on farms along the Shannon...

A Midlands-North West MEP has warned of further attempts by Nordic countries to seek greater access to Ireland's fish stock. Colm Markey has made the comments following a recent meeting with the Taoiseach and representatives of the Irish fishing sector. Norway has previously unsuccessfully sought unfettered access to Irelands' blue whiting grounds. MEP Markey, who is a member of the European Parli...

A five-day gathering of climate campaigners gets underway in north Leitrim today. Slí Eile is the main group behind the second climate camp in Ireland since 2010, at Pollboy near Manorhamilton. The camp was previously held in Tarbert in county Kerry. This year's camp will look to 'rebuild our relationship to land and each other.' The camp hopes to support and work closely with local campaigns, in...

There are hopes that the issue of dereliction in Bundoran will be tackled as part of the County Development Plan 2024-2023. Donegal County Council has prepared a draft of the plan, which sets out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of Donegal. It includes the likes of text, objectives, policies and area plans for Bundoran. Local Sinn Fein Cllr Michael McMahon ho...

The backlash that the Government received from the student accommodation debacle in Sligo is thought to be the catalyst for a new protocol. Tensions arose between the Department of Integration and the Department of Further and Higher Education this summer over a proposal to house refugees in Milligan Court and Benbulben Court in the town. It's anticipated that the accommodation will be returned to...

In a timely tourism boost for the Glenfarne area, the Lough McNean Canoe Trail has been selected to go forward. The project will encompass parts of Leitrim, Cavan, and Fermanagh. With tourist numbers being threatened by the lack of accommodation the project it is hoped will provide a valuable boost to the tourism and hospitality sector in the area. Local Councillor Seán McDermott has paid tribute...

There are urgent calls for a bad corner on the route between Ballygawley and Carraroe to be made a top priority. The notorious bend has been deemed a serious safety hazard with numerous minor crashes occurring there over the years. Local Fine Gael Thomas Walsh says residents feel really strongly about getting some much needed works done in the area. He says a total realignment of the bend is the s...

It's thought that senior management teams on Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal County Councils could be doing more in providing clarity as it relates to the ongoing strike by retained fire fighters. It follows a workshop held in Donegal on Friday last where Councillors sought an update from management on the industrial action. Cllr Michael Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig described the update as unsatisfactory cl...

A motorist was arrested on average every half an hour over the bank holiday for suspected drink or drug driving. 181 people were arrested in total for the offence over the weekend. Three people were also killed in crashes in Donegal, Wicklow and Tipperary between Friday and Monday. Leo Leighio from the Irish Road Victims Association isn't surprised by the statistics:

Tributes are being paid to the late Garda Detective Deirdre Finn who died following a boat fire Carrick on Shannon yesterday. She was attached to Dun Laoghaire Station in Dublin and had been close to retirement. The detective garda, whose father had also been a member of the force, was a long-time member of the Garda Representative Association where she advocated strongly for the rights of her col...

The summer of 2023 is shaping up to be a disaster for many restaurants around the country. That's the view of the industry's representative group, which says a combination of bad weather and a reduction in accommodation spaces due to the influx of refugees is causing problems for some in the sector. Restaurants' Association of Ireland says a scheduled increase in VAT next month will close some bus...

Three new farming apprenticeships has been unveiled by the government. The Farm Manager, Farm Technician, and Horticulture trainee courses will offer the opportunity for students to develop skills in the daily operations of a commercial farm and build a career in farming. The apprenticeships - the first of which will begin next month - will last for two year. Higher Education Minister Simon Harris...

A Leitrim man will be undertaking a "Lap of the Map" in order to raise funds for North West Stop. Liam Cox, of Leitrim Village, will be running the entire coastline of the country, starting from Carrick-On-Shannon to Strandhill on Saturday, August 26th. Its estimated Liam will run a distance of 2,500km in total, covering 60km a day over a 6-week period. Speaking to Ocean FM News,  Liam Cox said he...

A Sligo-Leitrim TD has expressed his frustration after it has emerged that motorists will be hit with further road toll increases. Motorists are set to be hit with increases of up to 20 cent per trip on the M50 and other key routes next year. Transport Infrastructure Ireland says a further hike "will be required in January 2024", based on an inflation rate of 6 per cent. The potential 20 cent incr...

A celebration for Ukraine's Independence Day will be taking place in Carrick-on-Shannon on August 19th. The event is being organised by Leitrim County Council's Healthy Leitrim Programme, the Leitrim Development Company’s SICAP Programme, the Leitrim Volunteer Centre, and the Leitrim International Community Group. The Ambassador to Ireland from Ukraine, Gerasko Larysa will also be in attendance on...

The decision not have a Civil Defence manned search boat in the local region is putting lives at risk. That's view of a Sligo Councillor, who raised the issue at this month's meeting of Sligo County Council. September's meeting of the local authority heard calls which sought to establish why the Civil Defence search, rescue and recovery boat in Sligo continues to be stood down. The issue has led t...

The Irish Coast Guard is alerting the public on the potential hazards of taking to water over the weekend. Met Eireann has issued a warning for small marine crafts on the west coast due to strong winds with a force of six or greater. Anyone planning coastal or water-based activities are being advised to check the weather forecast beforehand. Gerard O'Flynn, Coastguard operations manager, is urging...

A leading Sligo Credit Union official has welcomed the development that Credit unions will soon be able to offer mortgages that rival what the banks can give. New legislation, to be introduced next month, will allow community lenders greater capacity to give loans for homeowners and businesses. Currently, Credit Unions can lend 7 and a half per cent of their total assets - but the new proposals wo...

Met Eireann has asked the public to take care this weekend as Storm Antoni brings heavy showers and strong winds. Three different Status Yellow weather warnings will come into force from this afternoon into tonight. The showers will at first affect Sligo, Leitrim, the rest of Connacht and Cavan, spreading into the Midlands, Monaghan and parts of East Leinster later. Met Eireann's Liz Walsh says co...

A contract, which was to be awarded to two apartment complexes in Sligo to house Ukrainian refugees will now not be issued. Management at Milligan Court and Benbulben Court in the town announced earlier in the summer they were no longer provide student accommodation, leaving around 500 students scrambling for somewhere to live. It had been reported that the complexes were to be used for Ukrainian...

The former President of the Students Union at ATU Sligo says lessons need to be learned as the controversy surrounding two apartment complexes in Sligo appears to have come to an end. It follows confirmation that the Department of Children is no longer award a contract to management at Benbulben and Milligan Court to house refugees. The complexes were traditionally used as student accommodation, a...

Seperately, Deputy Feighan has welcomed the allocation of €1.2m towards the Boyle Library Project. The Minister for Community and Rural Development Heather Humphreys confirmed the allocation. The former Junior Minister described the allocation as 'a further economic and urban regeneration boost' for Boyle and the surrounding area.

A Sligo Leitrim TD says a lack of competition in the market, on top of inflation concerns, is leaving many mortgage holders in difficult circumstances. The Central Bank and government have been warned of a mortgage 'arrears crisis'. It comes as the price of a new home in Ireland has increased by 28 thousand year-on-year. The Irish Independent are reporting that borrowers whose loans are owned by v...

The HSE is warning of an increase in Covid-19 cases leading to hospital admissions. Some health experts claim hospitals will need to act in order to cope with a spike. Dr Anthony Breslin, director of public health for the HSE north-west says a small increase in the number of Covid-19 cases has been detected locally with some in residential settings. He’s urged people to take responsibility for the...

Concern is being expressed this morning that many Political parties are facing a mounting challenges in attracting candidates to contest the 2024 local elections. The comments from former Leitrim councillor John McCartin, come after calls were made this week for Councillors and candidates that are contesting elections not to have to publish their home addresses. The former Fine Gael Councillor say...