Ocean FM News Reports

The Government has further reiterated that there will be no greenway on the disused rail line between Claremorris and Collooney. In November, it was confirmed that funding for the Western Rail Corridor line from Athenry to Claremorris was to be made available and that works on the line will commence within the next 18 months. A commitment was also given then that following the completion of those...

Local Government TDs have been accused of being an obstacle to delivering the Western Rail Corridor. It comes as funding for the Sligo Greenway was announced this week. The project faced a setback before Christmas after the local authority said it was suspending any further works as the preferred route is no longer available and a suggested alternative option was not viable. Irish Rail had previou...

A Leitrim GAA official is supporting the stance taken by Dublin football and hurling players in protesting over the GAA's decision to keep Allianz as the sponsor of its national league.     Several GAA County Boards are calling on the Association to cut its ties with the insurance brand, after its parent company was listed in a UN report on the occupied Palestinian territories.   &n...

A serious incident of fly-tipping saw nearly 35 bags of rubbish dumped along roadsides in Hazelwood over the weekend, close to the entrance to Half Moon Bay.     The waste, which included household rubbish, ash and garden waste, was reported by local residents and cleared quickly by council staff and litter wardens.     Council officials are now reviewing CCTV footage as fly-ti...

A Midlands North West MEP says Ireland should a leading light in Europe when it comes to tackling non-consensual AI generated images.   Maria Walsh says Ireland holds more power on this issue than we realise:   Her comments come as Grainne Seoige will address the Oireachtas Media Committee on the dangers of deepfakes today.   Fake explicit images of the broadcaster were shared onlin...

A North Leitrim Councillor says the creation of a new camping site in Kiltyclogher will help attract more tourists into the area.   Concerns over the lack of tourism accommodation have been sounded in in the areas for a long period of time.     Kiltyclogher Community Council have lodged a successful application with Leitrim County Council to develop the recreational site at the town...

The Ballysadare Rural Regeneration project has reached the initial concept stage of the design process. A public consultation is taking place today from 4pm to 8pm on Peacock Lane, inviting the community to have their say. The €640,000 government-funded project aims to regenerate key sites in the centre of the village. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Cllr Thomas Walsh says it’s great news for the commu...

The January meeting of the Manorhamilton MD of Leitrim County Council heard calls for the RSA to ban automatic LED light that dip when they meet other vehicles. Today’s meeting was told how such lights are a danger to motorists on rural roads. Cllr Justin Warnock tabled a motion as a result of personal experience where the use of such lights almost led to him being involved in an accident. The Fia...

Sligo County Council is being urged to monitor its use of X going forward. The platform, formally known as Twitter developed the AI chatbot Grok, which has caused serious concern for local authorities and regulators due to its potential to manipulate and generate harmful content. An analysis by the Irish Independent has found that a number of County Councils are reviewing how they use X, while sev...

Donegal is said to lag behind the national average for survival rates for Breast Cancer. The five-year survival rate in Donegal is 87.1% in contrast to the average countrywide figure which is 87.3%. The data was released to Aontu following a Parliamentary Question. Additionally, the party has found a 12% difference in survival outcomes between women diagnosed in public hospitals versus private hos...

The ongoing flood risk in the border community of Pettigo is to be examined in greater detail through a cross-border assessment. Flooding has seriously impacted many homes and businesses in Pettigo in the past, with huge concern being expressed about future risk. A recent national review concluded that Pettigo does not meet the threshold for designation as an Area of Potentially Significant Flood...

There are calls for more derelict houses in Sligo to be refurbished. It comes as a number of compulsory purchase orders have been made on dwellings on Holborn Hill with a view towards bringing them back up to a habitable standard. However, the list of derelict sites in the County of Sligo is said to be substantial. Major of the Sligo Borough, Cllr Gino O'Boyle says every effort should be made to i...

Dog fouling is said to be still a serious issue in Sligo. It comes following concern over the level of dog waste bins across a number of residential parks within Sligo Town. Meanwhile, there's are also calls on Sligo County Council to adopt a get tough approach to the issue. On the spot fines and court proceedings have been cited as some of measures that need to be urgently introduced locally. Fia...

The Donegal winner of the Daily Million draw in October has admitted that they knew all along about the win. The winner claimed their prize with days to go before the deadline earlier this month. The winning ticket was kept in a lockbox, however the winner lost the key before claiming the winnings. Darragh O'Dwyer from the National Lottery says the player intended to keep the ticket until the New...

Calls have been made on Leitrim County Council to increase awareness about the Salt Bin Purchasing scheme. This initiative encourages residents' associations and businesses to purchase a salt bin and salt from the council for housing estates or business premises. Manorhamilton MD Councillor Eddie Mitchell says there is an opportunity now to get more bins established and help people to help themsel...

There's major disappointment in the Sligo Borough following confirmation that no new bus shelters are to be established for 2026. New infrastructure is set to be installed across 21 areas in the County this year but none are planned for the likes of Sligo Town or Strandhill. Each shelter is set to cost twenty five thousand euro with areas like Mullaghmore, Carney Village, Drumcliff Ballygawley and...

It’s been claimed that a cohort of people in Sligo Town are illegally dumping in secluded locations.   Shopping bags full of rubbish have been discovered dumped in the likes of alleyways and other areas in recent weeks.   Theres major disappointment locally over the issue, particularly in light of Sligos recent accolade from IBAL while the good work of the Tidy Towns Committees is also b...

A Leitrim Publican has added his voice to calls for pubs to be granted an extension to opening hours in the event of the Irish soccer team qualifying for the World Cup. The tournament is due to take place in the summer. The boys in green will have to first of all navigate two qualifiers. Leitrim independent Councillor Felim Gurn is also a publican, he says there is a generation in Ireland that hav...

€360 million in Government funding for Active Travel and Greenways in 2026 has been announced this morning. The funding is dedicated to the development of walking and cycling projects that offer safe, sustainable, and healthy transport options to communities around the country. The funding will enable almost 1,000 projects of varying scale to progress in 2026. Over 18 million has been allocated to...

The government is awarding €75,000 to support the design phase of the Sligo Greenway. Sligo County Council has approved consultants to bring forward firm development proposals. The project is seen as a step forward while plans for the Western Rail corridor continue. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Minister Marian Harkin says the funding is “an important step to get the Greenway back on track.

The government is awarding €70,000 to support the design phase of the Sligo Greenway. Sligo County Council has approved consultants to bring forward firm development proposals. The project is seen as a step forward while plans for the Western Rail corridor continue. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Minister Marian Harkin says the funding is “an important step to get the Greenway back on track.  

A North West TD says the recent actions of the US President, Donal Trump are dangerous for international relations and for global trade.   Deputy Martin Kenny says President Trump has little regard for international law and described some of his actions as bully boy tactics.     The Leitrim based TD says events in Venezuela and the threats to take over Greenland by the US President...

Questions are being asked over how far along plans are for purpose built student accommodation in Sligo.     It's almost a year since it the ATU was given approval to purchase land near its Sligo campus that has been earmarked for student accommodation.     In February of last year, it was said that planning was at an early stage.     Meanwhile, at the beginning of th...

Safety concerns have been raised over the junction of Cregg Road and Rosses Point Road, particularly around the bus stop where pedestrians get off. Sligo County Council is being asked to carry out a safety assessment, review public lighting and examine signage and visibility at the junction. Residents have reported poor lighting, heavy traffic and near misses, with schoolchildren and walkers espec...

The EU's approval of the Mercosur deal has led to concern among farmers in the North West. The deal would allow South American beef to enter Ireland at reduced costs, undercutting the efforts of Irish farmers, particularly those in this region. There are also worries around the safety of South American beef with it not being subject to the same health checks as in Ireland and the EU. Leitrim farme...