A Donegal TD has highlighted the regional imbalance of the pyrite remediation scheme. Instances were given in the Dail where homeowners in Dublin and North Leinster had to make no contribution to avail of the scheme. Whereas a number of families across the North West cannot access full redress despite provide a large amount of funding themselves. S…

Over 500 homes, farms and businesses remain without power in the north west. Arigna, Tubbercurry and Donegal Town are among the areas affected with various estimated restoration times. Meanwhile, the ESB is facing calls to issue a "goodwill payment" to customers left waiting long periods without power. It comes after the company's CEO, Paddy Hayes,…

Paddy McGill reports from Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney following Donegal's first win against Kerry in the Kingdom since 1988 (0-23 to 1-18). Postmatch reaction from Jim McGuinness, Ryan McHugh and Neil McGee - plus considered thoughts from Martin McHugh, Radio Kerry's Tim Moynihan and Donegal Democrat's Conor Breslin.…

Newly appointed Senator Manus Boyle believes the selection of two Fine Gael nominees from Donegal in the Seanad shows the party are laying the groundwork for future General Elections. On Friday, it was announced that Senator Boyle and Senator Nikki Bradley had received nominations from the Tánaiste to be part of the Seanad. Following Joe McHugh’s r…

Ireland is to join 76 other nations in condemning Donald Trump's sanctions on the International Criminal Court. The US President criticised the court for targeting allies of America, after an arrest warrant was issued for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu. Ireland will join with almost 80 other States in issuing the statement this afternoon, in a move wh…

A Midlands - North West MEP has been appointed as lead for EU-UK issues on the EU Parliament's Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. The role will involve trade rules and addressing the unique challenges faced by Irish exporters and farmers. It's hoped that relations between the UK and farmers in the North West border counties will continue …

Calls have been made for farmers in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal to be contracted to address trees and poles that pose a danger to power lines. Storm Eowyn led to mass power outages in the North West region, with many areas still without power two weeks later. The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association highlighted that local farmers could assist t…

Local Cllr weighs in on rural speed limit reductions

A Donegal GP has questioned a new proposal by the government to directly employ HSE GPs. It is hoped to address the issue of GP shortages, while also being a way to tackle the lack of doctors in rural areas. GPs currently run independent practices, and this would be a move away from the current set up. President of the IMO, Dr Denis McCauley, says …

It's been claimed that there's been a frightening spike in shoplifting in Sligo. According to local businesses, the likes of shoplifting, thefts and general crime figures are rising all the time. It has led to serious concern over associated incidents such as assaults, hateful comments being made to staff, and public order offences. Local Fine Gael…

It's hoped that the newly appointed Minister for Health will visit Sligo University Hospital. Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill visited Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar on Tuesday to meet with staff and management. However, it's felt more problems exist at Sligo University Hospital where 852 patients were waiting for a bed in January, making …

It's feared that impending changes to speed limits will increase poor behaviour from drivers throughout the north west. From Friday, the speed limit on local roads will be reduced from 80km/h to 60 km/h. While further changes set to come into effect at a later date will see speed reduced on national secondary roads. Driving Instructor in south Done…

The Government has been accused of abandoning Sligo, Leitrim and the west of Ireland in the aftermath of Storm Eowyn. Hundreds of home homes and businesses across the region are now over two weeks without power. The ESB are continuing its restoration operation with thousands nationally still in the dark. Sligo Leitrim Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny beli…

There are calls for urgent Capital Investment in Grange Post Primary School. As student numbers continue to grow, it's said that it's increasingly evident that the current school facilities are overcrowded, impacting the quality of education. Despite 62 additional students enrolling over the past three years, the school has not received any extra a…

ATU Sligo are trying to secure a place in the All-Ireland Freshers A Championship football final. We're live to Ballinode for news of their semi-final against UCD. Abbey Vocational School Donegal will attempt to become the first ever Donegal school to win Ulser College’s A championship – better known as the MacRory Cup.We look ahead to Sunday's fin…

"North West has potential to be Silicon Valley of Ireland" - says Irish entrepreneur

The plight of those affected by Storm Éowyn right across the north west has been brought before the floor of the Dáil. Thousands of homes, businesses and farms in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal still remain without power just shy of two weeks since the red warning event. Sligo-Leitrim TD Martin Kenny is just one of those who remains without power in hi…

It’s estimated that there’s still over two thousand customers without power in County Leitrim - a fortnight on from the storm. Even now, it could be several days before all outages are addressed as the ESB continue the huge restoration operation. Speaking in the Dail this afternoon, Mayo Sinn Fein TD Rose Conway Walsh asked would a scheme be introd…

The average price of land in counties Donegal and Leitrim was among the lowest nationally according to a new report. The Irish Farmers Journal Agricultural Land Price Report shows that the lowest average land price last year was in county Leitrim at just over €6,400 per acre. Figures also show that the average price in Donegal was almost €8,000 per…

The Education Minister has said that every effort will be made to help the Mercy College in Sligo get back to its full potential. Several classrooms were significantly damaged when roof was ripped off by the storm almost two weeks ago. Minister Helen McEntee paid a visit to the school in her first engagement since taking up the Education portfolio.…

A public meeting is to be held in Donegal Town on Thursday 13th February in relation to the relocation of the Donegal Education Centre. The centre has been based in the town for 27 years, but a decision has been made to relocate the premises to Letterkenny. The meeting begins at 8pm in the Abbey Hotel and aims to inform the public on the current si…

"Lessons need to be learned" says local TD

Potential price increases for ESB customers has been called a “kick in the teeth” locally. The CEO of ESB networks has recently said that costs will increase due to the aftermath of Storm Eowyn. However, there are still a number of regions across the North West that are still without power, nearly two weeks since the storm. Ballymote-Tubbercurry Fi…

Minister commits to work with ESB following storm damage

The Education Minister is due to visit Mercy College in Sligo today after the school was extensively damaged by Storm Eowyn. Several classrooms were destroyed after the roof of the new wing was ripped off by the storm almost two weeks ago. Minister Helen McEntee will meet with staff who have been helping with a major clean-up operation. Speaking fr…

A Sligo Leitrim TD has told the Dáil the people in the North West that are still without power are angry and are losing patience. Fine Gael Deputy Frank Feighan made the comments last night. He claimed that in his 25 years in politics the last two weeks have been the most difficult he has ever witnessed people having to endure. The Sligo based TD q…

Iarnrod Eireann has installed a new warning detection system at the Ballymote level crossing. The crossing will be in operation from Monday 10th Feb, and will operate similar to a traffic light. At locations where this system has been installed reports of "near misses" between trains and level crossing users have significantly decreased. It reduces…

It's hoped that more women will continue to put their names on the electoral ballot paper. That's after two candidates from the north west were some of the 20 successful female candidates who were elected to the Seanad over the weekend. Independent Eileen Flynn will enter her second term in the upper house while Labour's Nessa Cosgrove was successf…

With the Dáil resuming this afternoon, it’s hoped that adequate supports will once and for all be given to the fishing industry. While Noel Grealish has been appointed as a dedicated Minister for Fisheries, the programme for Government included plans to publish a comprehensive five-year Fisheries Sector Strategy. This in turn will examine and impro…

Calls have been made for a scheme to be set up in Donegal to identify trees that pose a risk to power lines. This follows the devastating effects of storm Eowyn which left hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity across Ireland. With powerful storms expected to become more frequent, measures are being sought to prevent mass outages in the…

There are further calls for the North West to be better prepared ahead of a future storm. It comes as hundreds of homes, farms and businesses across Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal are still without power almost two weeks on from Storm Eowyn. The Cabinet is discussing how to better prepare Ireland for future bad weather, following the fallout from the s…

One-off rural housing has received backing in Leitrim following recent criticism of the development model. It has been claimed that Storm Eowyn proved that such planning is inherently unsustainable due to the mass outages across the North West region. However, the programme for government states that it will continue to support one-off rural housin…

It’s emerged that so-called ‘zombie spiders’ have been discovered in a cave on the Fermanagh-Cavan border. The discovery made by speleologist and cave explorer, Tim Fogg in recent days at The White Fathers cave. The spiders get their name from the fact that they are killed by fungi which then go on to infect other spiders. Speaking to Ocean FM, Tim…

Reassurances have been given that the Sligo section of the N17 will not affected in the upcoming speed limit changes. From Friday, the default speed limit on national secondary roads will be reduced from 100kmh to 80kmh. On local roads the speed limit will drop from 80kmh to 60kmh. The new measures have raised questions locally over whether action …

It's thought that an imminent price hike to a stamp won't have a huge impact on local businesses. The cost of posting a letter is set to jump by 25 cent to 1 Euro 65 on the 27th of February. Businesses will be hit with the increase from March 1st. The price hike according to An Post is due to increased operating costs and a decline of 8 per cent in…

SIPTU has commenced a ballot for strike action its members in the north west in a dispute over pay. The Government is being accused of failing to honour a pay agreement struck at the Workplace Relations Commission in October 2023. Among those, included a commitment to restore the pay link between the public sector and the community and voluntary se…

Enterprise Minister Peter Burke says he understands the disruption Storm Eowyn has caused for many businesses across the North West. He says his department is closely monitoring the situation, and engaging with the National Emergency Coordination Group, and Local Enterprise Offices, to assess and address immediate challenges. Hundreds of homes, far…

It's hoped that issues important to the North West can be teased out when the Dail resumes later. It comes as the row over speaking time in the Dail is over - for now at least. The Government has conceded the Regional Independents aren't getting opposition speaking time. Proceedings are set to continue this afternoon, following unsavoury scenes in …

Calls have been made in the North West for hardship payments to be issued to farmers. The calls come following the damages which was caused by Storm Éowyn. Massive damages have been caused to roofs, machinery and sheds as a result of trees that were uprooted by Storm Éowyn. Speaking to Ocean FM news, Sligo Leitrim Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny has desc…

A Sligo Councillor has expressed concern with recent CSO figures that has reported a decrease in the number of foreign visitors that used Ireland as holiday destination in December. The figures claim there was a fall of over 12 per cent More than 390 thousand 700 people travelled here last month, down from 445 thousand the year before. The figures …

Rory Gallagher's famous 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar will go on display in Dublin. This follows government intervention last year where there was strong public support for the guitar to be kept in Ireland. Questions have since turned to where the guitar will remain into the future. The Rory Gallagher Festival organiser, Barry O'Neill, says the g…

Local roads in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal will see speed reductions from 80km/h to 60km/h from Friday. It’s part of an initiative aiming to reduce the amount of fatalities and accidents on Irish roads. This is the first part of the speed decrease rollout, with national secondary roads along with cities and town centres to be reduced later in the ye…

With the clean-up of Storm Éowyn still continuing, its hoped that more can be done with the increased impact forestation is having on the north west. Many areas remain without power almost two weeks since the storm, with several trees having fallen on power lines or blocking pathways to access them. An increase in planting trees coupled with advers…

The Chairperson of the north west branch of the Green Party has hit out at the recent accusations that have been levelled at her party in the aftermath of Story Éowyn. The Green Party have been accused of introducing bans on cutting turf, outlawing the use of chimneys on new builds and encouraging people to depend on heating systems that are driven…

Senator Eileen Flynn hopes her election to the Seanad will prove that anything is possible. The Ardara-based Independent Senator won a Seanad seat on the Administrative Panel and has become the first Traveller to be elected to the Oireachtas. She first entered the Seanad in 2020 as one of the nominees of Taoiseach Micheál Martin. In her first inter…

A Donegal TD is calling on the Taoiseach Michael Martin to 'finally show some leadership'. Its Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy ruled the Regional Independent Group of TDs cannot form a technical group for opposition speaking time in the Dáil. Party leaders are meeting today to discuss the two-week row, which has caused chaotic scenes since the Dáil r…

Storm restoration work continues again at first light today. Hundres of homes and busineeses across the North West are now eleven days without power, since Storm Éowyn hit - nationally the figure is around 25 thousnad. Many are also still waiting for their water, phone coverage and broadband to be restored. Irish Rural Link says huge thanks are due…

Many residents are still without power in the North West this Tuesday morning - eleven days on from Storm Eowyn. In Gurteen, questions are being asked over why a plan has not been put in place for those impacted. Residents in the area feel let down with many not expecting to have their power restored for days to come. Martina Clancy is a local resi…

Many residents are still without power in the North West this Tuesday morning - eleven days on from Storm Eowyn. In Gurteen, questions are being asked over why a plan has not been put in place for those impacted. Residents in the area feel let down with many not expecting to have their power restored for days to come. This local resident has a daug…