There is said to be frustration among sheep farmers in Leitrim over missing items in the new Sheep Welfare Scheme. The scheme offers a financial incentive to sheep farmers who carry out a number of measures like the sheering or plunge dipping of ewes. Farmers, however are said to be none the wiser as to measures are in place for the safe disposal o…

There were just 45 home commencements in Leitrim during the first four months of this year. This compares to 54 in the same period in 2023. With a number of houses lying idle in the area and increased VAT pressures on those involved in the construction industry, Manorhamilton-based councillor Felim Gurn feels something needs to be done. He says a r…

Private homeowners in north Leitrim continue to be at risk of suffering severe damage to their homes as a result of ash dieback. Ash dieback is a fungal disease which was first recorded in trees here in 2012. Manorhamilton Municipal District councillor Padraig Fallon has called for an “urgent review” of the recently announced €79.5 million support …

A bridge in Leitrim is said to be not fit for purpose. A number of motorists have voiced their concerns over the narrow bridge at Leckaun on the R278. The bridge is said to an important piece of infrastructure, widely used by travelling from Fivmilebourne to Manorhamilton. The current condition of the bridge has made it almost impossible for two ve…

The need for emergency housing in Bundoran is at an all time high. That’s according to local Sinn Féin Cllr Michael McMahon, who says the situation as it currently stand in the town is very much at crisis point. There had been a building earmarked for such use with the owners willing to engage with Donegal County Council. Cllr McMahon feels that th…

It remains to be seen when north west farmers will be fully compensated for their environmental work. To date, many farmers have only received interim payments instead of full the amounts promised under the ACRES agreement. The initial agreement, signed by Donegal TD and Minister for Agriculture. Charlie McConalogue can provide up to €10,000 annual…

Members of the public across the north west are being warned that water temperatures are still cold. The warning comes as the RNLI have issued a water safety appeal as many are returning to the water ahead of the summer months. The organisations are asking people to take some basic precautions to stay safe and warm when they visit the coast or part…

Funds need to be made available immediately to address the state of the roads and paths in Sligo and Strandhill. That's according to Labour's local election candidate, Nessa Cosgrove, who says motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians risk hazardous conditions every day. There is a growing concern nationwide over the amount of road deaths so far this ye…

The Western Rail Corridor was a key issue discussed at the Delivering Regional Balance conference today in Sligo. Organised by West on Track, it was to highlight the role of infrastructure in boosting the Atlantic Economic Corridor. As previously reported, there is a strong case for completing the final leg of the Western Rail Corridor project reco…

There are further calls on Donegal County Council to rethink parts of the one way system in Donegal Town. Work began on the project last year and some members of the community have been unhappy with how it might impact the town centre. Independent local election candidate Pauric Kennedy says there’s still time to see sense on a few problem areas. H…

Three towns in each of Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim are set to receive to €10,000 each as part of the Town Team Support Fund. The towns are Ballybofey, Creeslough, and Buncrana in Donegal. Enniscrone, Collooney, and Ballisodare in Sligo. And Ballinamore, Kinlough and Dromahair in Leitrim. The funding may be used to support the establishment and/or de…

There are genuine fears that more raw sewerage will run through Rossnowlagh beach this afternoon. It comes as the portable toilets are set to overflow, leading to major concern for the weekend ahead with an influx of tourists expected to descend on the town. Lisa McCorley of Friends of Rossnowlagh believes that the main issue is down to a lack of m…

Uisce Éireann will be asked by Sligo County Council to take charge of temporary wastewater treatment plants that were initially put in place during the building boom. The plants, which were initially temporary measures, have been in place for over twenty years in some instances. It’s understood that this is becoming a safety issue in both urban and…

Careful consideration must be taken on all fronts if the Government are to extend drinking hours and opening hours of pubs and nightclubs. The idea of extending opening hours of pubs and clubs has long been floated by the Government, but is yet to be officially confirmed. It's widely thought that the extension would put more strain on already stret…

The Tánaiste has agreed to talk to the Office of Public Works regarding the possibility of purchasing a site at Cairns Hill in Sligo. A significant Neolithic monument is located on the site and is said to be an integral part of Sligo's heritage. It was put up for sale back in 2021 but a private individual bought the lands after outbidding the state…

Major safety issues have been reported on Bridge Street in Killybegs. Cllr Niamh Kennedy says a lot of motorists are parking on double yellow lines, causing an obstruction. This in turn is said to be leaving motorists very little space to navigate through the narrow street. Donegal County Council says the idea of a one-way system has already been e…

Bus Eireann has come under fire over its service which caters to passengers flying into Ireland West Airport in Knock. People wishing to travel onto Sligo and south Donegal are finding it difficult to do so as the bus schedule is not corresponding with flight times. In a lot of cases, people have been effectively left stranded for hours. Local Sinn…

Paddy McGilll is joined by Ardara senior manager & Donegal county U20 selector Damien Devaney - and the Donegal Democrat's Alan Foley as the dust finally settles on last Sunday's dramatic Ulster football final shootout win over Armagh.

Frustration is said to be building in Dromahair over the speed some motorists are travelling at. The main thoroughfare of the village is on the R288 and while there is a 50km/h speed limit in place, it’s reported that a number of motorists continue to disobey the signage. Local Sinn Féin Councillor Padraig Fallon says while some traffic calming mea…

A Donegal TD was accused of “strategic heckling” in the Dáil today during a debate on the housing crisis. The Ceann Comhairle directed the claim at Sinn Féin Deputy Pearse Doherty, who interrupted Tánaiste Micheal Martin. Deputy Doherty insisted that Tánaiste Martin had not answered his question regarding the current government's failures on housin…

The Western Rail corridor has been at the centre of discussions in the Dáil this morning. Sligo Leitrim TDs Marian Harkin and Martin Kenny have been enquiring about the reopening of the line from Collooney to Claremorris. There has been some debate on the issue as it is felt that the proposed greenway will be competing with the rail line. Deputy Ha…

Sligo County Council have been asked to put a schedule of works in place to ensure that roads around the county are drained effectively. There has been a significant amount of rainfall over the last few months, which has led to the deteriation of some roads. In some instances, surface water is gathering on the roads and only drains away properly af…

A major recreation and tourism development for north Leitrim has moved another step closer. Located on the shores of Lough MacNean, Coillte and Leitrim County Council have collaborated on the project. €2.5 million has been allocated for the project under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. It is believed the project will cost close to €8 m…

The ICU at Letterkenny University Hospital and lack of funding were issues raised in the Dáil on Wednesday. Donegal Sinn Féin TD Padraig MacLochlainn highlighted the situation to the Minister of Health, Stephen Donnelly. It was noted that concerns were raised by over 80 GPs and over 20 consultants in Donegal at the end of 2023 regarding LUH. Deputy…

Frustration is building in Murvagh over people camping and littering on the beach. A considerable amount of litter was thrown in the local car park on Saturday night while there have been several instances of people camping illegally in the area. The local community is being urged to be on the alert and report any anti-social activity immediately t…

The victim of last weekends alleged hit-and-run in Donegal has been remembered in the Dail. The man, a pedestrian, in his 60s was struck by a vehicle on Main Street Clonmany at around 12:15am on Sunday morning last - he died in Beaumont hospital last night. The driver of the vehicle, a man in his 30s, appeared in court on Monday. Gardai say it's no…

Calls have been made for the government to introduce a universal one-tier healthcare system. It's currently felt that the current system places too much emphasis on being able to afford healthcare, rather than on the basis of medical need. A motion was brought to Sligo County Council by Independent Councillor Declan Bree, and received support from …

Most swimming spots across the North West were of high water quality last year. Figures form the EPA found 114 had excellent water quality, with 97 per cent meeting or exceeding the minimum standard. Mullaghmore Beach was deemed sufficient but Ladys Bay in Buncrana Donegal was deemed as having poor water quality. The number of beaches with poor bat…

A definitive timeframe has been demanded over proposed safety measures for outside Dunkineely National School. It's now four months since a shocking incident was recorded outside the school, showing several motorists breaking the red lights. There was also another well reported incident where a lorry mounted a kerb in the area, narrowly missing par…

A marina for Donegal Town is “a must”. Thats according to Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael Naughton, who says such an amenity would have far-reaching benefits. There's said to be number of boat people who wish to dock in Donegal Town but are currently unable to do so. Cllr Naughton feels that when you look at the success the likes of Carrick-On-Shannon enj…

It's emerged that Leitrim is just one of two counties in Ireland without a school for those with special needs. The revelation comes as Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys was responding to an opposition TD's concerns over the waiting times for assessment and therapies for children with additional needs. Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy said there …

A Donegal TD has spoken in the Dáil today about the difficulties local authorities face in tackling road safety issues. Deputy Thomas Pringle criticised the RSA over not sharing road traffic collision data due to GDPR. There have been 72 road fatalities in Ireland so far this year, an increase on the same period of last year. Deputy Pringle says Do…

It's been confirmed that an on-site survey of the Rock area of Ballyshannon will be carried out, to explore the idea of a one way system. There have been reoccurring traffic problems there, particularly on match day and when other events are taking place. Fine Gael Cllr Barry Sweeny feels that a one-way system would be the primary solution. He's co…

A Sligo Leitrim Fine Gael TD has welcomed the news that small and medium-sized businesses are in line for more supports. Among the measures being introduced today are an increase to the Energy Efficient Grant Scheme to 10 thousand euro and the launching of a new 'Ireland's Best Entrepreneur Programme'. The employer PRSI threshold will also be incre…

The annual An Garda Síochána Donegal Youth Awards will take placed on Monday, May 20th at the Abbey Hotel in Donegal Town. The event rewards young people between the ages of 13 and 21 who help make their communities a better place to live in. There are four categories; an Individual Award, Group Award, Special Achievement Award and Community Safety…

A warning has been sounded to get your tickets for a special upcoming fundraiser for the Bundoran RNLI before they sell out. Limited tickets are available for a special cinematic experience at Eclipse Cinema in Bundoran next Wednesday evening. Tickets include admission to the movie IF, popcorn and a drink spot prizes and even a chance to walk the r…

There hasn't been enough collisions outside Cairns National School in County Sligo to warrant much needed safety works there. The comments were made in the Dail this morning by Sinn Fein's Transport Spokesperson and Sligo Leitrim TD Martin Kenny. The school is located on the Main Road between Sligo and Bundoran and there are major ongoing safety co…

The outgoing Cathaoirleach of the Donegal MD says he enjoyed the challenge of local politics. Independent Cllr Tom Conaghan attended his last Council meeting yesterday, after announcing he would not be seeking re-election. He has served on Donegal County Council since 2014. Speaking to Ocean FM news, Cllr Connaghan says there's a lot of things he's…

There are further calls for comprehensive improvements to the rail link between Sligo and Dublin. There's said to be a need for enhanced service frequency, reduced travel times, and overall efficiency on the line. European Election candidate Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers says while they are ambitious upgrades, they are crucial to meet modern de…

It's been claimed nothing is going to be done to resolve some serious pothole issues around County Sligo this year. A stretch of road at Scotsman's Walk on the way to Rathcormac has been noted as in a particular bad state of disrepair, as well as a number of spots on the N4, N16, and N59. Fianna Fail Councillor Donal Gilroy says its extremely disap…

Patience among the community of Killybegs "is gone" over delays with ongoing works on the Diamond. The regeneration project began almost two years ago and is said to still look like a building site. It's also reported that there's very little manpower working on site. Local Independent Cllr Niamh Kennedy says with thousands of people descending on …

There are fears that Bundoran RNLI will not be able to launch due to people parking at the local boat quay. The issue was said to be majorly prevalent over the May Bank Holiday. There is a car park close by not it's not being utilised. Donegal County Council has committed to treating the issue as an emergency. Local Sinn Fein Cllr Michael McMahon s…

With the arrival of a number of refugees to Dromahair, there are further calls for more supports to be put in place in the area. Additional nurses in GP practices, more Gardaí and an increased number of English language teachers in schools are just some of the needs being highlighted. Concerns have previously been expressed by the local community a…

There are calls for improved library services in Donegal Town. Currently, the library is only operating one day a week and there’s said to be a big appetite locally, particularly among schools, for this to increase. Staffing is at the root of the problem and the County Librarian recently retired. Local Sinn Fein Cllr Noel Jordan says it’s a crucial…

Frustration has been expressed after the contractor awarded tender for refurbishment works on The Rocks at Gibraltar has pulled out of the project. A large amount of work went into the application for the work to be carried out, as The Rocks is a special area of special conservation. Independent Councillor, Declan Bree, enquired with Sligo County C…

It’s been confirmed that Sligo has been added to the state’s mica and pyrite redress scheme. Earlier this year, Minister Darragh O’Brien indicated that the county would be high on the priority list. However, it was confirmed at a cabinet meeting this morning that the government took the decision to extend the scheme to include Sligo. This now means…

An event for all Midlands-North West European candidates is being held on Thursday, May 16th, in the Galmont Hotel, Galway. The Town Hall meeting has been organised by European Movement Ireland in co-operation with the European Parliament Liaison Office. All members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the upcoming elections o…

A Sligo-Strandhill local election candidate has welcomed the news that the government has today approved a proposal to raise the age of sale of tobacco to 21. Ireland will be the first country in the EU to introduce this measure, continuing the tradition of tackling smoking rates which began with the ban on indoor smoking in 2004. The prohibition o…

Workers in the seafood and fishing industries say they want to be heard in the debate on offshore renewables. The Seafood Industry Representatives’ Forum is welcoming the Government's recently published framework on the future of offshore energy, but say they need to be included in further discussions. The Department of the Environment has begun se…

It's been confirmed that public toilet and changing facilities are to be built in Strandhill. While disabled toilets in Rosses Point are also set to be refurbished. It follows concern locally over a lack of such facilities in both areas with the business community having to step in. Fianna Fáil Cllr Tom MacSharry says while it's disappointing that …