A serious lack of bus shelters across Sligo has been highlighted by members of the county council. With the development of the S3 bus service in Sligo town and the increase of local links routes, it's thought that shelters not keeping up with demand. The majority of bus stops being introduced in the county are represented by a single pole with a ti…

Action has been requested to restore the roof at Sligo's Sean Mac Diarmada Train Station. The roof has faced deterioration over recent years, with many seeing it as posing potential safety and structural issues. Work is being sought for the building due to its popularity in footfall, as well as its cultural significance. Independent Sligo Cllr Mari…

Minister of State Marian Harkin praised the efforts of all those involved:

The late Jamie Diver has been remembered as a perfectionist who was always willing to help others. The young man died in a weekend crash alongside his friend, teenager Shaun McClafferty near Gortahork in west Donegal on Friday night last. His funeral Mass took place today - Shaun Mc Clafferty's funeral takes place tomorrow. Two others are remain in…

Speed is being urged on the development of the greenway that runs from Collooney to Enniskillen. If completed in within the next four years, it will have taken up to 16 years, which is deemed too slow for such progress. Independent Sligo Cllr Michael Clarke highlighted that the greenway could connect up to the blueway in Enniskillen, and would prov…

Traffic calming measures on sections of the N15 in North Sligo may be on the cards. There's said to be major speeding issues along the stretch, with people finding it near impossible to access the main road from the various adjoining junctions. It's said to be particularly prevalent at the entrances to Henrys Restaurant and the drive through coffee…

Almost €3m has been allocated for Greenways in Sligo and Leitrim. The funding will be used for the development of walking and cycling facilities. Locally, the Sligo Greenway will now further progress under this programme alongside a further funding boost for the SLNCR from Sligo to Enniskillen. The Barnesmore Gap Greenway in south Donegal is also s…

A Leitrim County Councillor claims if a similar level of damage that was done throughout Leitrim during storm Eowyn took place in Kerry, Junior Michael Healy-Rae would have been on the scene immediately. Cllr Gary Prior has once again extend an invitation to the under pressure Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, to visit Leitrim and…

Questions are being asked over the ongoing absence of the Sligo Joint Policing Committee. A decision was made last year to abolish Joint Policing Committees and replace them with new community safety partnerships. It had been hoped that the new partnership in Sligo would be formed following the June 20204 local elections, but this has not happened …

It’s hoped that those affected by fishing incidents in the North West will be better cared for going forward. The Merchant Shipping Bill aims to pave the way for a unit within the Department of Transport to be known as the Marine Accident Investigation Unit. It would provide for the investigation and the reporting of marine accidents. Speaking in t…

Support has been given in Sligo to the fast-tracking and passing of a Bereaved Partners Bill that will be put through the Dáil. It is also sought that the Bill includes all cohabiting partners, with or without children, and provides backdated payments to eligible families. A ruling in favour of the Bill took place in the Supreme court previously an…

A Donegal TD has labelled the Taoiseach’s recent comments on the defective block scheme as completely disingenuous. 100% Redress Party Charles Ward TD was highlighting the lack of completed houses as a result of the scheme. 69 homes have been completed since 2022. Speaking in the Dail this afternoon, Deputy Ward says the government have failed impa…

The speaking rights row in the Dail is set to rumble on this week, with one Donegal TD calling on the Taoiseach to 'step up'. The Government proposal would see regional TDs and Government backbenchers getting to put questions to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste in a new speaking slot. A vote on the Governments proposed changes will not go to ahead to…

Fine Gael Senator Manus Boyle is to be appointed Seanad Spokesperson for Fisheries and the Marine. Issues affecting the local fishing community and further afield is something that Senator Boyle has been raising continuously since his election to the Seanad and during his time on Donegal County Council. The Senator has already held a number of key …

The Tanaiste says we need a secure energy supply in order to keep the lights on and the heat going. Cabinet is today set to approve plans for a State-led liquefied natural gas terminal. Its not clear where the floating facility would be located, but it would serve as an emergency gas reserve in the event international supplies were compromised. The…

The March meeting of Leitrim County Council has heard that the level of housing stock in the County is at crisis point. The Local Authority have been requested to urgently contact the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to see if additional income levels for Social Housing can be provided. The calls were made by Drumkeerin Councill…

Calls have been made for Sligo County Council to set up a Vacant Home Matchmaker scheme. Through this, owners who are looking to sell their vacant home, would be set up with people looking to buy and develop a vacant dwelling. It's a scheme already in use with Mayo County Council. Fine Gael Cllr Dara Mulvey says it would be a win-win for everyone:…

The Education Minister has yet to give her verdict over the Donegal Education Centre debacle. Minister Helen McEntee had pledged to investigate the process behind the plans to move the centre from Donegal Town to Letterkenny. Meanwhile, plans to hold a public demonstration are also still in the works. Local Independent Cllr Jimmy Brogan says it was…

A Leitrim Councillor is urging the three government TD’S in the Sligo Leitrim constituency to voice their opposition to moves which would see the state provide 300 million euro in funding towards the construction of terminal that what will store fracked Gas. Cabinet is expected to approve the establishment of a strategic gas reserve this morning. M…

There are calls in Sligo for a direct line to be set up between ESB representatives and local Cllrs. In the aftermath of Storm Eowyn, there were mass power outages across the north west regions, with many left without electricity for weeks. One of the issues highlighted with the outages, was the lack of communication over when fixes may happen. Fia…

The family of Danielle McLaughlin are seeking an Irish inquest into her murder. Vikat Bhagat was found guilty of raping and murdering the 28-year-old Donegal woman and was sentenced to life in jail in Goa last month. The case took right years to conclude but Danielle's family feel that there are still so many unanswered questions. Her mother Andrea…

A new festival and events strategy has been laid out for Sligo. The initiative aims to encourage the growth of current events, and the founding of new ones. It will run over the course of 4 years until 2029 with boosting tourism a key aim. Fine Gael Cllr Thomas Walsh believes that it will be a huge positive for Sligo:…

The level of Council housing stock in Leitrim is said to be at crisis point. Leitrim County Council is set to write to the Department of Housing as well as the Taoiseach and Tanaiste, calling for an increase to the income levels for social housing. Sinn Fein Cllr Padraig Fallon believes that ideally, these limits need to double. Cllr Fallon says co…

There are calls for small businesses in Leitrim who were impacted by the recent storm to be afforded a rates rebate. Many in the County went weeks without power and water. Cllr Enda Stenson says he has had numerous enquiries from businesses people, requesting a rebate. He feels that it should be considered as these businesses suffered significant l…

The funeral of one of the two young victims of a crash in west Donegal at the weekend is to take place on Thursday. Teenager Shaun McClafferty and Jamie Diver, who was in his 20s, were both killed when a car they were travelling in collided with the gable wall of a house just outside Gortahork on Friday night. Two other passengers in the car were a…

A Leitrim Councillor says careful consideration would need to be given before any changes could be made to the Irish Trespassing Laws. Recently calls have been made for Ireland to scrap trespassing laws so that Travellers and Roma people can access "culturally appropriate" accommodation. The government have already said that they are not going to r…

Michael Daly and Pauric McShea describe Sunday's dramatic finish to Donegal's Division 1 league game with holders Derry at Fr Tierney Park, on a poignant weekend for Ballyshannon following the passing of Aodh Ruadh GAA Club's long-standing President Owen Roe O'Neill. He's remembered by Donegal manager Jim McGuinness.…

A Sligo Cllr says something has to be done soon to combat the housing crisis. Recent homelessness figures show that there was an increase in people accessing emergency accommodation across the North West in January when compared to December. People Before Profit Cllr Gino O’Boyle suggested that there might have to be a mass protests in response to …

An act of vandalism has been carried out at a site in Sligo. A new public bench has been attacked and badly damaged in Cartron. Last year a walkway and benches had been developed in the area to accommodate the large footfall that passes through. Local Sinn Fein Cllr Arthur Gibbons has called for witnesses and says action must be taken against those…

A Sligo-Leitrim TD has highlighted the importance that every child with special educational needs has a school place in their locality. There is currently a huge demand on school places for children with additional needs across the North West. Instances have been highlighted where parents are having to travel up to 80km, where children in Cavan are…

Locals are mourning the deaths of two young people in a crash in County Donegal. A teenage driver died when their car crashed into the gable wall of a house at Baltoney at around half 9 on Friday night. They've been locally named as Jamie Diver and Shaun McClafferty. A back seat passenger in his 20s was also killed, while two other passengers in th…

An annual Potato Day will be held in Leitrim on Sunday. The Organic Centre in Rossinver is hosting the event, which is open from 12pm-4pm and is free to go into. There will be an onsite market of craft and food, and also demonstrations from crafters including willow weaving to hand spinning. Among just some of the activities are potato themed talks…

A Sligo Leitrim TD has called for an exemption to be granted to farmers and landowners to cut trees and hedges. This would apply in the instance where there is a threat posed to safety, the ESB network or communications network. Following the effects of Storm Eowyn, thousands across the North West were left without power due to trees falling into a…

The need for emergency accommodation at a Sligo school has been raised on the floor of the Seanad. An extension for Grange Post Primary School has been sought since 2021, and it has been confirmed an application is progressing as student numbers increase. Sligo Senator Nessa Cosgrove was seeking a response from the Minister of Education, and direct…

A Sligo Leitrim TD says the evidence provided by reports that confirm the numbers of tourists visiting Ireland is on the decline should be justification alone for politicians using the St Patrick’s Day celebrations to promote the country internationally. Figures from the Central Statistics Office show the number of tourists visiting Ireland fell sh…

The amount of motorists' detected speeding on the N17 has been described as alarming. It comes as more than 1,800 fixed charge notices issued to drivers caught speeding in County Mayo are being revoked. It's after the camera on the N17 in County Mayo was found to not be certified. GoSafe has given reissuances that they have implemented enhanced saf…

One condition of the land sold to ATU Sligo is that a portion of it be dedicated to student accommodation. 16 acres of land has been purchased from Sligo County Council and is situated near the campus in Ballinode. It’s understood that depending on the development, there is the potential for 300, 600 or 900 beds. Sligo Fine Gael Cllr Thomas Walsh s…

A Sligo based member of the Forsa Union’s National Executive says their union will be closely monitoring Monday’s Workplace Relations Commission hearing in relation to concerns being raised by Healthcare workers in Section 39 organisations before deciding on whether to take Industrial action Members of SIPTU, have voted overwhelmingly for strike ac…

Calls have been made for a feasibility study into the Claremorris to Sligo rail link by a North West MEP. This comes as the European Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development visited Connacht to see projects seeking funding. In terms of the Western Rail Corridor, there is support to extend the line from Athenry into Claremorris, although more …

The HSE is under fire over the lengthy delay in recruiting two consultants to Sligo's Chronic Pain Clinic. The service at Sligo University Hospital was thrown into disarray in June of last year, after the two consultants both moved to new roles in other hospitals. The latest update from the HSE this week is that recruitment is actively ongoing. Cat…

Serious concern has been raised once again over the level of notices to quit being issued across the North West. In one local case, a mother with four young children was handed the notice in recent weeks. While the local authority is willing to buy the property, but a scheme previously allowing that to happen was pulled by the Government some time …

There's major concern that the budget for mental health services across Sligo and Leitrim is too low. New figures show that the 2024 allocation to Sligo Leitrim Mental Health Services was almost €32 million. But Independent Manorhamilton Cllr Felim Gurn says while that sounds good on paper, he believes that that falls far short of what's really nee…

Tanaiste Simon Harris has been labelled “disingenuous” by a Leitrim Cllr in relation to his comments on LNG terminals. Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, the Tanaiste says the Government is considering LNG as an “insurance policy”, as the country is heavily dependent on the United Kingdom for the resource. However Independent Manorhamilton Cllr E…

It's been confirmed that ATU Sligo is set to purchase an additional 16 acres of land. The substantial land bank is located close to the campus in Ballinode and is currently owned by Sligo County Council. It's not yet known what the land will be used for, although it's anticipated that it could be a mix of an extension of the campus itself along wit…

The Sinn Fein Chip has accused the Taoiseach and Tánaiste of engaging in Donal Trump style politics by forcing through moves which will secure extra Dáil speaking time for the Regional Independents. Opposition leaders will meet today to decide a collective response to the government's latest attempts to secure extra Dáil speaking time for the Regio…