Ryanair have announced they're suspending all flights operations from Ireland West Airport Knock - and the other regional airports - from Saturday 14th November, for a 4-week period. The airline has announced the suspension of flights from the regional…

 Mayo Councillor Patsy O'Brien is to challenge the decision by Fine Gael to expel him from the party. The Robeen-based Councillor was suspended from FG in March pending an investigation into allegations against him. Midwest News revealed yesterday evening…

The West Roscommon ambulance base at Loughglynn is currently understaffed and under-resourced, providing only a part-time ambulance service. That's according to Roscommon-Galway Sinn Fein TD Claire Kerrane, who says the Loughglynn ambulance base only operates…

Around 1,000 school secretaries and caretakers on low pay with no job security are to have their conditions of employment "regularised" under a preliminary agreement reached at the Workplace Relations Commission yesterday evening. The dispute centres on a…

There are 33 patients on trolleys at Mayo University Hospital today - up from 22 yesterday. The latest figures from the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation show 285 patients admitted to hospitals across the country are waiting for beds today - including 33…

Access to Mayo University Hospital - except for ambulances - is disrupted this morning due to the arrival on site of the long-awaited modular unit. This temporary unit is part of the Covid Emergency Works at the Castlebar hospital, and will increase capacity…

A man in his 30's died in a road collision on the borders of Roscommon, Galway and Offaly yesterday evening. The collision involving a car and a truck took place between Ballinasloe and Shannonbridge shortly before 7pm. A man in his 30's died at the scene and…

Met Eireann is warning of heavy and persistent rain from tonight until Friday morning, with a status yellow rainfall warning in place for Connacht and 5 other counties along the western seaboard. The forecasters says the heavy rain will lead to some flooding…

There's been an 18% rise in the number of domestic violence-related calls to Gardaí so far this year, compared with 2019. Gardai are today starting another phase of Operation Faoiseamh - which will see Gardai prioritise people who are vulnerable to, and…

The Chief Medical Officer says the recent dip in Covid-19 figures can't yet be called a trend. Last night, 720 new cases were confirmed and 5 additional deaths. This includes 47 new cases in Galway, 23 in Mayo, 6 in Sligo and less than 5 in both Roscommon and…

The Department of Health has confirmed 5 further deaths from Covid-19, with 720 new cases of the virus confirmed this evening. In this region, there are 47 new cases in Galway, 6 in Sligo, 23 in mayo, and less than 5 in both Roscommon and Leitrim.

Mayo County Councillor Patsy O'Brien has been expelled from the Fine Gael party. The Robeen-based Councillor had previously been suspended from the party last March, pending an investigation by FG into an allegation made against him. Mr O'Brien subsequently…

A status yellow rainfall warning has been issued for all of Connacht as well as counties Donegal, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick from tomorrow night. The alert will come into effect from the early hours of Thursday morning until 6am on Friday. Met Eireann…

The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has appointed a new review board into the Air Accident Investigation Unit's (AAIU) final report on the Rescue 116 helicopter crash. The review experienced a setback last month when the technical adviser Philip Hanson, an…

A Mayo Senator is defending the controversial Mother & Baby Homes Bill which was signed into law over the weekend. Protests have taken place in recent days in relation to the Bill, with claims that it will seal testimony from survivors of Mother & Baby Homes…

Sligo and Galway continue to have 14-day incidence rates of the virus that are higher than the national average. Currently, the 14-day rate nationally is 309 per 100,000 people. Cavan has the highest rate - over three times the national average - at 967…

Gardaí in Galway have appealed for witnesses after a 15-year-old boy was stabbed during an altercation in a church grounds yesterday evening. The teenager was injured after being approached by a male who was unknown to him and an altercation followed. The 15…

There’s good news for north Mayo- Belmullet Golf Club will stage a major PGA tournament next August. The Carne Golf Link in Erris will play host to the Irish PGA Championship between the 4-7th of August 2021. Over 200 golfers and their families will descend…

Patients will be moved from Ballina District Hospital temporarily so that staff can be redeployed to a residential facility for the elderly in north Mayo currently experiencing a Covid-19 outbreak. That’s according to Mayo Fianna Fail Deputy Dara Calleary,…

There's some good news today for Mayo University Hospital, as it's been confirmed that the new modular assessment unit will be delivered this Wednesday morning. This temporary unit is part of the Covid Emergency Works at the Castlebar hospital, and will…

7,400 random people will receive a letter this week, inviting them to take part in the Healthy Ireland survey. It's the 7th time members of the public will be asked about their opinions and behaviours on the health service. They'll also be asked to outline…

The Irish economy needs people back flying more than any other country in Europe-- but air traffic here has been slowest to recover. That's what the Irish Aviation Authority will tell TDs and senators later when it briefs them on the impact of the pandemic…

Gardaí uncovered drugs and cash following the search of a premise in Sligo at the weekend. Drugs to the value of approximately €15,000, including Cannabis, MDMA, amphetamines and cocaine (subject to analysis) were seized along with a large amount of cash. The…

A Mayo woman held a vigil outside the courthouse in Castlebar yesterday calling for the seal to be lifted on documents relating to Mother and Baby Homes. Grainne De Barra ran as a candidate in the General election and she came out in protest of the…

The Department of Health has been notified of 939 new cases of Covid-19, while three further deaths have also been recorded. The figures come as the number of people with the virus in hospitals across the country reached its highest level since 20 May. 262 of…

The number of people with Covid-19 in hospitals across the country has reached its highest level since May. There are 344 people with the virus being treated in hospitals today, an increase of 25 on the last count, which stood at 319, according to the…

Just over half of us will get the Covid 19 vaccine once its gets official approval. A new survey carried out by the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association has found that a third of people are unsure about whether or not they'd get the vaccine, while 12…

1,025 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed and there are no new deaths reported. It means the death toll from the virus in the country remains at 1,882 and there have been 57,128 confirmed cases.. 255 cases are in Dublin, 147 in Cork, 77 in Galway, 54 in…

A South West Mayo farm has won a national accolade at the Women and Agriculture awards this week. Catherine O'Grady Powers of Glen Keen Farm and Visitor Centre took home top honours in the Innovation on Farm category. The sheep farm at the foot of the…

Roscommon Deputy Michael Fitmaurice is calling on the Minister for Agriculture to 'step up to the mark' and lift the ban on buyers at marts. It comes after online sales at 15 marts across the country were halted yesterday after the app used to arrange video…

A petition demanding survivors who testified to the Mother and Baby Homes Commission be given copies of their records has gathered over 118,000 signatures. It follows an outcry over a records bill passed earlier this week which sends a database it creates to…

Fine Gael has scored its best polling result in almost a decade in the latest political poll. Today's Red C survey of a thousand voters for the Business Post puts Tánaiste Leo Varadkar's party on 37 per cent -- up two on the last in the series. Fianna Fáil…

You may have to put back your clock by an hour this morning if you didn't do it last night. Today is the last Sunday of October - when Daylight Savings ends and Winter Time begins. There have been calls to do away with the practice in recent years and…

Rapid-result antigen testing for Covid-19 could be rolled out in schools next month. The HSE and NPHET are considering the move in a bid to reassure teachers that outbreaks are quickly being detected, according to the Sunday Times. 'Dedicated schools teams'…

Supermarket group Musgrave is planning to build special drive-thru booths, in the style of the model used by fast-food chains. The Business Post reports that the service will aim to give customers a contactless option to pick up groceries. Musgraves say the…

Thousands of people have signed a petition calling for the seal to be lifted on an archive containing records on mother and baby homes. Over 80,000 people have signed the petition, which was set up yesterday by adoptee rights group Aitheantas. Archives and…

The Department of Health has reported a further 859 cases of Covid-19 and four more deaths from the virus. There has been a slight rise in the number of people in hospital with the virus, which now stands at 312 this morning, which is up from 302 at 8pm last…

The clocks go back at 2am next Sunday morning, which will mean the days getting shorter, as darkness falls earlier. Mayo County Council's Road Safety Office is urging pedestrians and cyclists to make themselves more visible on roads during the dark Winter…

Business to Arts launched the call for Mayo nominations for the annual Business to Arts Awards. The Awards champion businesses, artists and arts organisations across the country that work together in areas such as sponsorship, commissioning and CSR…

Nursing Homes Ireland says staffing remains the biggest issue in the fight against Covid-19. It says 40 of the country's 570 residential facilities currently have clusters of the virus. A nursing home in Galway appealed for help earlier this week folowing a…

The Department of Agriculture has extended the ViraPro recall to include all of the company's sanitary products. It comes after hand sanitiser had to be pulled from use, as tests show it could cause irritation and possibly headaches. The Agriculture Minister…

A member of the National Public Health Emergency Team says people's behaviour is changing in relation to Covid-19. It comes as those testing positive for the virus has declined in the last seven days from 8.9 to 5.8 percent. New figures from the CSO show the…

Met Eireann is warning of a wet and windy night ahead for the south and west of the country - with wind speeds of up to 110 km/h. A yellow wind warning comes into effect at 10pm for Mayo, Galway, Donegal, Clare and Kerry - until 7am tomorrow. While a second…

777 new cases of Covid 19 have been confirmed and 7 further deaths. Of the new cases, 182 are in Dublin, 81 in Galway, 44 in Wexford, 42 in Meath and 41 in Cork. The 14 day incidence of the virus per 100 thousand people has increased to 306. The Chief Medical…

HSE Community Healthcare West has confirmed an outbreak of Covid-19 in an older persons' community residential facility in north Mayo. Midwest News understands that a number of residents and staff have tested positive for coronavirus in recent days.…

The body of a woman found dead in Dublin yesterday morning has been named locally as Ballina native Nicola Keane. A post mortem was carried out today on the body of the pediatric nurse. Her death and the discovery of the body of a baby boy in Lucan are being…

There’s an urgent need to ramp up the HSE Covid response team to immediately deal with a crisis in staffing that can occur in a nursing home when more than 90 percent of residents and staff at a facility contract Covid 19. That’s the view of Ballinasloe based…

A Ballina Gym owner says he is reopening tomorrow despite the Government restrictions in place. Stephen Geddes who owns the "The Gym" in Bunree, Ballina says he feels he has to do something for his members, his family and the locality and try to effect…

The Connacht County with the highest 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 is Sligo at 397 per 100,000 people. The worst Local Electoral Area in the county is Sligo-Strandhill with an incidence rate of 582. Mayo has the lowest incidence rate in the province at…

The only difference between those who incarcerated our people in the past in institutions like the Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, is that those who do so now, are in suits in parliament. That’s the view of Breeda Murphy, the PRO of Tuam Mother and Baby Home…

Due to Covid-19, the Irish Farmers Association is to allow postal voting for the election of officers at national and county level. The IFA's National Council has voted to allow postal ballots, and has also extended the deadline for branch AGM's by four…

Priests and clergy are exempted from regulations around the 5km travel limit under Level 5 Covid Restrictions. That was confirmed this morning by the Minister of State at the department of Health, Frank Feighan. The Roscommon based Minister says he secured…

TDs have approved a controversial bill that sends a database created by the Mother and Baby Homes Commission to Tusla - which is raising concerns about accessibility. The Government's been criticised for not opening the records to survivors. Children's…

Met Eireann has issued a status yellow rainfall and wind warning for counties Mayo and Galway from this evening. Rain this evening through to Saturday morning could lead to accumulations of 20 – 40mm, with higher accumulations in mountainous areas. This will…

Nursing Homes Ireland is describing as 'very disturbing' the major outbreak of covid 19 in a nursing home in County Galway. 25 of 27 residents at the Nightingale Nursing home in Ahascragh were confirmed to have the virus and one person has died. The HSE says…

The body of a woman found dead in Dublin yesterday morning has been named locally as Ballina native Nicola Keane. A post mortem will be carried out today on the body of the pediatric nurse. Midwest News understands that Nicola moved from Ballina to live in…

1,066 more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Republic. Three more patients have died. 244 of today's cases are in Dublin, with 104 in Galway, 98 in Cork, 92 in Meath and 528 more spread across every other county in the country. There are 36 new…

Met Eireann has issued a status yellow rainfall and wind warning for counties Mayo and Galway from tomorrow (Fri) evening. Rain on Friday evening through to Saturday morning will lead to accumulations of 20 – 40mm, with higher accumulations in mountainous…

Galway has been named the Most Friendly City in Europe. That's according a survey carried out by Condé Nast Traveller magazine. Galway took the top spot and was followed by Dublin at number 2. Other European cities named in the top ten include Lisbon, Athens…

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has this afternoon announced that nursing staff and support staff from Roscommon University Hospital are to be sent to the East Galway Nursing Home that is at present dealing with a serious outbreak of Covid 19.…

Gardai are treating the deaths of a mother and her seven month old son in Dublin this morning as a family tragedy. Midwest News understands the woman is a native of county Mayo. Her body was found at Lower Road in Strawberry Beds after she was seen acting…

A major COVID-19 outbreak has occurred at a private nursing home in county Galway, infecting most of the residents and staff. Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice raised the matter this afternoon in the Dail where he said 25 out of 27 residents in the home have…

The Government has agreed to introduce a new graduated system of fines for people breaching the level 5 restrictions. The fines will apply to those organising or attending house parties, and also to those who travel outside the 5km limit from their homes,…

While much of the current focus is on Covid-19, efforts are also continuing to reduce the spread of flu this Winter. For the first time, children aged between 2 and 12 are being offered the flu vaccine free of charge this Winter. GPs and pharmacists can give…

Across the country, Covid 19 outbreaks in schools doubled again last week. There were 46 outbreaks officially recorded, compared to 25 the week before. It brings the total number of confirmed cases in schools since term began to 119 out of 4,000 primary and…

There's been a drop in the number of people with Covid-19 in Irish hospitals today. There are 305 people with the virus in hospitals across the country this morning - down from 323 last night - with 35 of these patients in intensive care. There are still 8…

A pedestrian has died following a collision with a car on the N5 near Strokestown overnight. Emergency services were called to the scene of the collision shortly after 5am on a stretch of the N5 on the Longford side of Strokestown. The male pedestrian, who…

The contract has been signed for a new bridge at Cloongullane, between Swinford and Foxford. Transport Infrastructure Ireland have confirmed that BAM construction have been awarded the contract for the Cloongullane Bridge and road realignment project. The…

Gardaí will introduce more static and rolling checkpoints from today as part of the level 5 restrictions. The extension of Operation Fanacht will see Gardai continue their policy of policing by consent with enforcement only being used as a last resort.…

Level 5 restrictions are now in place nationwide in an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19. It comes as the national 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 is now 291 - while Cavan's is in excess of 1,000. 3 further deaths were confirmed last evening, and 1,167…

There have been three further Covid-19 related deaths and 1,167 new cases. 263 of the latest cases are in Dublin, 142 in Meath, 137 in Cork and 86 in Cavan, the remaining 539 are spread across all other counties. There are 71 new cases in Galway, 36 in Mayo,…

Green-Schools moved its annual Water Awards ceremony online today, with a virtual ceremony shown on screens in 24 schools around the country. Postponed in May due to COVID-19 restrictions, the ceremony celebrates the winners of the annual Water School of the…

Ballina Councillors have totally rejected the lowest allocation ever proposed under GMA funding for their area. The issue was discussed at today's monthly meeting of the authority, where Crossmolina-based FF Councillor Michael Loftus physically ripped up the…

The Department of Transport must not turn its back on Ireland West Airport Knock during this time of unprecedented turmoil in the aviation industry. That was the plea made by Mayo Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary in a Dáil debate last night. Last week, Ryanair…

323 people are being treated for Covid-19 in Irish hospitals today. It's up from 315 yesterday, and is a 38 percent rise on the number of patients with the virus in hospitals last week. HSE figures show there are currently 8 patients with Covid-19 being…

The Level 5 restrictions will decimate trade at livestock marts, according to Roscommon-Galway Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice. While online sales can still go ahead, Deputy Fitzmaurice says this cannot replace buyers around the ring, and says the…

A body has been found in the search for a missing Achill man in England. 72-year old Joseph Cafferkey - a native of Achill Island and living in York - was last seen on Wednesday 30th September, and searches for him had entered their third week, when North…

Mayo FG Deputy Alan Dillon is to meet with the Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris this week to discuss the latest developments at the Castlebar campus of GMIT. It comes following the recent decision to close the business department at the Mayo campus.…

Thousands of people who tested positive for Covid-19 over last weekend will be asked to do their own contact tracing. The HSE is to send a text to 2,500 people in the coming days to tell others they've been in close contact. HSE contact tracers faced an…

Level five Covid restrictions will come into effect for the whole country at midnight tonight. People will not be allowed further than 5km from their home unless it's essential or on compassionate grounds, with fines to be introduced in the coming weeks for…

13 additional Covid deaths have been confirmed this evening, and 1,269 additional cases of the virus. 221 of the cases are in Meath and 203 in Dublin. In this region, there are 74 new cases in Galway, 28 in Mayo, 27 in Sligo, and less than 5 in both…

Emergency services are attending the scene of a road collision on the Ballina to Crossmolina road. It's understood a number of vehicles were involved in the collision. Gardai are at the scene, and motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible. The road is…

Irish Water says water supplies have been restored to the majority of customers impacted by the burst water main on Emmet Street, Ballina earlier today, by isolating the section of main where the burst has occurred. However, due to the complexity of the…

Gardai in Galway have seized cannabis worth an estimated €20,000, and have arrested a man in connection with the seizure. Members of the Galway Divisional Drugs Unit stopped and searched a man at Eyre Square shortly after 6 pm yesterday evening, and recovered…

Please support local business this Christmas was the plea today from Joan Rowland of Petals Hair and Beauty salons in Castlebar and Westport. Petals is just one of the many extremely busy hairdressers and beauticians across the region that are very busy…

Bus Eireann is advising that, under the level 5 restrictions from tomorrow night, Bus Eireann and Expressway services will only operate at a 25% capacity. Under Government advice, all travel should be limited within a 5km radius, unless travel is essential…

New fines are being introduced in for people organising house parties, as part of tougher coronavirus laws. The Cabinet has today agreed to bring in a system of graduated penalties for those breaking the rules. It's expected people not wearing face masks in…

The Taoiseach Míchéal Martin has said getting the reproductive rate of the virus consistently below one is the target of the new lockdown. The exit strategy involves getting the R rate as low as 0.5 if possible. Some tweaks have been made to the plan this…

The number of people who can attend funerals is to be increased after a decision by the cabinet this morning. Under level 5 restrictions it was due to be just 10 people - but will now be increased to 25 in line with weddings. One of the big criticims of the…

Only existing NCT appointments will be allowed to go ahead under Level 5 restrictions. The Government's list of essential services includes mechanics being allowed to continue to carry out repairs on cars - however dealerships will not be permitted to open.…

Visiting patients in hospital has been ruled out since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Mayo University Hospital is again reminding the public that visiting is still not permitted - other than in exceptional circumstances, and end of life situations.…

There are businesses today (Tues) unsure whether they are deemed “essential services” under the latest Level 5 Covid Restrictions. The Castlebook store on Castle Street in Castlebar is one such business. David Brennan says that in addition to his general…

Hairdressesers, beauticians and barbers are all closed again for six weeks from midnight tomorrow night (Wed). It is another devastating blow to the businesses and is also causing consternation for clients. Kelly's Barbers in Castlebar is booked out until…

The impact of Level 5 restrictions on families grieving the loss of a loved one are not being taken into consideration by the Government. That’s the view of Mayo funeral director David McGowan, who says restricting attendances further will cause divides in…

Up to 300 properties in Ballina are facing disruption to water supply today following a burst watermain on Emmet Street. Irish Water and Mayo County Council are carrying out repair work on the ground to restore water supply to properties in Emmet Street,…

A status yellow warning for rainfall remains in place nationwide until three o'clock this afternoon. Heavy rain will continue at times throughout the day with a risk of spot flooding. Rainfall totals of around 30-50mm are expected, with possibly higher…

The higher rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is being restored to 350 euro. Those who were earning 400 euro a week or more before the pandemic will be eligible to receive the original rate. A total of 244 thousand people will receive the PUP tomorrow,…

A new system of fines for breaching COVID restrictions will also be discussed by Ministers today. Cabinet will likely give approval to a series of graduated fines for things like breaking the 5km travel limit and not wearing a facemask in certain settings.…

Sligo now has the fifth highest 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 in the country. They have 330 cases per 100,000 people and is followed in Connacht by Galway on 288, Leitrim on 237, Roscommon on 232 and Mayo has the lowest incidence rate in the province at…

The government has approved moving the country to level five restrictions from midnight on Wednesday. A six week lockdown will be put in place following a recommendation from the National Public Health Emergency team. The measures put in place will be…

1,031 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed this evening, while there have been no further deaths. 235 cases are in Dublin and 232 in Cork. In this region, there are 60 new cases in Galway, 30 in Sligo, 27 in Mayo and 10 in Roscommon. There's now a total…

The Cabinet is to consider moving the country to Level 5 restrictions for a period of six weeks. It comes after senior Government Ministers met with health officials today to finalise the details of new restrictions for the country. It had been expected a…

An inquest into the death of a 17-year-old Leaving Certificate student who died ten days after allegedly being admitted to a Covid-19 ward of Mayo University Hospital was abandoned this afternoon after a man refused to identify himself in court and disobeyed…

A Roscommon senator believes it was a grave mistake allowing GAA inter-county games to go ahead over the weekend, and is calling on the GAA - even at this stage- to postpone matches for a number of weeks. While not taking from Roscommon's win at the weekend…

A Cabinet meeting gets underway at 4pm to sign-off on tighter restrictions to slow the spread of Covid-19. An official announcement is expected later this evening or tonight. It's expected that schools will stay open, but most non-essential retail will close…

The INTO, representing primary teachers, has set out five clear requirements for schools to operate safely as community infection rates rise and the number of positive tests in schools increase. The INTO is growing increasingly concerned that public health…

A petition to classify gyms and fitness centres as 'essential services' has reached over 27,000 signatures. The group, called Independent Gym Owners Ireland, has called for them to remain open during Covid restrictions. The petition raises concerns that a…

Repairs are currently being carried out to a burst watermain in Roscommon to restore water supply to approximately 300 customers in Mount Delvin, Cloonfad and surrounding areas. Irish Water expects the repair works to be completed by 2pm today and it may take…

Further COVID restrictions are being discussed by a number of senior Ministers this morning. It's expected the country will move to level four plus for a number of weeks. A meeting between the coalition party leaders, a number of senior ministers, the Chief…

There was Lotto luck for one player in Co Roscommon over the weekend. While there was no winner of the overall jackpot of over €4.4 million on Saturday night, one player matched 5 numbers plus the bonus, to win a prize of over €339,000. The winning ticket was…

As gyms are set to close under higher Restrictions – a blanket closure of some businesses by government is not acceptable, according to gym owner, Mayo All star Footballer, Andy Moran. Andy of The Movement Gym, Castlebar says the second closure of gyms in…

Tesco Ireland say their plans are progressing for upgrading their store in Ballina's Market Square, and they hope to apply for planning permission early in the New Year. That's according to Ballina-based Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary, who says this upgrade-…

Teachers want schools to remain open as Covid Restrictions look set to increase later today, but not at any cost, that’s according to ASTI representative for second level schools in Galway, Tuam and east Galway, Ritchie Bell. While the TUI, representing…

The Kiltimagh Knock road, the R323, has reopened to traffic following a road traffic collision this morning. Gardaí attended the scene of the single vehicle crash. The incident happened at around 8am and involved a jeep with a livestock trailer. Midwest News…

Mayo has the sixth lowest 14-day incidence rate from covid-19 in the country at 149 per 100, 000 people. Sligo has the highest incidence rate in Connacht and sixth highest in the country at 295 per 100,000 people. Galway has a 14-day incidence rate of 274,…

Gardaí remain at the scene of a road traffic collision on the Kiltimagh Knock road, the R323. The incident happened at around 8am this morning. The road is closed to traffic as Gardaí conduct their investigation. Midwest News understands that a vehicle…

A South Mayo councillor is calling on the Department to provide money for the redevelopment of a dangerous junction near Cong. Robeen-based Councillor Pasty O'Brien has called on the Department of Transport to make funding available to the project under the…

A Galway West TD is calling on transport companies to get ready for Brexit. Junior Transport Minister Hildegarde Naughton is urging them to switch to direct routes from this country to the Continent. She says they have to be prepared as Brexit will lead to…

New nationwide COVID restrictions will be announced by the government this evening. Cabinet Ministers are expected to sign off on a plan that will merge aspects of level four and five of the current roadmap. Meetings continued through the day yesterday…

A Status Yellow rainfall warning came into effect across the entire country overnight. The warning will remain in place until 7pm on Tuesday evening. Persistent and occasionally heavy bands of rain will cross the country today and tomorrow. While some areas…

One man from this region infected 56 others with Covid-19 after not restricting his movements after returning from abroad. This example of how Covid-19 can quickly spread within the community was revealed in a report published by the Department of Public…

There are a record 1,283 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and three more deaths. It brings the death toll from the virus to 1,852, while a total of 49,962 cases have been confirmed in the country. There are 408 new cases in Dublin, 156 in Cork, 88 in Kildare,…

A Status Yellow rainfall warning has been issued for the entire country by Met Eireann. The warning comes into effect at midnight tonight and will last until 7pm on Tuesday evening. Persistent and occasionally heavy bands of rain will cross the country over…

Support for the government parties is holding steady in the latest Behaviour and Attitudes Poll for The Sunday Times. Fine Gael is up one point to 31 per cent, Fianna Fail is unchanged on 19 per cent, while there's no change to the Green Party at 5 per cent.…

The restaurant industry is happy to take the "short, sharp pain" of tougher Covid 19 restrictions in order to re-open at Christmas. The Restaurants Association of Ireland says it would welcome a few weeks of stringent measures. However it says it's keen to…

UK Minister Michael Gove has said crashing out of Europe is more favourable to him than striking an unfavourable Brexit deal. Mr. Gove's comments echo those of Boris Johnson, who said on Friday that a 'fundamental change in approach' from the EU was needed to…

It will be tomorrow evening at the earliest before we know whether a second lockdown will be approved by the government. Lengthy meetings yesterday broke up without any agreement on whether or not to implement NPHET's advice. After more than eight hours of…

Sligo is the Connacht County with the highest incidence rate of Covid-19 per 100,000 people. The county has 304 cases per 100,000 people, followed by Galway on 263, Leitrim on 218, Roscommon with 200 and Mayo has the lowest incidence rate of the virus at 131…

The government won't decide until Monday at the earliest if it's going to put Ireland to level five public health restrictions. Talks at government buildings have wrapped up for the night after hours of briefings from senior public health officials. Speaking…

A record 1,276 new cases of Covid 19 have been confirmed in the Republic and there are 8 more deaths. 278 cases are in Dublin, with 149 in Cork, 108 in Meath, 107 in Galway, 80 in Wexford, and the remaining cases are spread across 21 counties. There are 16…

EirGrid is hosting a series of webinars next week on the North Connacht 110 kV project, a new electricity line that will run from Ballina to Ballaghaderreen. The company is encouraging people who have questions about the project and it’s route to register…

Senior health officials are briefing the leaders of the three coalition parties this afternoon as they prepare to decide whether to move the country to level five restrictions. But there have been some some indications that the government may reject the…

Aontú representative for Mayo, Paul Lawless, has expressed his disappointment that student nurses are still not getting paid for their work on the frontlines. Mr Lawless says that back in March the then Minister for Health Simon Harris announced that student…

Gardaí are increasing the number of checkpoints in place across the country this weekend with an enhanced focus on crime prevention and detection. An Garda Síochána's new "high visibility", nationwide policing plan is also focusing on support for the…

The HSE wants to take over up to 40 per cent of activity in private hospitals, to deal with further surges in Covid-19 cases. The Irish Times reports that under a new agreement, private hospitals would provide complex medical and surgical treatment for public…

An Irish MEP's accusing the British Prime Minister of 'brinkmanship' over a post-Brexit trade deal. It's after Boris Johnson said trade talks with the EU 'are over' and it's time to prepare for a no-deal scenario. Talks were planned for London on Monday, but…

A security company that attended a house repossession in Roscommon has been ordered to pay fines of 3,000 euro. A court found the Armagh company guilty of six breaches of the Private Security Services Act. In December 2018, a farmer's house in Falsk,…

The leaders of the three coalition parties will meet later today to discuss placing the country back into a six week lockdown. NPHET has recommended Level 5 restrictions for the entire country. 1,000 new cases of Covid-19 and three more deaths were confirmed…

A man in his 40’s was airlifted to hospital this evening following a road traffic collision in Gurteen, Co. Sligo. Gardaí attended the scene of a single vehicle collision which occurred in Gurteen at approximately 5pm. The driver of the car, a male aged in…

There are 1,000 new cases of Covid-19 in the Republic, and three more deaths. 254 of the cases are in Dublin, with 102 in Meath, 88 in Cork, 81 in Cavan and 75 in Galway. The remaining 400 are spread across 20 different counties. Elsewhere, in this region…

Gardaí in the North Western Region are appealing to the public to continue following public health regulations and guidelines for the next number of weeks. An Garda Síochána in Counties Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Longford, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan,…

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says the government is giving "very active consideration" to moving the country to level five restrictions. NPHET has recommended a six week lockdown of the country to combat the increasing spread of the virus. The leaders of the…

The Leaving Cert appeals process has finished, with only 18 students marks upgraded. Seven of these students had not lodged an appeal, but had a grade brought up following quality assurance checks. More than 33 thousand individual subject records belonging to…

The Tanaiste says he's not surprised NPHET has recommended the whole country move to level 5. Public health officials believe a six week lockdown is necessary to suppress the virus. It's predicting that case numbers could reach as high a 2,500 a day by…

"The late Fr Colm Kilcoyne had human warmth in spades", according to his former colleague and friend, nationally known communications guru, Terry Prone. Priest, writer and broadcaster Fr Colm Kilcoyne passed away yesterday morning in Castlebar, aged 86. He…

NPHET has made another recommendation to move the entire country to level five restrictions. Public health officials have said the lockdown should last for six weeks. This recommendation from NPHET wasn't unexpected in Government Buildings. Public health…

Recruitment is underway for additional staff at Swinford District Hospital, which will result in the opening of up to 16 beds now closed at the facility. That has been confirmed today by Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo Dara Calleary. Speaking to Midwest News today…

We are partnering with the HSE and the Dementia: Understand Together initiative to help get Ireland talking about dementia where it matters most – in our own communities. Tommy Marren speaking to Antoinette Larkin who is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in…

The Education Minister says if the country goes to level 5 Covid-19 restrictions she would seek public health advice in relation to schools remaining open. It comes amid warnings from the Chief Medical Officer that the country's contact tracing system can't…

The dental clinic which operates from Roscommon Hospital is to move to a permanent new location in Roscommon Primary Care Centre, according to deputy Denis Naughten. The deputy had been contacted by parents concerned that the service had been transferred…

DPD Ireland is to expand its nationwide operations, creating 700 new jobs before the end of the year. Up to 150 positions will be based in their headquarters in Athlone and the remaining 550 drivers and operational personnel will be required to service…

Mayo county councillors have called for a special meeting of the authority to discuss developments at the Castlebar campus of GMIT. It follows the recent announcement that Business Dept at the Castlebar campus of GMIT is to close. GMIT Mayo campus business…

The HSE spent nearly 4.5 million euro on private ambulance costs in the first six months of this year. A further 14.3 million euro was also spent on taxis in the same time frame. The National Ambulance Service's main role is to help people with serious or…

Household visits are banned nationwide as new restrictions came into effect overnight Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal are now under level 4 restrictions, meaning shops that sell non-essential items are not allowed to open for four weeks. In addition, no more than…

Ballyjamesduff in Cavan has the highest 14-day Covid-19 incidence rate per 100,000 than any other local constituency in the country with a rate of over 651. It's the highest figure recorded in the country - while Lifford Stranorlar in county Donegal has risen…

A record number of 1,205 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed in the country yesterday, and there were three more deaths. 288 cases are in Dublin, with 173 in Cork, 123 in Meath and 97 in Galway - with remaining cases spread across all other counties. Elsewhere,…

Tommy Marren speaking to Frances Maloney who is Operations Manager at Community Action on Dementia in Mayo. We are partnering with the HSE and the Dementia: Understand Together initiative to help get Ireland talking about dementia where it matters most – in…

There are a record 1,205 new cases of Covid-19 in the Republic, and three more deaths.288 cases are in Dublin, with 173 in Cork, 123 in Meath and 97 in Galway - with remaining cases spread across all other counties. Elsewhere, there are 24 new cases in Mayo &…

Irish Water and Mayo County Council wish to advise customers in parts of Achill Island that overnight water restrictions will be in place tonight and tomorrow night due to operational improvement works at the water treatment plant. The restrictions will be in…

The death has occurred of well known priest, writer and broadcaster Fr Colm Kilcoyne. Aged in his eighties, Fr Kilcoyne passed away this morning. Born in Castlebar in 1934, Colm Kilcoyne was ordained in 1959 and initially served in the Monastery in…

The head of the HSE says hospitals are coping, but are anxious for what lies ahead. 238 people are currently hospitalised with Covid-19 including 29 in intensive care. A quarter of those hospitalised are under the age of 25. HSE CEO Paul Reid says staff…

There is a major power outage across Roscommon this afternoon. ESB crews have been mobilised to restore power to over 12,000 customers in Roscommon town, Ballygar and Glenamaddy. A spokesperson for the ESB says a fault fed through the network in Athlone has…

Castlebar based company Fort Wayne Metals has designed and produced a set of eye-catching Covid-19 awareness material for Mayo University Hospital. At the height of the pandemic in April, the company offered practical help to hospital management, and has…

Ryanair is cutting its flight schedule by 80% this Winter at Ireland West Airport Knock. The airline announced today that they're closing their bases at both Shannon and Cork airports this Winter, due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19, while the news for…

Pamela Scott is to close half of its stores with the loss of 104 jobs. The clothing chain is shutting 12 shops across the country in a bid to secure the company's future - including the store in Sligo, as well as Grafton Street, Frascati Centre, Swords and…

Louis Macken from Hollymount has been acknowledged for his contribution to dairy farming excellence at the Aurivo Milk Quality Awards. Now in its 13th year, the awards recognise the standard of excellence in dairy farming by Aurivo milk suppliers, as well as…

It is understood there are over 20 active cases of Covid 19 on Achill Island at present, with more suspected cases awaiting results, according to an update issued today by the Achill Community Covid-19 Response Centre. In a statement the community group state…

The Mayor of Galway City says it's disappointing that this year's Christmas Markets are cancelled, but says the popular markets could not go ahead due to the Covid-19 restrictions currently in place, and the uncertainty going forward. Galway has confirmed 449…

There's some good news for residents in south Sligo, as works on the long-awaited Lough Talt water treatment plant are on track to be completed by the end of this year. Irish Water says the upgrade works will benefit some 13,000 people, who are currently…

The Chief Justice is expected to meet Supreme Court judge Seamus Woulfe later to discuss the fallout from the 'golfgate' controversy. There were 81 people at the now infamous Oireachtas golf society dinner in Clifden last August, which breached Covid-19…

The Chief Justice is expected to meet Supreme Court judge Seamus Woulfe later to discuss the fallout from the 'golfgate' controversy. There were 81 people at the now infamous Oireachtas golf society dinner in Clifden last August, which breached Covid-19…

This year's Christmas Market in Galway has been cancelled due to the pandemic. The market has been running from early November to mid December for a number of years, attracting significant visitor numbers to the city. But Galway City Council says that in…

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 came down last night from 234 to 214 while the number of patients in intensive care remained at 30. Of the 214 confirmed cases in hospitals across the country, there are 5 being treated at Mayo University…

5 further deaths and 1,095 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed yesterday evening - a record daily figure. This includes 50 additional cases in Co Galway, 13 in Mayo, 14 in Sligo, 8 in Roscommon and less than 5 in Leitrim. The 14-day incidence rate nationally…

All of today's cases in Tralee District Court in Co. Kerry have been adjourned and the courtroom closed, after a garda said he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Judge David Waters was notified at around 1pm, during the day's proceedings, that a senior…

A record number of Coronavirus cases have been recorded in the north in the last 24 hours. There were 1217 new cases of Covid 19 and four additional deaths. A four week 'circuit breaker' lockdown will come into effect in Northern Ireland on Friday. The…

Many family carers are worse off after Budget 2021 as the budget fails to deliver on Programme for Government promise of 'support and recognition' for family carers. That’s according to Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Carer Engagement with Family…

GMIT is delighted to be a partner in hosting DojoMór2020, an exciting and fun online coding event for young people aged 7 to 17, where in one day (Saturday 24 October 2020), right across Ireland, they learn to create a simple game, build a website, and…

Ireland West Airport Knock, along with Donegal and Kerry airports, will benefit from over €21 million euro announced in the Budget for regional airports. That's according to Galway's Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State with responsibility for international…

Mayo and Sligo are to be two of the four locations nationally for new Memory Assessment Units, for the early detection of alzheimers and dementia. It follows yesterday’s Budget in which almost 13 million euro was announced for dementia services nationally.…

A GP that was working as a locum doctor on Achill island over the past number of days took to local media last night to warn the people of the island that Covid 19 is rampant in the area. Dr Noreen Lineen-Curtis last night tweeted: Folks it’s rampant. Achill…

The Government confirmed yesterday that plans to increase the pension age to 67 from next January will not be going ahead. Roscommon-Galway Independent TD Denis Naughten has welcomed the decision that the pension age will be retained at 66. He says Minister…

The practise of discharging raw sewage into Killala Bay will end within weeks. Irish Water has confirmed it will commence operation of a new wastewater treatment plant in the coming weeks, which will stop the discharge of untreated wastewater into Killala…

The Chief Medical Officer has warned Ireland is now dealing with 'widespread' community transmission of Covid-19. Dr Tony Holohan says it has become 'a whole population issue' and has appealed to every individual, family, household and workplace to act on…

The cost of cigarettes and motor fuel increased overnight as a result of Budget 2021. 50 cent has been added to the cost of a box of cigarettes, with other increases on related products. AA Ireland says the carbon tax increase will only push up living costs…

Repairs have now been completed following a major water burst in Ballina town today. The burst watermain at the Dunnes Stores roundabout impacted on water supply for a number of customers in the area, and traffic restrictions were in place to allow emergency…

The reduction in the VAT rate in today’s budget is welcome, according to the Mayo Chair of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, Alan Gielty Yesterday, Alan spoke to Midwest News about the need in today’s budget for the VAT rate to be reduced from 13.5 to 9%,…

The 1pm Dublin Connolly to Sligo train this afternoon was cancelled following a serious incident near Castleknock station in Dublin. Emergency services remain at the scene after a person was struck by a train earlier. Irish Rail says Maynooth services remain…

Drivers will pay an average of two euro more to fill their car with petrol or diesel from tomorrow due to the carbon tax hike, according to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry. Brian Cooke, Director General of SIMI, says drivers will be paying more for…

In terms of social welfare, rates are to be maintained in 2021. Child benefit increases by 5 euro for children over 12, and €2 for children under 12. The Carers Support grant is up by €150 to €1850 per year. There's a €5 increase in the living alone…

The Finance Minister has unveiled a 17.7 billion euro budget package. Minister Paschal Donohoe said the budget has been framed with both Covid and Brexit in mind. There will be a 3.4 billion euro recovery fund aimed at increasing employment. The fund will be…

A Mayo postmaster has welcomed the decision to revert social welfare payments back to weekly allocations from fortnightly. John Pat Scott of Scott’s XL and Post Office in Aghagower has welcomed what he says is an ‘unexpected decision’ from Government. The…

A Mayo Senator has welcomed today's agreement between EU countries to coordinate international travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. At present, countries have different rules when it comes to travel, but Ministers from the 27 member states have now agreed a…

A burst water main in Ballina is disrupting supply in the area today. Irish Water and Mayo County Council are advising customers in the town that their water supply has been impacted as a result of a burst water main at the Dunnes Stores Roundabout. Crews are…

Mayo is the only county in Connacht with a 14-day incidence rate of coronavirus at less than 100 per 100,000 people - and currently has the fourth lowest incidence rate nationally. Latest HSE figures show 11 additional cases of the virus were confirmed in…

Gluten free toffee popcorn produced in a food company based in Foxford has secured a second national food award in two weeks. The Gold Award at this year’s annual FreeFrom Food Awards was won by the product Specially Selected Extra Buttery Luxury Toffee…

€195,000 in funding has been allocated to six Mayo projects under Round 3 of the Town & Village Accelerated Measures. Ballina, Castlebar and Westport will benefit from E40,000 each, while Claremorris, Islandeady and Parke will be awarded E25,000 each under…

The head of the World Health Organisation has ruled out using herd immunity, to stop the spread of Covid-19. It is the term to describe what happens when the population becomes immune through vaccination or mass infection. For measles the herd immunity point…

295 children who are in care do not have an up-to-date care plan. According to Tusla's latest figures, the highest amount is in Cork, while there are also large numbers across the northwest region. As of June, there were 5,957 children care across the…

The hotel at the centre of the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner has had its alcohol licence renewed. Two garda investigations are ongoing into what happened at the Oireachtas golf society dinner in August. 81 people attended the event with a partition placed in…

The Chief Justice will meet with Mr Justice Seamus Woulfe later to discuss the fallout from the golfgate controversy. The Supreme Court judge attended the Clifden dinner event in August which breached Covid-19 restrictions. 81 people attended the highly…

People on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment WILL be paid the social welfare Christmas bonus if they've spent at least four months on the income support. The measure was one of the last agreed last night during final negotiations on Budget 2021, which will be…

The National Public Health Emergency team will make a call on Thursday on whether or not Level 3 is working. The national 14 day incidence rate is now 167 per 100 thousand people, a 43 percent increase in the past week. 825 cases were confirmed yesterday…

the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation It has come to the attention of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation that a fraudulent email is in circulation inviting applications for the Restart Grant Plus. Under no circumstances…

The Mayor of Galway, Mike Cubbard has come up with an initiative to help ease loneliness and isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mayor Cubbard has been reaching out to people in his community by writing letters with a personal touch. The response is said…

Gardai in Claremorris are investigating the theft of 6 cattle from a family farm in the Shrule area last week, after the cattle were retrieved in a field 30 km away in the early hours of last Saturday morning A gang of cattle rustlers appeared to vanish in a…

Midwest News understands that a Transition Year (TY) class in a county Mayo school has been sent home this morning due to a Covid 19 incidence. It comes as there's been a significant increase in the 14 day incidence rate of Covid 19 nationally. The World…

There aren’t a handful of pubs in Mayo open now under Level 3 Covid Restrictions, according to the Mayo Chairperson of the Vintners Federation, Alan Gielty. Alan is the owner of Gielty's Bar and Restaurant on Achill Island, and has, like most publicans in the…

The Government must provide urgent support for Ireland West Airport Knock as part of Budget 2021 tomorrow. That's according to the Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Dara Mulvey. The Coolaney-based councillor made the call following a meeting with the head…

814 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in the country yesterday, and there were two more deaths. 64 of the cases were confirmed in Galway with the latest county by county breakdowns showing over a thousand covid-19 cases in the county. As of midnight on…

The leaders of the three Government parties will meet today to finalise tomorrow's Budget. A five-billion euro fund for Covid-19 and Brexit is expected to be signed-off on, and there will be a 150 euro boost for carers in their Support Grant, according to the…

The Restaurant's Association want a 'circuit breaker' lockdown to save the industry's Christmas. The Tanaiste Leo Varadkar had described the idea of a short shutdown as experimental last week, however yesterday said it may be needed. Meanwhile, Taoiseach…

Over a fifth of Irish pubs need up to 2,000 euro per week to meet costs while they have no income during lockdown. That's the finding of a new Drinks Industry Group of Ireland report as it calls for a cut in excise tax in the Budget This reports shows one in…

The winners of this year’s Wild Atlantic Words literary festival short story competition have been announced. First prize went to Chris Kennedy of Curry, Co. Sligo for his story, ‘Farmer Wife’. The runners-up were Ryan Wiles of Co. Antrim for ‘A Bit Part’ and…

814 more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Republic, and two more patients have died. The country's top public health official is warning the rates of infection in 22 counties have more than doubled in the last week. Chief medical officer Dr…

The Taoiseach says a second lockdown "may not be a short one" if it's brought in to control the spread of Covid 19. Michael Martin hasn't ruled out moving the country to Level 4 restrictions in the coming week - but says it'd be "very severe and create a lot…

A government minister says there's 'no plan' to extend school closures at mid term as part of measures to tackle Covid-19. It had been mentioned at cabinet earlier this week that closing them for two weeks as opposed to one at Halloween could help slow the…

Gardaí are investigating a potential breach of Covid-19 regulations in Boyle in County Roscommon. It follows a call out to a premises yesterday where it is understood a GAA gathering was taking place. After engaging with Gardaí, a group of people agreed to…

The Government is finalising Budget 2021 this weekend. It's expected to be the largest budget package in this history of the State. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe revealed on Friday that there will be a 21 billion euro budget deficit this year - a huge sum…

Ireland could be facing a new lockdown within 10 days if coronavirus cases continue to rise. A senior government source has told the Sunday Independent the move now looks increasingly possible. It comes after the Tanaiste previously admitted a 'short, sharp'…

There are 1,012 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and three further deaths. 241are in Dublin, 112 in Cork, 80 in Cavan, 72 in Meath, 66 in Galway, and the remaining 441 cases are spread across 21 other counties.

60 thousand people have been laid off in the last week due to Level 3 of coronavirus restrictions. The extra measures were brought in across the country to deal with the rising number of coronavirus cases. It led to a ban on indoor dining with only businesses…

Six cattle which were stolen from land in South Mayo earlier in the week have been found over 30 kilometres away in field outside Balla. The six cattle were taken from a farmyard near Shrule sometime between Monday and Tuesday of this week. Claremorris Gardai…

Hospitals admissions for Covid-19 are now at a 4 month high, after 18 new admissions in the past 24 hours. 194 people are receiving treatment in the acute hospital system, the highest figure since June 2nd. Health officials are calling on people to take…

The head of the HSE says there's "huge concern" over the Covid 19 trends in hospitals. 30 people are being treated in intensive care with the disease, the highest figure since early June. That includes 8 admissions in the last 24 hours. The overall numbers in…

Claremorris gardai are investigating the theft of six cattle from a farm yard in Shrule, earlier this week. The incident was reported to gardai on Wednesday last, October 7th, Sometime between Monday (5th Oct) at 5 pm and 4pm the next day Tuesday(6th) the six…

A pupil in Cloghans Hill National School, Tuam represented Ireland at the live streamed Digital Launch of EU Code week yesterday. Tiernan Managan, a 4th class student was invited to take part in the event to speak about the coding work Cloghans Hill NS are…

A new piece of street art has been completed in Ballina town centre, to coincide with the start of the Ballina Fringe Festival. Renowned Dublin-based street artist Maser has created a vibrant abstract installation on a large site on Hill St - to the rear of…

The Department of Education says no decision has been taken yet on extending mid-term breaks for schools. It follows reports that the Government is looking at the idea of extending the break so that schools would close for two weeks over Halloween from…

Deputy Michael Ring had queried when the position of Chief Executive of Mayo Council will be filled following the retirement of Mr. Peter Hynes. Deputy Michael Ring says he was informed that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage received a…

As pressure increases on acute hospital beds during the Covid-19 pandemic, an Erris doctor is calling for investment in Belmullet District Hospital, which would allow more beds to open at the hospital, and relieve some of the pressure on Mayo University…

Ireland's four Archbishops have called for a meeting with the Taoiseach, to discuss allowing people to return to Mass, under level 3 Covid restrictions. Religious services have moved online under the current restrictions. In a letter to the Taoiseach, the…

A key member of the team reviewing a report into the fatal R116 helicopter crash off the Mayo coast in 2017 has resigned due to a conflict of interest. RTE reports that the resignation of Phillip Hanson, a senior manager at the UK Coastguard, and the…

The Cabinet Covid-19 subcommittee meets today to consider introducing graduated fines to enforce Covid-19 restrictions. The National Public Health Emergency Team wrote to Government last night to say they remain deeply concerned about the rising number of…

The National Public Health Emergency Team says the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital is growing 'exponentially' - and is now a quarter of the way to April's peak. The chairman of its modelling group says an average of 13 patients are being admitted…

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of one additional death related to COVID-19. As of midnight last night (Wednesday) 506 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported. Of the 506 new cases of the virus 91 are in Dublin, 76 in…

The first group of Broadband Connection Points, a key element of the Government’s National Broadband Plan, have been connected. The two Broadband Connection Points which have been connected in Mayo so far are located in Killasser Community Centre and Taugheen…

There will be no countries on the green list for safe travel from Monday. The Department of Foreign affairs say Ireland continues to work with EU partners to finalise negotiations on co-ordinating travel within the union. It's referred to as the traffic light…

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will face questions in the Dáil tonight about his handling of NPHET's level 5 recommendation. It's after it emerged the Minister was briefed by the Chief Medical Officer about his views ahead of NPHET's meeting on Sunday. The…

You would have a better chance of hooking a shopping trolley than a fish from the Castlebar Town River and Lough Lannagh, according to local Fine Gael Cllr Ger Deere. Cllr Deere is member of Castlebar Tidy Towns Committee and made the claim after volunteers…

The National Public Health Emergency Team is meeting today to discuss what's described as the "concerning rise" in Covid-19 cases across the country. Public health officials warned last night that Covid-19 cases could exceed 1,000 a day in a matter of weeks,…

Galway Independent Senator Rónán Mullen has criticised restrictions on public worship as Level 3 Covid Restrictions are now in operation nationwide. Speaking in the Seanad earlier this week, the Senator Mullen said he questions the lack of discernment around…

There's good news for Ballina today, as St Mary's Secondary school has got the go-ahead from the Minister for Education to appoint a contractor for its new school building. The all-girls school will have a new campus constructed on a site adjacent to the…

Mayo's Road Safety Officer narrowly escaped a head-on collision earlier this week, and is warning of the dangers of driver distraction. Noel Gibbons was driving at the Curraghline in Galway when he saw a car crossing over the white line on the road and…

Mairead McGuinness says she will "hit the ground running" early next week, after the European Parliament yesterday voted to approve the Midlands-Northwest MEP as the new EU Commissioner for Financial Stability. Ms McGuinness will replace former Commission…

The Covid-19 pandemic and current travel restrictions are continuing to have a devastating impact on Ireland West Airport Knock. Just 5, 752 passengers travelled through the Mayo airport last month - down 92% on September last year when over 76,000 passengers…

The Westport Hotel Group - which operates the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport Plaza and Westport Coast hotels - is to close for three weeks. The hotels, which are run by the Corcoran family, will close until 28th October. The owners say it's with great…

Public health officials say Christmas can be saved if the right measures are taken. The National Public Health Emergency Team meets again today and is warning that cases of Covid-19 could exceed 1,000 a day in a matter of weeks and says we are now in a period…

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 5 additional deaths related to COVID-19. As of midnight last night (6th October) 611 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported 218 of those cases in Dublin, 63 in Cork, 60 in Donegal, 35…

Eight Irish tourist destinations have been named on a list of the best places to visit in the world. The Wild Atlantic Way is the highest new entry in Lonely Planet's Top 500. The Wild Atlantic Way stretches all along the west coast, from Donegal down to Cork…

As level 3 restrictions take effect, Masses and religious services have reverted to online only. Funerals and weddings can still take place, but numbers attending have been reduced from 50 to 25 people. At Knock Shrine, Masses will move back online, at 12…

Garda checkpoints are in operation across the country since this morning, as new Covid-19 restrictions come into effect. People are being asked to stay in their county for the next three weeks and work from home where possible under the level 3 rules. No…

Latest figures show the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 remains relatively stable. 156 people are being treated for Covid-19 in Irish hospitals today- up from 142 yesterday. 24 of these patients are in ICU. There are currently no confirmed cases of…

Bus Eireann is reminding customers in Co Mayo that, under Level 3 restrictions, public services will operate at 50% capacity - the same as in level 2. However, travel should be limited to within your county - unless your travel is essential for work or…

The winning ticket in last night's Euromillions Plus draw was sold in Co Roscommon. The ticket- worth half a million euro - was sold at Healy's Xpress Stop in Ballyfarnon, Boyle. Staff in the shop say they're in shock, but delighted for the lucky winner, and…

A Mayo company had power tools worth about €14,000 stolen from vans last week. The theft occurred between 9 and 11pm last Wednesday night in Co Kildare. The vans belong to the Big Red Barn - an East Mayo company that also manufactures and installs a range of…

Concerns have been expressed about the future of the GMIT Mayo campus, as the business department at the Castlebar campus is being closed. Mayo Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon says he's appalled at the decision, and has called on the Minister for Higher Education…

The European Parliament will vote today to approve Mairead McGuinness' appointment as EU Commissioner for Financial Services. The Midlands-Northwest MEP was questioned by MEPs last week and is expected to receive their backing today. The outgoing MEP is due…

Mayo Leisure Point, Mayo Movie World and Hogs Heaven Bar in Castlebar all closed their doors last night, as level 3 Covid restrictions came into effect. 55 staff have been let go from the Castlebar business as a result, while the Castle Leisure Club will…

Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions are now in place across the country for the next three weeks. People are asked not to travel outside their county, while dining inside restaurants and cafes is banned. Last night, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar told the Fine Gael…

Mayo County Council have announced that all council libraries, museums and art centres will close from midnight tonight due to the level 3 covid restrictions. A call and collect service will remain in place for the county council libraries. Swimming pools and…

Gardaí attended the scene of an alleged assault at a fast food premises on in Galway at the weekend. The incident happened in Oranmore at 11.50pm on Saturday night. A man in his twenties was assaulted, but required no medical treatment at the time. No arrests…

Medical cards will be made available to more people over the age of 70, from next month. The measure was announced in the last Budget, but had not yet come into effect. Today, the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced he has secured funding for a range…

The elderly woman who died in a road collision in Athlone yesterday was a native of Arigna in Co Roscommon. Sr Bernard Lynch, who was in her 90's, died when the car she was driving was involved in a single-vehicle collision near the Golden Island shopping…

There's good news for Ballina this morning, as the north Mayo capital has been named a winner in the 2020 Bank of Ireland Begin Together Awards. The awards recognise business and community groups who have come together to support their local area in…

Mayo Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary has denied an emerging rift between Government and the National Public Health Emergency team, after NHPET had recommended moving to entire country to level 5 restrictions, while the Cabinet last night agreed on the lower…

Drinking water at 12 properties had above the legal limit of lead this year. A property in Co Roscommon had 15 times the limit, and other failures were in Limerick, Tipperary, Kildare and Dublin. Irish Water says the problems were found to be largely within…

In terms of Covid-19 figures, no further deaths were recorded yesterday while there were 518 new cases of the virus. 134 in Dublin, 53 in Cork, 49 in Limerick, 34 in Donegal, 32 in Meath and the remaining 216 cases are spread across 20 counties In this…

Publicans are warning that the move to level three restrictions will see 50,000 job losses in the sector. Only outdoor sittings of 15 people will be allowed as part of the measures. No indoor service being allowed will mean many pubs across Mayo and the West…

Under Level 3 restrictions - Ppeople are asked not to travel outside their county unless they have to travel for work, educational or other essential services, and are advised to work from home unless absolutely necessary to attend. Schools and creches remain…

Level 3 restrictions will come into force across the country from midnight tonight. That's after the Cabinet rejected a recommendation from the National Public Health Emergency team that would see the country moving to level 5 - the highest level of…

A woman in her 90's died following a road collision in Athlone yesterday. The single vehicle collision occurred in the Golden Island area of the town shortly after 2pm yesterday afternoon. The woman driving the car, who was in her 90's, was pronounced dead at…

Wet pubs are set to remain open outside Dublin under Level 3 restrictions that are to be introduced nationally from midnight tomorrow night. However, there will be no indoor seating permitted in pubs. Instead there will be a maximum of 15 patrons allowed…

The Cabinet has agreed to move the entire country to Level 3 restrictions from midnight tomorrow night. This marks the first time the Government has rejected significant public health advice from NPHET. The National Public Health Emergency Team had…

518 people have tested positive for Covid 19 in the last 24 hours, while there have been no additional deaths. 68% of the new cases are in people under 45 years of age. 134 of the cases are in Dublin, 53 are in Cork, 49 are in Limerick, 34 in are Donegal, 32…

There have been no new deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre today. As of midnight last night ( 4th October) the HPSC has been notified of 518 confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

The Government looks set to reject NPHET's recommendation that the country be moved level five restrictions. Instead, it's understood every county will be placed on level three from midnight. There will also be proper monitoring and enforcement of those…

Students who are entitled to a higher preference CAO choice will receive their new offer at 10am on Thursday. Around 450 students whose grades went up due to errors in the calculated grades system have qualified for a different course choice. The CAO says…

Five Mayo community groups and organisations will received over €227,000 in funding in total, under the latest tranche of the Government's Covid-19 Stability Fund. The funding is aimed at charities and organisations that are experiencing financial…

An online petition has been set up in a bid to avoid the closure of the Coral Leisure facilities in Tuam and Ballinasloe. Hundreds of signatures have been secured. A critical meeting on the future of both facilities is due to take place tomorrow (Tues).…

This could be the end of the season for GAA club games, with all GAA club games at all levels suspended with immediate effect. That’s according to John Prenty, Connacht GAA Council Secretary. In a statement this afternoon the GAA's Management Committee said…

The Chief Medical Officer is currently meeting with the coalition party leaders to discuss escalating nationwide COVID restrictions. The National Public Health Emergency Team has recommended moving the entire country to Level 5 - the highest level of…

A return to severe Covid-19 restrictions like we saw in March is not the answer to combat the Covid-19 crises. That’s the view of Mayo Fine Gael TD Michael Ring, who says the three-month restrictions earlier this year only delayed the spread of the virus.…

The latest report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre shows the nationwide 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 people has seen a slight drop - the first time in more than three weeks - to just over 107. Mayo has the lowest incidence rate in the…

Teaching Unions are calling on the Government to explain why schools will remain open if the country is moved to Level 5. There are calls for a review to be carried out immediately on whether it's safe for children and staff to continue going to school. TUI…

55 years after securing a senior county championship with Athlone, Castlebar man John Deacy was presented with his medal yesterday. The former star Gaelic footballer’s wait for a county club championship medal, ended when the prized memento was delivered to…

An IT company has announced 15 new jobs for Sligo. Eliatra - an IT Services & Solutions company focused on big data, cloud services and security - has chosen Sligo for its new Product Development and European headquarters, and will employ 15 people over the…

Police in the UK are appealing for information to help locate a missing York man, a native of Achill Island. 72 year old Joseph Cafferkey from the Acomb area of York, was last seen by a neighbour in York on Wednesday last, Sept 30th. Police officers have been…

Gardaí seized suspected cannabis and amphetamine with a street value of E10, 000 euro in the north Mayo area over the weekend. Gardaí searched a private dwelling under warrant in Foxford in relation to the misuse of drugs act on the Saturday evening. Members…

It's now four years since a new 50-bed unit was announced for the Sacred Heart Hospital in Roscommon, but the HSE confirmed that a design team is not yet in place for the project. The issue was raised with HSE management by Roscommon Independent Cllr Tony…

The CAO is expected to give more details later on the number of wrongly downgraded Leaving Cert students who are entitled to a higher preference college course offer. A review into errors with the calculated grades system meant 6,100 pupils got lower marks…

The law requiring face coverings on public transport has been extended. It was due to run out at midnight last night, however the Department of Health has now pushed it out to November 9th. The rules brought in back in July are credited with raising…

364 new cases of Covid 19 were confirmed in the country yesterday and there were no new deaths reported. Of the new cases, 55 of them have been confirmed in Connacht, according to the latest statement from NPHET. 100 of the new cases were in Dublin, 55 in…

The government will consider today whether to place the country back into a second lockdown. The National Public Health Emergency Team has recommended all counties be moved to level five restrictions. The news on Saturday that there had been more than 600…

NPHET has recommended the entire country move to level five restrictions for four weeks. Government party leaders are set to meet the CMO to discuss it tomorrow. After a lengthy NPHET meeting this afternoon and evening public health officials have recommended…

364 new cases of Covid 19 have been confirmed in the Republic and there are no new deaths. There are 100 cases in Dublin, 55 in Cork, 31 in Donegal, 24 in Limerick, 23 in Galway,17 in Clare, 14 in Sligo, 13 in Roscommon, 10 in Kerry, 8 in Tipperary, 8 in…

Met Eireann's warning of possible flooding across the region over the next 24 hours. Up to 40mm of rain is forecast, with a Status Yellow alert in place for 12 counties, including Mayo and Sligo until 6am tomorrow morning. Strong winds will also affect…

A Mayo Senator says it’s disappointing that 26% of women who gave birth at Mayo University Hospital said they had a poor maternity experience. Lisa Chambers was commenting following the results of the National Maternity Experience Survey 2020. The majority of…

The winners for the 2020 Blas na hÉireann food awards were announced in Dingle yesterday and there were big winners across the region. The Little Cheesecake Shop in Kiltimagh were crowned the overall winners of Mayo and Connaught and also won Gold in the…

The Education Minister says she's determined to ensure Leaving Cert students who were wrongly downgraded can take up an offer for a higher preference college course this year if they're entitled to it. It's emerged 6,100 pupils got a lower mark than they…