A Midlands North MEP is urging the European Commission and Irish Government to draft a housing policy that will ease tensions between local residents and those looking to buy properties for short term lets.

The comments come as Irish residents heading abroad on holidays are being warned about anti-tourism protests that are scheduled to take place on June 15th.

The protests are expected to be staged in a number of countries across Europe.

Midlands North West MEP, Ciaran Mullooly says there are areas in Europe and in Ireland where tensions are growing due to the competition between Locals, and that wish to buy property and use it for short term lets.

The MEP says ‘insult is added to injury’ when locals cannot secure planning permission, while any properties that comes on the market is snapped by those wishing to use it for the tourism sector.

He says the European Parliament Housing committee is monitoring the situation across the continent.

Local jockey Colm Hayden made his racing debut at Sligo Races on Tuesday evening - at the age of 53.

He saddled the Mark McEniff-trained 'Wild Mandate' - a horse Colm owns - in the final race of the evening.

Hayden, who's a native of Cloonloo, now lives in Billa near Collooney in Co Sligo.

He spoke to Ocean FM Sport's Austin O'Callaghan after his racing debut.

A Sligo Senator, and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee members says they will look to see how the RSA plan to reduce the unacceptable waiting times for driving tests in the north west when the head of the Organisation appears before them today.

Oireachtas Transport Committee members will also have the opportunity to Grill Sam Waide on NCT wait times and road crash data which was due to have been submitted to Local Authorities.

Sligo based Senator Nessa Cosgrove says they will be looking for the RSA to provide creditable answers.

A Donegal TD is raising serious concerns over how 13-thousand retired civil servants and some government ministers had errors around pension payments.

It's understood most ministers are affected and the majority owe money to the state, while others are due money.

The sums range from hundreds of euro to just above 30-thousand euro, and the error is now under investigation.

Donegal Deputy and Sinn Fein's Finance Spokesperson, Pearse Doherty says it's very concerning.

Donegal's TDs are set to meet with the Health Minister today to discuss the issue of a surgical hub for the North West.

It comes as Sligo has already been put forward as part of a HSE business case as the preferred location for the hub, as opposed to Letterkenny.

This sparked an unprecedented response in Donegal, with over 170 GPs in the county uniting behind a call for the hub to be situated in Letterkenny.

Sligo Fianna Fail Cllr Edel MacSharry says while she empathises with the case being made in Donegal, Sligo is the ideal location:

A waste recycling company are to be contacted by Sligo County Council following a number of issues raised by customers.

Panda Waste are being requested to address what's labelled “worsening conditions”.

These include problems such as a lack of communication, and missed or irregular bin collections.

Independent Cllr Marie Casserly says the company needs to have a representative to contact over these issues:

RSA chiefs will face questions about long wait times for driving tests at Leinster House today.

Officials from the Road Safety Authority will appear before the Oireachtas Transport Committee with NCT wait times and road crash data also up for discussion.

Locally the issue has been raised on multiple occasions by elected representatives from across Sligo, Leitrim nd Donegal.

The long times being endured by learner drivers in this region is thought to be of particular distress due to what many see as the lack of an adequate public transport service.

As of the 31st May, the average waiting time for a driving test was almost 21 weeks, more than double the authority's stated target of 10 weeks.

Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman says the wait times are declining but far too slowly:

Ireland is committed to protecting and restoring Irish waters while supporting sustainable development.

Junior Minister for the Marine, Timmy Dooley, has just returned from the UN Ocean Conference in Nice in France, where delegates have been assessing progress on protecting our marine environment.

Already locally sever beach cleaning events are held on a regular basis throughout the year.

The Fishing sector is also of vital importance to the local economy in Donegal, while tourism is one of vital importance to the North West Region.

Minister Dooley says there's a lot of work ahead, and it's vital to find the right balance to protect jobs and protect the future.

The Yeats Day Festival will run this weekend in Sligo for the 14th time to mark the poet's birthday.

From June 12th - 15th the festival aims to bring his poetry out of schools, lecture theatres and books and share it with people in many different ways.

A variety of events will be held over the four days, including readings, walks, and paintings, with more information to be found on yeatssociety.com.

Susan O'Keeffe, Director of the Yeats Society Sligo, says it's an inclusive event that's accessible to everyone:

Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team have highlighted the danger changeable weather poses to hikers in the North West.

This follows a rescue mission yesterday where four individuals became disoriented and weather-bound on Benbulben mountain yesterday.

The responders located and treated them for onset hypothermia, and escorted them to an awaiting helicopter.

Ciarán Davis, PRO of SLMRT, issued safety advice for people considering a challenging hike in the future: