A Donegal TD has claimed that fishing communites across Ireland have been devastated by the EU's fishing policy.

Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Fisheries Padraig MacLochlainn made the claims in the Dail.

It comes after the latest fishing quota agreement has caused concern in the Irish fish industry.

He said that something has to be done about the influence Dutch companies had over EU member states:

Two women from the North West are raising money for a local charity by completing 12 sea dips this month.

Lianna Monahan and Allie McGloin have raised over €7,200 for SHOUT in the two weeks since they began fundraising.

It's in honour of their late husbands Fergus and Brendan.

Speaking to Ocean FM News, Lianna says that Allie still has two dips to go:

A mysterious object that a controversial scientist claims could be an alien battleship reaches its closest point to Earth today.

The object, known as 3i/ATLAS, will speed by at over 209 thousand Kilometres an hour, at a distance of over 273 and a half million miles, roughly twice as far away as the sun.

While most astronomers think the object is a comet, a Harvard University astrophysicist has sparked a furious debate by warning he cannot rule out that extra-terrestrials are paying us a visit.

As recently as last weekend a UFO Skywatch event took place in the Lough Key forest park in Boyle.

Roscommon Herald Deputy Editor Richard Canny covered the event.

He says there were unusual sightings spotted over the skies bordering Sligo and Roscommon on Saturday last.

A Sligo Farming official says the violent events that took place during a farming demonstration in Brussels yesterday will not deflect attention away from the purpose of the protest.

Michael O Dowd has been giving an eye witness account of what he witnessed yesterday in Belgium to Ocean FM News.

Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels and fires were set alight as farmers converged on the Belgian capital to protest against the contentious trade agreement between the European Union and South American countries.

The demonstrations erupted as EU leaders gathered for a summit where the fate of the Mercosur deal hung in the balance.

The Sligo IFA Chairman says it's understating that no farmers were involved in the more sinister end of the demonstrations.

Sligo Councillor calls for a more proactive approach from road chiefs to address rising road fatalities

A number of elderly people in Enniscrone are facing eviction.

Six households are being told they must move out by June 5th.

The residents, some of who are in their 80s and with major health issues, are living in a wider estate for independent living with a nursing home located in the centre of it.

The homes – part of an estate named Sonas Retirement Village – were previously owned by Sonas, the former owners of the nursing home, but rented out privately.

However earlier this year, there were changes to the ownership of both the nursing home and the surrounding houses.

Local Cllr Joe Queenan says these people have nowhere to go and this cannot be allowed to go ahead:

Everyone in the Twin Towns are said to be heartbroken after a teenage boy died in a drowning tragedy in Stranorlar.

Gardaí along with the emergency services responded after receiving reports of a person entering the River Finn at Drumboe Woods, shortly before 5:40pm yesterday evening.

The boy was brought from the water and transferred by ambulance to Letterkenny University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Cathaoirleach of the Lifford - Stranorlar MD and local Fine Gael Cllr Martin Harley says there are no words for what has happened:

A Midlands/North-West MEP believes that the EU's latest housing plan doesn't do enough to help combat the housing crisis in the North West.

The plan, which is 20 pages long, was released by the EU Housing Commission earlier this week.

MEP Ciaran Mullooly said that the plan have some positive aspects but is not enough on its own.

The Independent Ireland MEP raised the challenge faced by the Atlantic Technological University in Brussels.

He said if ATU were let build its own accommodation it could help ease the pressure locally:

A significant Christmas decoration has been allegedly stolen from a roundabout in Ballyshannon.

It's believed that the large decorative reindeer was taken at some stage last night and the electrical connection was also damaged during the course of the incident.

Taking to social media, Ballyshannon Business Chamber expressed their disappointment, as local volunteers gave a lot of their time installing the Christmas lights.

CCTV footage is being reviewed, and those responsible are being urged to return the reindeer.

Former Fine Gael Cllr and local resident Barry Sweeney appealed to the better nature of those responsible:

A Sligo Councillor has taken issue with the Tánaiste’s evaluation of NAMA.

It emerged this week that the body made a final transfer of a 450 million surplus euro to the exchequer.

It brings to five point six billion euro the total amount of money transferred to the state in its lifetime.

Tánaiste Simon Harris thanked staff as it winds down its operations at the end of the year adding that NAMA's contribution to the social and economic development of the State, has been enabled by its expertise.

Sligo People Before Councillor, Gino O Boyle says NAMA's legacy has to be called into question