A member of the Regional Health Forum West has urged people to go to hospital if they are extremely unwell despite the overcrowding in North West hospitals.

Today's figures have confirmed that there are 57 people waiting on a bed in Letterkenny and 55 in Sligo.

The numbers in the local emergency departments are 16 in Letterkenny and 33 in Sligo.

The local figures account for over 16% of Wednesday's national figure of 695.

Another Hospital in the Saolta Hospital Group, Galway University is the second most overcrowded facility in the Country behind Limerick University Hospital.

Their figures stand at 73 in Galway and 119 in Limerick.

Roscommon Councillor Sean Moynan says to not be frightened of the high figures if you are sick:

A Sligo/Leitrim Junior Minister has labelled the latest SEAI Grants as a positive step to tackle rising costs.

The move was announced yesterday evening with a total package of just under 560 million euro.

The grants will allow for people to retrofit their homes to make them more energy efficient and in turn more sustainable.

Speaking to Ocean FM News, Minister Marian Harkin says it's now possible to undertake retrofitting works one by one under the grant:

The Local Authority in Sligo has recently commenced an Active Travel Scheme within the speed limits of Grange Village along the N15.

This project is currently in the early stages of development and is intended to identify locations where existing walking and cycling facilities need to be improved.

Feedback received during the consultation will be used to identify key constraints and opportunities and help shape the developing design.

Public Consultation will take place from early February right up to the beginning of March.

Sligo Independent Councillor Marie Casserly is urging as many people as people as possible to submit their views during the consultation phase.

A public consultation is due to get underway this evening around the future layout of Ballyshannon.

The consultation is scheduled to run from 4pm until 8pm in the library in the town.

It's set to discuss key problems like housing, road layouts and utility needs.

Local Councillor Michael McMahon says it's imperative that people have their say:

Housing adaptation grants remain an issue in the North West despite funding being allocation towards the scheme.

That's according to Ballymote/Tubbercurry Councillor Liam Brennan, who put forward a motion on the topic in the January meeting of Sligo County Council.

His Fianna Fail colleague Eamon Scanlon raised the issue in the Dail last week with the Deputy describing the situation as critical.

Speaking to Ocean FM News Brennan said that the funding in place for the scheme isn't enough:

A Sligo Councillor has called on the government to implement the promised changes to the Criminal Law and Civil Law Bill as soon as possible.

These changes will see homosexuality convictions handed out before 1993 abolished.

Last week Justice Minister said he will amend legislation.

The Labour Party have been to the fore in calling for these changes, Sligo based Councillor Ann Higgins says the historical laws around same sex relationships destroyed many lives.

A Donegal TD has accused the Government of cooking the books when it comes to hospital waiting times.

It comes as the Health Minister will bring a new action plan to Cabinet aimed at reducing waiting times.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will set out 36 actions to reduce the amount of time patients are spending on waiting lists.

Her Department says weighted average wait time for patients almost halved in the year to the end of December.

But Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn believes that isn't the true picture:

Uncertainty remains for a number of elderly Enniscrone residents who 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 but there were changes to the ownership of both the nursing home and the surrounding houses last year.

Local Cllr Joe Queenan says efforts are ongoing by Sligo County Council to find those affected alternative accommodation and is hopeful that common sense will prevail in the interim:

A former North West local election candidate says the incident over the weekend in where a female Councillor in Meath was allegedly spat at a and racially abused will discourage women and those who have moved here from entering politics

Gardai were notified after an elected councillor reported she was spat at and racially abused in Co Meath last Friday.

Caitriona Bergin contested the last local elections in the Manorhamilton MD for Fine Gael

She says the incident involving, Yemi Adenuga (Pronounced Yem-E A Gue-na) which took place in Navan on Friday last is a terrible reflection on society.

A Sligo Leitrim TD has urged all farmers to double their efforts when it comes to preventing the spread of Bluetongue,

Officials from the Department of Agriculture are meeting today to discuss the first outbreak of bluetongue in the Republic of Ireland.

The virus was confirmed in a cattle herd in Co Wexford at the weekend.

The Department of Agriculture says it increased its testing and surveillance for Bluetongue since the virus was detected in Northern Ireland last month.

The Sinn Fein spokesperson on Agriculture is Deputy Martin Kenny he says that although the virus doesn't pose any threat to food safety or human health it has the potential do doe serious harm on farms.