A journalist who claimed he was made redundant from a local radio station because of his coverage of the Corrib gas controversy in north Mayo has been awarded €47,000 compensation by the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

Sales of high-powered aerials have soared in Sligo and Donegal following the shut down of North West Radio, it emerged today.

North West Radio has announced it is not proceeding with its Supreme Court appeal to the withdrawal of its broadcasting licence by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and it will cease broadcasting on October 1.

North West Radio, which is the licensed local broadcaster in the Sligo/South Donegal/North Leitrim region, has described today’s High Court decision not the reverse the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland’s decision to withdraw its broadcasting licence as "devastating".

Chief executive of North West Radio, Paul Claffey, has said that Minister for Communications Dermot Ahern's expressed concern about the "transparency" and "fairness" of the current local radio licensing system, as operated by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, is welcome but does not go far enough.