Ireland's newest radio station, Ocean FM, is broadcasting without planning permission for its new studios in the business park in Colooney, Co Sligo.
Ocean FM made its debut on air on October 2nd with a licence to serve a population across Sligo, south Donegal and north Leitrim.
The new station took over the franchise held by North West Radio, whose licence was withdrawn on October 1st after serving the region for 14 years.
Ocean FM's chief executive, Mr Tim Collins, said yesterday the company was preparing a planning application which would be submitted to Sligo County Council within 10 days.
"We received legal advice some months ago informing us that the use of the Colooney premises as a radio station was consistent with the planning laws," Mr Collins said.
"We were working against a tight deadline to get on air on October 2nd and we have made some alterations to the building to make it suitable for a radio station.
"We have signalled to the local authority that we are working on a planning application for the use of the premises for this purpose."
Mr Collins said he was confident the problem could be resolved and that the station was working with the county council to rectify the situation.
"It was never our intention to disregard the planning laws."
A spokesman for Sligo County Council confirmed that the authority had not issued planning permission for the Ocean FM Colooney development.
"No application was made by the company for a change of use of the business park premises for a radio station," the spokesman said.
"The status of the premises being used by Ocean FM is at present being investigated by this council and a decision will be made in the next 24 hours regarding the legality of its use as a radio station and also regarding any action that may be necessary for us to take," the spokesman concluded.