Every evening at 6 O Clock WLR brings you the 6 biggest stories of the day
1. No Covid cases at UHW as online test bookings open in Waterford
University Hospital Waterford is one of 8 hospitals with no confirmed Covid patients. In total, 60 patients are in hospital – a fall of 10 over the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, from today, people living in the vicinity of Covid test centres, including Waterford's Kilcohan, can book their coronavirus test online up to 24 hours in advance.
2. Council working on finding new developer for North Quays
Waterford Council says it is working to put the North Quays project back on the market. Plans for the multimillion euro regeneration collapsed last month after the local authority cancelled the contract with the developer. However any new developer for the North Quays will have to pick up the tab on an extra 5.6 million euro. That’s the amount that has been spent on site works by Waterford Council so far.
3. Farmers take to Dungarvan as part of nationwide protest
A large number of farmers turned out in Dungarvan today to demonstrate their opposition to changes to the Common Agricultural Policy. The proposals at EU level would see all farmers getting the same payment per hectare, which the chair of Waterford IFA says would result in about 8 million euro per annum being lost locally.
4. Summer pedestrianisation of Waterford City’s O’Connell Street begins this evening
Waterford’s O’Connell Street is set to be pedestrianised at weekends for the rest of the summer. It’s part of the ‘Let’s meet at O’Connell Street’ initiative, devised by businesses in the area and supported by Waterford Cultural Quarter. The street will be closed to traffic from 5pm each Friday evening – starting this evening – until midnight on Sundays.
5. Blues hoping to start their climb up the table against Dundalk
Waterford FC return to the pitch this evening for their first outing following two weeks off. A 3 nil loss to Boh’s in Dalymount Park will have been fresh in the minds of Marc Bircham and his players while they began their “mini pre-season” as described by the manager. The match will be broadcast LIVE on WLR from 7:30pm with commentary team Ray Scott and Matt Keane, with thanks to McConnells Toyota.
6. Hot weather due to hit The Deise this weekend
Weather forecasters are predicting lots of sunshine this weekend, particularly in the East of the country, with Sunday expected to be the hottest day of the year so far. Gerry Murphy of Met Eireann says the weekend will see a return of very hot weather with temperatures on Sunday “reaching between 20 and 26 degrees – 25 or 26 degrees in parts of the eastern half of the country.”
