The Big 6 - Thursday 17th December

Every evening at 6 O Clock WLR brings you the 6 biggest stories of the day

NPHET met today to discuss the "troubling" rise in Covid numbers across the country. It comes after 431 new cases were confirmed last night, as well as six more deaths. Meanwhile Taoiseach Michael Martin has tested negative for the virus after coming into contact with French President Emmanuel Macron who tested positive.

Direct evidence to support the use of face masks in the community is “very limited” but an increasing amount of indirect evidence suggests they may be beneficial, according to the State’s health watchdog.

Staff at two Waterford branches of Homesavers have expressed their shock and upset at the enforced closure of both premises as of midnight last night. On this morning’s Deise Today, Dungarvan store manager Saoirse Ronayne and Homesaves Area Manager Nicky Ralph spoke to Damien Tiernan. Listen back here.

Retired England and Wales rugby union internationals are among six former players suffering from concussion-related health problems to have joined a lawsuit against the game.

RTÉ has announced that singer Lesley Roy, who saw her Eurovision dream dashed earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will return to represent Ireland in the song contest in Rotterdam next May with a brand-new song. The singer herself took to Twitter this afternoon to give her reaction.

On his weekly slot on The Big Breakfast Blaa this morning, our political correspondent Sean Defoe took a light-hearted look back at the year that was 2020, chatting about Connell's Chain, Tiger King, Banana Bread, Wild Mountain Thyme and Zoom quizzes!! Listen back here.