Every evening at 6 O Clock WLR brings you the 6 biggest stories of the day
1. Travel restrictions from UK agreed as Delta variant spreads
Plans to further reopen the country on July 5th will not be affected by the potential spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of Covid-19, the Government expects. Meanwhile There are no current plans to allow a first dose of one Covid-19 vaccine and a second dose of another to be administered, government ministers have confirmed.
2. Mica protesters gather in Dublin calling for 100% redress scheme
Thousands of people gathered in Dublin today for a protest demanding a 100 per cent redress scheme for housing defects caused by the mineral mica. Families living in crumbling homes were joined by supporters as they travelled from counties, including Donegal, Mayo, Sligo and Clare to take part in the major protest.
3. Waterford Council rules out lifeguards for Bonmahon Beach until end of June
The council says there is a lack of sufficiently trained and qualified lifeguards with many not able to take up their roles as they’re currently sitting the Leaving Cert. The news comes following Sunday’s scenes where two children were rescued by an onlooker after they were caught by a rip tide and dragged out. One of the children's mother Elaine told Damien Tiernan it all happened so quickly
4. Waterford ‘Guardian’ project could be Ireland’s own ‘Statue of Liberty’
The Waterford sculptor behind the proposal for a 82-metre high ‘Guardian of the Deise’ monument overlooking Waterford city says he is hopeful an investor can be found and the council gets behind the plan to make it happen. The visitor attraction – which would cost about 18m to erect – would be the tallest statue in Europe and the equivalent of ‘Ireland’s Statue of Liberty’, according to sculptor John Hayes.
5. Spraoi to bring month long street art to Waterford city and county this summer
Spraoi International Street Arts Festival is set to return to Waterford this summer. The much-loved festival is being transformed from a three-day festival into a Spraoi Season of events to be presented at multiple Waterford city and county sites during the month of August.
6. Dungarvan actor Moe Dunford nominated for Best Lead Actor IFTA
The 2021 Irish Film & Television Academy Awards nominations have been released, across 25 categories in Film and Drama. Waterford actor Moe Dunford has been nominated in the Best Lead Actor in a film category for his role in Knuckledust. The Dungarvan native is up against Ciarán Hinds, Fionn O’Shea, Gabriel Byrne and Tristan Heanue. Watch the trailer below:
