A massive row broke out at the December meeting of Waterford City Council about cancer care in Waterford Regional Hospital after a presentation was made at that meeting by the South East Cancer Care Alliance.

The presentation was made by campaigner Jane Bailey in which she was critical of the alleged lack of resources at Waterford Regional Hospital ahead of the implementation of WRH becoming one of the eight cancer care centres in the country.

Ms Bailey also said that resources were being transferred to WRH without the appropriate extra resources needed to deal with future patient numbers.

Jane Bailey also called the lack of Breastcheck facilities 'criminal' and added that Waterford women were going from radiotherapy to chemotherapy without the use of Breastcheck.

However, Cllr Hilary Quinlan (FG) took issue with the criticisms of Waterford Regional Hospital and what he deemed the ...
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Up to three hundred workers at Dawn Meats in Grannagh, Co. Kilkenny have been let go as a result of the pig meat crisis gripping the country. Workers at Dawn Meats have been given no timeframe (as of Tuesday afternoon) for when they will return to work and have been advised to contact their social welfare office.

Ger Malone of the main trade union at Dawn Meats, Siptu, said that they have contacted the social welfare to try and ensure that payments can be made as soon as possible to the workers who have been the latest victims of the pork crisis.

It is also unknown if the workers will be back in employment by Christmas.

When asked if the workers could be facing a redundancy situation, Ger Malone of Siptu said that she didn't see that happening but issues like a European ban and financial aid to producers would need to be addressed.

However, Ger Malone did say also that it is not k...
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On the way back from visiting his good friends, the monks at Mount Melleray, well known local character 'Tawdy' Morrissey, in the company of Fr Eamonn O'Driscoll ofm and charity worker Martin O'Sullivan, called in to view the new Cappoquin Community Centre.

Waterford's most famous son, Brendan Bowyer, was preparing for a performance there that night with his daughter Aisling, and on hearing that life-long "Royal” fan Tawdy was on the premises Brendan took time out from his busy preparations and showed great kindness and courtesy to Tawdy, welcoming him at the front door

Brendan and Tawdy shared some stories talking about old times in Waterford and when the subject of Tony Delicato's famous chip shop in Johnstown arose it turned out Brendan knew Tawd...
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Rigneydolphin, the Waterford-based call centre firm, has announced a new contract with UPC, the parent company of Chorus ntl. The contract is focused on further developing sales of UPC's product range; cable and digital TV, voice and broadband.

Celine Fitzgerald, CEO of Rigneydolphin Group said: "We are excited to be working with global leaders such as UPC. Our recent string of new contract wins has been a direct result of Rigneydolphin's commitment to our clients and the calibre of our people. It also demonstrates the strength of Waterford and the South East's popularity as the preferred location for high-end contact centre services.”

Martin Cullen, TD, Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism said: "This is another success story for Waterford through the creation of jobs in the locality and the commitment by Rigneydolphin and UPC Ireland in establishing this partnership. In a changing society, supporti...
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A spokesperson for the Waterford Council of Trade Unions expressed grave concern in relation to proposals being circulated at budget discussions at Waterford City Council for the full Privatisation of Refuse Collection.

Such proposals if passed are unacceptable to the WCTU. Recognizing the scandalous shortfall in funding from central government and, the efforts of local elected representatives to come up with alternatives, it remains unacceptable to the WCTU that waste collection should pass from the Public Realm to a for Private Profit service.

Essential Public Services such as Waste and refuse should be paid for from central taxation based on income and ability to pay.

Abolition or diminution of the present Waiver scheme is not only regressive, but a tax on that section of the community least able to afford it, affecting almost 5000 people, any temptation to go down this road must be strictly o...
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An appeal has been made by the caretakers of the Bilberry Goats for donations of food and bedding for the ancient herd. The 19 strong Bilberry Goat family is cared for by the Bilberry Goat Trust family on a voluntary basis. They are desperately in need of hay and straw for the animals that live on sparse grounds on the side of the cliff in Gracedieu.

Bilberry Goats Christmas cards and calendars are on sale in various shops and businesses around the Waterford city. Cards are €5 for a pack of 4 and calendars are €7. Anyone who wishes to make a donation or find out more about the goats contact 086 0701147.

Well known Irish Magician and illusionist Keith Barry is back this New Year for a brand new tour fresh from his phenomenally popular run in Las Vegas. His new Irish tour "Keith Barry – Direct from Vegas” hits The Forum Theatre - Jan 23rd & 24th and will feature the best of Keith's magic including material from his time in Las Vegas, plus a compilation of brand new never-been-seen before mind illusions which he is currently developing especially for his home audience Keith has just completed a month long residency as the newest "Las Vegas Strip Headline Act" in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

Keith will be reopening there on March 17th next year for a long-term engagement, which will see him, and his family move to Las Vegas next year. 2008 has definitely been Keith's most exciting year to date and 2009 looks set to be even better.

Humpty's House in Grange Manor, was delighted to again be awarded a Centre of Excellence from Minister Brendan Smith earlier this year.

This award from the National Children's Nurseries Association of Ireland, recognises standards of excellence in nursery care. To receive the award is a real achievement, but to receive it three times is phenomenal. Humpty's House was the only nursery in the South East to receive this award and one of only nineteen nurseries across Ireland to reach this standard.

Receiving Centre of Excellence for third time was a real achievement for Humpty's House and made even more special by the nursery also receiving accreditation for its Montessori programme. The Montessori accreditation is through the Saint Nicolas Montessori Society and recognises quality Montessori programmes. Humtpy's House reached a new high this year in receiving two awards in the same year.

Humpty's ...
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Since 1983 Morris's DIY, Waterford's only locally owned DIY store, has been synonymous with quality, choice and of course Christmas. Based on the Cork Road, Morris's has built up an enviable array of Christmas trees and fairy lights, twinklers and chasers. In fact each year the Christmas forest of trees and accessories seems to get more and more festive!

And this year is no exception as Morris's has teamed up with local radio station WLRfm to find Waterford's Best Dressed Tree! So whether your tree is real or fake, whether you prefer balls or baubles, beads or bells get your tinsel out for a chance to win the coveted title of Waterford's best Dressed Tree.

Seamus Reynolds of Morris's DIY says "We are confident that the search for Waterfo...
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The Department of Applied Arts at Waterford Institute of Technology is launching a new Inter-insitutional Centre for Spirituality and Social Transformation in collaboration with All Hallows College, Dublin this Wednesday 10th December at 4.30 in room TLG21 of the New Tourism and Leisure Building, Cork Road Campus.

Spiritual Capital considers the influence of faith, love, trust and hope in people's lives and communities. Where once organized religion played a central role in shaping peoples moral lives, more recently people are developing individual relationships with a personal god and a multitude of belief system. Spiritual Capital includes issues such as altruism, giving to the poor and needy and how welfare and tax redistribution may be a sign of a caring a considerate society. Spiritual Capital explores how faith and belief influence hope and healing in hospitals as well as how understanding and forgiveness may be ...
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In a township of 35,000 people where half the population is either HIV-positive or has full-blown AIDS and where only 29 per cent have work, the generosity of Waterford's Sacred Heart parishioners has helped transform life for some of the poorest.

Zwelihle is 120 kilometres from Cape Town and 70 per cent of its inhabitants live in one-room corrugated iron shacks with no running water, sanitation or power. Money raised in the Sacred Heart parish has helped children orphaned by AIDS, education initiatives, food-growing and care of the elderly projects.

Of the many needs identified in Zwelihle, the Sacred Heart parishioners believe that providing transport for elderly people presents an opportunity to help the maximum number of people.

According to Fiona Maher who co-ordinates the fund-raising in Waterford and liaises with the South African township, a minibus for use mainly by the Siyazama old folk...
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The Tramore Christmas lights were switched 'on' last Monday evening December 8, by the towns Mayors Cllr Raymond Hayden at Quish's Supervalu entrance on the Main Street to glorious carols by the Tramore Gospel Choir.

Fears were voiced that the town would have no Christmas lights for the festive season however this has been rectified through the Tramore Town Council and local businesses in conjunction with the Tramore Chamber of Commerce.

The switching on the lights was followed by a festive celebratory reception at the 'Courtyard' at the Main Street entrance at Quish's Supervalu, Tramore.

The old Christmas lights, which had been considered unsafe were repaired and will now be used for the last time. Donations for the l...
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Waterford TD Brendan Kenneally has praised the new nursing home legislation, saying it will protect our elderly and ensure they are looked after in their old age. Speaking during a Dáil debate on the Nursing Homes Bill 2008, also expressed his wish that the legislation had come into effect sooner.

During his contribution Deputy Kenneally said, "I welcome the legislation and realise it had been planned and hoped that it would have come into effect from 1st January last, but that was not to be and I can well understand that, because it must be difficult to put together a piece of ground-breaking legislation like this. It is a novel way of doing things because it involves recouping in retrospect, a portion of peoples asset to pay for their nursing home care in retrospect once they have passed on.”

"This is a very reasonable and forward thinking measure, one which should be capable of giving our elderly ...
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A former Enterprise Ireland executive who helped drive the promotion of higher education to overseas students during a 40-year career in the public service has become the 10th honorary fellow at Waterford Institute of Technology in recognition of his effort and achievement.

Frank O'Conor was manager of education services within Enterprise Ireland's international services division and used the role to market Ireland as a learning destination to students from key global markets.

Having worked in trade promotion roles in numerous countries, Mr O'Conor saw the regard in which Ireland is held overseas and identified the tremendous potential for students to be attracted to Ireland as part of their higher education.

The conferring ceremony was attended by members of Mr O'Conor's family as well as the Nigerian ambassador to Ireland and members of the Institute's international community including flag-bea...
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Ciara Haverty, a BA in Legal Studies graduate from Waterford Institute of Technology, has become the latest recipient of the Nolan Farrell & Goff merit prize which is presented annually to a high-achieving student at the Institute.

From Ferrybank, Waterford, Ms Haverty receives the merit prize having excelled in her end-of-year property law exams. She intends to return to the Institute in September to continue her studies with a view to ultimately becoming a solicitor.

Presenting the prize, Donal O'Connell, Partner, Nolan Farrell & Goff said it provided the firm with an opportunity to support and foster future legal professionals.

"We are always delighted to partner with Waterford Institute of Technology to present...
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"There is no doubt but that we are in unprecedented and extreme economic circumstances. There is financial turmoil across the world.

Last month it was confirmed that the US economy shrank at an annual rate of 0.3% in the three months to September as anxious consumers cut their spending at the sharpest rate in almost 30 years. We now have a similar situation developing within the Eurozone economy.

So the reality now is clear that we are battling the most severe global economic and financial conditions for generations.

The decisions we take now will determine whether we throw away the economic progress we have achieved or whether we give ourselves and our children the opportunity to build a prosperous future.

That is how bleak this situation is and that is why we have been taking the difficult decisions that we have.

I completely disagree with those who say we can avoid...
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The most serious injuries at work arise from accidents involving machinery and defective equipment, according to a new analysis of almost 1,000 personal injury awards made in 2007 by InjuriesBoard.ie.  The analysis indicates that men have more workplace accidents involving injuries of greater severity than women.

According to the study released on Tuesday, 2nd December 2008, total compensation of €25 million was awarded for accidents in the workplace in 2007.  Waterford accounted for 3.5% of all compensation awards for workplace accidents with claimants in this county receiving an average award of €24,001).   

In 2007, the average compensation award for a workplace accident was €26,038.  Half of all awards were for less than €20,000 and over 90% were for less than €50,000.  The highest average awards of €31,472 and €31,034 respectively were made for injuries arising from ...
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Dear Editor,

Re. the impending re-location of Waterford City Market to Blackfriars, we, the traders, would appreciate the opportunity to highlight the unsuitability of this location.

The remnants of Waterford City Market have held out at George's St. through recent years, despite the fact that the City Council imposed a limit of seven stalls due to the size of the area made available. We are now being asked to move to Blackfriars, a location designated by the City Council and reluctantly accepted by the Traders the choice being that, or the return to Jenkins lane a market which had failed due to its inaccessibility- through a busy car park and a dingy alleyway.

Blackfriars Historic site we feel is not suitable as a food market due to-

1. Limited growth potential due to the restricted dimensions of the building - there will only be room for an extra three to four stalls

2. ...
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The Workers' Party have said that the latest Live Register figures released this morning show that we are "back to the bad old days” with the return of unemployment black spots and whole families out of work.

Waterford Workers' Party councillor Davy Walsh said that the government seems to have given up on dealing with the situation and the disease of inaction which has affected the health service for so long has now spread to almost every major government department.

"We now have 277,200 people officially on the Live Register, just 25,000 short of its all time high water mark of the early 1990s when it passed 300,000. This month an extra 17,000 people joined the dole queues and we are beginning to see major clusters of unemployment in cities and towns”, said Councillor Walsh.

"The country is in the grip of an economic depression unprecedented in recent times. The government is so obse...
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Four Waterford students were among the scholarship recipients for 2008 announced by Dr Philip Nolan, Deputy President of University College Dublin.

Entrance scholarships are awarded to the highest point students in each degree programme across the university. The Waterford Entrance Scholars in 2008 are:
. Cliona Ashe, past student of Ard Scoil na nDeise in Dungarvan, who is now studying for a BA/MA in Liberal Arts.
. Megan Cassidy, past student of St Angela's School in Waterford, who is now studying Arts at UCD.

There were also two Waterford students among the 2008 UCD Sports Scholars. Gavin Falconer is a soccer Sports Scholar, and former student of the CBS Secondary School in Tramore. Gavin is now studying Sports Management. Daniel Purcell is a Hurling Sports Scholar and is a former student of De La Salle College Waterford City. Daniel is now studying Science at UCD.

Along with ...
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A record of service to the elderly of Waterford stretching back 108 years, was celebrated at a special Mass in the Holy Ghost Home presided over by the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Most Rev Dr William Lee, where tributes were paid to three St John of God Sisters who will retire at the end of the month.

The Mayor of Waterford, Cllr Jack Walsh, joined with fellow Holy Ghost board members and the Master, Cllr Hilary Quinlan, with Bishop Lee, Dean of Waterford, Rev Trevor Lester, Congregational Leader of the St John of God Order, Sr Brid Ryan and a host of other distinguished guests in a farewell to Sr Mary Byrne; Sr Assumpta Burke and Sr Agnese Delahunty, who are the last members of the St John of God Order to work at the 58-bed Holy Ghost Home.

The Cork Road home is one of Ireland's oldest charitable foundations and was established to care for the elderly of Waterford under a Royal Charter granted by King ...
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Last Thursday, Faithlegg House Hotel and Golf Club was honoured at the Fáilte Ireland Optimus Awards, where they collected the Optimus Mark of Best Practice.

The Faithlegg House Hotel and Golf Club is a four star hotel located on an 18 hole golf course in Faithlegg, Co. Waterford. It incorporates 82 guestrooms, including 42 master rooms, a fitness, health and beauty club featuring a 17m pool and boasts meeting and conferencing facilities.

In all forty six tourism establishments were honoured at the award ceremony held in the Brehon Hotel in Killarney. The Optimus programme, developed by Fáilte Ireland, aims to help tourism establishments – including hotels, visitor services and restaurants - achieve excellence in every a...
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Waterford people have been sharing their 'family moments' in the EBS Family Moments Photography Challenge. Due to the enormous number of entries still being received an extension has been given and the closing date is now 12th December 2008. Those who have yet to enter are reminded to send in their pictures to be in with a chance of winning €20,000.

The EBS Family Moments Photography Challenge is a national competition to find the photograph that best captures family moments, in recognition of the EBS family which has grown, over the past 70 years, to over 440,000 members nationwide. The challenge will attempt to break the Guinness World Record™ for the world's largest photo album. To date over 1,500 photographs have been received. In addition, all entries could feature in a national advertising campaign for EBS; and be in with a chance to win that great prize of €20,000.

EBS Head of Marketin...
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A sub-committee of Waterford's Joint Policing Committee (pictured) has been established to develop a City Safe campaign for the night time economy of Waterford.

The initiative sees Waterford City Council and the city's Gardaí teaming up with residents, night club owners, publicans and the Health Services Executive (HSE) to explore ways of making Waterford a safe and enjoyable location to socialise.

The city-wide Waterford City Safe partnership, which began last weekend, has already seen night club owners pool their efforts and their resources to provide more on-street, high-visibility staff to assist patrons as they make their way home in safety and comfort without upsetting residents in the area.

Club owners and publicans with t...
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Brian O'Shea TD, Labour Party spokesperson on defence and the Irish language, has warned that emergency measures are now needed more urgently than ever following the release today of the latest unemployment figures which show an alarming increase for November in the jobless numbers in the Waterford constituency

Deputy O'Shea last week called for the appointment of a special Director of Employment for Waterford and the southeast region and this is now even more urgent as total unemployment is now at 9,786 compared to a total of 6,324 for November 2007, he said.

"This means that unemployment in Waterford city has now shot up by 54.60 per cent in a year while the increase in Dungarvan is an even more dramatic 55.4 per cent and there is no indication that this sharp downward trend will not continue as the recession deepens.

"We have to do something substantial and we must do it immediately and as a f...
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Hundreds of millions invested in childcare may be wasted if the government continues to ignore the need for supports in the early year's childcare sector.

Parents now paying an average of €174 nationally per child per week and up to €225 per child per week in Dublin.

"Our childcare system demands that most parents pay the entire cost of childcare for their children out of after tax salaries. This is an impossible position as the costs of childcare have and will continue to increase. The survey shows that parents are paying a national average of €174 per child per week in childcare,' said Teresa Heeney, Director of Services of the National Children's Nurseries Association (NCNA), speaking at the launch of The State of The Nation's Childcare, the analysis of the 2008 NCNA Members' Survey on Thursday Dec 4, 2008 at 11.30am in Buswells Hotel. 'Parents are paying anything up to €250 per chil...
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