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GOOD EVENING
The 5 at 5
John Gormley says he will keep Enda’s seat warm; a consumers’ watchdog considers taking a prosecution against the Irish Mail on Sunday; and 6,000 people are evacuated in Paris following the discovery of an unexploded WW2 bomb.
Every afternoon, TheJournal.ie brings you five things you really need to know at 5 o’clock.
1. #GE11: John Gormley has offered to take Enda Kenny’s place in tomorrow’s televised leaders’ debate on TV3.
In a statement, Gormley said that he would be willing to take part in the debate in “an effort to be helpful”, following Kenny’s bowing out.
Kenny has offered a list of reasons for why he will not be taking part, including a personal grievance towards host Vincent Browne, a schedule clash… and the argument that his chair should remain empty during the debate as a symbol of all those who had emigrated from Ireland.
2. #PARKING: Waterford Regional Hospital has received €1.4 million in parking fees charged to visitors and patients over the last year – bringing the total received in parking charges by the hospital over the last two years to €2.8m.
Management at the hospital said that the money was part of its “annual income target” and was used to pay for services. It added that the parking fees were waived for anyone visiting a terminally ill patient.
3. #CONSUMERS: The National Consumer Agency has said it is considering taking a prosecution against the Irish Mail on Sunday over a marketing stunt by the newspaper yesterday, in which it produced a wraparound cover on its edition that resembled the style and masthead of the Sunday Tribune.
4. #WW2 BOMB: Around 6,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Paris on Sunday morning after an unexploded bomb dropped by the RAF during World War II was found.
The bomb was dropped in March 1942 during an operation aimed at destroying a Renault factory that was being used to manufacture trucks for the occupying Nazi forces.
5. #RIP: Irish guitar legend Gary Moore has passed away while on holiday in Spain at the age of 58.
A prolific solo-artist in his own right, Belfast-born Moore was a former member of bands such as Thin Lizzy and Skid Row – and had also played with George Harrison, Bod Dylan, BB King and many others. Tributes have poured out today, with Bob Geldof remembering Moore as “without question, one of the great Irish bluesmen”.
