Newstalk Breakfast

Thousands of visitors are set to descend on Merrion Square from this morning for the return of Taste of Dublin. Among the foods that can be sampled is that of Eva Pau, TV Chef and Managing Director of Asia Market who joined Anton live from the festival to tell us all about it.

Irish children became less accomplished in reading and mathematics after the Covid-19 pandemic, with children from poorer backgrounds falling further behind their better-off peers. That is according to new research from UCD’s Children’s School Lives study. Professor Dympna Devine, Principal Investigator for Children’s Student Lives at UCD and Professor of Education, Society and Critical Childhood...

Following threats from Donald Trump, U.S Central Command says American forces have begun attacking Iran. They called them "self-defence strikes" on multiple targets. Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, joined Anton with the latest.

Following the stabbing of a man in the city on Monday, riots occurred in Belfast on Monday and Tuestday night. Hadi Alodid, a Sudanese national, with an address at Duncairn Avenue in the city, was charged with attempted murder on Wednesday.  There have been calls to examine the open border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with DUP Leader Gavin Robinson going so far as to...

Yesterday the trial of fifty-two-year-old Riad Bouchaker, of no fixed abode, for the attempted murder of three children at Parnell Square East on 23rd November 2023, got underway following jury selection on Monday.   Our reporter Emily Keegan was at the Central Criminal Court and joined Anton to bring us up to date on day one of proceedings

We take a closer look at some of the stories you may have missed in the news this morning. Joining Anton this morning was Former Tánaiste, Currently a Member of G7 Equality Advisory Council and Ambassador for Anti-Trafficking Organisation ‘Ruhama’  

A Sligo representative is calling for targeted tax breaks to help businesses hire students, as young people are struggling to find part time work. She says the proposal is based on a simple principle — support companies that give our young people work opportunities. The calls are being made by Fianna Fáil Sligo County Councillor, Edel McSharry, who joined Anton to explain her proposal.

The Just Transition Commission says Budget 2027 must cut Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels while protecting households facing rising energy and transport costs. The advisory body is calling for investment in retrofitting, renewable energy and public transport to ensure a fair transition to a climate-neutral economy. For more on this, Anton was joined  by Oisin Coghlan of the JTC.

While no major protests developed in Belfast city, police used water cannons on a group of protestors who were throwing bricks just outside the city at a "flash point" on the Antrim Road. Barry Whyte, Chief Newstalk Reporter has been in Belfast since yesterday afternoon and he joined Anton with the latest from the city.

Nasa names the four astronauts who will blast off as part of the Artemis III mission in 2027. This is the next step for humans to return to the Moon.  Speaking to Anton with more on this was Helen Sharman, first British astronaut.

The jury at the trial of Jeffrey Donaldson has heard the final segment of his police interview from March 2024 and four interviews with Eleanor Donaldson.  We get the latest from the trial with Jamie O’Hara who was at Newry Crown Court.

Ireland must shift from monitoring coastal erosion as a physical process to establishing the urgent legal and financial mechanisms required to relocate homes and infrastructure.  That’s according to new research from the University of Galway, authored by Associate Professor Dr Eugene Farrell.

Public spending is growing faster than the sustainable growth rate of the economy, according to the latest assessment by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.   To discuss the assessment findings was Niall Conroy, Senior Economist, IFAC.

Several homes across Belfast have been set on fire and a bus lit ablaze in protests after a man was charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in the north of the city on Monday night.  Speaking to Anton was Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Alex Burghart.

We take a closer look at some of the stories you may have missed in the news this morning. Joining Anton this morning was Jennifer Keane, founder of paygap.ie . 

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food meet today to discuss the impacts of greenways, railways and roadways on agriculture.  The Irish Farmer’s Association has called the compulsory purchase of farmland for the development of this infrastructure as ‘fundamentally inappropriate.’  Anton discusses this further with Paul O’Brien, Chair of the IFA Infrastructure Project...

An Post is bringing back its hugely popular ‘Letter to My Future Self’ campaign after more than 40,000 people took part last year. Head of Marketing Communications at An Post, Richard Miley explains the details about the campaign.

It has been 6 months since Australia introduced its world-first social media ban for under-16s.   Dr Danielle Einstein, Sydney Based Clinical Psychologist, Researcher and Author of the Einstein Report which laid out evidence for the ban joined Anton with an update on the progress it has made. 

The US military has said it has "completed" its retaliatory strikes against Iran over the downing of an attack helicopter. The day’s developments have thrown precarity onto the truce in the Gulf, which was originally announced on the 8th of April.   We get the latest from Borzou Daragahi, Long time Foreign Correspondent and Founder of the Badlands Newsletter.

Several homes across Belfast have been set on fire and a bus lit ablaze in protests after a man was charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in the north of the city on Monday night.  Anton get the latest from James McCarthy, Political Reporter with Belfast Live and the Daily Mirror in Northern Ireland . Also Anton spoke to Deirdre Hargey, Sinn Féin...

A senior figure in the Kinahan organised crime gang has been sentenced to 24 years in prison by the Special Criminal Court. Forty-year-old Sean McGovern pleaded guilty to two counts of directing the activities of a criminal organisation during the Hutch-Kinahan feud, in which he was also shot.  We get reaction from Former Garda Commissioner, Michael O’Sullivan. 

The National Transport Authority has revealed it is spending nearly €20,000 a week on the storage of 98 electric buses that have still not been deployed to the national fleet due to a lack of charging infrastructure in Galway and Dublin depots.  We get the details from Aisling Moloney Political Reporter, Irish Independent .  

14 cardiac surgeries, including two pediatric ones, have been cancelled due to a strike by 25 perfusionists. Fórsa have said this is due to ongoing disputes over pay links between them and medical scientists.  Speaking to Anton was Linda Kelly, Fórsa National Secretary .  

Sinn Féin is introducing a motion today calling on the Government to stop the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League games against Israel scheduled for later this year. To debate this further Anton was joined by Mark Ward, Sinn Fein TD for Dublin Mid-West and Alan Shatter, Former Minister of Justice and board member of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations .  

Anton was joined by Author and Travel Writer, Nicola Brady to talk about her brand-new book ‘Great Irish Road Trips’ and give us some inspiration for our summer travel.