The Hard Shoulder

The average wait time for a children’s outpatient spinal appointment has decreased to 4 months since this time last year and the number of spinal surgeries carried out between January and July surpassed the number added to the wait list in the same timeframe. In a statement, CHI said it will "continue to make every effort to achieve the target of 540 procedures by the end of 2026" adding that its...

A piece today in the Irish Times by Killian Woods on Dublin's empty office spaces pointed to multinationals subletting vast amounts of unwanted space, while property firms forecast a shortage going forward, but why is this? Joining Shane to discuss is Killian Woods, Business Correspondent in the Irish Times and Robin Mandal, Architect, former President of the Royal Institute of Ireland and Chair o...

We have reached that point in the summer holidays where you may be left scrambling for a bit of inspiration on how to entertain the kids or even ways for you to spend the coming weekends… Well, on The Hard Shoulder in the coming weeks, Newstalk’s own Meghan O’Halloran will talk us through some of the best activities that you can do with the family, friends or even for a solo day out across the cou...

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign will organise a protest at the World Ultimate Club Championships for Frisbee in Limerick this Sunday, August 16, and some of the participating teams have decided to boycott due to an Israeli team's involvement. Joining Shane to discuss is Rebecca O’Keeffe, Chairperson of Irish Sport for Palestine and Stephen Jones, a frisbee player for the Ranelagh team, w...

Have you ever wondered where the best area is in your garden to plant those beautifully smelling flowers you have? Although a flower's colour, height, flowering time, and pollinator-friendliness are important, their fragrance changes the way a garden feels. Those are the words of garden designer Peter Dowdall, or you might know him as ‘the Irish garden designer’, and he joins Shane to discuss more...

The National Strategy for Women and Girls was announced by Minister for Children, Norma Foley, and aims to "level the playing field for women and girls of all ages to eliminate all forms of discrimination against them". Since its launch, it has faced much criticism for being more about warning against the tradwife movement, with some women feeling criticised for choosing to stay at home with the k...

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and Dee Reddy, podcaster and Cultural Commentator joined Ciara on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

A street in Limerick has had a major bird poo problem in the city. So much so it has become a major tourist spot thanks to the writer, podcaster and documentary maker ‘Blindboy’ after he spoke about it in one of his podcasts last year. People from all over the world have travelled to Limericks Bedford Row since to take pictures of this street after he nicknamed the area the ‘Birdshit District’. Lo...

Voting is under way over in the UK for the Clacton by-election as a record number of 34 candidates vie to become its next MP. Joining Ciara to discuss is Political Commentator and former Sky News Political Editor, Adam Boulton.

Why do we have irrational fears? How do they develop, especially when the subject is not considered to normally be worthy of fear? Joining Ciara to discuss is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, Brendan Kelly.

Off The Ball’s John Duggan joined Ciara on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the week’s action…

“Is there a solution to NIMBYism? Yes, and it’s fairly simple, argues Progress Ireland think tank, and the government has two out of three parts of it in train. First is to convince people that new development is good. Second is to remove people’s ability to object. And the third option is to ensure that new development benefits local people so that they have selfish reasons to support new develop...

NATO's top military commander, General Alexus Grynkewich, has said that if the US military was prevented from using Shannon Airport, it "probably would" damage the relationship between the United States and Ireland. Joining Ciara to discuss is Mark Price, Co-Chair of the Irish Anti War Movement and founding member of the Irish Neutrality League.

What has ever happened to having a kids birthday party at home? Soft play or places that have ball bits have become the default destination for kids these days when it comes to deciding on what to do for their birthdays, but why is this, and what is wrong with having a few friends over at the house with a cake and a few games? Newstalk’s very own Simon Tierney joins Ciara to discuss!

The Clacton-on-Sea by-election is taking place today after being triggered by Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage’s resignation and subsequent running. With his biggest competition being Count Binface, an alien from the planet Sigma IX, how are locals feeling about the election and the media surrounding it? Sarah Madden is there, and joins Ciara to discuss.

With festival season in full flow, and Electric Picnic just around the corner: just how much of a concern should hygiene be at these festivals? Such large crowds gathering in temporary venues can create hygiene challenges if the right precautions are not taken, but what exactly are these precautions? Joining Ciara to discuss is Anna Burns, Microbiologist and Food Scientist.

The RSA have made a decision to temporarily close North Dublin's Raheny driving test centre due to construction works near the building, which is causing disruption. This is despite the 29 week wait times for driving tests in that area. Driving test wait times is an issue across the country and applicants are starting to turn to third-party apps in the hope to secure an earlier test time. David Ma...

If you grind your teeth when you sleep or clench your jaw when you are stressed, you may be causing damage over time to your teeth. How can we prevent this? Joining Ciara with advice is Dentist Dr Bronagh Keane AKA Ireland's Tooth Fairy.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez have tied the knot in a private ceremony in Portugal about a year after Rodríguez revealed an engagement ring reportedly worth $3 million to $5 million… Joining Ciara to discuss engagement ring trends is Chupi Sweetman, Founder of Chupi’s Jewellers in Dublin.

Data centres should be taxed to pay for improvements to the national grid, so say the Green Party. Joining Ciara to discuss this is Cllr Hazel Chu, Green Party Deputy Leader and party Spokesperson on Infrastructure and Public Expenditure.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, joins Ciara to discuss what you should do if you ever find yourself losing your phone…

Off The Ball’s John Duggan joined Ciara on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the week’s action…

Revenue generated by parking fees at public hospitals has more than doubled over a four-year period. A breakdown provided by the HSE shows that Irish people spent a record €17.76m on car park charges at public and voluntary hospitals in 2025 compared to €7.39m in 2021, representing a 140% increase over a four-year period. Joining Ciara to discuss this further is Aidan Farrelly, Social Democrats TD...

Waiting lists for special educational places are growing, but the Department of Education has yet to share the latest figures for children left without a place for the new school year starting in around 2 weeks' time. Darren O’Rourke, Sinn Féin TD and the party’s Spokesperson on Education and Youth, joins Ciara to discuss.

From the second you open your eyes, your morning habits may be affecting the trajectory of your entire day. Whether it's waking up with a to-do list on your mind or giving yourself minimal time to get out the door, the habits we start the day with not only alter our mood but our brain's functionality. But, what are the realistic things we can do to improve your day? Joining Ciara to discuss this i...