The Hard Shoulder

Andy Burnham’s first two weeks as Prime Minister have been marked by a flurry of policy announcements, as the former Mayor has looked to mark a clear departure from his predecessor. Joining Shane to discuss this and the upcoming Clacton By-Election is Iain Dale, LBC News & Radio Presenter, Royal Commentator and author.

The age-old question dividing households and causing domestic arguments: what should be stored in the fridge vs the cupboard? Some of the most common food items causing division of opinion ranked by a recent survey were bananas, honey, butter, and jam. Joining Shane to discuss this and give some expert advice is Darina Allen, Chef, author and Founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Shane to discuss the cost of technology facing parents around back to school time.

Gianni Infantino has called an emergency meeting of FIFA staff in Rabat, Morocco today as pressure on the president continues to ramp up. Joining Shane to discuss this is Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer at the UK Independent.

Eirebus, a coach operator of the Swords Express in Dublin, has applied to Fingal County Council seeking to temporarily retain 19 modular accommodation units and six mobile home units at its depot in Dublin 15 for three years. It comes after new regulations surrounding modular homes and planning come into effect across the country. Joining Shane to discuss this is Brendan O’Sullivan, Head of Univer...

Do you pay your kids to do household chores, or are you of the opinion that if you live under my roof you live by my rules? An idea that you then find yourself throwing out the window as you bribe your child with a fiver in exchange for picking up the hoover... Joining Shane to discuss this is Jen Hogan, Journalist with the Irish times and host of the 'Conversations with Parents' podcast and Aidee...

A Wexford GAA club and the wider community have been left devastated after a talented 16-year-old athlete died after collapsing on the pitch during a football shield final on Tuesday evening in Wexford… Joining Shane with more on this is Pádraig Byrne, Wexford People and Independent.ie Reporter and Robert McGuire, Parish Priest for Caroreigh in Wexford.

For the first time, Ireland has become an ‘EV-first’ market, with drivers choosing EVs over hybrid or fuel engines. So, if you are in the market for a new EV, what should you be  asking the dealer and looking out for? Shane O'Donoghue, Editor of CompleteCar.ie has all the answers, and joins Shane to discuss.

Met Éireann has said that July was among “hottest, driest and sunniest months on record”. In its Climate Statement for last month, the forecaster said it was the second-hottest July since 1900 and the driest on record, with many stations seeing records broken. For more on this, Shane is joined by Climatologist and Professor Emeritus at Maynooth University, John Sweeney…

Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world. This week, Fionn joined Seán Defoe to give his ultimate guide to the city of Naples in Italy!

With All Together Now behind us and Electric Picnic only a few weeks away, one topic always springs up around these festivals: litter. Whether it be abandoned tents or just rubbish, the aftermath of a festival is usually never pretty... So, what steps should be taken to avoid the littering problem around these events? Joining Seán Defoe to discuss is Tad Kirakowski, Chief Executive of Voice Irelan...

Ireland's beef trade could be at risk as the EU is set to remove Brazil from the list of approved exporters for products including beef and poultry, effective from September 3, less than five weeks away. Joining Seán Defoe for more on this is the Irish Farmers Journal Editor, Adam Woods…

On Friday, The Association of Secondary School Teachers Ireland said that the Government must tackle teacher shortages and make teaching a sustainable career for young people. It comes after 77% of school leaders said they had experienced no teacher applying for at least one position in their school in 2025. Joining Seán for more on this is the new ASTI President, Richie Bell…

Jamie Oliver has called for a ban on chewing gum on British streets. The celebrity chef was speaking at an event in London when he said streets have been “ruined by a patchwork quilt of chewing gum”. It got us thinking: why stop at chewing gum? If we could ban more moderately inconvenient things in our lives, what would we choose and why? Joining Seán Defoe to discuss is Comedian Steve Cummins.

When you walk into a shop looking for toothpaste, you are met with a shelf full of options, but what are the differences? Are the more expensive ones actually better or is the one on offer any good? To answer all of these questions, Seán Defoe joined now by the owner of Kiwi Dental, Dr. Caroline Robbins...

The Football Association of Ireland remains silent on whether they support the re-election of Gianni Infantino as FIFA President. As it stands, Infantino is set to stand unopposed for a fourth term as the head of world football’s governing body at an election in Rabat next March, but many sporting organisations are asking for his resignation… Off the Ball’s Football Correspondent Ben Symes joins S...

Last week, 60,000 people crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The majority of these migrants have since returned to Morocco, but this morning, 27 EU Home Affairs Ministers, including Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan, met to address Europe’s response to the crisis. Joining Seán Defoe for more on this is Europe Correspondent for Euronews, Shona Murray...

Plans to build the State’s largest town of 18,500 homes at Dunsink in north Dublin, near what was once the capital’s main landfill, are being opposed, with almost 400 objections submitted to Fingal County Council. Joining guest host Seán Defoe to discuss this is Orla Hegarty, Architect & Assistant Professor at the UCD School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy.

U.S. President Donald Trump has planned a visit to Ireland in September which will likely include engagements in Dublin, as well as attending the Irish Open golf tournament at his resort in Doonbeg, Clare. While The Government has been making preparations for the visit, not everyone is as welcoming. Aodhán Ó Ríordáin is Labour MEP for Dublin and says President Trump "..is not welcome in Dublin bot...

This week, Ciara and Shane were joined by Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill and Freelance Journalist Niamh O'Reilly to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists...

Microsoft paid more tax in Ireland than the US Federal Government in the past financial year, netting the Irish government $6.5 billion. Joining Shane to discuss this is Barra Roantree, Director of the Masters in Economic Policy at Trinity college Dublin.

A US study has found a 70% drop in hospital admissions and days off from work or school when people with poorly controlled asthma had their gas stove and hob replaced with electricity. So, should you ditch gas for cooking if you have asthma? Joining Ciara to discuss this is Dr Sandra Green, Respiratory Registrar in Beaumont Hospital.

The Law Society of Ireland held a national criminal defence solicitors meeting today after a long running dispute over the legal aid flat rate fee. Yesterday, criminal defence solicitors in Dublin overwhelmingly agreed to continue into next month with their withdrawal of services over opposition to the payment model. Meanwhile, Tipperary is just down to one solicitor to take on free legal aid case...

The mood in Kerry may be sombre, but it’s onto the next All-Ireland final after Sunday’s shock defeat to Mayo. The county’s ladies football team are in their fourth decider in five years, looking to regain the Brendan Martin Cup as they face Galway in Croke Park on Sunday. Joining Ciara to look ahead to Sunday is Kathleen Curran, 7 time all Ireland winner and winning captain of Kerry in 1989.

Around 60,000 migrants have crossed into Spain’s ‘Ceuta’, which is Spain’s North African territory, in the last 24 hours. This comes after Spain’s supreme court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco. Simon Hunter, a Journalist based in Spain joins Ciara to discuss.