The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)

Niall talks to business owner and podcaster Paul Treyvaud about the Government’s expected decision to increase the minimum wage by 79 cent to €14.94 an hour from January, and the continuing debate over plans for a €16 living wage. For workers struggling with rent, food, energy and other everyday costs, higher wages may seem essential just to keep up. Supporters of a living wage argue that anyone w...

Niall talks to journalist Laura Perrins about Budget 2027 and asks whether it will actually make any meaningful difference to households struggling with the relentless rise in the cost of living. Every year we hear about tax cuts, credits, welfare increases and new Government supports, yet for many people the bills keep rising faster than the help arriving. Electricity, heating, groceries, rent, m...

Niall talks to Cormac Lucey, economics commentator with The Sunday Times Ireland, about growing concern that Ireland is becoming increasingly unaffordable for its own young people. New figures from the National Youth Council make for stark reading. Some 68% of young adults say they are considering leaving Ireland in search of a better quality of life, while 90% believe secure, well-paid work is be...

Niall talks to callers about the death penalty following the disturbing case of Christa Pike, who is reportedly critically ill in hospital after an attempt by the state of Tennessee to execute her went badly wrong. Pike was just 18 when she brutally tortured and murdered 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995. She was sentenced to death and has spent almost three decades awaiting execution. Last week...

#895 Artificial Intelligence: Our Greatest Invention or Biggest Mistake? Niall talks to Podcaster Nick Delahanty about the growing debate surrounding artificial intelligence and whether the technology is advancing faster than society can safely handle. AI promises enormous benefits, from breakthroughs in medicine and education to major changes in business, productivity and everyday life. But with...

Niall talks to housing campaigner Peter Dooley about a proposal from Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne to put a constitutional right to housing before the Irish people. Hearne is bringing forward a Bill using wording proposed by the Housing Commission, arguing that putting a right to housing into the Constitution would place a legal responsibility on the State to ensure people have access to adequat...

The Government is delivering 2.2 million copies of its new “Be Emergency Ready” booklet to households across Ireland, but is it sensible preparation for an uncertain world, or is it unnecessarily frightening the public? Niall Boylan is joined by journalist John McGuirk to discuss the Government's so-called doomsday handbook, which advises households on how to prepare for emergencies, major disrupt...

Just when you thought there was nothing left to tax, along comes another charge on your online shopping! Niall Boylan is joined by podcaster and restaurateur Paul Treyvaud to discuss new EU charges on goods ordered from outside the European Union, including popular websites such as Temu and Shein. With a new €2 handling fee being added to existing customs charges, could cheap online bargains soon...

A listener has contacted the show with an admission most parents would probably be afraid to say out loud. She says she despises her own 14 year old daughter. She describes a home filled with constant rows, disrespect and resentment. She says she has tried grounding her daughter, taking away her phone and laying down rules, but every time she attempts to discipline her, her husband steps in. He be...

Fuel prices are soaring again, with diesel reaching around €2.20 a litre in some areas and petrol close to €2, adding even more pressure to households, motorists, farmers and businesses already struggling with the cost of living. In this episode, Niall speaks to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín and John Dallon, one of the organisers and speakers behind the fuel price campaign, following a packed public...

A playground in Darndale Park in north Dublin has been destroyed by fire, sparking anger over yet another attack on a community facility. Local TD Barry Heneghan described it as more than an attack on a playground, saying it was an attack on the entire community. And this is far from an isolated incident. Crumlin GAA grounds were targeted twice in two days in July. A children’s park in Artane was...

Ireland defeated Israel 3–0 at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary, but the result on the pitch has done little to end the controversy surrounding the fixture. In this episode, Niall is joined by journalist Brenda Power, social commentator Karl Deeter and callers from across the country to debate whether Ireland should play Israel in the return game next Sunday, October 4th, at the TSC Aren...

Would A United Ireland Referendum Create More Problems Than It Solves? Niall talks to election candidate Eddie Punch about the growing debate over whether the time has come for a referendum on a united Ireland. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has insisted he is “very aware of every word in the Good Friday Agreement” and says he will abide by it “100%”. His comments follow criticism over remarks mad...

Would You Let Your Seven Year Old Daughter Take Up Boxing? Niall talks to Karl Deeter about a family disagreement sparked by the influence of Katie Taylor. Around 80,000 fans are expected at Croke Park this Saturday night to watch Taylor take on undefeated French fighter Flora Pili, but one listener says Katie’s success has caused a row at home. His seven year old daughter is a huge Katie Taylor f...

Should Drivers Be Forced Off the Road at 80? Niall talks to podcaster and restaurateur Paul Treyvaud about a listener’s difficult dilemma involving his 85 year old father, who still insists on driving despite growing concerns about whether he is mentally sharp enough to be safe behind the wheel. The listener says he has repeatedly tried to persuade his father to give up driving, but he refuses to...

Niall talks to Cork Councillor Albert Deasy about Ireland’s new Health Referral Scheme , which came into effect on 1 September. Under the new system, Gardaí can refer eligible adults caught for a first drug possession offence to the HSE instead of prosecuting them or issuing an adult caution. Supporters say it could prevent people from being dragged into the criminal justice system over personal d...

Should Overtime Be Tax Free? Niall talks to Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins about whether workers should be allowed to keep more of the money they earn from putting in extra hours. Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae has proposed taxing qualifying overtime earnings at a flat rate of 20% as part of Budget 2027, arguing that people who work longer hours should not see so much of the additi...

Should Parents Feel Guilty About Going On Holiday Without The Kids? Niall talks to journalist Laura Perrins about a listener’s holiday dilemma that has caused quite a row at home. The listener says she was furious when her husband suggested they escape together on a surprise two week holiday to the Maldives, leaving their three young children at home. He thought he was planning the ultimate romant...

Public sector workers are warning that patience is running out over pay, and the threat of industrial action is becoming increasingly serious. Niall Boylan talks to callers about whether Ireland could be heading towards a major wave of strikes across essential public services, and whether workers in areas such as healthcare, education, public transport and social protection should have the same ri...

The Lindsay Clancy murder trial has gripped millions around the world, and the case is now in the hands of a Massachusetts jury. Niall Boylan is joined by journalist and commentator Laura Perrins to discuss the latest developments in the extraordinary case involving Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother who killed her three young children, Cora, Dawson and Callan, at their family home in Januar...

In this episode, Niall Boylan speaks to Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn about Ireland’s continuing financial and political support for Ukraine. O’Flynn has criticised Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s participation in the Coalition of the Willing, warning that “standing with Ukraine cannot mean a blank cheque with no questions asked.” With the EU proposing a new €90 billion loan for Ukraine, questions...

In this episode, Niall Boylan speaks to economic journalist with The Sunday Times Ireland, Cormac Lucey, about Ireland’s continuing cost of living crisis and whether Government policy is actually making inflation worse. Prices rose by 3.4% in the year to July, with some household costs increasing far more sharply. Education costs were up 8.9%, clothing and footwear increased by 8.5%, while housing...

Why are men’s mental health struggles so often dismissed until they reach crisis point? In this episode, Niall Boylan talks to callers about a difficult listener dilemma involving marriage, depression, money and the limits of emotional responsibility. A woman has written to the show about her husband, who is in his 40s and says he is depressed. He is self employed, but has stopped looking for work...

Should Ireland follow Portugal and ban full face coverings in public? Niall Boylan is joined by journalist John McGuirk to debate whether Ireland should introduce a nationwide ban on clothing that conceals a person’s face in public, including the burqa and niqab. Portugal has now introduced one of Europe’s newest face covering laws. Under Law No. 58/2026, published on 24 August, clothing designed...

In this episode of The Niall Boylan Show, Niall opens the phone lines to listeners to debate a controversial question: should married couples with children receive greater priority for social housing in Ireland? The debate follows comments from Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice, who has argued that marriage provides children with greater stability and suggested that married couples with childre...