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

Today, Niall opens the lines to callers to debate the future of remote work following Nigel Farage’s claim that working from home hurts productivity and is “a load of nonsense.” Is he right — or has remote work improved both business performance and quality of life? Listeners share their experiences, from the benefits of flexible schedules, no commuting, and better work-life balance, to concerns a...

Today Niall sits down with social commentator and restaurateur Paul Treyvaud to tackle one of the most contentious digital debates right now — protecting children online versus protecting personal privacy. While polls suggest most people support banning under-16s from social media, there’s far less agreement about how that would actually work. With the EU Digital Wallet framework expected to roll...

Niall is joined by social commentator and podcaster Elaine Mullally to discuss the controversy surrounding the will of legendary Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld. His relatives are reportedly challenging his decision to leave a French home, garden and a multimillion bank account to his housekeeper — partly to ensure care for his beloved Birman cat. But beyond the headlines, it raises a bigger questi...

On today’s show, Niall opens the phones to tackle a debate that’s clearly striking a nerve. A recent Irish Daily Mail poll suggests more than half of respondents agree with a Circuit Court judge who described cyclists on our roads as “a nightmare.” But cyclists argue motorists often fail to respect them — and that they have just as much right to the road as anyone else. So what’s your experience?...

In this episode, Niall sits down with Journalist David Quinn to unpack two stories stirring strong debate on both sides of the Atlantic. First, they discuss the latest report from the US House Judiciary Committee examining what it calls “foreign censorship” and its claims about Europe’s regulation of online speech — including Ireland’s role in shaping digital policy and the broader questions aroun...

This week on the podcast, Niall is joined by two voices who never shy away from a straight answer. Mark Noble — better known as Nobby On Cars, the man behind Ireland’s biggest motoring channel, famous for honest car reviews and zero waffle. And Nadia Adan from Ashford Motors, well known in the motor trade for many things… including her absolute love of EVs (yes, that is sarcasm). They’re digging i...

On today’s show, Niall reads a powerful and deeply honest email from a woman married for 20 years, with three children all under 16. On the surface, her life looks stable — no rows, no drama, no big blow-ups — but underneath, she feels stuck, disconnected, and quietly unhappy. She says she still loves her husband, but she’s no longer in love with him. The intimacy is gone. The spark has faded. The...

But amid the noise, a warning has been issued by some newspapers and commentators: that media outlets are increasingly publishing long lists of names based purely on association — not accusation, not evidence, not charges. Phrases like “Unsealed names,” “A-listers named,” and “Biggest celebrities exposed” can subtly — or not so subtly — imply guilt by mere mention. Niall and Ian dig into where jou...

On today’s episode, Niall is joined by Cathal Leavy from P.A.W.S. to discuss a case that shocked the internet long before “going viral” became routine — and which has now resurfaced, reigniting fierce debate about punishment, cruelty, and justice. It’s been 15 years since the case of Mary Bale, the woman caught on CCTV in Coventry placing a neighbour’s cat, Lola, into a wheelie bin and closing the...

Niall opens the lines as new traffic cameras could be rolled out across Dublin by the end of the year. The proposed cameras would detect speeding, illegal use of bus lanes, and motorists running red lights — with more speed detection vans also planned for motorways nationwide. The move comes as the Department of Transport prepares to finalise Ireland’s first National Safety Camera Strategy, a plan...

Ireland is in the midst of a housing emergency — rents and homelessness are rising, while tens of thousands of homes sit empty. According to the 2022 Census, there were over 160,000 properties recorded as vacant across the State — nearly 8 % of all housing stock — including houses and apartments that have been unoccupied for years. Around 48,000 of these homes were vacant in both the 2016 and 2022...

In today’s episode, Niall follows up on a tweet that struck a nerve online. Last week, he spoke to a man who says his life and education were destroyed by teachers in the 1960s and 1970s. He recalls being beaten, caned, and slapped at school, describing an atmosphere of fear that made learning impossible. He left school at just 14 years of age, traumatised and with no formal education — consequenc...

In this episode, Niall speaks with Councillor Gavin Pepper about the devastating death of Grace Lynch (16), who died in hospital after suffering catastrophic injuries when she was struck by a scrambler bike while crossing a road in Finglas, on her way to meet her boyfriend. Grace’s death has sent shockwaves through the community and has reignited urgent questions about the unchecked spread of scra...

This episode, Niall opens the phone lines to hear directly from listeners on a question that cuts across privacy, public trust, and workplace safety: Should all jobs include random drug and alcohol testing? The debate comes as long-delayed plans to introduce drug testing for An Garda Síochána move closer to reality. Back in 2021, the Department of Justice announced Gardaí would be subject to drug...

In this episode, Niall is joined by social commentator Karl Deeter to take a hard look at the cost, scale, and alleged abuse of Ireland’s free legal aid system — and whether reform is long overdue. They discuss recent comments from Aontú TD Paul Lawless, who has argued that: “Repeat offenders who repeatedly receive free legal aid should have part of the cost recovered from their social welfare pay...

Niall sits down with veteran journalist David Quinn to unpack a Business Post poll that’s shaking up the social media debate in Ireland — one that suggests an overwhelming majority of people want Twitter/X banned in Ireland. We dig into what the poll really says, what it doesn’t say, and what it would mean for freedom of speech, public safety, politics and everyday digital life. Is the call to ban...

On today’s programme, Niall opens the phone lines to hear directly from listeners about their experiences with high-cost lending institutions and loan sharks — a reality for thousands of households across Ireland. Are legal high-interest lenders preying on the vulnerable, trapping people in cycles of debt? Or are they providing a vital last-resort service for people locked out of mainstream bankin...

On today’s show, Niall begins with the latest on the Mercosur trade deal, getting an update directly from Brussels with TD Paul Lawless as concerns continue to grow about its potential impact on Irish farming and food standards. Then we turn to today’s main topic — and it’s one that’s igniting fierce debate across Europe. Following developments in the UK, where MPs have voted in favour of tighter...

On today’s podcast, Niall is joined by journalist Fatima Gunning from Gript Media to discuss a deeply sensitive and divisive situation sent in by a listener. A mother has contacted the show after discovering that her 15-year-old daughter is pregnant by her 17-year-old boyfriend. While the young couple have reportedly been together for two years, the parents are now sharply divided on what to do ne...

Today on the podcast, Niall is joined by financial commentator and public policy analyst Karl Deeter to tackle a provocative legal and social question: Should Ireland introduce a statute of limitations on certain criminal prosecutions — excluding murder and rape? In Ireland, there is currently no time limit on bringing criminal charges for many offences. This means crimes such as sexual assault ag...

Today on the podcast, Niall is joined by Jackie Flannery from the Irish Rural Farmers Association to discuss the growing backlash from family carers following a major move by the Revenue Commissioners. Revenue has written to 34,000 carers, confirming that Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit have always been taxable, and that from 1 January last year the tax is now applied in real time. Carers wh...

In this episode, Niall is joined by Daragh Cassidy of Bonkers.ie to unpack the relentless rise in car insurance costs — and the real-life consequences for ordinary families. The discussion is sparked by a powerful email from a listener who is deeply worried about his brother: a married father of three who, after a minor car accident, saw his insurance jump from €500 to €2,500 a year. Unable to aff...

In this episode, Niall is joined by David Quinn, journalist and spokesperson for The Iona Institute, to discuss a stark new paper warning that Ireland is on the wrong course when it comes to marriage, family life, and population growth. Drawing on newly released CSO data, the paper shows that Ireland now has its lowest-ever marriage rate and fertility rate, outside the Covid years. Births have fal...

This week on the show, Niall is joined by John McGuirk of Gript Media to tackle a question that goes right to the heart of Irish diplomacy — and Irish pride. If Taoiseach Micheál Martin is invited to the White House for St Patrick’s Day, should he refuse to go? For decades, the shamrock ceremony has been one of Ireland’s most cherished diplomatic traditions — a chance to celebrate Irish identity o...

On today’s programme, Niall is joined by Eilís Mulroy, pro-life campaigner and commentator, to revisit one of the most consequential decisions in modern Irish history — the repeal of the Eighth Amendment. New figures show that 10,852 abortions were carried out in the Republic of Ireland in 2024, the highest number ever recorded since abortion was legalised following the 2018 referendum. Across the...