This Week

To untangle the political significance of president Trump's visit to Doonbeg, Paul was joined by RTÉ Washington Correspondent Jackie Fox and RTÉ Political Correspondent Barry Lenihan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a local business perspective on president Trump's visit to Doonbeg, Paul talked to Eamonn Vaughan, owner of Morrissey’s bar in Doonbeg, and Rita McInerney who owns McInerney Shop on Doonbeg's Main St and is also a Fianna Fail councillor, And RTÉ Mid West Correspondent Petula Martyn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've been talking about the politics of Donald Trump's visit, but the stated reason for the President's presence is the Irish Open. So Paul caught-up on what's happening on the golf course with the man who knows it all: Greg Allen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The village of Doonbeg with a population of just 300 people has this weekend become the centre of international attention with US President Donald Trump's presence. Paul was joined at the Doonbeg Commuity Hall by Minister of State and TD for Clare Timmy Dooley and the Sinn Fein MEP for the Ireland South constituency Kathleen Funchion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2027 is just weeks away, and Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Jack Chambers has indicated he wants to help ‘low middle-income’ earners by reducing childcare costs and having targeted child supports. He joined Paul for a detailed overview of his plans, including a warning for the HSE on potential  spending curbs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The child agency Tusla is paying privately for criminal legal aid for children appearing before the courts. The unprecedented move flows from the dispute between the Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan and criminal defence solicitors over a new legal aid scheme. For details, Paul was joined by Holly Laher from Ferry Solicitors.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist, author and environmental campaigner Frank McDonald has died after a brief illness at the age of 76. Frank was best known for his decades long career at the Irish Times where he focused on climate action, urban design and the planning process. Paul was joined by Frank's close friend and former colleague Mark Brennock.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools are back, which signals that the summer is over. So to find out how tourism went during that key part of the year, Paul was joined in studio by the Chief Executive of Fáilte Ireland Caroline Bocquel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most children who commit a criminal offence are 'diverted' into a community programme designed to help them not to offend again rather than detention. RTÉ reporter Eithne Dodd went to a Youth Diversion Project in Sligo to find out how they work and if they're fit for purpose  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A look at events making the news in the past week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ballots have been counted and the verdict is in: Iceland will not resume EU membership negotiations with Brussels. Paul was joined from Reykjavík by RTÉ Europe Editor Tony Connelly.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The death toll in Nepal and Tibet from last week's catastrophic floods has left 750 dead with 3,044 missing, authorities there have said. The monsoon weather continues to hamper rescue efforts. Paul was joined from Nepal by RTÉ reporter Kate Varley and in studio by Mahesh Kushwaha, a Nepalese PhD candidate in DCU, who has just returned to Dublin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

It's back to school time, but many Irish-medium post-primary schools are over-subscribed, and there are no independent Gaelcholáiste in Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Cavan, Leitrim, Louth and Roscommon. Paul was joined from Dundalk by Aidan Kinsella, a spokesperson for the campaign group IMEASC. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On his first official visit to Northern Ireland since becoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham told journalists that a referendum on a united Ireland is "off the table." For an assessment of Mr Burnham comment, Paul was joined by Deirdre Heenan, Professor of Social Policy at the Ulster University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of FIFA President Gianni Infantino remains in doubt this weekend as UEFA considers criminal proceedings against Infantino - and potentially other FIFA officials - over the abandoned plan to sell-off a stake in the World Cup. Paul was joined by football finance journalist Dave Powell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 19th century, the "rocket car" was rolled out across Ireland so that shipwrecked sailors could be brought safely to land on a pulley system known as ‘breeches buoy’. Few cars survive after a general decommissioning in the 1980s, but the rocket of Baltimore in west Cork has not just survived but thrives.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A look at events making the news in the past week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the recent crash on the M9 there has been huge scrutiny on young people who are engaging in crimes and the devastation it causes. Meanwhile staffing levels at youth detention centres are regularly too low to ensure safe detention conditions. Karen was joined by Damien Hernon, Director of Oberstown Children Detention Campus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Friday the government confirmed that the planned phasing out of excise cuts on fuel will be halted, and that it will agree the next steps this coming week, when the Dáil will be recalled for one day. Karen spoke to The Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke and Emma Howard, Economics Lecturer at TU Dublin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland is among several countries calling for a stronger international response against Israel, following the publication of a tender to construct 1,200 illegal housing units in occupied Palestine. Karen spoke to Channel 4's foreign correspondent Secundar Kermani.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukraine will mark its independence from the Soviet Union tomorrow, the fifth Independence Day since Russia's invasion began in February 2022. The surge in attacks on Ukraine have pushed civilian deaths in the war to their highest since the first months of the war. Karen spoke to journalist Emmanuelle Chaze, who is in Kyiv. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran has condemned plans by the U.S. to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic. Earlier this week the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged US allies to support Washington's efforts to "squash" the Iranian economy and collapse the regime. Karen spoke to BBC's Middle East Correspondent Sebastian Usher. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several people are dead after a head-on collision involving a car driving on the wrong side of the M9 motorway in County Kildare. The crash happened at Moone on the M9 Northbound lane at Junction 3 at around 3am this morning. RTÉ reporter Eleanor Burnhill was at the scene for us this lunchtime, and told Justin what she saw. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The medals gleamed, the records fell, and dreams long chased were finally caught. From the roar of the track to the waters of the pool, this was a week of Irish sporting brilliance. Justin was delighted to be joined on the line from Birmingham by European Champion Kate O'Connor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sexual violence campaigners have said the spiking of drinks - giving someone drugs or alcohol without their knowledge or consent - is far more widespread than official figures suggest, and they've called for stronger measures to tackle it. RTÉ reporter Karen Creed has been looking at the scale of the problem, and told Justin of her findings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.