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

Should your employer be allowed to tell you when it's time to retire? On this episode, Niall opens the phone lines to discuss whether mandatory retirement ages should become a thing of the past. The debate comes as new legislation has come into effect in Ireland giving many employees the right to refuse compulsory retirement before the State pension age of 66. Workers whose employment contracts re...

On today's episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by podcaster and social commentator Elaine Mullally to debate one of the most controversial questions facing modern policing. Should Gardaí have the power to seize your mobile phone without first obtaining a search warrant if they reasonably believe it contains evidence of a serious crime? The debate has intensified following comments...

On today's episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by journalist and Aontú communications officer Larissa Nolan to debate whether wheel clamping has outlived its usefulness. Dublin City Council clamped more than 45,000 vehicles in 2024, making Ireland one of the few countries in Europe where wheel clamping remains a routine parking enforcement tool. While most European countries rely...

On this week's News Round Up, Niall is joined by his good friend and former producer AJ Walsh to take a look back at the biggest stories making headlines over the past week, some deeply serious, others downright bizarre. They discuss the guilty verdicts against Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Lady Eleanor Donaldson, the growing calls to decriminalise all drugs for personal use, and the debate over wheth...

Should single sex schools become a thing of the past? A new Department of Education survey has found that more than 73% of households with children attending single sex primary schools would like their school to become co educational. The findings come as the Government continues its policy of encouraging schools to reconfigure to mixed education where there is local demand, arguing that parents s...

TDs and Senators from across the political spectrum have recommended one of the biggest changes to Ireland's drug laws in decades, calling for the possession of all illegal drugs for personal use to be fully decriminalised. The recommendation, contained in the final report of the Oireachtas Committee on Drugs Use, follows similar proposals made by the Citizens' Assembly on Drug Use and argues that...

Ireland's long-awaited Covid inquiry is finally underway, and already it is raising difficult questions. This week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin faced extensive questioning from the inquiry panel about the Government's handling of the pandemic, but unlike the public inquiries seen in the UK and elsewhere, the interviews are being conducted behind closed doors. No transcripts will be published and the...

Ireland's long-awaited Covid inquiry is finally underway, and already it is raising difficult questions. This week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin faced extensive questioning from the inquiry panel about the Government's handling of the pandemic, but unlike the public inquiries seen in the UK and elsewhere, the interviews are being conducted behind closed doors. No transcripts will be published and the...

Birth rates across Europe and the wider Western world are falling at an unprecedented rate, with many countries now well below the level needed to maintain their populations. Some demographers warn that if current trends continue indefinitely, human populations could shrink dramatically over the coming centuries, raising serious questions about the future of society itself. On this episode, Niall...

On this episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by podcaster and commentator Elaine Mullally to discuss a growing trend among modern parents, tracking their children's every move through smartphone apps. With location-sharing technology now available at the touch of a button, many parents say it offers peace of mind and an extra layer of protection in an increasingly unpredictable wor...

On this episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by social commentator, podcaster and restaurateur Paul Treyvaud for a no-holds-barred discussion on the Government's latest plans to tackle money laundering through luxury retailers. Under proposals currently being discussed, businesses selling high-end watches, jewellery and designer goods could be encouraged to share information about...

Did Political Correctness Cost Baby Preston His Life? In this powerful and deeply emotional discussion, Niall speaks with journalist John McGuirk from The Statement about the shocking murder of 13 month old Preston Davey at the hands of his adoptive parents, Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley. John examines the serious questions now being asked of British social services and child protection...

Should Welfare Payments Come With Spending Restrictions? In this episode, Niall opens the phone lines to discuss a proposal that has divided opinion in several countries around the world. Australia and parts of the United States have already introduced welfare payment cards that restrict how benefits can be spent, while politicians in the UK have also debated introducing similar measures. Supporte...

Should Irish Still Be Mandatory in Schools? In this episode, Niall speaks to school teacher and Aontú representative Eric Nelligan about the growing debate over the Irish language in education. Eric questions whether Irish should remain a compulsory subject throughout secondary school and whether it is fair that students who sit certain State examinations through Irish can receive additional CAO p...

he Weekly Round-Up with Niall Boylan & AJ Walsh This week Niall is joined by his former producer and long-time friend AJ Walsh for a lively and no-holds-barred look back at the stories that got everyone talking. They discuss the horrific Preston Davey case and the questions being asked following the convictions. They also look at the growing debate around trust in the media as the BBC faces ma...

On this episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall speaks to Councillor Gavin Pepper about one of the most divisive issues in Irish politics today, who should get priority for social housing when there simply aren't enough homes to go around. The discussion follows comments by Nigel Farage, who has pledged that under a Reform UK government, foreign nationals would be barred from accessing social h...

In this episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall sits down with popular influencer, commentator and outspoken gay man Sean Ako for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about some of the most contentious issues facing society today. Sean opens up about his own life, experiences growing up gay, and why he believes many people are afraid to challenge prevailing narratives. The discussion explores...

Has The Irish Flag Been Tarnished? | Niall Talks to John McGuirk On this episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall speaks to journalist John McGuirk from The Statement about the growing controversy surrounding the Irish tricolour and what it represents in modern Ireland. The debate was sparked after former President Mary McAleese criticised the use of Irish flags to intimidate people, saying that...

On today's podcast, Niall speaks to Niamh Uí Bhriain, Assistant Editor of Gript Media, and Clare Mills, pro-choice advocate, about one of the most contentious issues currently before the Dáil. Government leaders, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris, have indicated they will support a Sinn Féin bill to abolish the mandatory three-day waiting period for women seeking an abor...

On today's podcast, Niall discusses a message from a listener who says his wife's decision to become vegan has transformed their home life into a battleground. What began as a personal dietary choice has evolved into a major source of conflict, with the listener claiming his wife now refuses to buy animal products, wants their young children raised vegan and regularly criticises his own eating hab...

On today's podcast, Niall Boylan is joined by Sunday Times economics columnist Cormac Lucey to discuss a growing crisis that goes far beyond politics and economics, the collapse of public trust in the media. New figures published in the Digital News Report Ireland 2026 show that trust in "most news" has fallen sharply in Ireland, dropping from 51% to 42% in just one year. According to the report,...

On today's podcast, Niall Boylan speaks to journalist Laura Perrins from Gript about one of the most disturbing child abuse and murder cases in recent years. At Preston Crown Court, 37-year-old Jamie Varley was convicted of the murder of 13-month-old Preston Davey, along with child cruelty offences, sexual offences involving a child, the production of indecent images and the distribution of an ind...

On today's podcast, Niall Boylan opens the lines to callers to debate a controversial new pilot scheme being introduced in Irish prisons. Under the initiative, prisoners in the Dóchas Centre and the Training Unit on the Mountjoy campus will, for the first time, be able to receive direct phone calls from approved family members and friends straight to telephones in their cells. The Irish Prison Ser...

On this episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by social commentator Sandra Adams, Paul Treyvaud and secondary school teacher Eric Nelligan to discuss one of the most controversial proposals yet in the battle over children's online safety. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced sweeping new "Australia-plus" social media restrictions that would effectively ban under-16s from acc...

On this episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall opens the lines to callers to discuss a controversial new proposal that could see owners of derelict properties hit with massive annual tax bills. Finance Minister Simon Harris is bringing proposals to Cabinet for a new Derelict Property Tax that would replace the existing derelict sites levy and allow Revenue to collect the charge directly. Under...