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

On this episode of the podcast, Niall is joined by economist and Sunday Times Ireland columnist Cormac Lucey to debate one of the most divisive housing proposals in years, a move by the Labour Party to ban “no fault” evictions for three years during the housing crisis. Labour housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan says evictions should no longer be “a routine feature of a broken housing system”, but c...

On this episode, Niall speaks to journalist David Quinn about new figures from the Central Statistics Office showing that Ireland’s marriage rate has fallen to one of the lowest levels ever recorded, with just 3.8 marriages per 1,000 people in 2024, down from 4.8 a decade ago. The total number of marriages has also fallen by almost 8% since 2014. () David Quinn describes the figures as “a true soc...

On this episode, Niall discusses a fiery email from a Dublin woman who says the “dream home” she and her husband worked years to afford is slowly being ruined by inconsiderate neighbours. The woman, who lives in what she describes as a mature and upmarket tree lined estate in Dublin, says the tone of the area has changed dramatically since a new couple moved in next door three months ago. Her main...

In this episode, Niall speaks with journalist Laura Perrins from Gript Media about a controversial new policy introduced by Poland’s president, Karol Nawrocki, in October 2025. The law removes personal income tax for parents raising at least two children earning up to 140,000 zloty (around €33,000), a move designed to boost birth rates, increase household income, and stimulate economic growth. On...

In this episode, Niall opens the lines to callers on a story that’s raising serious questions about law, fairness, and public safety. A specialist firearms Garda attached to the Armed Support Unit has been hit with 17 separate speeding notices while responding to emergency call-outs. Covering a wide منطقه from Waterford to Kilkenny, the unit regularly deals with high-risk incidents including hosta...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by restaurateur and commentator Paul Treyvaud to discuss a major ruling that could have huge implications for social media and parental responsibility. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been found in breach of EU digital rules for failing to properly prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing i...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by Cork City South-West councillor Albert Deasy to discuss the growing debate around energy credits and whether the Government is getting it right… or completely missing the mark. With energy bills having doubled or even tripled in recent years, pressure is no longer limited to those on the lowest incomes. According to the Economic an...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by social commentator Karl Deeter to tackle a debate that’s dividing public opinion right across the country… is Dublin actually as dangerous as people think, or are we being misled? The discussion follows a controversial opinion piece claiming that Dublin remains a safe, modern, and vibrant city, and that public fear is being fuelled...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by Aontú TD Paul Lawless to discuss the growing political storm over the Government’s decision to begin withdrawing accommodation supports for Ukrainian refugees. The move has sparked a strong backlash across the political spectrum. The Irish Refugee Council has warned that winding down State accommodation will be “really, really prob...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall opens the lines on a story that has sparked a fierce and uncomfortable debate about trust, gender, and childcare. A listener got in touch after dropping her three-year-old daughter to crèche and noticing a new male member of staff. She says she was shocked, questioned management, and later warned the owner that she, along with other parents, wo...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by Gript Media journalist Laura Perrins to revisit one of the most painful and controversial chapters in Irish history — the Mother and Baby Homes. The discussion comes after Laura Perrins argued that the blame should not rest solely with the Church, but also with the State, which she says failed to support unmarried, pregnant, and vu...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by journalist Maria Maynes from Gript Media to discuss a major shift in Ireland’s organ donation system, and why tens of thousands are pushing back. Since the introduction of the opt-out organ donation system last June, nearly 62,000 people have already registered their decision not to donate. Under the new law, everyone is considered...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by councillor Gavin Pepper to discuss a symbol that should unite the country… but is now at the centre of a growing and deeply divisive debate. The Irish tricolour has been making headlines in recent years, with some politicians and commentators claiming its meaning is being distorted by far-right groups and used in ways that make oth...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by an economics columnist from the Sunday Times (Ireland) to discuss growing fears that the global energy crisis could begin to seriously impact everyday life in ways many people aren’t prepared for. The debate comes as the Electricity Association of Ireland has issued fresh guidance urging households to cut back on energy use, warnin...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall opens the lines on one of the most controversial cultural debates of our time: should we separate the artist from the allegations? With a new biopic about Michael Jackson hitting cinemas, criticism has emerged that the film fails to address the long running allegations of child abuse and his widely scrutinised behaviour around children. Some sa...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by callers and housing charity Threshold to discuss a controversial new proposal from the Government aimed at tackling the housing crisis. Plans are being brought forward to change planning laws so homeowners can rent out modular cabins, pods, or converted sheds in their back gardens. These units would qualify under the Rent a Room Re...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by Ash Ireland to discuss a bold and controversial move in the UK that could change smoking forever. The UK Government has announced plans to introduce a generational smoking ban, meaning anyone born after 2008 will never legally be allowed to buy cigarettes or vaping products. The legal age will rise by one year every year, with the...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by a panel of guests to debate one of the most emotionally charged and divisive issues of our time: should commercial surrogacy be legalised in Ireland? Journalist Laura Perrins has sparked strong reaction online after expressing concern about a male couple who had a baby through surrogacy, questioning the ethics of the situation and...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall opens the lines on a topic that has sparked a huge reaction online: are new age verification checks about protecting children… or something more? After receiving an email from Sony, like millions of users across the EU, asking for age verification using a passport, driver’s licence, or even facial age estimation, Niall asked listeners what they...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall opens the lines on a comment that has reignited one of Ireland’s most sensitive divides… urban versus rural. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has sparked outrage after suggesting that urban Ireland is effectively subsidising rural Ireland. Speaking on a podcast, he said: “People in rural Ireland are very quick to tell people in urban Ireland that...

On today’s episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by Paedar Tóibín to discuss the political storm still raging after the fuel protests, and whether the Government has truly understood the anger on the ground. While the protests may have eased for now, the fallout is far from over. Recent reports show the Government only narrowly held onto power during a confidence vote, surviving 92–...

On today’s episode, Niall tackles a question that sits right at the heart of justice, punishment, and personal responsibility: when someone breaks the law, should we be locking them up or giving them a second chance? With prisons overcrowded and the system under pressure, more voices are calling for alternatives to jail, particularly for non-violent offenders. Community service, rehabilitation pro...

On today’s episode, Niall opens up a powerful and uncomfortable conversation about conscience, compromise, and the choices we make when our livelihood is on the line. What would you do if your job asked you to cross a moral line? Would you take a life-changing bet from a gambling addict, knowing it could ruin them? If you were a Garda, could you stand in a riot line against protestors you actually...

On today’s episode, Niall is joined by social commentator Karl Deeter and Nick Delahanty for a frank and often uncomfortable conversation about Ireland’s spending on asylum seekers and refugees. With figures showing €6.4 billion spent in just four years on accommodation alone, Niall and Karl break down what that really means for the taxpayer, and what’s not included in that number, from welfare an...

On today’s episode, Niall brings a real-life dilemma to the table that has sparked a heated debate between listeners. A man gets in touch after a row with his wife over a holiday to the Canary Islands. The couple were invited by friends, two other couples with no children, and initially both agreed to go. But things took a turn when he suggested they leave their three young kids at home. His reaso...