The Hard Shoulder

Earlier today, Irish men’s Football Manager Heimir Hallgrimson confirmed that Sunday’s fixture with Israel will go ahead saying: "The FAI has said we are playing both games and we will fulfill that. That was our intention when we came into this camp.” I am joined now by Former Minister for Justice, Equality & Defence, Alan Shatter. Alan, you were in Hungary for the game last Sunday, what was y...

More than 100,000 public sector workers have begun a work-to-rule strike. Nurses, civil servants and special needs assistants are among those taking part in the action over delays in agreeing a new public sector pay deal. For more on this, Ciara is joined by Niall Shanahan, Media Relations Director for Fórsa.

The locations of seven proposed new early learning and childcare projects were announced today by Minister Norma Foley. Across the seven proposed locations there is potential to provide around 600 places to support the Department of Children, Disability and Equality’s policy of improving access to high-quality, affordable early learning and childcare. Joining Shane to discuss is Minister for Child...

The Ultimate Guide: New accommodation stock Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world. This week, Fionn joined Ciara and Shane to give his ultimate guide to new accommodation stock in Ireland!

Newstalk reporter Henry McKean reports from Drumcree as the standoff continues,

 Just 14 out of 57 driving test centres countrywide are reaching the 10-week national average waiting time target, down from 24 at the start of the month, that’s according to latest available figures compiled by the road safety campaign group Parc from the RSA website.   Jim Cleary, success 4 U driving in Limerick and Ger Hyland, Driver, Operator and President of the Irish Road Haul...

Larry Donnelly, Law lecturer at University of Galway and Columnist at The Journal joins Ciara to place his favourite book on the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

A €150,000 boost is heading to three west Waterford GAA clubs, courtesy of Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan. The couple, who bought Strancally Castle in August, have chosen Shamrocks GAA in Knockanore, Tallow GAA and Lismore GAA as the recipients of their first Irish philanthropic donation since moving into the area. Emer Barry, Lismore GAA Secretary spoke to Shane on the show. 

Yesterday, tragic news came out of Banagher County Offaly as it was confirmed that two people died in a workplace incident Father and daughter Mihai Chinez and Denisa Chinez died after an incident at Banagher Precast Concrete.   Local Independent Councillor John Leahy has said it is an “unimaginably difficult time” for the community and spoke to Shane on The Hard Shoulder.

 Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, Stormont First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald are to hold talks at Government Buildings this evening to discuss the ongoing situation at the Garvaghy Road in Co Armagh. Allison Morris, Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent brought us the latest.  One man who will publish a book this week, titled ‘‘Be...

Newstalk Reporter, Sarah Madden reports on what is it like to be gay and catholic. 

The climate change advisory council have urged government to stop treating 'extreme events as one-off emergencies'. Mary Bourke, Professor in Geography Trinity College Dublin joined Ciara on the show to discuss.

Today is UN International Day of Awareness of Food Waste. The Environmental Protection Agency’s has found food waste costs the average Irish household about €60 per month or €700 per year. Is there more we could be doing to make better use of the food we buy and what is the best way to go about this?  CEO of Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE) Tad Kirakowski joined us on The Ha...

Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne today brought a bill before the Dáil today aimed at restricting AI Chatbots which simulate friendships or relationships for under 16s. Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne joined Ciara on the show to discuss.

Ciara is joined by Alisa Kovalenko, a former captive and survivor of conflict-related sexual violence during her captivity in 2014 in the Donbas region of Ukraine, who also fought on the front lines in the conflict. Alisa is in Dublin in collaboration with the Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence - an Irish-based alliance of international humanitarian and human rights organisations, working a...

A recent discussion circulating online has sparked a divide in opinions on whether bringing your iced coffee to a job interview is simply unprofessional, or is it simply an indication of changing workplace norms? For more on this, Shane is joined by Caroline Reidy, head of NFP HR Solutions.

For this week’s Kids Clinic, Ciara was joined by Laura Downing AKA the ‘Fabulous Pharmacist’ & podcaster to discuss one of those conversations that can make parents feel a little awkward: talking to their children about sex.

The Minister for Housing James Browne has directed officials to examine online bidding portals. The worry is that these bidding portals mimic gambling products, and in doing so, drive up house prices. So, are these bidding sites leading to the gamification of the housing market? Colin O'Gara is Professor of Psychiatry at UCD, and he joins Ciara to discuss.

From the friends who loves to bring up their child's grades and achievements only to show they have exceeded your child's, to the family member who insists on reminding you their summer holiday was bigger and better than yours, you may feel the friction and even a bit of resentment in your relationship if you feel you are constantly being one-upped, but how should you appropriately address that it...

Football Association of Ireland President Paul Cooke has defended the handling of the build-up to Ireland’s Nations League clash with Israel in Hungary yesterday, following a 3-0 win for Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side. Joining Shane to discuss this is David Sneyd, Football Journalist at the 42.ie who was in Debrecen, Hungary, for the game...

Patient advocacy groups have criticised the proposed commission of investigation into the care received by children with scoliosis and spina bifida, describing it as “extraordinarily narrow”. This comes after the Government agreed last year to hold a statutory inquiry into spina bifida and scoliosis services following a number of controversies at the children’s hospital group, including unauthoris...

Has Northern Ireland gone back 30 years? With the contentious Garvaghy Road once again in the news for all the wrong reasons - yesterday and today thousands of protesters have blocked the street in an attempt to stop the Orange Order parade down it… Henry McKean is there, and joins Shane to report on what’s happening.

Newstalk reporter Henry McKean reports from Grafton Street as U2 perform a surprise gig after Mount Temple concert.

Alisa Kovalenko a former captive and survivor of conflict-related sexual violence during her captivity in 2014 in the Donbas region of Ukraine, who also fought on the front lines in the conflict joined Ciara on the show.  Alisa is in Dublin in collaboration with the Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence - an Irish-based alliance of international humanitarian and human rights organisations...

The Parades Commission of Northern Ireland has allowed the Orange Order parade at Drumcree to proceed in a limited capacity for the first time in 28 years. DUP MP Carla Lockhart and Eoin Tennyson, Deputy Leader of the Alliance party joined Shane on the show to discuss.