Highlights from Newstalk Breakfast

Today is Poetry Day Ireland. Why is it so important we celebrate poetry today, and what does poetry mean to modern society? We asked Gabriel Fitzmaurice, renowned poet and writer.

A road safety campaigner has called on the Government to take a tougher approach to road safety following the news that four more people have lost their lives on our roads in the past four days.  Irish Road Victims Association vice president Leo Lieghio explained the sanctions he wants to bring in. Also speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Shane Ross, Journalist, Author and Former Transport Minister...

The government should take immediate steps to regulate large scale teenage discos. That’s the call this morning from Alcohol Forum Ireland, whose CEO Paula Leonard spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

Ireland rugby 7-star Jordan Conroy is presenting a new coming of age sports series with 10 male teenage participants. All episodes of ‘Man Up’ are available to stream on the RTE player. Jordan joined Shane this morning to explain a little bit about the idea for this documentary.  

100,000 children were denied a school dental screening appointment in 2023.   That’s according to new figures from the Irish Dental Association How has this happened? Shane spoke to Dr Caroline Robbins, Former President and Incoming Chair of the Irish Dental Association.

  The number of new homes delivered this year will be close to 40,000, So said Taoiseach Simon Harris, as the government gave its housing progress report yesterday. With hear from Cian O’Callaghan is a Social Democrats TD for Dublin Bay North.

Bord na Móna has announced plans to build a new inter-county network of walking and cycling trails across bogs previously used for peat extraction in the midlands.  With more on these plans we were joined by Dr Damien O’Tuama, National Co-ordinator with Irish Cycling Campaign.

Ireland’s school communities are becoming increasingly diverse and secular. That’s according to a new report investigating the realities of Catholic education in Ireland. But is this change for the best? To debate this we were joined on the show this morning by Alan Whelan, President of Catholic Secondary School’s Parent’s Association and Jillian Brennan, CEO of Humanist Association of Ireland.

 The Government has revised down its projections for growth in the domestic economy this year. Michael McGrath, Minster for Finance spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

Green Party Leader, Eamon Ryan has got cabinet approval for a new air pollution law to give local authorities greater powers to prevent the illegal sale of smoky fuels . Sadhbh O’Neill, Senior Climate Advisor to Friends of the Earth Ireland gave her reaction to Newstalk Breakfast.

Six out of ten parents customise family meals for fussy children, new research has found. But according to one expert, that might not be such a bad thing.  Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Children’s Dietitian and Feeding Specialist, Lucy Upton. 

Fianna Fáil MEP, Barry Andrews has made calls for a levy to be introduced on “ultra fast fashion products” sold in Ireland. Speaking to Shane was Meghann Scully, Multimedia Presenter with Limerick Leader and Host of Fast and Slow Fashion Podcast.

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is due to appear before Newry magistrates court later this morning.   Journalist Amanda Ferguson is covering the story and joined Ciara this morning.

This week, Newstalk is partnering with Make-A-Wish Ireland to celebrate Wish Week. Join us all week as we talk to some incredible children and their courageous families, and hear how Make-A-Wish Ireland have been beacons of light for children facing the toughest battles of their lives. One of those children is 16 year old Adam Nagajek  and this morning we were joined by Adam and his mother Aleksan...

The first criminal trial of US ex-president is underway as former President Donald Trump faces charges related to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. To discuss the significance of this trial with Shane was Matt Mayer, President of Provisum Strategies and Former Senior Official in the US Department of Homeland Security. 

The Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick was “akin to a war zone” on the weekend that 16-year-old sepsis patient Aoife Johnston died there. That’s what Clinical Nurse Manager Katherine Skelly told the inquest into Aoife’s death yesterday. But more than a year after her passing, has anything been done to address the overcrowding crisis?  We heard from Professor Conor Deasy, Presiden...

Clare Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe is calling for stricter regulation to be introduced around anonymised online bullying and abuse via the website Tattle. He joined Ciara this morning on the show.

Teachers for Palestine are calling on all schools to talk about Palestine in classrooms from April 29th.  Alan Shatter, Former Minister Justice, Equality and Defence, you disagree with this and are calling on the Government to intervene and told Newstalk Breakfast why?

Advanced works have begun on Dublin’s historic Iveagh Markets. But what should a future role for the old trading ground be?  We asked Máire Devine, local Sinn Féin Councillor.

Taoiseach Simon Harris will today make an official state apology to the families of the victims of the Stardust nightclub fire. The government has also indicated its support for a redress scheme to be introduced.  But what would such a scheme look like in real terms? Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast Stuart Gilhooley, Solicitor and Senior Counsel. 

Much of the talk around AI has revolved around the impact on jobs, but a pilot programme in LA is using the technology to predict homelessness and allocate resources to prevent individuals and families from reaching that point.  Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly brought us the details. All with thanks to Bird & Bird Law Firm.

There are five major measures needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the energy system in order to meet carbon budget obligations this decade.  So says Professor in Sustainable Energy at the School of Engineering in University College Cork, Hannah Daly who talked to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

An Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said that the Government will give "serious consideration" to a redress scheme for families of victims of the Stardust tragedy in addition to Tuesday’s state apology. We were joined this morning by Maurice Frazer, Brother of Thelma Frazer who died in the Stardust Tragedy.

 Is the gym in danger of being taking over by fitness influencers? Roisin Kelly, writer for the Sunday Times discussed.

The Garda Representative Association conference will get underway later today. Ahead of the conference we spoke to Labour Justice Spokesperson Aodhan O'Riordain and Pat Marry, former Detective Inspector and “author of "Making Of A Detective”.