Newstalk Breakfast

Fr Donal Neary, Jesuit priest and editor of The Messenger, joins Shane Coleman to reflect on Pope Francis’ little-known time in Dublin in 1980, long before his return as pontiff in 2018. Listen here.

Donal Cremin, President of the ASTI, joins Newstalk Breakfast as the union prepares to ballot members on industrial action over controversial Senior Cycle reforms. Listen here.

Amanda Holden joins Newstalk Breakfast to talk about her new Netflix reality series Cheat: Unfinished Business — and whether people really can forgive a cheater. Listen here.

Dr Paul Davis from DCU’s Business School joins Newstalk Breakfast after an audit reveals €2 million left idle in an OPW account, with financial mismanagement flagged. Listen here.

Sadhbh O’Neill, climate policy researcher, joins Newstalk Breakfast to explain how food fads like matcha and pistachio chocolate bars are putting global agricultural systems under pressure. Listen here.

Kielce Gussie, journalist with Vatican Radio, joins Newstalk Breakfast with the latest details from the Vatican as Pope Francis lies in state ahead of Saturday’s funeral. Listen here.

Brenda Bolger of Bolger's Motoring School joins Newstalk Breakfast as new RSA figures show driving test wait times are now up to 35 weeks in parts of the country. Listen here.

Cathal Crowe, Fianna Fáil TD for Clare and Chair of the Shannon Airport Oireachtas Group, joins the show to explain why regional airports like Shannon must seize the opportunity to attract more flights while the Dublin Airport passenger cap remains in place. Listen here.

Michael Gillespie, General Secretary of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, joins Newstalk Breakfast from their annual conference to discuss teacher shortages, Senior Cycle reform and all other things on the agenda for the conference this Easter. Listen here.

Gerard O’Connell, Vatican correspondent for America Magazine, and Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare & Leighlin, join Newstalk Breakfast to reflect on the life, legacy, and impact of Pope Francis. Listen here.

John Murphy, SIPTU Transport Organiser, joins Newstalk Breakfast following an incident on a Dublin Bus — renewing calls for a dedicated transport police force. Listen here.

Mary McCarthy, columnist with the Irish Independent, joins Newstalk Breakfast to discuss the benefits of boredom and why parents shouldn’t rush to over-schedule their children. Listen here.

Dr Johnny Ryan, Senior Fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, joins Newstalk Breakfast as a new bill calls on tech companies to switch off algorithmic feeds for children by default. Listen here.

Paola Flynn, Vatican Correspondent for EWTN Media, joins Newstalk Breakfast following the death of Pope Francis, reflecting on his legacy and the reaction from around the world. Listen here.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure, Jack Chambers has said that there is ‘too much tolerance” of housing objections based on the “character” of an area. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Gavin Lawlor, President of Irish Planning Institute .  

Those visiting Dublin could soon face a tourist levi as four city council authorities have signed up for a working group to explore the proposal. Such a tax could be in place by September. But with tourists' tax being common across Europe what do other cities and countries do ?  Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Clare Dunne, Ceo Of The Irish Travel Agents' Association .  

Rory McIlroy will return to Ireland triumphant this weekend having claimed a career Grand Slam in dramatic fashion at Augusta National last Sunday.  But one of the men behind Rory’s success is Mental Health coach Dr. Bob Rotella, author of Make Your Next Shot Your Best Shot .  Bob spoke to Dr Bob this morning.

Pharmacists across the country have hit out in the way the government plans to introduce a free HRT scheme. They say the fee being offered will effectively have them working at a loss.    Our reporter, Josh Crosbie has been examining the different rates of dispensing fees.

The heads of 30 pharmaceutical companies have said they are considering diverting as much as €100 billion they had planned to invest in Europe to the United States and other countries instead as part of a possible industry “exodus”.     Speaking to Ciara this morning was Cathal Friel is Chairman and Co-Founder Poolbeg Pharma .

‘‘It’s wrong to tell off other people’s kids it leaves me fuming as a mum’.  So wrote Charlotte Cripps, Writer with the Independent UK who explained all to Ciara this morning.

To get traffic out of the city centre, it’s time to abolish tolls on the M50. So says Green Party councillor for Ballyfermot-Drimnagh, Ray Cunningham who spoke to Ciara this morning.  

The Mental Health Commission has this morning released a report showing significant gaps in the mental health services offered in hospital emergency departments across Ireland.   Speaking to Shane this morning on the show was Professor Jim Lucey, Inspector of Mental Health Services and the Author of the Report.

“The phrase “straight white men” seems to have been imported into Ireland from the United States as a way for certain people to flaunt their right-on credentials but all it ends up doing is antagonising people.”    So wrote one disgruntled reader in a letter to the Irish Times this week.   But have identity politics and labels really gone too far? Ciara and Shane discussed on the sh...

“The phrase “straight white men” seems to have been imported into Ireland from the United States as a way for certain people to flaunt their right-on credentials but all it ends up doing is antagonising people.” We discussed this further with Ian O’Doherty, Columnist with the Irish Independent.

Leaving Cert reforms are being ‘rushed’ before schools have capacity. That’s the warning from the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland   To discuss this further Ciara spoke to Conor Murphy, English teacher in Skibbereen Community School.