Newstalk Breakfast

Israel is beginning a major expansion of its military operation in Gaza and will seize large areas of the territory, according to the country’s Defence Minister. We get the latest on this with Sky News Middle East Correspondent Alistair Bunkall.     

US President Donald Trump has finally announced sweeping new tariffs he hopes will “Make America Wealthy Again”.   To take an deep dive into what these tariffs mean for businesses was Washington Bureau Chief from The Guardian David Smith. Also joining Shane and Ciara was IBEC’s Executive Director of Lobbying and Influence Fergal O’Brien and Simon McKeever, Chief Executive Officer, Irish...

The free school meal scheme is a great initiative. But it needs to pay more attention to the nutritional needs of students.  That’s according to Darina Allen, Chef, Author and founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School.

 Animal welfare groups are calling for reforms to laws around exotic animals in Ireland after a zebra was spotted in a pub in county Clare over the weekend. We get reaction from Martina Kenny, Co- Founder of My Lovely Horse Rescue .

Education Minister Helen McEntee joined Ciara on the show this morning to discuss school places and what to do about the leaving cert grade inflation problem.

Esther McCarthy, Lifestyle Editor and Saturday Weekend Magazine Columnist with The Irish Examiner, joins us once again for our Red Carpet Round Up. 

Most of Europe hoped this day would never come. But US President Donald Trump is set to announce a range of tariffs at nine o’clock Irish time tonight.   We ask how Ireland is prepared with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Jack Chambers .  

A marked drop in the number and value of personal injuries claims over the past five years should be reflected in lower insurance premiums. So said Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke after the latest report from the Injuries Resolution Board showed claims were 35 per cent lower than in 2020.   We discuss this with Brian Hanley is CEO of the Alliance for Insurance Reform. 

There have been calls for greater regulations around noise pollution." The WHO says that each year Europeans lose at least one million healthy life-years from traffic related noise. Our reporter, Josh Crosbie has been examining the sounds of noise pollution:

Today is Liberation Day where US President, Donald Trump has vowed to impose tariffs on countries across the world.  So, what can we expect?    To discuss further with Ciara was Greg Swenson, Chair of The Republicans Overseas UK & Ireland snd Commentator on Markets, Economics and Politics. 

Tanya Monaghan’s daughter Beth had her dream come true with the help of Make A Wish. Beth has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, and a learning disability. Her wish was to go to a Taylor Swift concert and Make A Wish made her wish come true. Beth's mum Tanya told us all about her special wish. Let’s make 2025 the biggest Wish Week yet. Every cent matters. Donate online at makeawish.ie/donate....

More than half of all third-level students could face an increase in college fees this year. To discuss this further with Newstalk Breakfast was the Minister for Higher Education, James Lawless.

Marine Le Pen was barred from running for office for five years after being found guilty of embezzlement of EU funds yesterday. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Lisa Louis a Freelance Journalist in France .  

US President Donald Trump is set to announce tariffs tomorrow Europe is staring down the barrel of a recession according to Lucinda Creighton, CEO of Vulcan Consulting, Former Minister for European Affairs and columnist for the Business Post .

Irish Hauliers are today expressing concern for their drivers and brand Irish roads as dangerous. We speak to  President of the Irish Road Haulage Association Ger Hyland.

On yesterday’s show, we spoke to Sunday Independent Columnist, Conor Skehan on why he believes Ireland’s planning system has ditched common sense. We get reaction to this with Gavin Lawlor, President of the Irish Planning Institute.

The Dáil will vote today on a motion of confidence in the Ceann Comhairle put forward by five opposition parties.   Speaking to Ciara this morning wa Rose Conway-Walsh, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Spokesperson Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. 

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin joined Shane Coleman on the show this morning.  

“Ireland’s planning system has ditched common sense for virtue-signalling". Those are the words of Conor Skehan, Sunday Independent Columnist and he joined us on the show this morning

President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have both suggested US pharmaceutical multinationals located in Ireland will be targeted in what is expected to be a major tariff announcement on Wednesday. What impact will this have?  David Anchell is the founder and managing director of specialist pharma and industrial company Camida and joined us on Newstalk Breakfast this...

Who let the dogs in, out or into a buggy... A leading dog behavioral expert is warning that treating pets like humans will unleash unwanted behavioral issues. Jim Stephens, Founder of Pet Behaviour Centre in Dublin, joined Shane Coleman on the show this morning.      

Could your iPhone replace visits to the GP? That is Apple's plan, according to reports. Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joined us on the show. 

At least 17 hundred are dead following an earthquake in Myanmar this weekend, while hundreds remain trapped in the rubble. Ciara Kelly was joined by  Ciarán Donnelly, Senior Vice President for Crisis Response, Recovery & Development at the International Rescue Committee.

Two people have been killed while two children were injured following a crash in Mallow, county Cork, yesterday afternoon. Ralph Riegel, Southern Correspondent for the Irish Independent and Bernard Moynihan, Fianna Fáil Councillor for Mallow-Kanturk joined us on Newstalk Breakfast. 

All things considered, are the state's water systems in 'a desperate state?' Ciara and Shane discuss.