Newstalk Breakfast

As we’ve been hearing all morning, Gardaí have confirmed a substantial quantity of drugs have been found on the 'mothership' detained in a dramatic military operation off the Cork coast.  Micheal Martin, Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence joined Ciara this morning.

Suella Braverman, the UK Home Secretary, said multiculturalism has "failed" during a speech on migration in the US    She also called for a new international approach to granting asylum and changes to the 1951 refugee convention.  Speaking to Shane this morning with reaction wasJohn McGuirk, Editor of Gript Media and also Fergus Finlay, Irish Examiner Columnist and Former...

More than 5,000 first-year students dropped out of their third-level courses in 2020 – 21 citing Covid disruption and disengagement linked to online learning as the perfect storm  Speaking to Ciara was Gemma Lawlor, Guidance Counsellor at Tyndall College Carlow.

Baz Ashmawy, TV Presenter, Actor and writer tells us what makes Ireland a go-to tourism destination as today is World Tourism Day.

A very significant quantity of drugs has been discovered on a large container ship off the coast of Cork which was stormed by armed members of the Army Ranger Wing in the early hours of yesterday morning.  Conor Lally, Crime and Security Editor with The Irish Times brought us the details.

 Much of the country is to be hit with heavy rain and strong winds today as Storm Agnes makes landfall.  With Storm Agnes updates we heard from Aoife Kealy, Meteorologist with Met Eireann, and also Jamie O’Hara, our reporter in Cork right now.

The sexist culture of the Irish comedy industry has been accepted for years and no one is being held accountable. That’s according to Irish comedian Eve D’Arcy, who is co-founder of Comedy Safety Standards and spoke to Newstalk Breakfast. 

Are heavy cars and SUVs too big a drain on our carbon budget? That’s what the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action will be discussing today.   Hannah Daly, Professor in Sustainable Energy at the School of Engineering in University College Cork, will be speaking before the committee and joined Ciara this morning to discuss this idea.

“In the mad rush to ensure that every young person has a degree, we risk losing sight of the real goal – providing quality education that equips individuals with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.” - so wrote Lorraine Courtney in the Irish Independent.  We asked the view of Mary Kenny, Author, Journalist & Irish Independent Columnist. 

Over 1,700 childcare providers will be closed for the next three days, as a result of strike action against what the Federation of Early Childcare Providers is calling “dangerous Government underfunding and inaction”    Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth – Roderic O’Gorman .  

"The Budget will announced two weeks from today. Already talk is heating up on where and what money should be going towards.  "The three coalition party leaders met with the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure yesterday, to discuss Budget 2024."    So we sent our reporter, Josh Crosbie, to meet with those feeling the cost of living to hear what they think ne...

Public health officials have appealed to people in the mid-west to use condoms during sex, following unprecedented levels of sexually transmitted infections in the region.    With more on this, Shane spoke to Dr Aisling Loy, Consultant in Sexual Health at St James's Hospital & Himerus Health Clinic.

A boat suspected of carrying a large amount of cocaine has run aground in Wexford. Conor Lally, Crime and Security Editor with The Irish Times told us what’s going on in Wexford.

Facebook’s parent company Meta is allowing users to create multiple personal profiles, giving those who use the platform more control over what others see.  Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly brought us the details.

 More than 12,000 properties are empty in Dublin. That’s according to databases supplied to The Irish Times by GeoDirectory.  In reaction to these findings, Newstalk Breakfast spoke to Tom Philips, Managing Director of Tom Philips Associates and Adjunct Associate Professor of Architecture and Planning at UCD. 

Are you a young woman in Ireland struggling with who you are and where you fit in the world? Well, The Shona Project might be able to help you   Its founder Tammy Darcy spoke to Newstalk Breakfast on the workings of The Shona Project.

 The European Week of Sport is underway, and people across the country are being encouraged to become more active.  Speaking to Newstalk Breakfsat was Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne.

That was the sound of Ireland's rugby supporters at the Stade de France on Saturday night, celebrating the team's World Cup win over South Africa,   However, the choice of 'Zombie' by the Cranberries has proven contentious, coming into criticism on social media.   Tadhg Hickey, comedian, and podcaster, explained his concern about the choice of song. 

Doctors working in Ireland’s adult National Gender Service have accused the HSE of trying to establish a new “activist-led” transgender service that will be “dangerous for patients”.  Donal O'Shea is one of those Doctors and the HSE Lead for Obesity spoke to Ciara this morning on the show.

Most Bins are filled with the wrong waste –so says the Environmental Protection Agency.  Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast with some guidance and advice was Warren Phelan programme manager with the EPA.

Culture Night 2023 will take place in various locations across the country to showcase Ireland’s diverse cultural offerings, new venues and emerging talent.  Maureen Kenelly, Director of the Arts Council brought us all the details.

“Those lucky enough to own their own home and have a mortgage are among the better off in society and should not be getting “free money” from the taxpayer to help them pay for their home.”  That’s the view of Brendan Burgess, Founder of the consumer forum Ask about money.com , who has made a Pre-Budget Submission calling for the introduction of a Repayable Mortgage Interest Supplement, Brenda...

Clinicians raised concerns about the Temple Street scandal a year ago.   So said Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly yesterday. He added that “it’s clear other people knew” of the scandal affecting children.     Neasa Hourigan, Green Party TD for Dublin Central and member of the Oireachtas Health Committee gave her reaction to this development.

More than 70 percent of Irish 11- to 17-year-olds get insufficient physical activity every day, according to a recent study in the Lancet.    So, should gyms open their doors to young teens?  One person who thinks so is Irish Independent Journalist Mary McCarthy who spoke to Ciara this morning on the show.

9-year-old Frankie Byrne was knocked down in his own front garden by a teen riding a scrambler. Frankie’s father, Keith Byrne told Shane what happened to young Frankie.