Newstalk Breakfast

This month’s most recent opinion poll showed that 56% of voters now believe that leaving the EU was wrong, 32% still think it was right and the remaining 12% don’t know. Is it time to offer Britain a way back into Europe? We asked Michael McDowell, Senator and Former Tanaiste and Minister for Justice.

A new report from the ESRI today reveals that Between January and June 2022, 6,494 applications for international protection were lodged in Ireland. A significant increase on 2019. Keire Murphy, Policy Officer with ESRI and co-author of the report spoke to Shane with more details on the findings.

“Relationships spanning four or five decades require graft and forgiveness – but true connections are worth the effort” that’s according to the broadcaster, journalist, and author Mariella Frostrup who spoke to Ciara this morning on the show.

The Government needs to improve planning for the long term. That’s according to a new Fiscal Assessment Report from the Fiscal Advisory Council, whose Chairperson Sebastian Barnes who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

Have you ever felt that the text on a loved one’s gravestone doesn’t quite do their life justice? Judie Russell is Co-founder of The Story Of, has a solution, and told Shane all about it.

From Gen Z and Gen X to Millennials, the labelling of generations makes no sense and is pointless. That is the view of Padraig O’ Morain, Mindfulness Teacher and Author who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

Community wardens are set to patrol Dublin’s north inner city in a bid to crackdown on antisocial behaviour in the capital. Cormac Ó Donnchú , Independent and volunteer chair of Dublin north Inner city community safety Partnership told us more about this new initiative.

A full review is set to be launched to look into the delays to this year's Junior Cert results. Over 67,000 students will receive their results today - two months later than usual. Education Editor of The Irish Times, Carl O’Brien spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

The term time traffic is back, and with it all those extra cars and carbon emissions we’re supposed to be reducing. However, one Dublin school is piloting a novel scheme to get families on two wheels instead of four – Newstalk’s Sarah Madden reports.

Protests against the housing of asylum seekers in Dublin’s East Wall have been labelled “the worst of Donald Trump-type politics” by Fine Gael councillor Ray McAdam. A second protest took place in the area last night. Lucky Khambule is Co-founder of the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland spoke to Ciara this morning on the show.

The Government is set to introduce a windfall tax on electricity companies generating huge revenues from the energy crisis. Is this the right move to alleviate the financial burden of electricity prices on households? Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Muireann Lynch is an Energy Economist and Senior Research Officer with ESRI

The Coalition leaders are discussing proposals to scrap motor toll increases due to come into force in January. This will leave the State on the hook for up to €25 million in payments to road operators to make up for lost income. Darren O'Rourke is Sinn Féin’s Transport Spokesperson and he joined Shane this morning on the show.

“Your beautiful babies will grow up. Where does that leave you? - Remember to protect yourself, too, as your children will one day enter the big, bad world without needing to hold your hand.” Those are the words of a Journalist with the Irish Times and Mother of 7, Jen Hogan who joined us on the show this morning.

Extreme shortage of rental homes brings record increases in rent - that’s the warning from Daft.ie who have today released their latest report. For more on this, Ciara was joined by Conor Skehan, Sunday Independent Columnist, Former chair of the Housing Agency and Ronan Lyons is an Economist at Trinity College Dublin & author of The Daft.ie Report.

Under new government plans, under 18s will no longer be allowed to buy vapes. In plans to be brought to Cabinet this morning, by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly would also see vapes banned from vending machines. Professor Des Cox, Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at Children's Health Ireland Crumlin, and Chair of the Policy Group on Tobacco at Royal College of Physicians of Ireland s...

Procrastination against bodycams needs to stop” that’s according to former Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy. His remarks come after Gardaí were viciously assaulted while responding to an incident in Ballyfermot on Monday morning. To debate this issue further Shane was joined on the show this morning by Pat Leahy, former Garda Assistant Commissioner, and Liam Herrick, Executive Director of The Iris...

Late November is far too early to be celebrating Christmas. That’s according to Journalist and author Suzanne Harrington who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

The family of Nicola Furlong has shared their disgust at the release of her killer. American musician Richard Hinds strangled Nicola in a Tokyo hotel room in May 2012. She was 21 years of age. Nicola’s father Andrew Furlong spoke to Ciara this morning.

A new study published today shows that aside from keeping us connected, our smartphones are also keeping us awake. Deloitte has found that 51% of adults in Ireland wish they spent less time on their devices and 50% of us tend to stay awake later than planned because we’re on our phones. Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly brings us more on this.

49% of Irish adults indicated that they had been binge drinking at least once in the last 30 days. So found a new report from Drinkaware. Samantha Kelly is a Social Media Consultant and spoke to Newstalk Breakfast which her reaction to the findings of this report.

The UN COP27 climate summit drew praise for the creation of a "loss and damage" fund to help vulnerable countries but there was also anger over a failure to push further efforts on cutting emissions. Green Party Leader & Minister for Environment Eamon Ryan  joined Shane this morning.

Today is Equal Pay Day, highlighting the difference in pay between men and women in the country. Sonya Lennon, Founder of the WorkEqual campaign and told us more about it. Newstalk Breakfast spoke to Mary McCarthy a Columnist with the Irish Independent.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will today attend the official sod-turning for Shanganagh, Ireland’s largest affordable housing scheme. Is enough being done to make housing more affordable in this country? For more on this Ciara was joined by Wayne Stanley Head of Policy and Communications at the Simon Communities of Ireland.

The UN nuclear energy watchdog has said the forces behind the shelling of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant are “playing with fire” after a series of explosions shook the facility yesterday. Suzanne Lynch, Chief Brussels correspondent with Politico Europe, talked us through what happened.

A major crackdown on motorists who drive under the influence of drink or drugs is planned for the roads this Christmas. This comes as new figures confirm intoxicated driving has increased by 17% in the first ten months of this year. Leo Leighio, a member of the Irish Road Victims Association spoke to Ciara this morning.