Newstalk Breakfast

Department of housing, local government and heritage officials will appeal before the Oireachtas Climate Committee today to discuss biodiversity. Rewilding is a strategy used to promote biodiversity by reintroducing plant and animal species that have been driven out, largely due to humans. Is it time the government allowed all empty public spaces in Ireland to be rewilded? Padraic Fogarty, Campaig...

It will now cost €750 more this year to fuel a petrol car than the annual fuel cost last year, according to the latest survey from AA Ireland. Earlier this week, junior minister Robert Troy said that he traveled on free public transport in Luxembourg, adding that Ireland should move towards making public transport free. Would this actually work? Brian Caulfield Associate Professor School of Engine...

British ministers would be empowered to override the Northern Ireland protocol almost in its entirety under legislation introduced at Westminster yesterday evening. Ciara spoke to Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney late last night and started by asking him about his reaction to this move by Westminster.

Instead of pumping money into daycare, the government should give vouchers directly to parents which could be put towards the cost of crèches or make it easier for one of them to stay at home with the children. That’s the view of David Quinn, Columnist with the Sunday Times and Director of the Iona Institute and he spoke to Shane this morning.

Ryanair cabin staff in Spain have announced six dates for strike action. How will it impact Irish holidaymakers? Joan Scales is Editor of Travel2Ireland and Travel Times joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

New figures show that over 20 tenants in one local authority area owe more than €20,000 each in rent arrears. Tenants are now set to face the courts as new figures show that total rent arrears owed to South Dublin County Council (SDCC) add up to over €9.16m. Fine Gael Cllr David McManus joined Ciara on the show.

Irresponsible and reckless – that's how business bodies have described the move by the British Government to publish a bill to change the Northern Ireland protocol. John McGrane is Director General of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce and he spoke to Shane on the show.

There has been a significant fall in the number of recorded litter black spots across the country, although used coffee cups are causing a huge problem. That’s according to the latest survey from Irish Business Against Litter. Conor Horgan is spokesperson for Irish Business against Litter spoke to Ciara Doherty this morning.

Amazon has launched a new service for customers looking to buy shoes online in the US, using Augmented Reality. Is this tech the future of shopping and just how user-friendly is it? Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

Hundreds of expectant parents are to be given ‘baby bundles’ with practical items to help them with their newborn children under a new Government pilot scheme. Minister for Children, Roderic O’Gorman joined Ciara Doherty on the show.

Controversial legislation overriding parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol is to be published by the UK government today. Sammy Wilson, DUP Brexit Spokesperson joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

People over 40 should be cautious about giving advice to the young. That’s the view of Conor Skehan, Sunday Independent Columnist who says most over 40s know less of “this new and different world than they realise" and he spoke to Ciara Doherty on the show.

Weddings, engagement parties, hens, and stags – there are many opportunities to celebrate when two people decide to put a ring on it. But are these the occasions in life we should be recognising? Or as Writer and Podcast Host, Sophie White says, are we celebrating all the wrong things?

What is needed to decrease poverty in Ireland? Increasing women in the workforce and more benefits for children. That’s according to the ESRI and their Senior Research Officer, Bertrand Maître who spoke to Shane on the show.

Controversial legislation overriding parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol is to be published by the UK government today. Former Special advisor to James Brokenshire, TalkRadio Presenter & Political Editor, Peter Cardwell joined Ciara Doherty on the show.

A free naked beach yoga event is taking place on White Rock Beach in Dalkey this weekend. It’s hosted by The Irish Naturist Association, an organisation that regularly hosts social nudity activities in Ireland and its spokesperson Stephen Bolton joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

Sinn Fein’s only MEP Chris MacManus has defended his decision to vote against a motion calling for Ukraine to be granted candidate status to join the EU, saying the overall text was about the EU “becoming a geopolitical military bloc”. Billy Kelleher, Fianna Fáil MEP spoke to Shane on the show this morning.

A new Government report reveals that ONLY 59% OF climate measures that were due to be completed between January and March were delivered on time. The Department of the Environment reported the worst completion rate of any department. Sadbh O’Neill, Stop Climate Chaos Policy Coordinator spoke to Shane this morning.

State agencies are ‘dragging their feet in transferring land to Land Development Agency for housing. Reports today suggest that Cabinet ministers have raised serious concerns about the lack of urgency by the HSE, ESB, and CIE in giving land to the LDA which can be used to develop new housing. Tom Philips is Managing Director of Tom Philips Associate and Adjunct Associate Professor of Architecture...

Despite what the documentaries tell you, a vegan lifestyle isn't better for your health and it won't save the planet either. That’s the view of Jayne Buxton Author of ‘The Great Planet Based Con’ who joined Kieran on the Hard Shoulder yesterday. Sandra Higgins is the Director of Go Vegan World and she joined us on Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

There are over twenty vacant premises on two of Ireland's busiest shopping streets - Grafton Street and Henry Street in Dublin City Centre. But what needs to be done to revive these streets? Our Chief Reporter Barry Whyte has been finding out...

Supporting Ukraine has become a sacred cause among western powers that makes escalation of the war beyond Ukraine more likely and resolution more difficult. That was the view of Gerard Toal Professor of Government and International Affairs at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University who joined us on yesterday’s show. Dr. Shane O’Rourke - Senior Lecturer in Modern Russian History in the...

The European Central Bank has said it will raise its key interest rates for the first time in over a decade at its July 21 meeting.. The announcement comes as Ireland records the largest annual increase in the consumer price index since 1984, with costs rising by an average of 7.8%. Oana Peia, Assistant Professor at the School of Economics, University College Dublin spoke to Shane.

Trinity College Dublin has climbed into the world’s top 100 universities – that’s according to the latest QS global rankings published this week. Ireland's top college is up three positions to 98th, breaking a five-year run outside the top 100. Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris spoke to Ciara Doherty

Potential violence could return to Northern Ireland this summer if there is no progress on the protocol in the coming weeks, so says Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie who joined Shane on Newstalk Breakfast.