Newstalk Breakfast

“Here in Switzerland, assisted dying has become too easy. Ireland should handle the issue with care.” So wrote Irish author living in Switzerland Clare O’Dea in the Independent.  

A rally will be held in Dublin later today to protest rent increases for tenants in council housing or on the Housing Assistant Payment scheme.  We heard from People Before Profit Councillor for Ballymun Finglas, Conor Reddy. 

Today, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris is expected to formally sign orders guaranteeing sustained, nationwide access to cash for both people and businesses.   Ciara discusses this further with Mattie McGrath, Independent TD for Tipperary.

An Oireachtas Committee has heard that junior infant and sixth class students alike are receiving the same lunch portions in school, sparking health concerns.    There are also concerns over the nutritional value of the hot meals available in schools. Shane discusses this with Sarah Keogh, Dietician and founder of Eatwell .

Local businesses are creating a new experience for Christmas shoppers by making one-off events – collaborating with other businesses and suppliers, offering freebies and discounts for customers.   Newstalk's Ciara Treacy went to a couple of these events in Dublin City Centre last night to find out more.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary  hits back at claims the airline hikes fares around major sporting events rejecting suggestions of price gouging.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has received the draft of a new US-backed plan to end Russia's war in his country, according to his office.   He is expected to hold talks with US President Donald Trump in the coming days. To discuss further we heard from Sean Bell, Former Fighter Pilot, Military Analyst and Co-Host of the Red Matrix Podcast .  

Regulators should examine whether increased air fares particularly around sporting events are compliant with consumer protection laws. So says Mark Duffy, Fine Gael Senator, spokesperson on Transport in the Seanad and Member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport.

People buying cocaine on a Friday night could be inadvertently funding Russia's war in Ukraine. This is according to An international investigation involving the gardaí, the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) and other European and US law enforcement agencies     Shane discusses this further with Crypto currency Journalist Connor Sephton.

The Dáil has heard that ‘thousands’ of people are spending their lives stuck in Dublin-bound traffic, with many motorways becoming ‘carparks’.  How pressing is this issue, and what can be done to fix it? All to discuss with Brian Caulfield, Professor in the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin.

The Defence Forces are preparing to deploy a naval ship to monitor a Russian surveillance vessel should it move closer to Irish waters.  We discuss further with Vice Admiral and Former Head of the Defence Forces Mark Mellett,

Brazil failed to secure an early COP30 climate deal on Wednesday, but their President Lula optimistic, saying there’s still room for progress in the summit’s final two days   Former Environment Minister and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was at COP30 last week and recently questioned “is this really working?”

Yesterday, University of Limerick PHD Researcher Emma Jude Lyons claimed the victory in the Irish Universities’ Association’s 3 minute thesis competition for her presentation of a new methodology to create bespoke breast prosthesis.

Dublin’s planned new metro system will need about 8,000 workers to construct, according to Metrolink’s Project Director Sean Sweeney.  He told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport that the Irish construction industry cannot support the construction of this project.   Shane discussed this further with Paul Davis, Lecturer in Public Procurement at DCU .  

There are concerns about Russian spy ship on course for Irish waters . Also Washington has reportedly developed a secret 28-point plan with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. This comes ahead of a meeting later today between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a US delegation in Kyiv.  Also   All to discuss with Declan Power Defence and Security Analyst. 

A New ESRI study has found that participation in afterschool clubs and centres is more common among higher income families, with this gap widening over time. Dr. Helen Russell, Research Professor and head of the Social Research Division at the ESRI .  

The Government is being forced to bring in emergency regulations to stop companies attempting to subvert the new auto-enrolment pension. We get more on this with Charlie Weston, Personal Finance editor with the Irish Independent .  

Would you be interested in dining at a restaurant where your phone is locked away? One restaurant who has adapted this policy is Punk Royale in London and we spoke to Katherine Bont, Head of Guest Experience at The Punk Royale Group.

This morning, Friends of the Earth are setting up a cold and drafty “sitting room” outside the Dáil in support of a Bill to introduce Building Energy Rating standards in rented accommodation.   For more on this we spoke to Clare O’Connor, Friends of the Earth's Programme Coordinator for Heat. 

The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a Bill demanding that the justice department release all files related to its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. All to discuss with David Smith Washington Bureau chief of The Guardian. 

As part of yesterday’s ministerial reshuffle in the wake of the departure from politics of Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, Galway West TD Hildegarde Naughton has been appointed Minister for Education and Youth, marking her appointment to full Cabinet for the first time.    Minister Naughton spoke to Shane this morning.

According to a new survey, men would rather remain single than have to deal with women’s expectations and their desire to change them.    Is this fueling a great relationship recession?  To discuss further we heard from Alana Kirk, Author and Midlife Coach.

31 per cent of taxi drivers feel unsafe while working. That's according to a new FreeNow report released today. We discussed further with  Danny O’Gorman, General Manager at Freenow Ireland. 

Today, the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food will meet to discuss State funding for horse and greyhound racing in Ireland.    Greyhound racing received 19.8 million euro in Budget 2026. Joining Shane to discuss more is Nuala Donlon, Greyhound Action Ireland Spokesperson and Michael Healy Rae, Independent Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and the Marine an...

One in three adults who drink now drink at home alone at least once a week, while one in four report binge drinking in the past 30 days. That’s according to new research from Drinkaware, whose CEO Dearbhla O’Brien spoke to Ciara this morning on the show.