Newstalk Breakfast

Eighty thousand music fans will descend on Stradbally, Co. Laois, for this year’s Electric Picnic. But will the EP attendees need to pack their raincoats? We get an idea of the weekend weather with Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather.

Requests from schools for voluntary contributions must be written in bold, plain language so that no family is misled. That’s the call from Paul Lawless Aontú TD for Mayo, who says that too often these requests are wrapped in language that sounds like a bill.  

The richest 10 per cent of households in the Republic hold almost half the wealth, according to new figures from the Central Bank.  Given these figures, is a tax on the wealthy necessary? All to discuss with Dr Emma Howard, Economist at Technological University of Dublin. 

The number of incidents involving “unruly” passengers on flights more than trebled, according to the Irish Aviation Authority. To discuss further we spoke to Jade Kirwan, Director of Communications of Ryanair.

Strike action by school secretaries and caretakers gets underway today with staff calling for pension equity with teachers. Newstalk reporter Josh Crosbie who’s at a school in Rathfarnham and he reported on the situation there.

It’s Irish week all this week on Newstalk Breakfast. This morning we heard from Historian and ex-human rights worker Nadia Dobrianska who and has not only learned to speak English, but Irish too.

The UN’s peacekeeping operation in Lebanon is set to end by 2027.  To discuss this further Shane spoke to Defence and Security expert Declan Powe r.

A HSE drug testing programme is returning to Electric Picnic this year after screening last year discovered high-strength MDMA pills. We got all the details about the programme with  Nicki Killeen, Project Manager on Emerging Drug Trend Programmes with the HSE .  

Nearly 1 in 4 men under the age of 45 say they would “probably keep going” even if they suspected their partner isn’t enjoying a sexual encounter, a 3 percent rise since last year.    That’s according to new research from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s We-Consent campaign, which also reported that 16% of young men aged between 18 and 24 are unsure what consent means.    We dis...

The number of people in Ireland aged 85 and over is projected to almost quadruple in the next 30 years, according to the Central Statistics Office.  But what does that mean for the economics of a country, and how can we adapt? Shane discusses this further with  Aedín Doris, Labour Economist and former member of the Pension Commission and member of the Department of Economics at Maynooth...

After a failure to reach an agreement yesterday, strike action by school secretaries and caretakers gets underway today. For more on this, Ciara spoke to Andy Pike, Head of Education at Fórsa.

All this week on Newstalk Breakfast we are exploring the Irish language and its place in Irish society.   Today, we are diving into the topic of education.   We ask is the model for Gaeilge in schools fit for purpose?   All to discuss with Shane O’Quinn, Chairman of Gréasán do Mhúinteoirí Gaeilge.

A new threat of higher electricity bills has emerged after the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities approved a rise in network charges.  We get the latest on this with Daragh Cassidy, Head of Communications at Bonkers.ie.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs and curb exports to countries with digital taxes or regulations that affect American tech companies.  With the EU Digital Services Act in affect, this puts Ireland and its tech companies firmly in the firing line, but how can we react? For more on this we heard from Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist at the Institute of Internation...

Sport Ireland is set to develop a new “respect the ref” campaign in response to what it has identified as a rising incidence of abuse and disrespect towards officials. All to discuss with Rory Hickey Former Intercounty GAA Referee and GAA referees Administrator for Clare.

Have you ever seen a whale off the Irish coast? Sadly, your chance of spotting one is perhaps the lowest it’s ever been. Our reporter James Wilson went to learn why whales have deserted Ireland’s seas in their droves. 

A number of patients at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda are being informed that tests regarding pre-cancerous cells have been incorrectly graded. Martin Wall of The Irish Times joined Ciara with the story .

CAO round 1 offers are out today at 2pm, and thousands of students will know their next steps into the future.  Speaking to Shane this morning was Aisling Murray Fleming, DCU Guidance Course Director. 

All this week, Newstalk Breakfast is celebrating all things Gaeilge. Ciara and Shane were joined by Hector Ó hEochagáin, Podcaster, TV Presenter and Anchor.

There has been an increase in the number of International Protection applicants entering the work force, according to a new study from the Central Statistics Office.   The report also noted that non-Irish nationals, which include a number of International Protection applicants, accounted for 21 per cent of all employment in Ireland in the second quarter of this year .We discuss further with C...

Ciara and Shane this morning working from home and it's the social impact of full-time working from home .

Minister for Tourism Peter Burke has criticised hotels in Dublin for inflating their prices when there are large events on in the capital and said it is something he will be addressing in October’s Budget.      We get reaction from Michael Magner National President of the Irish Hotels Federation.

Four in ten Gen Z employees want to work in the office because they feel lonely at home, according to new research by Bupa.  But why are young adults rejecting working from home, when so many others embrace it?  With us to explain her own perspective is Newstalk’s Own Kathleen Keane. 

The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is warning prospective pet owners against buying dogs that originate from “industrial-scale” puppy farms.    It comes after the charity took in two puppies from one of these farms, who were bought just three days beforehand until the owners realised they could not properly care for them.  Speaking to Shane with more on this...

Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of a deadly mushroom lunch has told a Victoria Supreme Court sentencing hearing on Monday he felt "half alive" after losing his wife and two close friends.   He delivered the first victim impact statement in the case against Erin Patterson, who faces a life sentence for each murder and 25 years for the attempted murder. We get the latest on this case with Aust...