Newstalk Breakfast

Judges will be obliged to consider community service for crimes that would normally warrant a two-year jail sentence, according to reports in the Irish Daily Mail this morning.  These new plans from the Department of Justice are aimed at reducing prison overcrowding. Michael Fitzmaurice, Independent Ireland TD for Roscommon-Galway, joined us on Newstalk...

In the 2024 to 2025 academic year, over 73,000 students in primary and secondary schools were exempt from learning Irish, according to the Irish Times.  But are students with dyslexia being ‘denied’ the right to learn Gaeilge through this exemption? Rosie Bissett, CEO of Dyslexia Ireland joined Shane Coleman on the show to discuss.

The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland have demanded respect for their borders after US President Donald Trump appointed a special envoy to the Danish territory, which he has said repeatedly should be under US control.    So, has Trump put himself on a collision course with the EU yet again? David Smith Washington Bureau Chief, The Guardian joined Shane Col...

Gardaí are continuing to question a woman in connection with the disappearance of Daniel Arubose four years ago. The woman, who is in her twenties, was arrested yesterday.     Chief Reporter Barry Whyte, brought us the latest on the development.

The GAA’s argument for maintaining its links to Allianz is flawed – tainted money is not worth having. So writes Sunday Independent Columnist and former Meath footballer Colm O’Rourke, who joined us on Newstalk Breakfast to discuss.

Now it’s time for Tech Check! This week we are joined by Ciara O’Brien, Technology Journalist for the Irish Times, who is sharing her top tips for giving tech gifts... 

Talks being held between ⁠US, European and Ukrainian officials in Florida aimed at ending Russia's war in Ukraine have “productive and constructive” so far, according to US special envoy Steve Witkoff.   But as Russian officials renew criticism of European proposals, how far away is meaningful progress?   Jenny Mathers of the Department of International...

Up to 1,100 people hit by the so-called superflu are predicted to be in hospital over Christmas week.   Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister For Health, Fine Gael TD for Dún Laoghaire joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

 John Whelan of the Sentencing and Victim Equality Group SAVE, has described how his family are being ‘retraumatized’ at the biennial parole hearing of his sister’s murderer.     Sharon Whelan and her two daughters, Nadia and Zara, were murdered on Christmas Day 2008, and their murderer Brian Hennessy has applied for parole every two years since 2017. John W...

360 Irish soldiers are set to spend their Christmas in South Lebanon, where they are stationed at Camp Shamrock. 134 members of the Defence Forces will be doing so for the first time. Our reporter Tom Douglas visited the camp over the weekend talk to soldiers serving there…

The government has failed to adequately address the rising cost of electricity, and we “risk pricing ourselves out of prosperity”.      That’s the view of Conor Skehan Sunday Independent Columnist, who joined Ciara Kelly on the show this morning to discuss.

An extraordinary meeting of the board of the Dublin Airport Authority is to take place today to formally suspend its Chief Executive Kenny Jacobs with full pay, pending the outcome of an investigation.       Daniel McConnell, Editor of the Business Post, joined Shane Coleman on the show.

A new batch of 68 photographs related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been made public by Democratic US lawmakers. The photos include Epstein with director Woody Allen, and Bill Gates with an unknown woman.   With more on this we spoke to David Smith, Washington Bureau Chief, The Guardian.  

Ireland’s economy has shown resilience in the last year, but the Government needs “prudent ambition” for long-term, sustainable growth.  That’s according to the Central Bank’s final Quarterly Bulletin of 2025, which found Modified Domestic Demand is projected to grow by just below 4 per cent in 2025.   We discuss this and more with Barra Roantree, Assistant Professor of Economics at Trin...

Woman at the center of the viral "kiss cam" moment at a Coldplay concert has spoken out in recent interviews. Ciara and Shane asked this morning. Are we all far too quick to judge?

The likes of Kneecap, Paul Mescal and the humble spice bag have given Ireland a new, cooler reputation.  But around the world, is Ireland being overly-romanticised? That’s the concern of Aoife Byrne, an Irish writer who has lived in London for 10 years .  

You may have received your December wages today and you may be waiting another six weeks for your monthly wages hit your bank account   So how do you make it stretch? All to discuss with Conor Pope, Irish Times Consumer Correspondent.

Two men and a woman have died in separate road crashes in counties Limerick, Monaghan and Tipperary. Recently, we discussed the decision not to disband the RSA, but are we doing enough for road safety?  We discussed further with Leo Leighio, Vice President of the Irish Road Victims Association. 

EU leaders struck a deal to provide Ukraine a €90 billion loan to plug its looming budget shortfalls, but failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets to come up with the funds.  We discuss this further with Emmanuelle Chaze, Ukraine correspondent for Radio France Internationale and France24 .

Season 5 of Emily in Paris is out today, and this rendition takes her story to the eternal city of Rome.  Here to explain why this show is so beloved is Dee Molumby, Pop culture expert.   

AIB has released new data today detailing the most common scams of 2025, with 57% of all payment fraud reported originated from text message fraud.   With last-minute parcels and packages arriving now with Christmas a week away today, it is an especially risky time to fall victim to a financial scam . With advice on how to avoid scams is Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor Irish Indep...

The owners of St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre in Dublin are making a renewed bid to redevelop the landmark shopping centre.  The revised plan once again includes removing the existing facade of the shopping centre and adding office space.   Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Dr Carole Pollard, Former president of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland & Co- Editor of the boo...

Housing output will remain below underlying demand, while average rent levels are set to rise again in 2026.  That’s the warning from the Economic and Social Research Institute in its quarterly economic commentary.   We discuss this further with Dr. Conor O’Toole, Associate Research Professor at ESRI.   

There has been huge backlash against the Government’s u-turn on disbanding the Road Safety Authority, with road safety groups arguing that the organisation is still not fit for purpose.   Muireann O’Dea, spokesperson for the “Love 30 campaign for lower speed limits” gave her reaction to this.

A British baker has caused a stir in Mexico after claiming on a podcast that the country lacks a real “bread culture.” The remark sparked outrage and places him alongside other British chefs who’ve upset food purists abroad, from Jamie Oliver’s chorizo paella to Nigella Lawson’s creamy carbonara.    Sarah Madden reports on the question of cooking and cultural appropriation:  &n...