The Agenda

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Independent Councillor in Drogheda, Kevin Callan, who put a motion forward at the Borough District’s monthly meeting in relation to renaming The Bridge of Peace in Drogheda to the Saint Oliver Plunkett Bridge of Peace. The bridge of Peace was built as part of an inner bypass of the town in the 1970’s.  Drogheda has a very long tradition and a proud...

Local Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne has said that the recent Tusla hearing at the Public Accounts Committee has shone a light on massive gaps in child safeguarding in Louth. Speaking after the hearing Deputy Byrne said “The hearing was obviously going to be a difficult and emotional one at times with several committee members raising the disappearance and death of Daniel Aruebose and the disappearance...

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Aontú leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín, who has stated that the race for the Áras 2025 is turning into an “omnishambles”. We were joined by Independent Senator Sharon Keogan, who has said the level of public discontent regarding how the Presidential nomination process was effectively hijacked by the main political parties and the subsequent shock...

A proposal to build three new homes on a green area in Bettystown has drawn strong opposition from a local councillor. The planning application, lodged with Meath County Council by Redbreast Investments Limited, seeks permission for the construction of three dwellings, along with new boundary treatments, alterations to the existing footpath and road, and associated site works. Fianna Fáil councill...

A mother to three children with autism has spoken of how she was scammed out of approximately €3,000 last week that was fundraised to build her children a sensory shed. Louise Lawlor has three sons with autism, two of which have severe additional needs and violent tendencies. This year, after seeking professional advice, Louise decided to build a sensory shed in her garden to help her children reg...

Saturday marked 21 years since Rachel O'Reilly, a popular 30-year-old mother-of-two, was found bludgeoned to death in her north Dublin home on a Monday morning.  She had just returned from dropping the children to school, her car keys were found underneath her body.  The murder transfixed the nation, as the spotlight turned on the victim's husband, Joe O'Reilly.  The detective inspe...

Fine Gael’s Paula Butterly calls for more towns to join the Living Cities Initiative and highlights record investment for Louth. Louth Fine Gael TD and Regional Spokesperson for the Party, Paula Butterly, has called for more towns across the county such as Dundalk and Drogheda to be included in the Government’s Living Cities Initiative. The initiative provides tax incentives to encourage investmen...

With days to go to Budget 2026, Retailers Against Smuggling have called on the Government to free excise on tobacco products in order to disrupt the rise in the untaxed tobacco market.    Benny Gilsenan, Retailers Against Smuggling national spokesperson, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has issued an urgent safety alert over 114,000 circulating pumps installed in heating systems in Irish homes that could present a serious risk of electrocution. The affected products are Tucson 5m, 6m, and 8m pumps manufactured between 2017 and 2024. The mains cable can be connected to these pumps in reverse, allowing the live pin to connec...

Sinn Féin TD for Meath East, Darren O’Rourke, has welcomed a commitment from the National Transport Authority (NTA) to review bus services for Ratoath and Ashbourne, but has insisted the review must result in the delivery of more direct services from both towns to Dublin city. Speaking after raising the issue directly with the NTA at the Oireachtas Transport Committee this week, Deputy O’Rourke sa...

Fianna Fáil's candidate Jim Gavin has announced he is withdrawing from the Presidential Election "with immediate effect". This morning on The Agenda we heard from Political Correspondent Sean Defoe, to find out where it all went wrong and what is likely to happen next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Universities across the country are being urged to “work with students to address student accommodation issues, rather than acting against their interests,” says Louth TD Erin McGreehan. Deputy McGreehan chaired a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, where presidents of university student unions outlined the severe pressures f...

Budget 2026 will be constrained. Households should not expect sweeping relief, while businesses will see only limited supports.  Those most likely to benefit are the most vulnerable through social welfare. It is likely that incomes will slightly increase through lower taxes, and grocery bills should slow their exponential growth, but costs are unlikely to fall. Yet the real challenge lies bey...

The Government must end its “degrading” and “dangerous” practice of leaving newly arrived male asylum seekers to sleep rough until accommodation becomes available, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has been told. A letter sent to Mr O’Callaghan on Wednesday afternoon, signed by more than 100 civil society, cultural, religious and community groups from across the country, urged the Minister for...

The long-awaited permanent Driving Test Centre for Drogheda has hit another delay, with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) confirming that lease negotiations for the chosen site are taking longer than expected. Louth Labour TD Ged Nash said he has been in ongoing contact with both the RSA and the Minister as the expected opening date of late August or early September came and went. Deputy Nash joined...

We were joined in-studio this morning by Anthony Murphy, PRO of Drogheda City Status Group, who spoke to us about the launch of their new film which demonstrates “conclusively” that Drogheda's population has surpassed predictions years ahead of time, and that Drogheda is now a city according to EU population definitions. Their new film, consisting of drone footage shot during the summer, shows the...

Sinn Féin senator Chris Andrews and 15 other Irish citizens remain detained by Israeli forces after being “forcibly abducted” from boats in international waters as part of the flotilla attempting to carry aid to Gaza. Mr Andrews and the other Irish aboard were taken by Israeli soldiers on ­Wednesday night and have yet to be released. They were among 450 activists who were taken captive. The Sinn F...

Siptu members working with the FAI have condemned the organisation’s decision to shut a youth training scheme at Oriel Park in Dundalk — a move that cuts two community officer roles and leaves 28 participants without a programme just days before it was due to begin. The latest decision comes following the recent closure of two courses in Cork.  We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Sin...

A Meath mother of three who lives in a housing estate in a large Meath town has appealed for help to deal with major anti-social behaviour right next door to where she lives. ”Sarah” (not her real name) found out earlier this year that the house next door is being used by Tusla, to house teenagers who are in state care…but not in foster care….and that’s when her nightmare began.... Sarah made a he...

With a new national strategy to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) due next year, and with the Programme for Government stating that alcohol licensing laws are set to be updated – both of which fall within the remit of Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan - Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), the national independent advocate to reduce alcohol harm, along with representatives from...

The mother of two young boys who were abducted by their father has met with Tánaiste Simon Harris and secured “new Government commitments.” Mandy Kelly’s sons Zayn (7) and Kareem (4) were taken by their father, Ramy Gamal Maamoun Mohamed in 2022 while on a family holiday to his native Egypt. Even though Egyptian courts have given full custody to Mandy, and Irish courts have issued a return order,...

Sinn Féin Councillor Antóin Watters has hit out over proposals by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to introduce so called ‘Brit’ cards in the North of Ireland, expressing concerns for cross-border workers. Councillor Watters said “it’s bad enough that this proposal flies in the face of the Good Friday Agreement around national identity, but when questioned, Hilary Benn, British Secretary of Sta...

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At least nine Irish citizens have been detained by the Israeli military after an international flotilla trying to deliver medicine and food to Gaza was intercepted overnight, organisers have said. Those detained were Sinn Féin Senator Chris Andrews, Catríona Graham, Louise Heaney, Sarah Clancy, Diarmuid Mac Dubhghlais, Cormac O'Daly, Colm Byrne, Thomas McCune and Tara O'Grady, according to the Glo...

SIPTU members employed by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) have condemned the organisation’s decision to close a youth training scheme run out of a centre in Oriel Park, Dundalk, County Louth. The closure will result in the loss of two community development officer roles and leaves 28 trainees without a programme which was due to commence next week.   SIPTU Sector Organiser, Robbie P...