The Agenda

The surge in food prices in recent years is the “new normal” and a consequence of more sustainable farming practices and tighter regulation rather than a temporary aberration, a leading farming group has warned. Denis Drennan of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) has warned that the increases consumers have faced in recent years are not “any kind of ‘price spike’ or aberration”...

The European Union will use the time it has until an August 1st deadline to push for a tariff deal with the United States, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said. The head of the EU’s powerful executive arm was speaking after US president Donald Trump announced he would levy tariffs of 30 per cent on nearly all trade coming from the EU from the start of next month. MEP Ciaran...

Figures released to Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú under FOI by the Irish Prison Service show that as of May 31st 2025, there were 800 sexual offenders in Irish prisons costing the state almost €80 million annually to house.  The figures also show that 235 sex offenders were released from Irish Prisons in 2024, an increase of 34% on 2023 when just 175 sex offenders were released from Ir...

Work on the next phase of the Northern Cross Route will begin in September, the Mayor Michelle Hall has been informed. This will connect Newtown to the railway track north of Aston Village while Louth County Council and the politicians lobby the Government for the phase three funding to put a 16million euro bridge over the railway line. In a new monthly report for the citizens of the town the mayo...

Clarity on eligibility criteria for social housing applicants which are similar to the requirements for social protection supports are welcome and will eliminate ambiguity, a Louth Fine Gael TD has said. Deputy Paula Butterly said legislative changes brought to Cabinet will help speed up the decision-making process around the provision of social housing with a clear set of criteria for applicants...

Third-level students preparing for the new academic year in September are voicing growing concerns over the severe shortage of rental housing in County Louth. Rising property prices and a lack of available homes are compounded by limited purpose-built student accommodation, creating anxiety among those planning to study in Drogheda and surrounding towns. Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú told the Dáil...

Excavation work is due to commence at the site of the former mother-and-baby home in Tuam, Co Galway. The start of the effort to exhume and identify human remains from the site comes more than 11 years after research by Catherine Corless found that there were no burial records for almost 800 babies and infants who died at the home over a 36-year period.   Irish Historian Catherine Corless, wh...

Fianna Fáil TD for Louth, Erin McGreehan, has hailed that the Right to be Forgotten Bill is to be brought forward for legislation before summer recess.   Deputy McGreehan has said this is a vital step to protecting cancer survivors when accessing financial products, and specifically mortgage protection.   Deputy McGreehan spoke to us this morning on The Agenda about this.  Host...

Since the end of the ceasefire on 18 March, 1,309 children in Gaza have reportedly been killed and 3,738 injured. In total, more than 50,000 children have reportedly been killed or injured since October 2023. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Aiblín O'Leary from UNICEF Ireland to find out more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was not until her fifties that “only child” Anna Corrigan discovered she actually had two older brothers she never knew – and could never know. Both boys had died as infants at St Mary’s Mother and Baby Home in the west of Ireland, and became two of an estimated 796 babies secretly buried in a septic tank beneath the site. Earlier this week speaking at the grounds of the demolished home in...

The recent decision to reject a Judicial Council recommendation to increase personal injury awards has been welcomed by Fine Gael Senator Linda Nelson Murray, who stressed that such increases would have burdened small businesses and employers with higher insurance premiums. Senator Nelson Murray spoke to us this morning on The Agenda about this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

The number of people who believe that those who are dependent on drugs only have themselves to blame has fallen by almost the past 25 years, dropping from 57% to 30%. Research published by Merchants Quay Ireland has revealed a shift in attitudes towards drug addiction, however, it found stigma remains. CEO of Merchants Quay, Eddie Mullins, joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about...

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has said he has “absolutely no” sympathy for the residents living in the environs of Dublin Airport who complain about noise pollution. Mr O’Leary described the noise complaints as “utter nonsense”, and, when asked whether he has “any sympathy for the residents”, he answered: “Absolutely none”. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Niamh Maher, who is the spokesperson...

Louth County Council has been urged to reconsider its policy of not carrying out energy retrofits or maintenance work on properties where tenants owe rent arrears. Sinn Féin Cllr Kevin Meenan made the call at the Dundalk Municipal District's monthly meeting yesterday evening where he said excluding them from the retrofit programmes highlights that they are in rent arrears to their neighbours. He a...

The European Union and the United States are believed to be on the brink of a deal that would stop the transatlantic dispute over tariffs escalating into a full blown trade war. Negotiations between the two sides are near to concluding an “agreement in principle”, which sources say could be finalised imminently, if approved by US president Donald Trump.   Po...

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to a Navan resident who says that the anti-social behaviour and intimidation in the area is deeply affecting himself and his neighbours. He told us about how teens are “terrorising” locals. We also spoke to local Independent Councillor in the area, Alan Lawes, who took to the social media last night to also voice his concerns in relation to how bad the situation...

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Mid-West, Mark Ward, will introduce Jake’s Amendment today, alongside his party colleague Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD and Johnny Guirke TD. This legislation will amend the Coroners Act to introduce the term Iatrogenic Suicide, which is when a prescription drug is the primary cause in a person taking their life. Deputy Guirke spoke to us this morning on The Agenda to tell us mo...

An expert in sexual behaviour has warned that strangulation porn has led to the practice becoming “really normalised” in real life.  Last month, the British Government announced that choking or strangulation porn is to be banned in the United Kingdom.  This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Ruth Breslin, Director of The SERP (Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy) Institute, who says i...

The recent decision by Ashbourne councillors to reject proposals for 79 social houses at Archers Glen, not only affects local families on the housing list but will result in a levy of €98,000 which must be paid to the Revenue Commissioners. Local councillor Nick Killian joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

The European Union has struck a controversial free-trade deal with Mercosur members Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay despite opposition from some EU nations. The deal must now be ratified by EU states, but unanimity is not required.   IFA President, Francie Gorman, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i...

The National Women's Council (NWC) has called on the Government to invest an additional €300m into early childhood education and care in Budget 2025. In its pre-budget submission, the NWC called on the Government to seize the opportunity to deliver universal, inclusive public services that support women "as part of a new feminist economic model that prioritises care for people and planet and creat...

The lab at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, unilaterally withdrawn access to histopathology services from GPs early in February this year, meaning all patients requiring biopsy, or excision for benign or malignant lesions need to be referred to secondary care.  The reason for the move is due to lab capacity issues. Fianna Councillor Shane McGuinness joined us on the programme th...

Uisce Eireann has issued a national appeal urging the public to conserve water amid pressure on supplies. The water network is experiencing increased pressure on supply in several regions, Uisce Éireann has said. Meath is one of the counties worst affected by this, which is in “drought” status. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Regional Operations Lead for Meath at Uisce Eireann, Michael Cunn...

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Drogheda woman Lois Hunter, who travelled abroad for planned medical treatment under the EU Cross Border Directive scheme due to long waiting lists in Irish hospitals.   We also spoke to Chief Operations Officer for Healthcare Abroad, Paul Byrne, to find out about how this system works and who can avail of it.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu met for the second time in 24 hours last night amid efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the war in Gaza. The Israeli prime minister’s return to the White House for fresh talks came after Qatari mediators warned it would take time to seal an elusive ceasefire between Israel and Hamas at talks in Doha. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Paul Rogers, who is the...