The Agenda

Tusla has 159 educational welfare officers (EWOs) working in approximately 4,000 schools, both primary and post-primary, around the country to support school attendance.  The Educational Welfare Service aims to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a minimum education; to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education, and Sheila Clarke, TESS...

The head of driving testing at the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has roundly rejected a Fianna Fáil TD’s suggestion that learner drivers should be allowed on the road unaccompanied. Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe told the Dáil last week that learner drivers should be allowed to drive without being accompanied in the car by a licensed driver, as is currently the law. Deputy Crowe spoke to us o...

Kells native, Seamus Mc Donagh, has expressed his dismay at the intervention of the Israeli authorities to disrupt the travel of a keynote speaker at the annual Robert Tressell Festival in Dublin this weekend (Saturday 24th May). Seamus was the inspiration for establishing this festival in 2023 which aims to bring together progressive Irish and international political figures to discuss pressing e...

A group of 556 survivors of mother and baby homes are to take a landmark High Court case over their exclusion from the State redress scheme. The Department of Children approved a compensation scheme for survivors of the institutions last year, but the strict criteria means children who were in a home for less than six months are not eligible for a payment. This morning on The A...

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Minister for Education & Meath-East TD Helen McEntee about the new measures aim to tackle ‘hugely alarming’ school absenteeism rates. We will also discussed bullying in schools and what parents should/can do if their children are being bullied. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of the tenth anniversary of the passing of the Marriage Equality referendum in Ireland, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today published data on same-sex marriages over that time This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Fianna Fail TD, Malcolm Byrne, who is a gay man, Malcolm spoke to us about Ireland's 10 years with marriage equality and how it has changed Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See...

People who are on a lengthy waiting list for a larger council house and are suffering overcrowding might be better facilitated by the addition of an extension or extra room in their existing home, Fine Gael councillor in Ashbourne Alan Tobin has told Meath County Council. Alan spoke to us on The Agenda this morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Garda and PSNI investigations into far-right incitement at protests and riots have shown agitators from outside Ireland involved in amplifying and directing demonstrations across the island. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Reporter at The Journal, Niall O'Connor, who tell us all about this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Fórsa trade union has commenced a ballot of school secretaries for indefinite strike action in a dispute over pensions. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Head of Education at Forsa Trade Union, Andy Pike, who is leading the strike ballot. We also spoke to Teresa Cassidy, who is a school secretary in Dunshaughlin for the past 27 years and is entitled to no pension. Hosted on Acast. See aca...

Ireland will soon have the “heaviest penalties” in Europe for companies that allow children to gamble, the industry regulator has said. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland made the statement in response to a new European-wide survey that showed a significant increase in young people in Ireland who have gambled in the last year. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Founder of Tiglin Resi...

Sinn Fein councillor Helen Meyer has said that in order to understand the need for emergency housing assistance the Meath County Council housing department should gather more detailed demographic information from applicants seeking that assistance Helen spoke to us on The Agenda this morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New driving test centres in "key areas" of the country and testing on bank holidays form part of the Road Safety Authority’s new plan to drastically cut lengthy waiting times which have caused a backlog of 100,000. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Junior Transport Minister, Sean Canney, about this We also spoke to Fine Gael TD in Louth Paula Butterly, who has been calling on Minister Canney...

Four businesses with a café offering in Drogheda are to trial keeping their doors open late into the night as part of an initiative to promote and diversify the town's late-night entertainment offering. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Night Time Economy Advisor for Drogheda, Mark Davis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is a serious absence of 24/7 expert child and adolescent psychiatric services at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, it has emerged. The issue is becoming a real problem for young people experiencing distress not just in the town but in acute hospitals around the country, Labour TD Ged Nash has claimed. Deputy Nash spoke to us this morning on The Agenda about this. Hosted on Acast. See a...

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly about the bill they are hoping to bring forward which would see the voting age in Ireland reduced to 16 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Eoin O'Boyle, who is the owner of OB Vape in Drogheda calling for Ireland to take a bold, balanced, and evidence-based approach to vaping regulation that protects young people while supporting adult smokers to quit cigarettes permanently. We also spoke to Luke Clancy from the Tobacco Free Research Institute, who believes that e-cigarettes do more harm than go...

Community safety partnerships, which will replace the Joint Policing Committees (JPCs), will be set up “very soon’” Justice Minster Jim O’Callaghan has told Dundalk TD Ruairí Ó Murchú. Deputy Ó Murchú spoke to us on The Agenda this morning about this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Social Democrats Councillor in Trim, Ronan Moore, to get the latest on the two pending applications for the development of an IPAS Centre in Trim. We also spoke to Fianna Fail TD for Meath West , Aisling Dempsey, and to CEO of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Teresa Buczkowska.. Teresa gave us her thoughts on the campaign in Trim and the various other simila...

Over 560 people skipped bail in Ireland’s district courts (including Louths) last year, new figures have revealed. Irish District Courts collected almost €170,000 in forfeited bail money after people were granted bail but later failed to appear before a judge last year. The new figures were obtained by Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Murchú who claims they represent a need for government to act quickly...

New models to support people out of homelessness must be pursued by the Government as it prepares its latest housing plan amid ever-rising numbers in Ireland without a home, a charity has urged. On Monday, Focus Ireland published two reports which it said show successful approaches to helping homeless people with complex support needs into stable homes and communities. Its Director of Advocacy Mik...

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Meath-East Sinn Fein TD Darren O'Rourke about his calls for the new Gormanston Camp facilities to be accessible to the local community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Green Party Councillor in Dundalk, Marianne Butler, about the news that there are no plans to allow the public access Louth County Council meetings online. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Labour Party leader & TD Ivana Bacik, about the party being forced to change their venue for an event marking 10 years since the referendum on same sex marriage after threats they received from the far right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and at the Department of Defence & Meath-East TD Thomas Byrne about the UK & EU agreeing a historic post-Brexit reset of relations deal. We also discussed the delay in the completion date of The Nationals Children's Hospital Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to 14-year-old disability rights campaigner Cara Darmody says she's fed up with politicians who don't keep promises. The teenager is beginning a 50 hour protest, sleeping out on the streets of Dublin from today, to raise awareness of an 'assessment of needs' crisis affecting 15,000 children in Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.