The Hard Shoulder

 This week is End Child Poverty week and throughout it the station has been having conversations on the topic   With Budget 2024 on the horizon, Tanya Ward Chief Executive of the Children's Rights Alliance

There are plans to transform Dublin's transport system and road layouts. New proposals announced show a push towards more public transport, cycling and pedestrianisation infrastructure, and a move away from the private car. Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie, met with users of different modes of transport, to hear their views on the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan.

That was a little taster of a new tribute to one of Ramsay Street’s most beloved characters: Susan Kennedy, who is married to the one and only Dr Karl Kennedy, played by Alan Fletcher in the iconic Aussie soap Neighbours. As many of you will know, Alan has played Dr. Karl Kennedy on the show for 28 years and has released a new album The Lighter Side Of Alan Fletcher ahead of the tv series returnin...

The Quays in Dublin are set to close to car traffic under new proposals from the City Council. A consultation is now open on a new draft Dublin City Centre Transport Plan. Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Hazel Chu, Dublin City Councillor for the Green Party, Richard Guiney, CEO of Dublin Town  and Jim Waldron, Spokesperson for the National Private Hire & Taxi Associati...

The ECB is to raise interest rates by 25 basis points. Their reasoning, inflation continues to decline but is still expected to remain too high for too long.    Kieran was joined by Dan O’Brien, chief economist of the Institute of International and European Affairs and Marian Finnegan is managing director for Sherry Fitzgerald. 

Changes are set to be on the way for Ireland’s speed limits following the publication of a government review.    Speed limit on national secondary roads is to reduce from 100km/h to 80km/h while in urban built up areas speed will be limited to 30km/h.    Jack Chambers, Minister of State for Transport joined Kieran to discuss...

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in an interview with The Times, has said that junk food should be made more expensive in order to tackle obesity amongst the poor.    He wants the sugar tax expanded over there. A sugar tax is in play over here, but this begs the question, does it go far enough?    Kieran was joined by Donal O’Shea, clinical lead on obesity with th...

School is back in earnest, and many primary schools are wrestling with pupils’ love for their smartphones. Some schools, as we’ve covered on this programme, choose to ban them. But is banning them a futile exercise in a world where social media is ubiquitous?    Kieran was joined by Colman Noctor, child and adolescent psychotherapist to discuss...

Newstalk's own, Simon Tierney joined Kieran Cuddihy for the series 'The Shopping Trolley Hotline'. The series will give listeners pause when they’re filling their trolleys, to consider their options. This week Simon and Kieran take a look a some of the options for fig rolls on the shelves...

A public consultation is opening today in relation to the quays in Dublin City Centre. The basic plan coming out of the City Council is for no more through traffic on the quays, except for buses, taxis and bikes.    Kieran was joined by Green Party Councillor Michael Pidgeon to discuss...

RTÉ have been front of the Oireachtas Media Committee today, on a week where there has been much discussion over the governance of the State broadcaster’s finances.  Kieran was joined by Emma O’Kelly, chair of the NUJ Dublin Broadcasting Branch. 

The Galway Comedy Festival kicks off next month, with an impressive line-up of comedians bringing their humour to the city. Comedian John Colleary joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder... Image: John Colleary

Trinity College Dublin Student Union are blockading the Book of Kells today to protest against the rise in the cost of on-campus student accommodation.    Newstalk Reporter Aoife Kearns was there and joined Kieran to discuss...

RTÉ executives appeared before the Oireachtas Media Committee once again today. Sean Defoe, Newstalk's Political Correspondent joined Kieran with the latest...

Members of the Garda Representative Association have overwhelmingly voted no confidence in the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. The motion passed with almost 99% voting in favour.    Tara McManus, Assistant General Secretary of the GRA and Michael Doyle, Senior News Reporter with The Irish Sun joined Kieran to discuss... 

Every week for Tuesday Travel on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world. This week, Fionn joined Kieran to give him tips for a trip to the city of love, Paris...

An Garda Síochána have announced that they will be rolling out the use of body cameras as part of a pilot scheme in the coming year to prevent further crime on Irish streets. When absolutely necessary, Gardaí will switch on these cameras to improve public and gardai safety and to reduce challenges around arrest.   Kieran was joined by Executive Director of the Irish Council for Civil Libertie...

RTÉ bosses are back in front of the Oireachtas tomorrow over their payments scandal – the Media Committee the first to get a go after the summer break.    The broadcaster has submitted hundreds of pages of documents to the committee and  Kieran was joined by Jack Horgan Jones the Political Reporter for the Irish Times to discuss…

It was love at first taste - that's how Tadhg Hickey, comedian and actor described his first interaction with alcohol. This encounter would go on to define the Corkman's relationship with drink.     “A Portrait of the Piss Artist as a young man” is Tadhg's new book and is an honest account into alcoholism, addiction and the process of recovery and he joined Kieran to discuss...

Vision Zero is the RSA’s strategy for getting to zero deaths and injuries on our roads by 2050.  Some people are worried about how authorities might be making certain decisions about our roads.    Kieran was joined by Conor Skehan, columnist with the Sunday Independent to discuss...

Kieran was joined by Kieran Cunningham, Chief Sports Writer for the Irish Daily Star and Roddy Collins, Irish football legend to discuss the future of Stephen Kenny as Ireland manager...

Kieran Cuddihy was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Seán Quinn, businessman and author of his new book ‘Seán Quinn, In My Own Words’... 

When the USC was introduced in 2010, we were all promised it was a temporary measure to help us out of the financial crisis. 13 years later, we’re still paying it and there’s no sign of it stopping. With recent news that we’ve entered a budget surplus, a lot of people are beginning to wonder why the tax is still necessary. Kieran was joined by Dr Aidan Regan, associate professor in the School of P...

Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has had a string of bad luck since taking on the job. Last night’s 2-1 loss to the Netherlands at the Aviva Stadium leaves Ireland on just three points in the Euro 2024 qualifiers. It begs the question, is it time for Stephen Kenny to go? Henry McKean joined Kieran Cuddihy to discuss...

The Hard Shoulder was LIVE from the International Rugby Experience in Limerick City. This week's you are what you eat sees Aisling Larkin, TV Chef and Mindful Eating Coach give Kieran tips for the best snacks for a rugby match...