The Hard Shoulder

A 'do not swim' notice has been issued for Malahide Beach in north Dublin following an overflow from a nearby waste water treatment plant. Swimmers are advised the warning will last three days at least. For more on this, Shane is joined by John Daly, Senior Engineer at the Department of the Environment at Fingal County Council, Councilor David Healy, Green Party Councilor representing Howth-Malahi...

“From when our head is wet when we’re born, to when our loved ones raise a glass to us at our funeral, alcohol is ever-present in the celebrations of our lives. It’s hard to break the habit.” So writes Esther McCarthy, Columnist with The Irish Examiner, who hasn’t had a drink for eight weeks. She joins Ciara to discuss.

Following the death of Grace Lynch earlier this year the outright ban on scramblers in public places under Grace's law came into effect from April 3rd, despite this scramblers continue to be an issue in certain Parks & Public Open Space. Ruairí Ó Dúlaing, former Head of Parks with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and Fingal County Council joins Shane to discuss his experience working in public parks for...

“Maybe it’s better if we never know the full cost of hosting the Ryder Cup in Ireland”. So wrote Economist Sinead O’Sullivan in today’s Irish Times. Is she right? Joining Shane for more on this is Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil TD for County Limerick and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza, and he says they will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms. For more on this, Shane is joined by Israel Correspondent with The Irish Times, Mark Weiss.

The European, Asian and North American football confederations have published an open letter in a new push to pressure FIFA boss, Gianni Infantino, to quit. Joining Ciara to discuss this is Sports Writer, Kieran Cunningham…

A former gang leader will go on trial in Las Vegas today over the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur which took place 30 years ago. It is one of America's most high-profile unresolved murders… Joining Ciara to discuss this is Harriet Alexander, Senior Features Writer with the Daily Mail based in New York.

For this week’s Kids Clinic, Ciara and Shane are joined by Dr Eleanor Galvin, GP with familydoctors.ie , to discuss how parents can identify and treat common conditions like ringworm and thread worms.

About 15% of the power produced by Irish wind farms in the first half of the year was thrown away because the network was not strong enough to move it, according to Wind Energy Ireland. So, do we need to do more to strengthen our energy grid there so we can survive any incoming financial shocks? Joining Shane to discuss this  Lisa Ryan, Professor in Energy Economics at the UCD School of Econo...

“There has been very little attention paid to the needs of women in the planning and construction of housing and neighbourhoods. The reality is that the built environment is designed by men, for men”. That’s the view of Lorcan’s Sirr in an opinion piece today in the Irish Times about housing and how we plan and design our houses. Is that a fair assessment? Joining Ciara to discuss is Gavin Lawlor.

Lunch used to be a case of meal deals, soup and sandwich combos and low cost meals on the go, but these days, it’s hard to get through your break without breaking the bank. So, has inflation hit the lunchtime market harder than others, and are the days of cheap and cheerful lunches in the bin? Newstalk’s Sarah Madden has been looking into this, and joins Shane to discuss.

The Government is considering introducing a ban on the sale of tobacco and nicotine-inhaling anyone born after a certain date. The move follows the introduction of similar legislation in the UK, but at the same time when Ireland may look to decriminalise drugs in the near distant future, is it the right step to consider? Joining Ciara to discuss is Philly McMahon, Advisor on the Drugs Citizen Asse...

Andy Burnham has said that new laws, which will make it easier to cancel online subscriptions, will come into effect next year. The UK Prime Minister says these changes will mean companies must offer “clearer upfront information, regular reminders and a much easier exit to contracts” for consumers. Should we do the same here, and how difficult is it to unsubscribe from online services? Elaine Burk...

In Cullen’s in Northwest Cork, locals have pulled together to buy the last pub in the village to keep the social fabric of the community alive. Is this the future for rural pubs? Joining Ciara to discuss is one of the Directors of Tigh Laitiarain & Company Secretary, Damien Hickey, and Pat Crotty, CEO of the Vintners Federation of Ireland. Image: @laitispub on Instagram

This week, Ciara and Shane were joined by presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis and Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists...

The Government has approved draft legislation making continuous professional development a legal requirement for Dentists, while granting the Dental Council new powers to sanction those who fail to maintain their skills. Joining Shane to discuss this story is Dr Bridget Harrington-Barry, President of the Irish Dental Association.

In the UK, restaurants, theatres and pubs are coming together to ban the use of Meta's "spy glasses" from their premises over privacy concerns. Many wouldn't know someone was wearing them, let alone filing or taking pictures covertly. Should we introduce the same ban here in Ireland or wider across Europe? Olga Cronin is Senior Policy Officer with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and joins S...

Off The Ball’s Mick McCarthy joined Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

The value of personal loans for weddings, home upgrades and EVs exceeded €3 billion over a 12-month period for the first time. That’s according to new figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI). But why are we taking out loans at such a high rate, and what are the repercussions? Joining Shane to discuss is Robert Whelan, Managing Director of Rockwell Finance.

“Road violence isn’t a random occurrence. It’s the result of the choices we make, the roads we design and the behaviours we tolerate." That’s the words of former Minister Ciaran Cannon speaking online about road violence, describing it as “one of the defining public health issues of our time.” So, do we need to do more to ensure everyone who takes to our roads is safe and put out of harm? Joining...

Calls are being made for tougher action to curb ticket touring for upcoming sports and concerts events. It comes as tickets for the sold-out Manchester United v Leeds United friendly at Croke Park next week are being resold online for up to seven times their original price… For more on this and what can be done, Shane is joined by Mannix Flynn, Independent Cllr for Dublin Bay South.

Figures obtained by the Irish Independent show a 26.5% increase in the number of reduction mammoplasty procedures, more commonly known as breast reduction surgeries, carried out in acute public hospitals since 2019. In 2019, 181 patients underwent the procedure. By 2024, that figure had risen to 229. So, what's behind the increase? Joining Shane with the story is Freelance Medical and Health Journ...

Shane is joined by Freya von Noorden Pierce, who is from Dublin and is working in Amsterdam at the moment. Freya had a piece in the Irish Times about the power of the Irish supermarket. She joins to discuss why we do them so well compared to elsewhere…

'Why unionists went to the Belfast Fleadh and liked it, some on social media ask why the July 12th celebrations cannot generate atmosphere more like the Fleadh', writes Newton Emerson in The Irish Times. Joining Shane to discuss this is Jamie Bryson, Editor of The Unionist Voice.

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and Chris Wasser, Arts Journalist and Sunday Independent Film Critic joined Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…