The Hard Shoulder

The Health Minister, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, said she hopes that the National Children’s Hospital could accept patients from December this year if the hospital construction was completed by April. The Minister was asked at the Oireachtas Health Committee yesterday if construction would actually be finished by the latest deadline of April 30th. To which she replied, 'That's up to BAM'. Committee...

New figures show almost 200,000 public patients received care through the National Treatment Purchase Fund last year. So what affect does the NTPF have on waiting lists? How does it operate? And do those working in the healthcare system feel the benefits? Our reporter, Josh Crosbie  has been seeing what people do if they are on a waiting list and  examining the alternative options availa...

Gardaí are set to take industrial action over the St Patrick’s Day weekend, with frontline Gardaí refusing voluntary overtime.   A Special Delegates Conference for the Garda Representative Association in Kilkenny yesterday decided on this measure in response to a government dispute over pay and allowances. To discuss, Shane was joined by Niall Hodgins, Vice President of the GRA and Representa...

Ireland is set to take a cold plunge later this week as the long rainy spell gives way to frost and ice, with temperatures expected to hit lows of −4 degrees under the influence of an Arctic air mass Joining Shane  to discuss further was Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather and Peter Dowdall aka the Irish Gardener on advice for people who are dealing with gardens sodden with water

A German practice of ‘airing’ your home has recently gained popularity – regardless of the weather outside!   The practice of ‘luften’, opening your windows and doors daily, is thought to reduce mold, odors and pollutants.   To explain shane was joined by Professor John Wenger from the Centre for Research in Atmospheric Chemistry in University College Cork...

Ireland have a 25% chance of drawing Israel in today’s UEFA Nations League draw and the FAI have reiterated their plans to fulfil the two fixtures. Shane Coleman was joined by Daniel Lambert, Chief Operating Officer of Bohemian’s Football Club to discuss whether the men's national team should participate in the fixture if we draw Israel.

Life can be full of confusing things, but no need to worry! Every Wednesday, Simon Tierney will be showing you ‘How to do Stuff’ - bringing his best tips for those things you might not think about. This week, Simon joins Shane to discuss how to Celebrate success with honour.

Earlier today on the Claire Byrne Show, reporter Alex Rowley revealed that Gardaí missed their target of 75 new Roads Policing Gardaí in 2024, and have also missed their new target of 150 members going into the unit in 2025 Just 79 Gardaí have been appointed, which included just 23 in 2024 and 56 last year. That’s a shortfall of 71 gardai. This comes after an increase in road deaths in 2025 which...

Now, if you have been keeping up with the Winter Olympics this week you may have noticed a particularly peculiar moment after Tuesday’s biathlon... where medalist Sturla Holm Laegreid made a bizarre public confession to his girlfriend about cheating on her, while also publicly asking for a second chance. Joining Shane was Relationship Expert from Two's Company, Jennifer Haskins

James Lawless,  Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. TD for Kildare North joined Shane  to discuss the changes coming to housing legislation and ongoing issues in the market. Aswell as plans to third level tution fees by 500 euros.

Images of the proposed pedestrianisation of College Green and Dame Street were unveiled by Dublin city Council today, with the plan expected to cost 80 million. Frank McDonald  Author and former environment editor, joined Shane to argue that some aspects of the plan are flawed

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, joins Shane to explain Prompt Cowboy. Generative AI tools are now being used by many to increase our productivity. But sometimes are prompts can be poor, leading to poor results. Prompt Cowboy is a website that helps us create prompts for generative AI that are clearer and more precise, meaning the results we get from...

The HSE is set to clinically review 62 children who underwent orthopedic surgery as a ‘precautionary measure.’  The move follows an independent report into the service in 2023, commissioned after high rates of post-operative complications and infections came to light.   Many parents of children that underwent orthopedic surgeries are still waiting to hear whether their child is one of th...

Sinn Féin’s two MEPs have voted against a €90 billion European Union loan to Ukraine when the before the European Parliament today.  The party has said it supports the provision of humanitarian aid but says the proposed loan is ‘primarily for military expenditure’.   Joining Shean to discuss was Regina Doherty,   Irish Fine Gael MEP and Micheal Mc Namara,   Independent MEP for...

The “beep test”, a standard aerobic fitness measure used for prospective firefighters and Gardaí for the last 40 years, has been all over the news in the past few days. This is after Cork Fire Brigade was ordered to pay €8,000 in compensation to a part-time firefighter aged in her 40s, after a tribunal found the test discriminates against women and advantages younger candidates But how good a meas...

Following yesterdays shooting in at a school in Tumbler Ridge Canada, as the small community tries to come to terms with this Shane was joined by Trent Ernst , Local Tumbler Ridge journalist to reflect on the tragic events.

A protest against the Residential Tenancies Bill will take place today at 5.30pm outside the Dáil.  The bill would allow small landlords to reset rents to market rates between tenancies and will introduce six-year tenancies, amongst other changes.  People Before Profit called the protest, as TD Richard Boyd Barrett accused the Government of “dancing to the tune” of corporate landlords “p...

The trial of an American man who killed his father at the five-star Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Portlaoise 12th November 2024, during a psychotic episode told gardaí that he told his father he would always love him as he took his last breath. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Joining Shane was Frank Graney, Newstalk’s courts correspondent.  

Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world. This week, as part of his 12 best cities in the world, Fionn joined Shane to give the ultimate guide to Madrid in Spain !

Within the last week, have you done one or more of the following? Cleaned your house. Cooked in a non-stick pan. Worn make-up. Drunk tap water. Bought a takeaway coffee. Charged your phone. Chances are you’ve done most, if not all of them, without a second thought. And what you probably don’t realise is that every single one has put you in contact with a strain of dangerous ‘forever chemicals’. Jo...

The Dublin Airport cap is set to be lifted by the government. But are government plans foregoing climate policy to achieve economic growth ? Shane was joined by the President of the ICMSA, Denis Drennan, who questioned whether this move is a counter to the ambitions set out in the Climate Action Plan

Social Democrat TD for Dublin Central joined Shane to place his favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

A survey in the UK edition of The Times suggests that one in four workers would run out of money in a month if they lost their job Essentially suggesting our rainy-day savings are dangerously low, putting many at risk if they suddenly became unemployed.   To discuss all things savings, Shane was joined by Paul Merriman, CEO of Fairstone and Founder of Askpaul.

Joining Shane was Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Transport, Climate, Energy and the Environment on the Government's plans to scrap the contentious 32 million annual passenger cap at Dublin Airport following approval by Cabinet today.

At the turn of the century, there were 522 active nightclubs across the country; as of our last count, there are only 83. There has been much debate recently whether we should try and revive the humble nightclub, or whether they have become a vestigial organ in Irish society = Joining Shane to discuss this is Lifestyle columnist with the Irish Examiner and Trinity student, Jane Cowen, Journalist a...