The Last Word with Matt Cooper

The death was announced this morning of veteran football commentator John Motson, aged 77. Motson worked for the BBC for over 50 years, covering ten World Cups and 29 FA Cup finals. Mark Lawrenson joined Ian Guider on The Last Word to remember Motson’s career and told listeners what it was like to work alongside him in the commentary box. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this p...

According to recruitment consultancy Robert Walters, the rate of pay rises in Ireland has hit a 10 year high for professional service firms. Average pay rises are at 4%, but when inflation is taken into account, employees are at a loss of €1,300. Suzanne Feeney, Country Manager at Robert Walters Ireland outlined the findings of the study. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this p...

Ireland’s food security has been impacted by climate change, with retail giants confirming shortages of fruit and vegetables imported from Spain, Italy and Morocco. Yields of peppers, broccoli, lettuce and aubergines have been affected. John Gibbons explained why a continued cold spell in Europe is affecting supplies to supermarkets. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

On the 24th of February 2022, Vladimir Putin gave a televised address saying his aim was to ‘de-Nazify’ Ukraine. The Russian artillery that had been amassed on the border crossed into Ukraine and missiles began to fall on Kyiv and elsewhere. In the intervening weeks and months, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fled, including journalist Maria Romanenko. One year on, Ukraine has liberated much o...

New research has shown gambling amongst inter-county GAA players is on the rise. What are the reasons for a spike in gambling amongst this particular group? Michael Foley, Sunday Times Sports Journalist and Professor Colin O’Gara, Head of Addiction Services at St. John Of God Hospital and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCD joined the Last Word to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the '...

Our tech expert Andy O’Donoghue joined us today to chat about the best gadgets available to help you get the most out of the spring time! Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Last year, in a response to rising petrol and diesel prices, due to the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Government decided to reduce excise duty. It has now been announced that this will be gradually phased out. Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor at the Irish Independent joined Matt to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

HBO's 'The White Lotus' has captivated audiences around the globe, and it's iconic theme tune has taken on a life of it's own. It has been re-worked by a number of artists, with Tiesto even turning it into one of his signature dance anthems. John Caddell and Dee Reddy joined Matt to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

How is the world reacting to Joe Biden's visit to Kyiv in Ukraine? Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone joined the Last Word to discuss this, as well as the other big news stories from the US this week. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said there will be no more cost-of-living packages this side of October’s budget. So how far will the government's €1.3 billion package go towards dealing with the current crisis? Daniel McConnell, Political Editor at the Irish Examiner, Colette Bennett, Economic and Social Analyst at Social Justice Ireland, and Richard Bruton, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Bay North joined Ma...

A young child can be sick with a self-limiting viral illness on average about 8-12 times a year. How can you spot childhood illnesses and when should you take action? Dr. Brian Higgins joined the Last Word to discuss.

After being overtaken at the top of the table by Man City last week, Arsenal were hoping to bounce back with a win against Aston Villa on Saturday and did so in very dramatic fashion. Meanwhile, Leeds United dropped into the relegation zone after defeat to Everton at Goodison Park and will face a crunch against Southampton next Saturday. Mark Lawrenson and Tony Cascarino joined Matt to discuss. Ca...

The BAFTA Awards is one of the most prestigious film award nights in the industry, but is it worth tuning into from home? Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke gave their take on Sunday night’s spectacle, and why series reboots aren’t always a good idea… Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The St. Patrick’s Day bank holiday is just around the corner so if you’re hoping to plan a trip around Ireland to coincide with Mother’s Day, Sarah Slattery from TheTravelExpert.ie has some tips on where you’ll get the most for your money. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

New one-off cost-of-living measures are due to be announced by the government tomorrow. However, after Pinergy announced that it would be reducing prices, it’s unlikely we’ll see electricity credits. Daniel McConnell, Political Editor of the Irish Examiner and Daragh Cassidy from Bonkers.ie explained how this will impact people’s pockets. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this p...

Sean Dyche’s Everton welcome manager-less Leeds this weekend in what could be a crucial game in the battle to avoid relegation. Meanwhile, after a statement win against Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday, can Manchester City keep their momentum going and pull away from the chasing pack at the top of the table? Mark Lawrenson and Tony Cascarino joined us to look ahead to the weekend’s fixtures. C...

Michael Clifford, Special Correspondent with the Irish Examiner and Sinead O’Carroll, Editor of TheJournal.ie spoke to Matt for The Week Trending. Up for discussion were football pundit Micah Richards’ very expensive haircuts, and Eamon Ryan’s high carbon footprint for the Government’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

This week, Minister for Justice Simon Harris said that there is a direct link between casual drug use and violence, crime and murder. Matt spoke to Conor Lally, Crime and Security Editor at the Irish Times about Minister Harris’ comments and about the issue of recreational drug use in Ireland. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is the third Ant-Man film with Paul Rudd returning as the mini Marvel hero. Brian Lloyd joined Matt on The Last Word to review Ant-Man as well as the other movies coming to cinemas this weekend. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Green Party will reportedly look to block a new €200 electricity credit for Irish households this summer. Crucial Government talks on cost-of-living measures are underway. Hugh O’Connell, political correspondent with the Irish Independent, and Independent TD Michael Healy Rae joined Matt to discuss why the Green Party would oppose another energy payment and whether or not households need it. C...

International research has found that Dublin is the third slowest city in the world to drive in. It takes almost 30 minutes to drive 10 km in the city centre. Brian Caulfield, associate professor in the School of Engineering at Trinity College and Paddy Comyn from The AA joined Matt to discuss why this is happening. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

De-influencing is the latest social media trend gaining traction. But what is it and does it pay? Andy O’Donoghue joined Matt to discuss this as well as Elon Musk allegedly using the Twitter algorithm to boost his tweets during the Superbowl. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

It’s expected that fossil fuel boilers will be phased out entirely in new buildings by the end of 2024 with heat pumps being installed in 86% of new dwellings. But what are the alternatives to an oil or gas boiler and what about pre-existing homes? Green Party Senator Pauline O’Reilly and energy consultant Stephen McGovern joined Matt to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button o...

Rising interest rates have added almost €3,000 to the annual mortgage repayments for the typical first-time buyer. With more interest rate rises expected in the coming months this will likely increase further. Matt was joined by Charlie Weston, personal finance editor with the Irish Independent to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Nearly two-thirds of retail workers are earning less than €451 per week, according to new research from the Mandate trade union. Matt was joined by Gerry Light, general secretary of Mandate, and Neil McDonnell, chief executive of ISME to discuss this report, as well as calls for the introduction of a living wage. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.