The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Katie Taylor has previously expressed her desire to have her homecoming fight against Amanda Serrano held at Croke Park. However, that dream may be over as Eddie Hearn has stated that due to the cost of renting the stadium, it won't be possible to hold the event at GAA’s Headquarters. Matt spoke to Gavan Casey of The42.ie on what this means for the fight and how it could impact fans hoping to atte...

Oil and gas company Shell has reported record annual profits after energy prices soared last year. Profits hit $39.9bn in 2022, double last year's total and the highest in its 115-year history. Meanwhile, Golf clubs have complained of noise pollution from planes taking off from Dublin Airport’s new runway, which has apparently resulted in players considering giving up memberships. John Gibbons joi...

This week has been dominated by the ongoing story of how the State sought to deny, delay and discount the compensation people were owed for their nursing home care. But is this the first time something like this has happened? Mick Clifford, special correspondent with the Irish Examiner joined Matt to discuss the State’s history of ignoring its obligations to citizens who are often the most vulnera...

Wholesale gas prices have dropped and are now below what they were before the war in Ukraine began. However, many people won’t see a drop in their energy bills for a while yet. Matt was joined by Charlie Weston, personal finance editor of the Irish Independent to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Ireland has a long history with emigration to the United States. Many women were among the wave of Irish emigrants in the 19th and 20th century and a lot of them found a quiet and better life. But what about those who didn’t? Dr. Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick, authors of Bad Bridget joined Matt to discuss the crimes, mayhem and untold lives of Irish emigrant women. Catch the full chat by pre...

Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone joined Matt to discuss the week’s biggest news stories in the US including the murder of Tyre Nichols, with seven police officers now suspended. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

DJ Calvin Harris and rapper Travis Scott will headline this summer’s Longitude Festival in Marlay Park. To discuss this and the week’s other music stories Matt is joined by John Caddell and Dee Reddy. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

Most people will suffer from some form of back pain throughout their lives. But what causes it and how can it be dealt with? Dr Brian Higgins joined Matt to talk all about back pain. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

There have been growing numbers of protests targeting refugees and asylum seekers in recent months. Online livestreams of just seven of the anti-migrant protests that took place in Ireland early this year were viewed more than one million times. To discuss why we are seeing more far-right demonstrations, Matt was joined by Paul Hosford, political correspondent with the Irish Examiner, and Aoife Ga...

Joe O’Shea and Sarah McGuiness joined Matt to discuss the baffling phenomenon of viewers watching TV and streaming services with the subtitles on (in the same language). They also highlighted two fantastic picks of the week, including a new Netflix documentary about the life of Pamela Anderson.

Karina Molloy was one of the first women to join the Irish Army, where she rose through the ranks against a backdrop of systematic inequality and abuse. She served on 11 tours of duty and ended her career with the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant. In 2021, Karina was also involved in the documentary Women of Honour, which outlined abuse in the Irish Army. On The Last Word, Karina spoke to M...

Liverpool’s poor run of form continued over the weekend after they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton. However, Brighton’s celebrations were marred by Fabinho’s tackle on Evan Ferguson which saw the 18-year-old leave The Amex on crutches. With the Republic of Ireland getting their World Cup qualifying campaign underway in March, could Stephen Kenny be without his best attacking threat agai...

If you’re planning a getaway this summer with your partner or some friends and can’t agree on a destination, Sarah Slattery from TheTravelExpert.ie outlined all of the latest offers to inspire an unforgettable trip this summer. Whether Portugal, Italy or Greece, Sarah has all of the tips ahead of planning your summer holiday. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

This weekend sees the return of the Allianz National Football League. Matt was joined by Marc Ó Sé, Ray Silke and Dick Clerkin to look at the weekend’s fixtures. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Many Irish car buyers may have to wait a year or more for their new car as delivery dates are pushed out further and further. In many cases the final price of the car also can’t be guaranteed. To explain why this is happening Matt was joined by motoring journalist Neil Briscoe. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Mairead Cleary and Dave Hanratty joined Matt to discuss the other stories making headlines this week including a campaign to make Irish pubs world heritage sites and Meta allowing Trump back on Facebook and Instagram. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

At a time when we’re more dependent on our phones than ever, should we be concerned about our personal information being hacked? Matt was joined Sandrine Rigaud, co-author of ‘Pegasus’, the story of how people’s privacy can be exposed by software, and an Irish hacker who helped uncover a spyware scandal. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

It looks as though sharing your Netflix password could become a thing of the past. The streaming service announced that they’ll be cracking down on multiple people using the same account from the end of March. Andy O’Donoghue explained the reason behind the decision on this week’s Tech Thursday. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Fianna Fáil Senator Malcom Byrne has proposed legislation that could see people intimidating politicians outside their private homes jailed for six months or more. This could also cover targeted protests outside of refugee centres. He and Liam Herrick, Executive Director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties spoke to Matt about whether this was a good idea, and how it would be implemented shoul...

The Doomsday Clock has been set at 90 seconds to midnight, which is the closest to global catastrophe it has ever been. It’s said to represent a time of "unprecedented danger". Meanwhile, a new SUV that has bulletproof glass, blinding strobe lights, electric door handles and wing mirrors that can shoot pepper spray could be about to hit the roads. The Last Word’s environmental commentator John Gib...

President of the Irish Farmers Association Tim Cullinan has said that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael “need to stand up” for the agriculture sector when shaping plans to tackle climate change. Tim Cullinan joined Matt on The Last Word to explain what he means when he says “the Green Party tail has been wagging the Government dog”. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

There have been suggestions that employers should be charged to keep parking spaces for their staff as a way to help reduce the number of cars in urban centres. To discuss this Matt was joined by Janet Horner, Green Party councillor and member of Dublin City Council’s Transport Committee, and Paddy Comyn, head of communication with the AA. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this...

About 360,000 homeowners have submitted property tax valuations for their homes that are lower than the estimated value from Revenue. Charlie Weston joined Matt to explain why suspicions have been raised about some of these valuations. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

John Caddell and Dee Reddy joined Matt to discuss the week’s biggest music stories including Beyoncé’s Dubai concert and Madonna’s world tour. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

It’s the biggest year ever for Irish film talent at the Oscars with 14 nominations across a wide range of categories. Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin is nominated for nine awards and An Cáilín Ciúin is up for Best International Film. Roe McDermott joined Matt to discuss which of the Irish nominees are likely to take home an Oscar. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on th...