The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Marion McKeone and Larry Donnelly joined Matt to discuss the week’s biggest US news stories including the tragic mass shootings in California and classified documents found at Mike Pence’s home. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Injuring the Achilles is very common and can be extremely painful. It can often be a problem for people who have just returned to exercise. Dr. Brian Higgins joined Matt on The Last Word to explain what Achilles tendinopathy is and how it can be prevented. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Following a defeat to West Ham at the weekend, Frank Lampard has been sacked as Everton manager. The team now sit in 19th place in the Premier League table. Mark Lawrenson, Tony Cascarino and Miguel Delaney joined us to discuss this as well as what is different about Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal team this season following an impressive victory over Manchester United. Catch the full chat by pressing the...

Taxi booking service Free Now has ended its sponsorship of RTE’s The Tommy Tiernan Show following a joke the comedian made at one of his recent shows at Vicar Street. On The Last Word Elaine Burke & Joe O’Shea discussed the fallout from the incident, as well as a Fine Gael TD comparing Irish band Sprints to “slightly embarrassed TY students”. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on th...

Is your boss or colleague bothering you in the workplace? Have you found that your office has become hostile? If it has, how can you help improve it for yourself and those around you? Gabriella Braun, author of All That We Are, spoke to Matt about what to do when conflict arises and how best to approach an awkward situation at work. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

If you’re hoping to book a holiday abroad this summer and want to get the most for your money, Sarah Slattery from TheTravelExpert.ie has the answer! She joined us to look at the best value locations for heading overseas with the family. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Both rural and urban GAA clubs are facing different challenges that need to be addressed to support the game’s development. This has been highlighted in a series of reports in the Irish Times this week. Sean Moran, GAA correspondent with Irish Times joined Matt to discuss what is happening in rural and urban clubs across the country. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The new electric vehicle charging strategy launched by Minister Eamon Ryan this week was a “missed opportunity” to address concerns about e-scooter use, according to Irish accessibility groups. Matt was joined by Lorna Fitzpatrick from the National Council for the Blind of Ireland and Aisling Dunne, public policy officer with Bolt to discuss.

Jack Horgan Jones and Orla Ryan joined Matt to look at the other stories making headlines this week including the decision to continue serving pints in the Aviva, and the price of a hot chocolate and éclair in Bewley's on Grafton Street. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Electric vehicle charging stations could become more readily available for drivers as a new national strategy aims to have one situated every 60km. However, is this target achievable, and will it put pressure on the national grid? Aoife O’Grady, Head of ZEVI, and motoring journalist Geraldine Herbert joined Matt to discuss. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Following Wednesday’s discussion on pass/fail rates for garda fitness tests, Conor Lally of The Irish Times and Damien McCarthy from the Garda Representative Association joined us to discuss how morale within the gardaí is at an all time low. So, what can be done in order to entice more people to join the force? Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Are you finding that you’re picking up injuries while exercising? Dr. Brian Higgins from Galway Primary Care joined us to explain why that may happen, what injuries are most common and why sometimes less is more when building up your fitness. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

On our weekly Environment slot, John Gibbons gave his views on Green Party leader Eamon Ryan's suggestion that there should be a nationwide cull of deer in order to restore biodiversity in Ireland. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

It’s expected that almost 70,000 Ukrainian refugees could come to Ireland in 2023. Matt is joined by Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities Joe O’Brien to discuss how to manage the continued influx of refugees. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

Credit card users often have little understanding of how they work and the interest they pay according to a survey commissioned by the Irish League of Credit Unions. Charlie Weston joined Matt to discuss what hidden charges people should be aware of when using a credit card. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

One-sixth of garda applicants failed the basic fitness tests they must complete before becoming members of the force last year. Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan says the tests are too demanding and result in recruits being excluded from the process. Deputy O’Callaghan and President of the Garda Representative Association Brendan O’Connor joined Matt to discuss whether the tests should be made easier...

Marion McKeone joined Matt to talk about the biggest US news stories of the week including more classified documents in President Biden’s home and what’s happening with New York congressman George Santos. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

New ESRI research has found that extending free GP care to everyone within three years can be done and would cost up to €881 million. But will there be enough GPs to care for people? Priscilla Lynch, clinical editor at the Medical Independent, and Monaghan GP Illona Duffy joined Matt on The Last Word to discuss whether free GP care for all is really possible. For the full chat click the 'Play' but...

The Kindle Scribe is a new take on e-readers. So, what does it do and why is it so popular? Andy O’Donoghue joined Matt on The Last Word to explain what the Kindle Scribe is all about. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

Brit Award nominations were released this week and no women have been included in the shortlist for best artist. Dee Reddy and Dave Hanratty joined Matt on The Last Word to discuss this along with the other biggest music stories of the week. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

After Manchester City suffered a setback in their Premier League title defence, Matt spoke to Tony Cascarino and Mark Lawrenson about why Guardiola’s side is losing momentum. In North London, Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the table by beating Tottenham. So, does this result now make them genuine title contenders? For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

Are you planning a holiday later this year? Sarah Slattery from TheTravelExpert.ie has all the best tips and tricks to ensure you get the most out of your money when organising a break in 2023 For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

Will you be watching this year’s winter Love Island? It returns to our screens on Monday night with Maya Jama taking over hosting duties. Meanwhile, Elaine Burke and Joe O’Shea discussed the hotly-anticipated ‘The Last Of Us’, which has been widely praised by critics ahead of its release. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

The Irish Property Owners Association has urged the government to provide incentives to private landlords in order to prevent a predicted “exodus” from the rental market. Matt spoke to the IPOA’s Chairperson, Mary Conway, and Karl Deeter of the Irish Mortgage Brokers and asked whether such a move would have the desired effect. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice and Mark Carlin, Managing Director at Coillte joined Matt on The Last Word to discuss the possibility of thousands of acres of land across rural Ireland being sold to the Gresham House fund in order to meet Ireland’s climate targets. For the full chat click the 'play' button on this page.