The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss the latest innovations in electric vehicles. From affordable cars with high scale features to ultra-luxury EVs, there are a lot of exciting new options coming in 2026. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Leon Diop, co-founder of Black and Irish and author of Mixed Up: An Irish Boy’s Journey to Belonging is the latest inductee into the Culture Club. He speaks about the importance of his Black and Irish podcast before delving into all his favourite music, TV, movies and more. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Has your car insurance premium risen since last year? Do you want to switch providers but aren't sure where to start? If so, Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, has all the best tips for getting the best value for money for the year ahead. He joined Matt on Wednesday’s The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Two thirds of consumers feel that tipping is becoming "less voluntary" while three out of four would like businesses to make it easier to opt out of tipping, according to new research from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) Dr Deirdre Curran, lecturer at the University of Galway whose research focuses on hospitality employment conditions, and Gina Murphy, owner of Hugo’s res...

Writer Paul Howard joins Matt on The Last Word to talk about his experience of being a writer for season two of RTE’s dark comedy ‘SisterS’ which is returning to our screens on Thursday night. How does spending a day in the writers’ room for a TV show differ to that of putting pen to paper for a series such as the beloved Ross O’Carroll-Kelly? Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

On Monday, a retired superintendent and four serving gardaí were found not guilty of perverting the course of justice, following an eight-week trial at Limerick Circuit Court. Mick Clifford, special correspondent with the Irish Examiner, has followed this case since it began more than six years ago. He joins The Last Word to discuss the outcome and questions why criminal charges were ever brought....

US President Donald Trump seems to have changed tack on his immigration crackdown in Minneapolis as US Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino and some of his agents have been removed from the city The Trump administration is facing major backlash over how senior officials, including Bovino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, responded to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday. Cal Thom...

Artificial intelligence is becoming more prominent in our day-to-day lives, but are we ignoring how much it’s impacting us from a social perspective? Author and sociologist James Muldoon has looked at how it’s shaping our friendships, familial and even romantic interactions in his new book ‘Love Machines: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Our Relationships’. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this...

The Camino Francés is the most famous Camino De Santiago route stretching 800km across northern Spain, beginning in the French Pyrenees and ending in Santiago de Compostela. Last summer, Barry Taylor completed a two and a half month Camino starting in Dublin and heading all the way to Santiago de Compostela. He joins The Last Word to give his guide to the Camino Francés. Catch the full chat by pre...

There have been calls for tighter policing of scrambler bikes in Ireland after a 16-year-old girl died after being struck by one on Sunday afternoon. Grace Lynch was walking to meet friends when the incident occurred. She later died from her injuries. Conor Faughnan, Independent Motoring Expert at Carzone, spoke to Matt about what rules regarding the use of scrambler bikes are currently in place i...

Sean Sweeney, programme director for Metrolink, joins The Last Word to give an update on the project's progress and to discuss the next steps. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Brooklyn Beckham's explosive statement, issued late on Monday, kicked off a week of feuds which also saw Michael O'Leary take on Elon Musk and Prince Harry go up against the Daily Mail. Dave Hanratty and Roe McDermott join The Last Word to discuss all of this plus more of the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Musician and writer Denise Chaila joined The Last Word ahead of her upcoming show in Limerick City for St Brigid's Day, her first hometown performance in four years. Denise talks to Matt about her love for Limerick, why she stepped back from the limelight, and her return to performing. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

In the second part of his road safety special, Andy O'Donoghue has gear for every type or road user from motorist, to e-scooter user to pedestrian to stay safe in all weather. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Journalist and author Tanya Sweeney joined Matt for this week's instalment of The Last Word's Culture Club, as she celebrates the release of her debut novel 'Esther Is Now Following You'. Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear all her choices.

US President Donald Trump demanded "immediate negotiations" for the purchase of Greenland by the US and said he would not use force to take the island in a rambling address at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. Journalist Marion McKeone, Edward Burke, assistant professor in the History of War at UCD, and Tom Carstensen, journalist based in Copenhagen, join The Last Word to discuss the Trum...

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan has presented new legislation to Cabinet that will allow gardaí to use controversial technology to gain access to encrypted messages on services such as WhatsApp. Some politicians and groups are concerned about the potential abuse of the technology against members of the public. Pat Leahy, former Assistant Garda Commissioner and Olga Cronin, Surveillance and Human...

Journalist Aimee Donnellan, author of 'Off The Scales', joins The Last Word to talk about how the weight loss drug Ozempic was developed and why she says it’s the biggest pharmaceutical discovery in decades. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

World leaders have gathered in Davos for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting which is taking place against the backdrop of escalating US-EU tensions over Greenland. Many political leaders took the opportunity to hit out at Donald Trump's foreign policy ahead of the US president's arrival in Davos on Wednesday. Paris based journalist Lara Marlowe, Cal Thomas, US columnist, and journalist Mari...

On Monday, Brooklyn Beckham launched an attack on his parents, David and Victoria, claiming that he has been “controlled by a family that value public promotion above all else”. Rumours have swirled about a fallout within the family since Brooklyn married his wife, Nicola Peltz-Beckham, in 2022. Brooklyn claims that Victoria “cancelled making Nicola’s dress at the eleventh hour” and that his paren...

As Trump doubles down on this treat to impose tariffs on eight European countries if he is not allowed to buy Greenland, EU leaders are due to meet on Thursday to consider all retaliatory options open to them. Shona Murray, Europe Correspondent with Euronews, Dan O'Brien, Chief Economist with the Institute of Economic and European Affairs and Derek Scally, Berlin Correspondent with the Irish Times...

If you're looking to plan a trip to Mexico during 2026, Kaitlin Murphy from TheTravelExpert.ie has all the best tips and tricks to get the most out of your holiday. She speaks to Will O'Callaghan on Monday's The Last Word, hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the chat.

Doctors who carry out aesthetic treatments like Botox and lip filler say that they are increasingly dealing with the fallout of botched procedures that have been done by unregulated injectors and that some of these patients are as young as 15. Dr Caitríona Kieran, aesthetic practitioner, joins The Last Word to discuss the rise in black market cosmetic treatments and calls for better regulations to...

In order to qualify for the World Cup in the Summer, Ireland has to win two away games in March and April. The World Cup will take place in Mexico, Canada and America. Barry Heneghan, Independent TD for Dublin Bay North and Sheila Gilheany, chief executive, Alcohol Action Ireland debate whether pubs should be granted licenses to extend hours during the World Cup, if Ireland qualifies. To catch the...

This week, the European Union Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the past 11 years have been the warmest on record, with 2025 coming third in that list. This trend suggests that Ireland is likely to face more harsh and extreme weather events in the future, similar to that of Storm Éowyn almost a year ago. Sadhbh O’Neill , Climate and Environmental Researcher and Irish Times Contributo...