The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Andy O'Donoghue explains the legal action being taken by Sky to crack down on the end users of dodgy boxes. He also has all the details of two historic courtroom showdowns in the US. A jury in LA has found that Meta and Youtube designed addictive products. A New Mexico jury ruled that Meta deliberately misled the public about the safety of its apps while ignoring internal warnings and enabling chi...

To mark five years of his weekly environment slot, John Gibbons joins The Last Word for the Culture Club. He chats to Matt about his favourite music, books, movies and more. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The latest completion date for the new national children's hospital will not be met, making it the 18th time that the deadline has been missed, the Oireachtas health committee has been told. Shauna Bowers, Irish Times' health correspondent, and Dr Paul Davis from DCU's Business School join The Last Word to discuss why the deadline for substantial completion of the hospital continues to be missed a...

Temporary reductions on fuel taxes came into effect at midnight on Wednesday, with the price of diesel and petrol dropping by 20c and 15c per litre respectively. But will customers have to wait even longer before they feel the benefits? Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, speaks to Matt on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

This week, Donald Trump claimed that the USA is in talks with Iran to end the war in the Middle East. But are these claims to be believed? Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone speak to Matt on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Rory Carroll, Ireland Correspondent for the Guardian, speaks to Matt about his book A Rebel And A Traitor: A Fugitive, the Manhunt and the Birth of the IRA. His forensic look at Roger Casement's life, shines a new light on the two year chase of the former diplomat before his arrest in 1916. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Colm O'Regan, comedian and author of Gallivanting With Words: How The Irish Speak English, discusses the latest Irish additions to the Oxford English Dictionary. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

New rules for switching mortgages in Ireland were introduced on Tuesday which will see lenders having to clearly explain switching options and send reminders to holders about cheaper options on the market. Michael Dowling, Managing Director at Michael Dowling Mortgage and Financial Services, explains how this will work for customers on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the...

Novelist Mary Costello joins Matt to discuss her latest book, A Beautiful Loan. The book focuses on the life of Anna Hughes, a teacher in Dublin and the interior and exterior forces that shape her, including her decades long marriage, and it's later break down. Mary also discusses the role of Carl Jung in her life and in the book, and broader issues around morality and the future of humanity. To c...

On Sunday, the death of broadcaster Michael Lyster was announced. Lyster was a hugely popular figure and was best known for presenting The Sunday Game on RTE for over 30 years. Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke speak to Matt on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Thousands of Irish soccer fans are expected to descend on the city of Prague this week ahead of Ireland's World Cup play-off clash with Czechia. Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to run through the best sites, restaurants and bars in the Czech capital. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

There was outrage this week after a float referencing the Jeffery Epstein files featured in several St Patrick's Day parades. The NTA has asked the public for their opinions on allowing pets on public transport. And demolition has begun on a house in Co Meath following a 20-year legal row. Cathal O’Sullivan, producer on 98fm, and Roe McDermott, journalist and Irish Times columnist, join The Last W...

Three victims of Provisional IRA bombings have dropped their civil action against former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams on the final day of the trial in London. Mark Hennessy, Ireland and Britain editor for The Irish Times, joins The Last Word to discuss the surprise development in this case. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Andy O'Donoghue runs through the newest entrant to the online banking market, Monzo. He also talks about the pros and cons of Revolut and Zippay. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Author Liz Nugent speaks to Matt on The Last Word to celebrate the release of her new book “The Truth About Ruby Cooper”, in which an incident involving Ruby and her sister’s boyfriend leads to the family dynamic being torn apart. Liz chats to Matt about the release of her sixth novel and what it takes to hook readers in from the very beginning, how attached she gets to her characters and how real...

Psychotherapist and broadcaster Richie Sadlier has launched a new digital teaching programme to help schools deliver social personal health education (SPHE) in line with the new compulsory curriculum. He joins The Last Word to chat about 'Let's Talk SPHE' and why it is important for students to see their peers speaking openly about wellbeing and relationships. Catch the full conversation by pressi...

A national survey on the Hot School Meals Scheme found that 78% of respondents said their children did not enjoy the variety of meals on offer, while 64% didn't believe the food was nutritional. There were also calls for a cold option, and different portion sizes. Fine Gael Senator Linda Nelson Murray talks to Matt about the findings of her survey into the Hot School Meals Scheme. To catch the ful...

Playwright and actor Pat Kinevane joins Matt for this week’s Culture Club on The Last Word. Pat has written and is touring five solo productions across the country in 2026: Forgotten, Silent, Underneath, Before and King. They tackle topics such as aging, homelessness and parenting and are inspired by Pat’s personal experiences or the experiences of those close to him. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this...

Columnist Cal Thomas and Larry Donnelly, lecturer in law at the University of Galway, join The Last Word to discuss the latest developments in Trump's Iran war and look back at Taoiseach Micheál Martin's St Patrick's Day visit to the White House. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

This week on The Last Word on TV & Streaming Matt is joined by Elaine Burke, Joe O'Shea and Kate Henshaw. They discuss Jessie Buckley's historic win at the Oscars, Conan O'Brien as host and all the rest of the news from the awards. Plus they chat about Joe and Elaine's Picks of the Week Hit Play on this page to listen now

A new documentary exploring the growth and success of Ryanair is set to air on RTE One on Monday night. The aviation company, now valued at an estimated €30bn, was founded in 1984. Its low-cost travel model made air travel more accessible than ever before. Michael Corcoran, former head of social media for Ryanair and contributor to "Turbulence: The Story Of Ryanair", speaks to Matt on The Last Wor...

Can you find value for money on holidays in Ireland? Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to run through a selection of great value domestic breaks suitable for couples and families. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Trump administration has been blasted for releasing hype videos with clips from Hollywood films as part of its messaging about the war in Iran. Critics have accused the White House of trying to make the conflict look like a video game. Aoife Barry, journalist and author, and Joe O’Shea, editor of Cork Beo, join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the week's trending stories. Catch the fu...

Journalist and Author Dave Hannigan has released his latest book “We Need To Talk About Roy - The Keanification of Modern Ireland”, in which he explores Ireland’s obsession with one of Cork’s most famous sons and how his life mirrors that of the development of Irish society in the last 5 decades. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear his chat with Matt on The Last Word.

Minister for Housing James Browne announced that the government intends to loosen existing rules around one-off homes in rural Ireland for people facing difficulties around planning permission. But is this the most environmentally friendly approach? Commentator John Gibbons gives his thoughts to Matt on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.