The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)

Ireland is in the midst of a housing emergency — rents and homelessness are rising, while tens of thousands of homes sit empty. According to the 2022 Census, there were over 160,000 properties recorded as vacant across the State — nearly 8 % of all housing stock — including houses and apartments that have been unoccupied for years. Around 48,000 of these homes were vacant in both the 2016 and 2022...

In today’s episode, Niall follows up on a tweet that struck a nerve online. Last week, he spoke to a man who says his life and education were destroyed by teachers in the 1960s and 1970s. He recalls being beaten, caned, and slapped at school, describing an atmosphere of fear that made learning impossible. He left school at just 14 years of age, traumatised and with no formal education — consequenc...

In this episode, Niall speaks with Councillor Gavin Pepper about the devastating death of Grace Lynch (16), who died in hospital after suffering catastrophic injuries when she was struck by a scrambler bike while crossing a road in Finglas, on her way to meet her boyfriend. Grace’s death has sent shockwaves through the community and has reignited urgent questions about the unchecked spread of scra...

This episode, Niall opens the phone lines to hear directly from listeners on a question that cuts across privacy, public trust, and workplace safety: Should all jobs include random drug and alcohol testing? The debate comes as long-delayed plans to introduce drug testing for An Garda Síochána move closer to reality. Back in 2021, the Department of Justice announced Gardaí would be subject to drug...

In this episode, Niall is joined by social commentator Karl Deeter to take a hard look at the cost, scale, and alleged abuse of Ireland’s free legal aid system — and whether reform is long overdue. They discuss recent comments from Aontú TD Paul Lawless, who has argued that: “Repeat offenders who repeatedly receive free legal aid should have part of the cost recovered from their social welfare pay...

Niall sits down with veteran journalist David Quinn to unpack a Business Post poll that’s shaking up the social media debate in Ireland — one that suggests an overwhelming majority of people want Twitter/X banned in Ireland. We dig into what the poll really says, what it doesn’t say, and what it would mean for freedom of speech, public safety, politics and everyday digital life. Is the call to ban...

On today’s programme, Niall opens the phone lines to hear directly from listeners about their experiences with high-cost lending institutions and loan sharks — a reality for thousands of households across Ireland. Are legal high-interest lenders preying on the vulnerable, trapping people in cycles of debt? Or are they providing a vital last-resort service for people locked out of mainstream bankin...

On today’s show, Niall begins with the latest on the Mercosur trade deal, getting an update directly from Brussels with TD Paul Lawless as concerns continue to grow about its potential impact on Irish farming and food standards. Then we turn to today’s main topic — and it’s one that’s igniting fierce debate across Europe. Following developments in the UK, where MPs have voted in favour of tighter...

On today’s podcast, Niall is joined by journalist Fatima Gunning from Gript Media to discuss a deeply sensitive and divisive situation sent in by a listener. A mother has contacted the show after discovering that her 15-year-old daughter is pregnant by her 17-year-old boyfriend. While the young couple have reportedly been together for two years, the parents are now sharply divided on what to do ne...

Today on the podcast, Niall is joined by financial commentator and public policy analyst Karl Deeter to tackle a provocative legal and social question: Should Ireland introduce a statute of limitations on certain criminal prosecutions — excluding murder and rape? In Ireland, there is currently no time limit on bringing criminal charges for many offences. This means crimes such as sexual assault ag...

Today on the podcast, Niall is joined by Jackie Flannery from the Irish Rural Farmers Association to discuss the growing backlash from family carers following a major move by the Revenue Commissioners. Revenue has written to 34,000 carers, confirming that Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit have always been taxable, and that from 1 January last year the tax is now applied in real time. Carers wh...

In this episode, Niall is joined by Daragh Cassidy of Bonkers.ie to unpack the relentless rise in car insurance costs — and the real-life consequences for ordinary families. The discussion is sparked by a powerful email from a listener who is deeply worried about his brother: a married father of three who, after a minor car accident, saw his insurance jump from €500 to €2,500 a year. Unable to aff...

In this episode, Niall is joined by David Quinn, journalist and spokesperson for The Iona Institute, to discuss a stark new paper warning that Ireland is on the wrong course when it comes to marriage, family life, and population growth. Drawing on newly released CSO data, the paper shows that Ireland now has its lowest-ever marriage rate and fertility rate, outside the Covid years. Births have fal...

This week on the show, Niall is joined by John McGuirk of Gript Media to tackle a question that goes right to the heart of Irish diplomacy — and Irish pride. If Taoiseach Micheál Martin is invited to the White House for St Patrick’s Day, should he refuse to go? For decades, the shamrock ceremony has been one of Ireland’s most cherished diplomatic traditions — a chance to celebrate Irish identity o...

On today’s programme, Niall is joined by Eilís Mulroy, pro-life campaigner and commentator, to revisit one of the most consequential decisions in modern Irish history — the repeal of the Eighth Amendment. New figures show that 10,852 abortions were carried out in the Republic of Ireland in 2024, the highest number ever recorded since abortion was legalised following the 2018 referendum. Across the...

Today on the show, Niall opens the phone lines to callers to debate major new changes to Ireland’s rental laws coming into force from March 1st. Under the new rules, landlords will no longer be able to end a tenancy simply because they wish to sell their property. While landlords can still sell, any sale must now take place with tenants remaining in situ, and buyers must accept the property as an...

In this episode, Niall is joined by barrister Dominic Wilkinson to unpack a controversial case raising big questions about borders, politics, and free speech. Well-known Dutch online commentator and public speaker Eva Vlaar claims she has been banned from entering the UK after posting a tweet critical of Labour leader Keir Starmer. According to Vlaar, she received a letter cancelling her travel pe...

Each week, host Niall opens the lines to random callers from across Ireland who are struggling to keep their heads above water as the cost of living spirals out of control. From soaring energy bills and fuel costs to rising food prices, rent, education fees, and now even the simple enjoyment of a pint — with Guinness set for another price hike this February — nothing feels affordable anymore. Call...

In this episode, Niall takes on a story that has stopped people in their tracks and split opinion everywhere it’s been shared. A young couple have made the heartbreaking decision to cancel their wedding just four months before the big day, choosing instead to spend £20,000 on life-extending cancer treatment for their four-year-old Labrador, Gus. For Lindsey and Chris, Gus isn’t “just a dog.” After...

In this episode, Niall is joined by financial commentator and media regular Karl Deeter to unpack a controversial new move by the Police Service of Northern Ireland: the routine release of mugshots of people convicted of crimes and sentenced to 12 months or more in prison. Supporters of the policy, including Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long, argue that it’s about transparency, justic...

In this episode, Niall is joined by John Carmody, animal welfare activist and committed vegan, to tackle one of the most emotionally charged parenting debates there is: should a child be raised vegan from birth? The conversation is sparked by a deeply personal email Niall received from a listener — a man married just three years, who has just welcomed his first baby with his wife. Six months ago,...

In this episode of Niall Asks, Niall is joined by Jason Osburn of Gript Media to discuss and debate a recent Irish Times piece by former President Mary McAleese that challenges long-standing assumptions about religion, children’s rights, and Catholic education in Ireland. Using baptism as her starting point, McAleese argues that Catholic Church canon law enrols children into lifelong religious mem...

In this episode of Niall Asks, Niall is joined by journalist Ian O’Doherty to unpack the growing international row over Elon Musk’s social media platform, X — and the far bigger question it raises for modern society. Following reports that Downing Street has held talks with Canada and Australia about a potential ban on X, the discussion centres on concerns over AI-generated “deepfake” images, incl...

This Saturday on the podcast, Niall will be joined by Peadar Tóibín, leader of Aontú and one of the most vocal critics of recent policy decisions affecting motorists and rural Ireland. First up, they’ll discuss the EU–MERCOSUR trade deal protest taking place in Athlone this Saturday — a demonstration gaining attention from farmers, rural groups and politicians alike. Supporters argue the deal thre...

As we approach the end of the first week of the year, Niall will be joined by celebrity chef and restaurateur Paul “Pay” Treyvaud for a wide-ranging conversation on what 2026 may have in store. From politics to the cost of living, Paul shares his predictions for the year ahead — and then we open the lines to you, the listeners, to have your say. We want to hear from you: Have you made any New Year...