The Hard Shoulder

This is The Soapbox. Today, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Shane Ross, former Minister for Transport and columnist with Sunday Independent to discuss how RTÉ wins back the public trust...

Author Sam Blake joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss some of her favourite books...

RTÉ should come under the remit of the Controller and Auditor General – that's according to a new report from the Public Accounts Committee.  The report has also called for any deal that would see a member of staff receive a lump sum over 150 thousand euro for their departure from the organisation to be made public.  Verona Murphy, Independent TD for Wexford and a member of the Public Ac...

A new private members bill is being put forward by Fine Gael Senator John McGahon which put into law tiered refunds based on how delayed your train will be.   As purposed you will see a 25 percent refund if the train is delayed by 20 minutes, 50 percent if it’s above 40 minutes and a full refund after an hour.   Barry Kenny, Corporate Communications Manager and Mark Gleeson, Ra...

Paschal Donohoe , Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss an increase in retirement age for uniformed officers and also the ongoing crisis at RTÉ...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news.  Today, Kieran was joined by Jack Horgan Jones, Political Correspondent with the Irish Times and Sinead Ryan, Consumer Columnist with the Irish Independent and the Presenter of The Home Show here at Newstalk...

This is The Soapbox. Today, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Ian O'Doherty, Columnist with The Irish Independent to discuss western society's sense of humour...

Irish-Argentinian comedian and actor Stephen Mullan has been on our screens big and small with RTÉ’s 'Rebellion' and the film 'Love, Rosie', he’s is also ‘the voice’ of Love Island Australia and now, he’s gracing a stage near you. Stephen Mullan joined Anton Savage on The Hard Shoulder this evening... Image: Stephen Mullan

Former Chair of the RTE Board Siún Ní Raghallaigh says she cannot remain silent about her "enforced dismissal." In a statement, she says it seemed designed to "traduce" her reputation. Anton was joined by Catherine Murphy, Social Democrats TD Kildare and Vice- Chair Public Accounts Committee to discuss...

Ireland goes to the polls this Friday for the first time in 4 years with not one but two referendums on the issues of Family and Care taking place.  Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his Fine Gael party are advocating for two yes votes.  Leo Varadkar joined Anton Savage on The Hard Shoulder to discuss...

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news.  Today, Anton was joined by Mairead Maguire, Reporter at TheJournal.ie  and David Davin Power, Journalist and commentator   Newstalk's Eamonn Torsney also joined the conversation to discuss a statement released by former chair of the RTÉ Board Siún Ní Raghallaigh...

Recently, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary announced the airline had bought houses in January to help accommodate their staff.   One business owner who has does the same is Supermac's owner Pat McDonagh. He joined Anton Savage to discuss...

"Many Patriots who fly the Irish flag do no respect the country." These are the words of Bobby McDonagh in the Irish Times, who says we must take ownership of our flag and not allow a minority dictate it’s meaning.     Bobby McDonagh Former Irish ambassador to the EU and UK joined Anton Savage to discuss...

The latest CSO figures have come out to reveal that Ireland’s GDP shrunk by 3.2% in 2023 meaning that Ireland was officially in recession last year. Anton was joined by Economist, Colm McCarthy…

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joined Anton today to chat about Blue Zone Foods...

The coalition Government along with opposition parties Sinn Féin, Labour and the Social Democrats are campaigning for a yes yes vote in the upcoming referenda on March 8th.    So too are Treoir, the National Information Service for Unmarried Parents and Former President of Ireland Mary McAleese joined Anton to discuss why she has backed these calls from Treoir...

Off The Ball's Ger Gilroy joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action...

It's often said that being a grandparent is one of life’s greatest gifts .  Made ever sweeter by the fact that at the end of the day you can hand the children back.  But, increasingly many grandparents are being relied upon to fulfil childcare duties. Anton Savage was joined by Claire Ronan, Broadcaster and Deborah Costello, Communications Manager, Friends of the Elderly to discuss...

Amidst the snow, sludge and rain, many of those without accommodation have been forced to brave the weather in their tents today.   The Irish Refugee Council shared images of "terrible and distressing conditions" at the International Protection Office this morning.  Anton was joined by CEO of The Irish Refugee Council Nick Henderson…   Images: The Irish Refugee Council

This is the Afternoon Update – The Hard Shoulder’s daily catch up on the day's news.  Today, Anton was joined by Larry Donnelly, Director of the Kennedy Summer School and Law Lecturer at the University of Galway and Mary McCarthy, Columnist with the Irish Independent. Aoife Kealy from Met Éireann also joined the conversation to give an update on the weather...

As it is election year in the US, every Thursday here on the Hard Shoulder we are going to get the latest from the campaign trail.  Kieran was joined by Jeff Kuhner, Host of The Kuhner Report on WRKO AM680 Radio in Boston... 

Just over one week ago, Ireland's Daniel Wiffen became the country's first swimming World Champion, winning gold in the 800m and 1500m at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha. He joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder today to discuss his success so far, training with his twin brother and the Olympic Games in Paris this summer...

Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Vogue Williams, one half of the Spencer and Vogue podcast. The duo are about to embark on their tour of the podcast through Ireland...

It’s just over a month since the deposit return scheme launched but the teething problems are far from over..  It’s now been revealed that you can scam the deposit return scheme, as Newstalk Reporter Sheila Naughton has been finding out. Kieran was also joined Sheila Clarke, who r uns Clarke’s XL shop in Ballina, Co Mayo and Cllr Noel McCarthy, Fine Gael Councillor in Cork and also owner...

Yesterday, Kieran spoke to Laura Wickham on the show. Laura’s husband Yasser Eljuboori was arrested on Monday morning in Baghdad and was detained.   Today, Laura joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to give an update...