Newstalk Weekend

Yesterday, October 28th, marked the tenth anniversary of Savita Halappanavar's death. Savita was refused an abortion at University Hospital Galway in October 2012 despite the fact that she was actively miscarrying. Since her passing, the 8th amendment has been repealed but there are still huge flaws with abortion services in this country. Joining Anton to discuss this is campaigner, Ailbhe Smyth & Director of the National Women's Council of Ireland, Orla O'Connor.

The Cork Jazz festival is in full swing this weekend. Newstalk reporter Elaine Smith spoke to festivalgoers in the city to get a sense of how things have been going so far.

Joining Anton to go through some of the top stories hitting the headlines this week is Joe O’Shea, Editor of CorkBeo.ie & Derval O’Rourke, three-time Olympian.

Joining Anton to Kickstart Your Weekend is five-time Olympian, Rob Heffernan.

Around 350,000 people could pass through Dublin Airport this Bank Holiday weekend. To get a sense of how smoothly things are running there, Anton spoke to Graeme McQueen, Media Relations Manager with the DAA.

Joining Anton to answer all of your relationship questions for this week's episode of Ask the Expert is Annie Lavin - The Relationship Coach.

Jeffrey Archer has been writing novels since 1979 when 'Kane and Abel' burst onto the scene. His new book 'Next in Line' is set in 1987 and centers on the Royal Protection squad as they look after the then Princess of Wales. He joins Anton to discuss it and the ongoing political turmoil gripping the UK.

Cyberspace is often a tricky environment to negotiate when it comes to our mental health, particularly with the level of toxicity and bullying that can take place there. One of those who experienced this firsthand is former TD and director of public affairs at Red Flag Consulting, Noel Rock. Also joining Anton is Professor James O’Higgins Norman, UNESCO Chair in Tackling Bullying in Schools & Cyberspace, and Director of the DCU Anti-Bullying Centre.

British prime ministers seem to have a revolving door to Number 10 Downing Street these days. But with Liz Truss resigning as PM this week, the shortest tenure of any before her, how are our closest neighbours faring with this political instability and how indeed will it impact us here in Ireland? Anton is joined by the Political Editor of the Financial Times, George Parker, to discuss.

Neven Maguire's latest book, 'More Midweek Meals', is his fifth to be published and he’s also leading the guest stars at the 'Ideal Home Show' at the RDS this weekend where he’ll be cooking live on stage. Neven joined Anton to tell him more.

Joining Anton to go through some of the top stories hitting the headlines this week is John Lee, Executive Editor at DMG Media Ireland & presenter and journalist, Maura Derrane.

Joining Anton to Kickstart Your Weekend is comedian, Gearoid Farrelly.

Joining Anton to delve into what Ireland will be facing at next year's World Cup is Karen Duggan, former international footballer and co-host of Off The Ball’s 'The Coygig Pod'.

Joining Anton to go through some of the top stories hitting the headlines throughout the week is Ciara Doherty, presenter of Tonight Show and Kevin Doyle, Group Head of News at the Independent.

AIB has set the ball rolling on what is expected to be a string of mortgage rates risings from the main banks. That's according to Charlie Weston, a personal finance editor at Irish Independent. He joined Anton today on the show to discuss.

“One of the main things I wanted when I retired from rugby was my weekends back" - so says Devin Toner, newly retired Leinster and Ireland rugby international. He joined Anton today to Kickstart Your Weekend.

As the BBC is about to mark its 100th anniversary, Anton was joined by legendary broadcaster John Simpson to take a closer look at one of Britain’s most iconic institutions.

You might know him as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films or criminal psychologist Dr Eddie 'Fitz' Fitzgerald in ITV's crime drama Cracker. Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane has died aged 72. John Fardy, presenter of Newstalk's Screentime, joined Anton to discuss his life and career.

Joining Anton to answer all of your parenting questions is Dr Mary O’Kane, lecturer in psychology and early childhood education, and the author of Perfectly Imperfect Parenting.

This week marks Space Week and plenty’s happening around the country to celebrate – joining Anton to chat about this is Dr Niamh Shaw, engineer, scientist and writer.

Irish actor Brendan Gleeson is taking to the stage in the States tonight as the guest host of SNL but he’s far from the first Irish star to do so. Joining Anton to look back at the most iconic moments of the Irish on SNL was American comedian Jim Elliott who lives here in Ireland.

Joining Anton to go through some of the top stories hitting the headlines throughout the week is Brianna Parkins, The Journal and Gerard Howlin, political commentator and former senior government adviser.

Joining Anton to Kickstart Your Weekend is Panti Bliss, iconic Irish drag performer, who is due to be featured in new BBC show next week and also has own show coming up in November.

Joe McHugh, a local TD for Donegal had joined Anton on the show today to discuss the explosion which claimed nine lives in Donegal. He is among those helping with the search.

It was that time again where we picked the brains of an expert and get to the bottom of some of your burning questions on health and medicine. For this we were joined by our resident GP Dr Eleanor Galvin.

The mood music around the Northern Irish Protocol seemed to ease as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, met with the new UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly on Friday. Is this a good sign? Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern joined Anton on the show.

Newstalk chief reporter Barry Whyte joined Anton today to give the latest report on the explosion at a service station in Creeslough, Co Donegal. Barry spoke to the local residents affected by the tragedy as well as Pearse Doherty, Sinn Féin TD for Donegal.

Joining Anton to Kickstart Your Weekend is Ireland's Fittest Family host, Mairead Ronan.

Joining Anton to answer all of your gardening questions is Brian Burke, RTÉ Super Garden Judge & Woodie’s DIY and Gardening Expert.

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin joined Anton ahead of the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis where they discussed housing, energy, and his tenure as Taoiseach as a whole.

Earlier this week, Rolling Stone magazine released their definitive top 100 Greatest TV Shows of All-Time. Joining Anton to discuss his top 3 picks from the list is Entertainment.ie’s Brian Lloyd.

Dylan Moran has starred alongside the likes of Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Simon Pegg, and Brendan Gleeson on the big screen but over the coming weeks you can see him performing around Ireland in his stand-up tour, ‘We Got This’. He joined Anton to discuss.

Joining Anton to go through some of the top stories hitting the headlines throughout the week is Conor Pope, Consumer Affairs Correspondent at The Irish Times & TV presenter, Anna Daly.

An 'Ireland’s Future' event entitled 'Together We Can', will take place at Dublin’s 3Arena later today, October 1st. It was established to advocate for, promote, debate, and discuss Ireland’s future, including the possibility and viability of new constitutional arrangements on the Island. Matt Cooper, who was in attendance, joined Anton to discuss.

She's known as Sporty Spice but Mel C is the author of an acclaimed new memoir entitled ‘Who I Am’ and she joined Anton on the show today.

Joining Anton to kickstart the weekend was presenter Maura Derrane. Maura will be returning to our screens for The Today Show from mid-next week when the new season kicks off on RTÉ One.

As we hurtle towards Budget Day next week, and facing one of the worst cost-of-living crises in living memory, just what kind of initiatives and once-off measures can we expect in efforts to ease the burden of inflation and the squeeze on people’s pockets? Minister for Finance and Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe, who is speaking at Fine Gael’s ‘Small Business and Enterprise Conference’ in Limerick later today, joined Anton on the show.

The upcoming Budget 2023 is at the forefront of many of our minds and joining Anton to discuss what is likely to await us next week was broadcaster and entrepreneur Ivan Yates.

It's time for this week’s installment of Ask the Expert and Anton was joined by Dr. Mary O’Kane, Lecturer in Psychology and author of 'Perfectly Imperfect Parenting.’

Thousands are expected to take to the streets in the capital later today to protest at the cost of living. Among them will be Mary Lou McDonald, Leader of Sinn Fein and TD for Dublin Central, who joined Anton on the show.

Joining Anton for this week's episode of Ask the Expert is Dr. Eleanor Galvin. Among other things, they discuss concerns around taking pain killers on a regular basis, chronic insomnia and checking your bone density.

Many businesses in the UK have announced that they are closing due to the Queen’s funeral on Monday but this has sparked a kerfuffle with some, who have floundered over public reaction to the decision with the likes of Centre Parcs having to backtrack on its plan to evict its customers. So what have been some of the historic biggest corporate U-turns? Business Strategist, Miriam Simon joins Anton to discuss.

There can be several factors that influence how we commute but as the way we work changes, and the environmental impacts of driving private cars become ever clearer, what does the future hold for our trains, buses, trams, and e-bikes? Daniel Murray, political correspondent with the Business Post and host of the 'Five Degrees of Change' podcast & Lauren Boland, reporter from the Journal.ie with a focus on climate, join Anton to discuss.

An increasing number of men are electing to undergo an extreme and expensive surgery that could potentially endow them with an extra 8-15 centimeters in height. To discuss the origins of the procedure and its growing popularity among men is Dr. Patrick Treacy, Medical Director of Ailesbury Clinics.

During the week Ursula von der Leyen announced a cap on the revenues of electricity production companies and a crisis contribution from fossil fuel producers. To discuss the move and the looming energy crisis heading into the winter months is Sean Kelly, Fine Gael MEP for Ireland South.

All this week Newstalk has been speaking to listeners, experts, and policymakers to find out more about the key issues facing commuters on a daily basis. Newstalk reporter, Sarah Madden, took a trip out to Co. Monaghan to get the perspective of commuters outside of the city and to hear the primary issues for those coming in and out of the county. Follow and post using #MyCommuteNT

Joining Anton to go through the top stories hitting the headlines this week is the editor of CorkBeo.ie, Joe O’Shea & journalist, Jen Hogan.

Joining Anton to Kickstart Your Weekend is comedian, Emma Doran who can be seen on RTÉ’s brand new sketch show 'No Worries If Not' and will be performing her solo show 'Mad, Isn't It' at the Galway Comedy Festival on Thursday 27th October.

Flights throughout Europe were disrupted on Friday due to a French air traffic controllers' strike, affecting up to 80,000 passengers. To discuss the issues involved and the impact the strikes have had on airline scheduling throughout the rest of Europe is Eoghan Corry, Travel Commentator and Editor of Air & Travel Magazine.

This week marked a seismic moment in UK and world history as the longest-reigning British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 96. Our reporter Henry McKean and Royal Correspondent, Jennie Bond join Anton to discuss what the feeling is in London & what the immediate plans are now for King Charles III.