The Hard Shoulder

People have been urged to consider alternatives before going to A&E as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation counts the highest number of patients waiting without a hospital bed since 2006. Kieran was joined by Frances Watkins, journalist with the Limerick Leader whose sister was on a trolley last year and Geraldine Leonard, whose father spent time on a trolley last year too…

Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelensky has had what seemed to be a very successful visit to the White House over the last 24 hours. A massive aid package has been pledged to the country in order to help continue the fight against Russia. Jim Townsend was the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO during the Obama administration, and he joined Kieran on the show to discuss…

Hundreds of mourners made the trip to County Donegal this afternoon, where Private Seán Rooney was laid to rest. The young soldier who was killed in Lebanon last week was buried with full military honours in Newtowncunningham this afternoon. Aoife Kearns, Newstalk reporter was at the funeral mass and joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder from Donegal...

Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer with the HSE joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss the pressure on hospitals and the recent spike in Covid 19 cases...

In an image obsessed society, how you present yourself to the world holds a lot of currency. How you look is important but how you smell is equally crucial. We’re all keen to oust the odour but more and more people are turning to more natural alternatives in a bid to protect the environment and safeguard their health. Former Wexford Hurler and owner of Wild Irish Retreat, Diarmuid 'Gizzy' Lyng has binned the antiperspirant and he joined Kieran on the show to discuss… Image: Twitter - Diarmuid Lyng (@diarmuidlyng)

With many shops and restaurants opening now on St Stephen’s day, is it time that trains operate on that day too? Kieran was joined by Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurant Association of Ireland and Barry Kenny, corporate communications manager with Irish Rail…

'The Shopping Trolley Hotline' will give listeners pause when they’re filling their trolleys, to consider their options. This week Simon and Jonathan Healy took a look at how to come up with the most cost saving Christmas dinner...

The Government’s updated Climate Action Plan has been published this afternoon Eamon Ryan, Green party leader and Minister for the Environment and Transport joined Jonathan Healy on The Hard Shoulder to discuss some of the key details of the plan…

This time of year is normally a busy one for Doctor practices and hospitals as flu, chest infections and now COVID spikes as we socialise more. Jonathan Healy was joined by Mick Molloy, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Dr Maire Finn from Ennis Centric Health…

Dave Hanratty, Host of the ‘No Encores Podcast’ joined Jonathan Healy on The Hard Shoulder to discuss which music artists are making the most money from songs at Christmas...

The Government’s updated climate action plan has been published this afternoon. Jonathan Healy was joined by Sean Defoe, Newstalk’s Political Correspondent and Peter Thorne, Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council’s Adaptation Committee to discuss…

Christmas is around the corner and Santa will be bringing the boys and girls all over the country gadgets, phones and videogames. Columnist for The Irish Times and mother of 7, Jen Hogan joined Jonathan to discuss managing young peoples screen time around the Christmas holidays...

Jonathan Healy was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Clare McKenna, presenter of Alive and Kicking on Newstalk, to discuss her Christmas survival guide...

Violence broke out in the town of Rathkeale last night, rival gangs have left the town in disarray. Fianna Fáil Councillor, Kevin Sheahan joined Jonathon Healy on the show to discuss...

Workers could have their wages taxed at 40pc to pay for a new universal basic income. This would be under proposals examined in a new ESRI report today. But, is it feasible? Senator Regina Doherty and Colette Bennett, Economic and Social Analyst for Social Justice Ireland joined Jonathon Healy on The Hard Shoulder to discuss...

The ending of free workplace parking along with a minimum parking charge in all urban areas are among the measures Government could look at to cut transport carbon emissions. Jonathan Healy was joined by John Fitzgerald Former chairman of the Climate Change Advisory Council to discuss…

My next guest has a two-part series coming to your screens over the next couple of nights exploring the relationship between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, and Civil War politics. Two Tribes will air tomorrow night and Thursday night on RTE 1, and the spearhead of it all is none other than broadcaster Sean O’Rourke. Sean O’Rourke joined Jonathon Healy on The Hard Shoulder…

693 patients are waiting for a bed at Irish hospitals today. University Hospital Limerick is the worst affected with 94 people on trolleys, followed by 71 in Cork. Jonathan Healy was joined by Stephen McMahon Spokesperson with the Irish Patient Association and David Cullinane Sinn Fein’s Health spokesperson to discuss…

There are only five more sleeps until the big day arrives, for those who are fortunate, there will be presents left under the tree. But have we reached peak consumerism when the animals in our lives are receiving toys? Newstalk reporter Josh Crosbie has been speaking with those who will be spoiling their furry friends.

Twitter users have voted for Elon Musk to step aside as the company's CEO. The eccentric billionaire posted a poll on the social media site last night giving two options. Over 17.5 million users voted with 57.5 percent saying he should stand down as head of Twitter. Emmet Oliver was joined by Adrian Weckler, the Irish Independent’s Technology editor…

It’s been 25 years since the release of James Cameron’s Titanic. Emmet Oliver was joined by Irish actor Jason Barry who starred in the film as Tommy Ryan...

Today there are 760 patients in the country without a hospital bed. The INMO is calling for URGENT action on this issue. Emmet Oliver was joined by Dr Fergal Hickey, Communications Officer for the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine and Tony Fitzpatrick, Director of Services with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation…

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan hopes to reduce by 20% the number of cars on Irish roads by the year 2030. The target is part of the Climate Action Plan that has but yet to be approved by the Cabinet. Emmet Oliver was joined by Sadhbh O’Neill, researcher at UCD and a climate activist and Michael Healy Rae, Independent TD for Kerry...

Kieran Cunningham, Chief Sports Writer with the Irish Daily Star joined Emmet Oliver on The Hard Shoulder to review the World Cup final and the tournament as a whole...

IBEC had a warning today that firms are going to expect lower profits going into 2023 due to rising energy costs. Are more energy supports needed? Emmet Oliver was joined by Neil McDonnell, chief executive of ISME and Barbara Ennis, principal of Alexandra College, because private schools are having to raise their prices by up to 15%...

We're approaching the last weekend before the big day for shoppers to pick up presents. With such a focus on the environment, there are now options for families to rent toys through a toy library. There are a handful of these community projects across the country and our reporter Josh Crosbie took a visit to Ireland's first toy Library in Co Monaghan.

Aisling Larkin TV Chef and mindful eating coach joined Kieran to take a closer look how to make the best side dishes for Christmas dinner...

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

Today marks the final full day as Taoiseach for Mícheál Martin as he gets set to hand the reigns over to Leo Varadkar tomorrow. Emmer Oliver was joined by John Drennan, political correspondent with The Mail Group to discuss Micheál Martin's time in charge..

King of free speech, Elon Musk, has accused several high profile journalists from Twitter last night claiming they were ‘doxxing’ him. One of the journalists banned was CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, a Cahersiveen native. Jenny Darmody, Deputy Editor with Silicon Republic joined Emmet Oliver to discuss…

Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joined Emmet Oliver on The Hard Shoulder to chat through some of the best tech deals, tips for gifts and other tricks to look out for this Christmas...

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar maintains there are no plans to reintroduce mortgage interest relief in light of the rising interest rates announced by the European Central Bank. With further rate hikes on the way from the ECB in 2023, is this the right stance? Emmet Oliver was joined by David Hall, CEO of the Irish Mortgage Holders Association and Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward to discuss…

Stressing about preparing that Christmas dinner? Mark Moriarty’s Off-Duty Chef Christmas Special will be kicking off on RTÉ this weekend and he joined Emmet Oliver in studio to gives some tips and tricks on cracking Christmas dinner...

John Fardy, presenter of Screentime on Newstalk joined Emmet Oliver to review the new release 'Avatar: The Way of Water'...

A number of investigations will take place into an incident in which an Irish solider was killed and another was seriously injured in Lebanon. 23 year old Private Sean Rooney from County Donegal died after a convoy travelling to Beirut was attacked by what the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces says was an 'aggressive mob'. Emmet Oliver was joined by Mark Keane President of PDForra, the association representing soldiers, Damien McCrory principal of St Eunan's College in Letterkenny and Declan Power, security analyst…

The Government has been warned by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to increase the retirement age to 68 by 2028, in order to keep debt under control. Emmet Oliver was joined by Susanne Rogers, Research and Policy Analyst with Social Justice Ireland and Economist, Jim Power to discuss...

Just 71 fines in three years – that’s the amount of fines Gardaí have issued for motorists dangerously overtaking cyclists. Emmet Oliver was joined by former Transport Minister, Shane Ross and Ciaran Cannon, Fine Gael TD for Galway East to discuss...

Research from CeraVe has found that 77% of Irish people feel their skin is worse in winter, with approximately the same number saying they are self-conscious about it. Emmet Oliver was joined by Dr Laura Lenihan, GP and Specialist Skin Expert to discuss the root of these concerns, and what people can do to protect their skin amidst these freezing conditions...

Now, Christmas may be fast approached, but if you want a break after it all in January, where should you go? Emmet Oliver was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Ed Finn from Travel Talk...

Sarina Bellissimo, host of The Bellissimo Files Podcast joined Emmet Oliver on The Hard Shoulder to take a look at some of the best and worst famous TV interviews down the years...

Our footpaths are turning into ice rinks this week and more weather warnings are coming into play this evening. How long will this cold spell last? Emmet Oliver was joined by meteorologist, Joanna Donnelly and Roisin Killroy, a journalist in Galway who slipped on the ice this morning...

The Dublin airport authority say they "sincerely apologise" to homeowners who have found themselves unexpectedly along the flight path of the new airport runway. Some homeowners who live along the flight path of the new North runway say the noise from low flying planes is "unbearable". Our Chief Reporter Barry Whyte has been speaking to those impacted...

It’s been former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall’s third day in the witness box in the Special Criminal court. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in 2016. For details on what happened today, Emmet Oliver was joined by author of ‘The Monk: The Life and Crimes of Ireland's Most Enigmatic Gang Boss’, and crime journalist with the Irish Independent, Paul Williams.

Fuel prices have fallen significantly at the pump over the last month, according to AA Ireland. The company’s latest Fuel Survey finds that diesel prices are down an average of 22c per litre on last month. Meanwhile, petrol prices are down 17c per litre. Emmet Oliver was joined by Geraldine Herbert, Motoring Editor with the Sunday Independent and Kevin McPartland, Fuels for Ireland CEO to discuss…

A new report from the OECD says that strides within Irish healthcare across recent decades mean life expectancy in this country is now amongst the best in Europe. The report also takes a somewhat favourable assessment of the Irish economy at large heading into 2023. And although it warns against increased spending, the OECD says Ireland is coping well with the impacts of Covid, and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Emmet Oliver was joined by Brian Turner, Health Economist at UCC and Neil McDonnell, Chief Executive of ISME…

US Ambassador Claire Cronin as part of her 'Open Doors' policy, invited the students from St Dominic's College Ballyfermot into Deerfield Residence, the home of the US Ambassador, in the Phoenix Park Dublin. Henry McKean got a tour with the students and met the US Ambassador in the run up to Christmas...

Cabinet ministers have been raising concerns about Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien’s proposals for a major overhaul of Ireland’s planning laws. We heard overnight that things had been agreed, then we hear this morning that certain Green Ministers are concerned, and now the Taoiseach has this afternoon defended the proposed legislation. Craig Hughes is Political Correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail and Robin Mandal, Chair of the Dublin Democratic Planning Alliance and former President of the Royal Institute of Architects joined Emmet Oliver to discuss…

Anton Savage was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Clare McKenna, presenter of Alive and Kicking on Newstalk, to discuss brain health...

Anton Savage was joined in studio by Fine Gael Senator, Regina Doherty, and Socialist Party TD for Cork North Central, Mick Barry. Continuing the series, ‘Common Ground’, they will debate some of the biggest, most divisive topics around. The series continued with a discussion around 'Should chuggers be banned?'...

From sleeping rough in the Phoenix Park to earning a masters degrees, Croatian brothers Allen and Jay Bobinac last week received a special SETU achievement award from Minister Simon Harris and Croatian Ambassador to Ireland Davor Vidis. Allen and Jay joined Anton Savage in studio to discuss their remarkable story...