The Hard Shoulder

UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has announced a u-turn on the 45p tax rate as part of the UK's mini-budget. It has now been decided that it won’t be abolished, after much uproar over it over the last 10 days. LBC presenter Shelagh Fogarty joined Kieran on the show to discuss...

We’re into October, and if you look around your estates, you may well see Hallo’ween decorations starting to go up. Is it too early to get into the Hallo’ween mood? Journalist Jen Hogan and Chairman of the Communications Clinic, Terry Prone joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss...

"Your call is important to us". How many of us have heard that on a loop recently? Newstalk's Sarah Madden has been looking into the increasing presence of on-hold music in our lives and she sent us this report.

Is Irish Public Transport accessible for all? Disability activists don’t think so. Access for all staged a demonstration at Clontarf Dart Station to draw attention to the lack of reliability and accessibility on Irish Public Transport - Newstalk's Sarah Madden went down to the protest and she sent us this report.

The term time traffic is back, and with it all those extra cars and carbon emissions we’re supposed to be reducing. However, one Dublin school is piloting a novel scheme to get families on two wheels instead of four – Newstalk’s Sarah Madden reports.

Ireland’s least curable cancers are set to double in the next 30 years. That’s the troubling statistic from Breakthrough Cancer Research who say research trials and treatments are the only way to achieve lifesaving results. In this report, Newstalk’s Sarah Madden speaks to the experts, the medics, the patients and their families to hear why research can make more survivors. You can find more information on Breakthrough Cancer Research and links to donate to vitally needed research on the charity’s website; breakthroughcancerresearch.ie .

Donal Fallon from the Three Castles Burning podcast, and regular contributor here on to On The Record, has released a book based of the podcast called 'Three Castles burning – A History of Dublin in Twelve Streets' Kieran and Donal take a look at two of the important ones, James Joyce Steet and Parnell Street East...

The budget measures will insulate most households from rising prices this winter. That’s according to the Director of the ESRI Alan Barrett, who joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss Budget 2023...

Sean Defoe, Newstalk's Political Correspondent joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder ahead of Fianna Fáíl's Ard Fheis beginning in the RDS tonight...

At an event at Áras an Uachtaráin yesterday to mark national breastfeeding week, Sabina Higgins yesterday called on the HSE to let new mothers spend a longer time in hospital learning how to breastfeed. In fact, she said that mothers sometimes get ‘thrown out too early’. Kieran was joined by Mary Brosnan, who is the Director of Midwifery at the National Maternity Hospital to discuss...

A US study from the National Assessment of Educational Progress has found the number of children who read for fun has declined from 35 per cent in 1987 to just 17 per cent now. You won’t be surprised to hear that the finger has been pointed squarely at the onset of social media and technology in modern life For more on this, Kieran was joined by author and presenter Meghann Scully and Calodagh McCumiskey, Corporate Wellbeing specialist...

Three former Irish rugby stars are to sue IRFU over alleged concussion injuries. Kieran was joined by Shane Phelan, Legal Affairs Editor, Irish Independent for an update on the allegations. He was joined alongside Ed Daly, Lecturer at Atlantic Technological University and Co-founder of the Irish Concussion Research Centre...

Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch has been returned to prison after being arrested by detectives early yesterday morning as part of an ongoing investigation into the Hutch crime group. Nicola Tallant, Investigations Editor, Sunday World joined Kieran to discuss the arrest, and the future of the Kinahan organised crime group...

Coolio, the American superstar rapper has died at the age of 59. He was a fan of Ireland, and on one of his trips to these shores, he made an appearance on the ‘Talking Bollox’ podcast and The Black Forge Inn in Crumlin. Kieran was joined by Calvin O’Brien, one half of the ‘Talking Bollox’ podcast and Liam Flynn, Manager of the Black Forge Inn to chat about their memories of Coolio...

Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Former Conservative MP, Matthew Paris to discuss the UK's mini-budget and the future of Prime Minister, Liz Truss..

Ireland is the third highest producer of cheese internationally, per capita. Kevin Ireland, Cheesemonger with Fallon & Byrne joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss and try out some Irish cheese..

The United Nations Secretary-General has called on Iran to refrain from using “unnecessary or disproportionate force” against protesters. It comes as 41 people have died in the country as unrest over a young woman’s death in police custody spread across the country. Kieran was joined by Nasrin Parvaz who spent time in custody in Iran...

The reaction has continued over the last 24 hours to the announcement of Budget 2023. One of the things we noticed was that the Universal Social Charge, once described by some as ‘Ireland’s Most Hated Tax’, is still there, with the band increasing in the latest Budget to salaries of just over €22,000. Should we still have a USC? Mick Barry, Socialist TD for Cork North Central, joins me now and economist Jim Power joined Kieran to discuss...

The new Netflix movie ‘Blonde’ based on the life of Marilyn Monroe arrives today. The much anticipated biopic has been called highly controversial for its graphic descriptions of her sex life and her attempts to conceive. Simon Tierney joined Kieran to discuss Marilyn's 1956 visit to Ireland, when she had a layover in Shannon airport and her other Irish connections...

Former Sinn Fein Councillor, Jonathan Dowdall, has pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in 2016. Paul Williams, crime correspondent from the Irish Independent joined Kieran to discuss Dowdall's involvement in the murder, and the future of the Kinahan organised crime group...

The EU has said leaks in two major gas pipelines from Russia to Europe were caused by sabotage. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline has not transported any gas since August when Russia closed it down. Barry Andrews, Fianna Fáil MEP for Dublin, joined Kieran to discuss...

Ryanair has predicted that it will create up to 2,000 new jobs in Ireland over the next eight years. It comes as the airline held a press conference with the Tanaiste to celebrate 35 years in business. Kieran was joined by Eoghan Corry Editor of Air and Travel Magazine to discuss the announcements and the airline's legacy...

Virgin Atlantic has changed its uniform policy to make it "the most inclusive airline in the skies" by scrapping different uniforms for men and women. Terry Prone, Chair of the Communications Clinic and Peter Cosgrove, Managing Director of Futurewise joined Kieran to discuss the move and the necessity for uniforms...

Eamon Ryan, Green Party Leader and Environment, Climate and Transport Minister joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss Budget 2023...

Gabija Gataveckaite, Political Reporter with the Irish Independent, Dr. Madeleine Ní Dhálaigh from the IMO GP Committee and Colm O'Reilly Chair of Newsbrands Ireland joined Kieran to discuss Budget 2023 and give reaction...

Public Expenditure and Reform Minister, Michael McGrath joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss Budget 2023...

Kieran was joined by Sinn Féin Housing Spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin TD, on The Hard Shoulder to get his reaction to Budget 2023. Eoin was joined alongside Tom Parlon, Director General of the Construction Industry Federation and Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME, to discuss the impact on the construction industry and small businesses...

Sean Defoe, Newstalk’s Political Correspondent and Kevin Devenney and Sarah Meredith, Tax Directors with Grant Thornton joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss the measures announced as part of Budget 2023 and answer listeners questions.. With thanks to Grant Thornton

Kieran was joined live in the sheep tent at the National Ploughing Championships by Percy Podger and Deirdre Lane, founder of Shamrock Spring to discuss the Schwarzkopf German imported sheep and how we can work better with their wool...

LBC presenter, Shelagh Fogarty joined Kieran to discuss the letters of no confidence in UK Prime Minister, Liz Truss, that have been submitted...

Kieran was joined by Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, ahead of Budget 2023 tomorrow...

The Restaurant returns to our screen tomorrow, with the likes of Devin Toner, Dirdre O’Kane and Olympic rower Gary O’Donovan taking part. The person leading them through it all is Maitre D’ John Healy and he joined Kieran on the show to discuss 20 years since the first episode of the show and look forward to the series ahead

There is pressure on Government to deliver on Budget 2023, as the cost of living crisis continues. Kieran was joined by Kevin Doyle, Head of News at the Irish Independent, Pat McDonagh, owner of Supermacs and Mary Moloney from Crann Support Group to discuss...

Conor McGregor has run into problems with a planned development to build hundreds of build-to-rent apartments, as Japanese knotweed has been found on the site. Kieran was joined by Dr Colin Kelleher Keeper of the Herbarium at the National Botanic Gardens to explain why the plant is a developers nightmare...

The State is to provide free school books to all primary school children from next September. Details of the initiative will come in tomorrow’s Budget, while the pupil-teacher ratio will come down to 23:1. Kieran was joined by Dawn Behan, the owner of Woodbine Books in Kilcullen in County Kildare and Eoin Daly, principal of Mother of Divine Grace in Dublin...

More people in Northern Ireland are Catholics than Protestants for the first time in its 101-year history, the latest census figures released yesterday show. Kieran was joined by Andrew Clarke, founder of the 'Tanistry' Instagram account who grew up in a Unionist background...

Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest this week, and among the plaudits she has received has centered around her ‘selflessness’ in always putting state duties before all else. Is that quality of ‘duty before self’ still commended in modern society? Or is it at odds with the movement towards autonomy and self-fulfilment? Kieran was joined by David Quinn, columnist with the Sunday Times and Director of The Iona Institute and Piaras McEinri, Lecturer at University College Cork to discuss...

The Cost Of Living Coalition will hold a national pre-budget protest in Parnell Square tomorrow. Kieran was joined by Beth O’Reilly, President of the Union of Students of Ireland, Louise Bayliss, Co-founder and spokesperson for SPARK (Single Parents Acting for the Rights of Kids), Derval McDonagh, CEO of Inclusion Ireland to discuss why they are taking part in the protests...

The Boston Celtics basketball team have suspended their star head coach Ime Udoka for a year. It comes as a result of what is being reported to be an "improper intimate and consensual relationship" with a member of the Celtics organisation.' To discuss the workplace relationship, Kieran was joined by Stephanie Regan: clinical psychotherapist and author of 'Relationships on the Edge'...

What would typically be ‘Freshers Week’ for many incoming college students has instead been mired in accommodation concerns for the academic year… In some case, students have had to defer their places in 3rd level, such is the shortage of living space, both on and off campus. Kieran was joined by Caitlin-Faye Maniti from Donegal to discuss her situation...

If you earn up to €70,000 you’d get a cash payment to help with energy costs under Sinn Féin's alternative Budget proposals. Kieran was joined by Pearse Doherty, Sinn Fein’s Finance Spokesperson to discuss their alternative budget.

Many listeners are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints, whether it's recycling more at home or purchasing an electric car. We have been told in the Programme for Government that Ireland is committed to halving greenhouse gasses by 2030, and reaching net zero by 2050, at the latest. One sector that tends to have the finger pointed at them for attributing to the climate crisis is agriculture. We sent our reporter Josh Crosbie to the National Ploughing Championships to see what solutions are being developed.

Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Ed Finn, award winning travel journalist and journalist Harry McCann to discuss the dip in popularity for accommodation website Airbnb in favour of the traditional hotel...

Newstalk's Political Correspondent, Sean Defoe joined Kieran live from New York, where the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs Minister, Simon Coveney are attending a meeting of the United Nations...

Former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss the latest census figures from Northern Ireland. For the first time in 101 years, there is a Catholic majority in Northern Ireland...

More people in Northern Ireland are Catholics than Protestants for the first time in its 101-year history. Kieran was joined by Barry Whyte, Newstalk’s Chief Reporter to discuss the census figures. Gregory Campbell, DUP MP also joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder...

Jenny Keane is the organizer of The Sex Toy Show which was due to take place in early December in Dublin. Tickets were meant to go on sale next Friday, however the venue has pulled out of hosting the event. Jenny joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder to discuss...

Today is World Car Free Day. This is the day every year that people are encouraged to leave their cars at home for one day to see the impact it can have on our cities. Kieran was joined by Sadhbh O'Neill is a lecturer in climate policy and politics at DCU's School of Law and Government and Keith Gavin is from the Irish Parking Association to discuss moving to a car free culture...

Kieran was joined live from The Ploughing Championships by Catherine Fulvio, ALDI Ambassador, Chef, author, owner of the Ballyknocken House & Cookery School...

Kieran was joined at the Ploughing Championships by Elaine Houlihan, Munster Vice President of Macra na Feirme and Louise Crowley, Limerick Dairy Farmer to settle the age old debate of culchies versus townies...