The Hard Shoulder

Today the world was shocked to hear where Jessie Buckley stood on the dog versus cat debate, admitting that she hates cats… Is she finally speaking the truth that many are afraid to admit?Joining Shane and Ciara to discuss is Conor Pope, Consumer Affairs Correspondent with the Irish Times (and cat hater).

A primary school in Celbridge has closed from today after a “number of fire safety and building compliance matters” were identified that require “urgent attention”.Parents of the students are due to meet with the Board of Management later this evening.One of those parents is Louise McNerney, who joins to discuss.

Many people across the country will be familiar with mould in their homes, but what are the dangers of mould to our health, and how can we safely remove it?Joining Shane to discuss is Martin Glynn, Founder of the DIY Academy and Dr Maire Finn, of Ennis Centric Health.

The Government’s charter flight to get stranded citizens home from the Middle East is expected to depart in the coming days. The flight is planned to depart from Oman, with passengers being transferred by bus from places like Dubai to take the flight. However, those taking the flight will have to pay eight hundred euro per adult, with the Government contributing the rest.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Senator Patricia Stephenson, Social Democrats spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Trade, who is criticising the cost of the flights.Also joining from Dubai is Mark Mullally, who has been on a family holiday in Dubai since last Tuesday week, and will be getting one of these flights home.

Life can be full of confusing things, but no need to worry! Every Wednesday, Simon Tierney will be showing you ‘How to do Stuff’ - bringing his best tips for those things you might not think about.This week, Simon joins Ciara and Shane to discuss how to fly on a private jet!

For many adults, the news cycle at the minute is heavy and difficult to deal with, but children cannot be completely shielded from the news. Whether it’s overhearing the radio or TV that their parents may be watching, or being fed content on the social media feeds, how can we help children deal with the heavy news content they are seeing?Psychotherapist Iseult White joins Ciara and Shane to discuss.

French President Emmanuel Macron has joined Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in calling the legality of strikes on Iran into question, Macron said the strikes on Iran that began Saturday were conducted "outside of international law" and that Paris "cannot approve of them."Joining Shane to discuss this is Sean Bell, former Fighter Pilot, Military Analyst and Co-Host of the Red Matrix Podcast & Dan Mulhall, former Ambassador of Ireland to the United States.Image: Reuters

A primary school with around 400 students and staff in Celbridge, County Kildare has told parents it is to close temporarily because of safety concerns…For more on this, Ciara is joined by Aidan Farrelly, Social Democrats TD for Kildare North and party Spokesperson for Youth, Children and Equality.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Shane to discuss an ongoing trial in the United States over social media addiction, and how apps can be maliciously designed to keep you on them.

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, joins Ciara to discuss the new General Scheme of the Critical Infrastructure Bill, the current concerns around energy prices and the war in Iran.

Many listeners will be aware of the case that we covered concerning Caitlyn, who was sexually assaulted by another UCD student. Following the assault, images were shared among the student body and faculty. Yesterday on the show Ciara spoke to doctors within the healthcare system who had expressed their concerns over UCDs handling of the case.Today the UCD student body came out at a public protest to join those concerns…Joining Shane to discuss is Matt Mion, SU Vice President and Education Officer with UCD’s Student Union.Image: University Observer

A decade ago, a survey found that Irish parents will spend more than €5,400 on children’s birthday parties and gifts by the time their child gets to sixth class, due to inflation over the last 10 years it is safe to assume that figure has risen exponentially.So, what are the average costs facing parents today and is there a way to have a kid's party on a budget?Joining Ciara to discuss is Aideen Finnegan, Presenter of the ‘Better with Money’ podcast to discuss…

Fuel prices could go over €2 a litre at petrol stations according to the Irish Road Hauliers Association, but is it price gauging? Taking advantage of global uncertainty, or is it completely up to the world markets and the situation in the Middle East?Henry McKean has been investigating, and joins Shane to discuss.

“Truly exceptional and has to be seen to be believed” was how Mr Justice Brian Cregan described the behaviour of the mother and sister of imprisoned schoolteacher Enoch Burke in contempt of court proceedings against the pair. Martina and Ammi Burke were both sentenced to two weeks each for their behaviour at a hearing last month.Shane Phelan, Legal Affairs Editor with the Irish Independent, joins Ciara with the latest.

We are currently in an energy crisis, so how can we ensure we increase sources of renewable energy in order to become more self-sufficient?Joining Shane to discuss is local Councillor, Noel Thomas and Oisín Coghlan, Policy advisor to the Environmental Pillar.

The US-Israeli air war against Iran has expanded with no end in sight, with Israel attacking Lebanon in response to strikes by Hezbollah, and Iran firing missiles and drones at Gulf states and a British air base as far away as Cyprus.Joining Ciara to discuss the impact this has on civilians and the current situation in Iran is Seyed Hossein Mousavian, former Iranian Ambassador to Germany & former Spokesperson of Iran Nuclear Dossier.Image: Reuters

Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world.This week, as part of his 12 best cities in the world, Fionn joined Ciara and Shane to give the ultimate guide to Paris!

A deaf couple, both in employment, are facing a €10,000 bill for hearing aids which they were penalised for working and "moving away" from the disability allowance. James Reardon and Ruth McSkane, who have three young children, say they struggle to raise the €10,000 required every five to seven years for new hearing aids…Joining Shane to discuss this is Danielle McLaughlin, Director of Advocacy and Communication with national deaf and hard of hearing charity, Chime.

Two weeks ago on the Hard Shoulder, we spoke with Katelyn, a student at UCD, and she told us how images of her “nude, bruised and unconscious” after being sexually assaulted were shared and circulated to a significant number of UCD Staff and student body email addresses, and then some months later, to a student WhatsApp group…Over the weekend, doctors working within the Irish healthcare system have written an open letter to UCD, expressing their concerns about these incidents that took place and the University’s reaction, but also to question the moral and ethics of the cohort of students who left vile comments about the image and of Katelyn that was circulated.Dr. Emma Hughes and Dr Nicola Duffy are the two doctors who penned the open letter, and they join Ciara to discuss.If you have been affected by this interview, help is available:You can reach Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on their 24 hr national helpline on 1800 778 888.Or contact Women’s aid on their 24 helpline 1800 341 900.

While we all may be familiar with the iconic British Pathé logo adorning archive footage of Ireland pre nineteen sixties with an English accent narrating events, in the nineteen fifties, Gael Linn founded their own newsreel service, narrated as Gaeilge. The footage has now been digitised and is available to view online, and Ronan McGreevy, News Reporter with The Irish Times joins Shane to talk about the archive.Image: IFI Archive Player

“My parents moved into my one-bed apartment to help me through breast cancer treatment – and we actually had a great time”.Those are the words of Caroline Kay, Singer-Songwriter Caroline Kay and her dad, Donal Keating. They join Ciara to share their experience.

Iarnród Éireann has paid out almost €150,000 in compensation to passengers in the first 10 months of 2024 alone due to issues such as late trains, rude staff, cancellations or cleanliness issues.Joining Shane to discuss this is Barry Kenny, Head of Communications with Irish Rail and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, European Transport Committee MEP, who obtained these figures.

The Taoiseach has warned against price gouging as the price of energy soars due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.For more on this, Ciara is joined by Brian Ó Gallachóir, Professor of Sustainability and Associate Vice-President of Sustainability at University College Cork.The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission need to quickly look into and establish if there is price gouging or price fixing across the Irish fuel market as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. So says Seán Kyne, Leader of Seanad Éireann, and Fine Gael Senator, who also joins to discuss…

From finding love to landing a job, being more candid and saying too much may be the key to getting ahead.Joining Ciara and Shane to discuss this is Leslie John, Harvard Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and author of ‘REVEALING: The Underrated Power of Oversharing’ who had these findings.

According to new research from the National Transport Authority (NTA), the number of people in Dublin using bikes daily has risen by 50% in just the past two years. This begs the question: is our cycling infrastructure good enough to accommodate this rise? Do we need more cycle lanes?Joining Shane to discuss is Ciarán Cannon, President of Cycling Ireland.

(Most) of Ireland is basking in the sun! When the weather has been so bad recently, how do we make the best of it when the day is dry and sunny?Henry McKean has been out asking the public, and joins Ciara and Shane to discuss.

We are now on day four of the war between the US and Israel against Iran.Iran yesterday hit Tel Aviv killing 10 and wiping out entire streets and buildings.The Israeli Defense Forces announced earlier today that it has begun a large-scale wave of strikes on Tehran, having earlier announced its strikes on Beirut. Netanyahu has also approved a military ground incursion into the southern part of Lebanon.For the latest, Ciara is joined by Paul Kearns, Freelance Journalist in Tel Aviv and Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University.Image: Reuters

It’s normal to lose 50 to 150 hairs per day. That may seem like a lot, but most people have about 100,000 hairs on their heads at any given time. So, when should you start to worry?Joining Shane to discuss is Trua Trichologist, Sarah Cummins…

The Irish Farmers Association have ended their sit-in protest at the Bord Bia offices in Dublin. This is after the board agreed to an independent, expert-led governance review into its operations, where Chair of the board Larry Murrin will not be involved.Francie Gorman, President of the Irish Farmers' Association joins Ciara to discuss.

On Friday it was reported that the University of Galway was proposing to discontinue and replace its general arts course due to an international downward trend in its popularity. However, the college later on Friday emphasized that they were not cutting the course, but just looking at reimagining them.Despite the many quips that may be made about arts courses, do they still have an important place in colleges? Broadcaster Muireann O’Connell joins Ciara to discuss.

For this week’s Kids Clinic, Ciara and Shane are joined by Dr Arthur Cummings, Consultant Eye Surgeon at the Wellington Eye Clinic and Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Beacon Hospital to discuss the common eye conditions that affect kids, and how to know if they might need an eye test.

If you commute into Dublin every morning, it’s impossible to ignore the growing levels of congestion and traffic across the city.Commutes are taking longer and making workers late as they spend hours frustrated on buses moving at a snail's pace, and tomorrow cabinet is set to discuss a variety of plans to address traffic and congestion around the country, including congestion charges in the city.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Green Party Councillor in Dublin City Council, Janet Horner.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister for Defence and Fine Gael TD Meath East Helen McEntee joins Shane to discuss the situation in the Middle East, and what Irish people stranded and living there should do.

New research from Flyefit has found women are leaving the gym and giving up their routine at a much higher rate than men, with the top three reasons cited being intimidation, loss of interest and lack of motivation.For more on this, Ciara is joined by Nathalie Lennon, Personal Trainer & Content Creator.

Over recent days we have seen the government roll back on reforms to reductions in SNAs in schools around the country. Parents had been left angered and concerned as some schools received letters informing them that their SNA numbers would be cut from September.Fianna Fáil TD Catherine Ardagh has written in the Independent today about her experience as the mother of a non-verbal autistic child and she said she is “very disappointed in [her] own Government”...Shane is joined by Deputy Ardagh to discuss.

New research has found that Gen Z value sustainable habits in dating as much as they value good looks. Research carried out by Too Good To Go, an anti-food waste app found 70% of daters looked for an interest in sustainability in a long-term partner.Joining Ciara and Shane to give her opinion on the matter is Freelance Journalist Kate Henshaw.

Iran's retaliatory strikes have so far targeted 500 sites linked to the US and Israel in the Middle East, Iran's Revolutionary Guards has said.For more on this, Ciara is joined by Dr Siavush Randjbar-Daemi, Senior Lecturer in Modern Middle Eastern History at University of St Andrews in Scotland.Also joining to discuss is Kevin McPartland, CEO of Fuels for Ireland.Image: Reuters

This week, Ciara and Shane were joined by Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer with Irish independent and Ger Gilroy from Off The Ball to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

Yesterday on the programme, we spoke to the manager of The Temple Bar Pub in Dublin’s Temple bar, Tom Cleary, in relation to the controversial statue of Saint Patrick that the pub had erected on the side of its building.As you may be aware at this stage, that statue has now been removed and we have a short statement from Dublin City Council on that matter saying they became aware of the installation yesterday morning: “Following discussions between our Planning Enforcement Section and the owner of the premises he agreed to remove it by lunchtime today. The structure has been removed, as was agreed.”Aoife Carry, Art Director for the St Patrick’s Festival, joins Shane to discuss.

Off The Ball Senior Producer Mick McCarthy joined Ciara and Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

Former US President Bill Clinton will face questions from a Congressional panel on Friday on his well-documented links to Jeffrey Epstein, as Democrats seek to shift focus onto Donald Trump’s own ties to the convicted sex offender.Terry Sheridan, News Director at WSHU Radio joins Shane with the latest information.

From the grimy sponge sitting at the side of your sink to the pillow you rest your head on every night, there are lots of household items you probably should be replacing a lot more than you think, but just how often should they be replaced?Dr Amalia Scannell is a Microbiologist at the UCD Institute of Food and Health and joins Ciara to tell us just how often they should be replaced…

To the UK now where the Green Party has swept to victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election, snatching what was one of Labour’s safest seats and delivering a major blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.So, what will this mean for the party, and does it raise questions about how long Prime Minister Keir Starmer will continue as leader?Joining Shane to discuss this is Stephen Pound, former Labour MP for Ealing North and former Northern Ireland shadow minister.

Mice spotted ‘scurrying along skirtings’ in the canteen, a ladybird infestation in a TD’s office and seagull troubles are among pest-control issues in Leinster House…Joining Ciara with the story is Darragh McDonagh, Freelance Journalist.

Almost 320,000 households were unable to pay their electricity bills in full last December, marking a sharp year-on-year increase and pushing arrears to record levels, but why are costs so high?For more on this, Shane is joined by Muireann Lynch, Senior Research Officer with the ESRI.

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and David O’Callaghan from the Here and Back Again podcast joined Ciara and Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

The Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has said he would rather invest the money that could be spent on train catering carts on new transport lines, querying Irish Rail's stated cost of around €2 million for bringing back the tea trolley on the Belfast and Cork lines after Covid.Should the tea trolley be rolled out across the country once again?Joining Shane to discuss this is Newstalk’s own Shane Beatty and Barry Kenny, Corporate Communications Manager with Irish Rail.

Singer-Songwriter Tolü Makay joins Ciara and Shane for this week’s Thursday Interview!

90% of Irish people believe eulogies at funerals should be allowed, that’s according to new research conducted by RIP.ie. Despite this some priests don’t allow eulogies during masses.Joining Ciara to discuss is Fr Paddy Byrne, from Abbeyleix in Co. Laois.

St Patrick’s Day celebrations have started early for The Temple Bar Pub, in the heart of Dublin city.They have erected a 12 ft statue of St Patrick on their building hovering over the tourists below. Already, you can see tourists stopping to take pictures standing below him. It has been gaining negative comments online.Tom Cleary is the Manager of The Temple Bar Pub and joins Ciara to discuss. Also joining Shane later to give their reaction is Lindsey, a resident of Temple Bar.