The Hard Shoulder

Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss the risks more rain could bring after the damage Storm Chandra caused was  Cathal Nolan, of The Weather Channel and Shane O’Connor, of Slaney Search and Rescue Team and Mary Bourke Professor In, Geography at Trinity College Dublin

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 Doherty to give the ultimate guide to Berlin in Germany!

A top US immigration official is expected to leave the US city of Minneapolis amid the death of It's as US President Donald Trump may be trying to defuse tensions in the area, as he also sent his border czar Tom Homan into the city.Fionnuala Ni Aoláin is professor of Law with the University of Minnesota and concurrently Professor of Law with Queens University Belfast. She joined Ciara Doherty to discuss what the atmosphere is like in Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota as a whole.

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day, and to coincide with it, the government has announced funding of €100,000 towards holocaust education in secondary schools. To discuss the importance of this, Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Yoni Wieder, joined Ciara Doherty to explain the importance of educating young people in Ireland about the holocaust.

Earlier today, the government approved legislation to change the current rental system. To talk through some of these changes and how they’ll impact landlords and tenants. Joining Ciara was National Advocacy Manager with Threshold, Ann-Marie O’Reilly.

Muireann O’Connell Ireland AM presenter joined Ciara Doherty to place her favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

There are movie stars abound at the Dublin International Film Festival this year.Paul Rudd, Colin Farrell, Bill Nighy, Maisie Williams and Nick Jonas to name a few, will be in Dublin to attend the premier of their films and walk the red carpet at this year’s festival. To talk us through it all Ciara Doherty was joined by Grainne Humphrys is Executive Festival Director of Dublin International Film Festival. She also talked about Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal's nominations for the BAFTAs.

Today the Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure, along with the Minister for Finance, launched a new Government service to accelerate major Government capital investment projectsThis will aim to cut back major unfractured back by 12 months. Projects like the GPO redevelopment and the National Concert Hall in Dublin are likely to be among the first projects to see the benefit of this.Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform & Digitalisation. Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin West Jack Chambers, joined Ciara Doherty to discuss this and more.

Leaf blowers, gym music and church bells were among the sources of noise complaints in Dublin last year, with 30% of those surveyed complaining about noise from construction work. As urban areas across Ireland continue to expand, should we consider ways to tackle noise pollution now? Are things like curfews in built up areas an option?   Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss was Esther McCarty, Columnist with the Irish Examiner and Mary Mc Carty, Irish Independent Columnist..

Henry McKean, Newstalk Reporter, visited communities today who have experienced flooding brought by  Storm Chandra. He joined Ciara Doherty to talk through it.

A top US immigration official is expected to leave the US city of Minneapolis. It's as US President Donald Trump may be trying to defuse tensions in the area, as he also sent his border czar Tom Homan into the city. But what has the reality been on the ground?Lewis Goodall, who is presenter with The NewsAgents, and Sunday with Lewis Goodall on LBC,  talked to  Ciara Doherty on what it has been like on the ground in  Minneapolis.

Major disruption through today as Storm Chandra has hit the country with wind and rain.Enniscorthy has been particularly affected and is still recovering.Sinead Casey is Head of Roads & Transportation at Wexford County Council, and Conor Swaine, who is the owner of BTwenty7 on The Quays in Enniscorthy joined Ciara Doherty to discuss

Joining Ciara is Trócaire's CEO, Sean Farrell, who returned from The West Bank on Thursday and visited a number of communities across the West Bank to hear of their situation and the challenges they are currently encountering…Image: Reuters

The EU has hit Elon Musk's X with an investigation over AI chatbot Grok's generation of sexualised deepfake images of women and minors.It is the latest step of an international backlash against the tool.To explain, Ciara is joined by Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher.

In a tweet, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that Gardaí deported 33 Polish and Lithuanian nationals from Ireland, under the Free Movement Directive.In total, 31 men were deported along with two women. They were made up of 17 Polish nationals who were deported to Warsaw and a further 16 Lithuanian citizens who were deported to Vilnius.Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that 20 had been in prison serving sentences ahead of the operation and 13 were detained in communities across Ireland prior to their removal.Lucy Michael is the owner of an Independent Research Firm on Human Rights, based in Dublin, and joins Ciara to discuss.

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Ciara is joined by Psychotherapist and author Iseult White to discuss the topic of honesty with your children, and if them lying is actually an early sign of intelligence…

US President Donald Trump has announced he is sending his Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis as anger continues to swell in the Minnesota city following the second fatal shooting by immigration officers this month. It’s as the area is still reeling from the death of Alex Pretti.Joining Ciara to discuss the latest is Ted Smyth, former Irish diplomat active in Irish-American organisations and resident in the US for many years and Anthony Zurcher, North American Correspondent with BBC News.

An Post has recently apologised to customers over the late arrival of some Christmas Cards, with some people receiving them in January. So, does this damage the magic of those handwritten cards, or do they still retain their purpose after the holiday?To discuss this, Ciara is joined by Irish Independent Journalist, Kirsty Blake Knox.

While the topic of incontinence may feel taboo, new research has found it is a widespread women’s health issue in Ireland, with 64% of Irish women having experienced incontinence at some point in their lives. So, why do so few seek help?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Dr. Breffini Anglim O’Regan, Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Urogynecology Subspecialist at The Coombe Hospital, and President of the Continence Foundation of Ireland and Lisa Watson, who is awaiting a surgery that is currently on pause in Ireland for incontinence.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed she “shouts at the bushes” to manage her anxiety, but are things like rage rooms or the classic screaming into a pillow an effective method of dealing with your mental health?Joining Ciara to discuss is Psychologist in The Matter Hospital and UCD, Patricia Casey.

Following the death of 16-year-old Grace Lynch yesterday in Finglas after being struck by a scrambler is it time to finally look a greater restrictions around scramblers and e scooters?Joining Ciara to discuss is Keith Connolly, Fianna Fáil Cllr for Ballymun Finglas.

This week, Ciara Doherty was joined by the presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis and Off the Ball’s Ger Gilroy to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

US President Donald Trump withdrew his invitation for Canada to join his newly constituted Board of Peace.Some 60 nations have been invited to join the board - at a cost of a billion dollars each if they want to be permanent members.It’s as the US, Ukraine and Russia are set to hold talks in Abu Dhabi.What is the stage of the global order right now?Anthony Gardner is former US Ambassador to the EU, and joins Ciara to discuss.Image: Reuters

It’s time to talk Traitors, so beware of spoilers!Tonight is the highly anticipated final and we were left on a cliffhanger last night.Can the Traitors do it? Can they unite and work together to get to the end, or will one be knocked out, being a victim to chance?Joining Ciara to discuss is Darren Stanton, former police officer, behaviour and body language expert and also known as TV’s Human Lie Detector.

According to the latest IFAC Farm Report, 2 in 5 farmers do not have a formal successor, which is fuelling fears of a succession crisis.To discuss this issue, Ciara is joined by Limerick Dairy Farmer, Louise Crowley, and News Editor with the Irish Farmers Journal, Amy Forde.

Off The Ball's Mick McCarthy joined Ciara Doherty on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

A pilot programme began a month ago, which armed Gardaí with tasers, and they haven’t yet fired them.The programme was fast tracked because of fears over increased attacks on Gardaí and antisocial behaviour, and the pilot started with a view to a full roll out.Jim Ryan is a retired Garda in Cork and Cathal Malone is Head of Research at Thomas Coughlan & Co Solicitors. They join Ciara to discuss.

Church authorities in Poland have banned the song Perfect by Ed Sheeran from being performed at wedding ceremonies, saying that it is not in keeping with the sanctity of the liturgy. So, should pop songs be banned from Irish churches?Joining Ciara to discuss is Father Joe McGrath, Mullahoran Parish Priest, Co Cavan.

A Carlow mother has issued a stark warning to airline passengers that eating nuts during a flight could cost someone their life following her daughter suffering a life‑threatening anaphylaxis mid‑air.Lisa Nolan, and her daughter Hallie join me now.

Ireland’s first shopping centre, Stillorgan Village, has introduced parking charges of €1.20 an hour. A modest amount for many, but it has had a knock on effect on footfall, with many shoppers staying away and some retailers withholding rent.Henry McKean was sent to investigate, and joins Ciara to discuss.

The illegal dumping of toxic waste containers at a scenic location in Tipperary has once again raised questions over how to tackle the recurring issue in Irish society.To discuss this, Ciara is joined by Independent Cllr Pamela Quirke O’Meara of Tipperary County Council and Ian Davis, Manager of Environmental Project PURE.

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

The heads of all 27 European Union member states are in Brussels for what the body is calling an "extraordinary" summit regarding the recent crisis in transatlantic relations prompted by U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to acquire Greenland.It’s as Zelenskyy tells Davos that Europe ‘looks lost’, and is in the middle of Groundhog Day.Joining Ciara to discuss is Suzanne Lynch, Brussels Bureau Chief at Bloomberg and Patrick Bury, Lecturer in Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Bath and former NATO analyst.

Former Irish footballer Damien Delaney joins Ciara Doherty for this week’s Thursday Interview!

The Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons starring film ‘Bugonia’ has been nominated for four Academy awards today.It was produced by Element Pictures, bringing the total number of Oscar nominations for the Dublin based production company to 30.Their co-CEO Ed Guiney joins Ciara to discuss! 

Contactless ticketing for public transport will come into effect in 2028 with infrastructure for the new system due to begin appearing next year. The National Transport Authority (NTA) says the new technology will begin in the Greater Dublin Area.This follows a previous pilot scheme in Tipperary, but what is the likelihood there will be further delays to its roll out?Joining Ciara to discuss is London Correspondent for the Irish Times, Mark Paul and Jason Cullen, Chairperson of the Commuter Coalition.Also joining to discuss is Newstalk Reporter Emily Keegan, who recently returned from China and experienced the public transport there.

‘Sorry seems to be the hardest word - unless you’re Irish’, so says Freelance Journalist Niamh O’Reilly, writing in The Irish Times on why we as a nation tend to have a habit of over apologizing.Is it simply politeness, or can it become passive aggressive?To discuss this, Ciara is joined by Niamh O’Reilly, as well as Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin.

A system to disregard the criminal convictions for pre-decriminalisation same-sex activity in Ireland is expected to be legislated in March.Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan is tabling an amendment today to the Civil Law, which will set out the process for disregarding convictions for same-sex activity.Kieran Rose is a member of the Department of Justice Working Group on Disregard  and member of LGBT Restorative Justice Campaign. He was in the Dáil today and joins Ciara to discuss.

Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has recently stated in the Dáil that the conditions of the roads in his locality are as bad as they have been during his time in politics.So, are potholes becoming a bigger issue right across the country, and how much damage are they doing to our vehicles?To discuss this, Ciara is joined by Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy, as well as Joey Donnelly of Crofton Motors.

A recent report in the medical journal Open Heart done by The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging at Trinity College Dublin, showed that the majority of over-50s with high blood pressure in Ireland are not having their condition adequately managed.To discuss the importance of this, Ciara is joined by Assistant Adjuvant Professor in Public Health and Primary Care at Trinity College Dublin and Kildare GP, Dr Brendan O’Shea.

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 to discuss how you can colour code your life!

Salvage Squad returns for a second series on Virgin Media One this year, as Brian Dowling Gourounian and Peter Irvine help perform home makeovers on a budget.They both join Ciara to discuss!

MEPs have today voted to refer the Mercosur trade deal to the EU Court of Justice.By a majority of just 10 votes, MEPs backed a resolution which will see the controversial Mercosur go to judicial review. This could delay the parliament being able to vote on the deal for up to 2 years, which is how long it usually takes for these types of judicial processes to work their way through.To discuss this further, Ciara is joined by Ciaran Mullooly, Independent Ireland MEP.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Ciara Doherty to discuss lawsuits against social media companies on how they are allegedly designing their platforms to make them as addictive as possible, particularly amongst children and teens.

After 13 years in the search for justice, Margaret Loftus says that she will handcuff herself to the gates of Leinster House if her ex-husband who assaulted her, Garda Trevor Bolger, is not dismissed from the force.She joins Ciara to discuss…

The Newbridge Silverware company has announced that they will stop making silver plated cutlery and tableware in their factory in County Kildare. So, is this the end of an era, and when did we fall out of love with a once-beloved wedding gift?Henry McKean has been investigating, and joins Ciara to discuss.

The Government has announced that €135 million will be made available for state-led childcare services.This will include the acquisition of buildings for childcare centres, and this is set to begin this year.To discuss the details of this plan and how it’s going to work, Ciara is joined by Minister for Children, Norma Foley…

A new survey shows that almost one in ten young Irish adults believe that the Holocaust was a “myth”.It begs the question, do we need more education on the Holocaust?Joining Ciara to discuss is Oliver Sears, son of a Holocaust survivor and founder of Holocaust Awareness Ireland.

US President Donald Trump took to centre stage today and gave a detailed speech in Davos at the World Economic Forum, providing more clarity on his stance towards Greenland.To discuss the latest to come out from today’s conference, Ciara is joined by Geopolitics Editor for The Economist, David Rennie, and European Correspondent for The Irish Times, Naomi O’Leary.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 Doherty to give the ultimate guide to Istanbul in Turkey!