The Hard Shoulder

The Government today published its new housing plan: 'Delivering Homes, Building Communities: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness'.It aims to deliver 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030 which the Government has described as “ambitious, but also realistic”.John Cummins is Minister of State for Local Government and Planning and Fine Gael TD for Waterford. He joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

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 stop fidgeting!

Coimisiún na Meán’s Investigations Team has today commenced a formal investigation into the provider of the X online platform, under the EU Digital Services Act.So, what does this mean? Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is the Digital Services Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, John Evans.

Dementia in dogs is a very real issue that many pet owners face, but how can you spot it, and how can you treat it?To chat about this, Ciara Doherty is joined by Pete Wedderburn, AKA Pete the Vet.

Studies have shown that going to a museum or gallery can have major health benefits. In light of this, some are saying that people need to sometimes skip the gym, and have a cultural workout instead.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Cultural Art Therapist with the National Gallery of Ireland, Andrea Clare Plunkett.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Ciara Doherty to discuss why the incoming social media ban for under 16s in Australia, and how they plan to implement it…

Over half of 18 to 30 year olds have never tested for STIs. That’s according to a new survey from the HSE.It shows that 7 in 10 find testing stressful, because of the possible implications of having an infection, and are also nervous of the home kits not being discreet.Dr. Derek Freedman is a Specialist Consultant in Sexual Health and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. He joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

Farmers have today been highlighting concerns around compulsory purchase orders for the development of greenways, as many travelled from across Ireland to protest outside Leinster House today. It was as the Joint Oireachtas Transport Committee met to hear contributions on the issue.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Paul O’Brien, Chair of the Irish Farmers' Association Infrastructure Project Team, John Joe Fitzgerald, National Vice-President of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association and Cathal Crowe, Fianna Fáil TD for Clare & member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee.

Disney has dropped the trailer for Toy Story 5, and it is accompanied with the tagline ‘The Age of Toys Is Over’. The film will focus on a tablet that has been bought by the family, thus scaring the toys into thinking that they will soon be obsolete!So, is the age of toys truly over in the real world?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Michael White Founder of Ro Óg, a company which makes handcrafted toys and Clinical Psychologist Anne Keogh.Image: Disney

New emails released have suggested further details to the relationship between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.To chat about this amid ongoing pressure on the US Government to release the Epstein files, Ciara Doherty is joined by Adrian Walker of the Boston Globe.

According to a recent survey, nearly 80% of childminders that responded are considering closing their service ahead of new regulations being introduced in September 2027.To discuss this, Ciara Doherty is joined by the Sinn Fein Spokesperson for Children, Deputy Claire Kerrane, Chief Executive of Childminding Ireland, Bernadette Orbinski Burke and Childminder Leigh Ann Gilmore.

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, Fionn joined Ciara Doherty to give the ultimate guide on Universal’s newest theme park in Orlando: ‘Epic Universe’.

A new bee has been discovered by scientists in Australia. The ‘Lucifer’ bee, which gets its name from the unusual with devil-like horns, is the first of its kind…Joining Ciara to discuss this is Aoife Nic Giolla, Co-Founder of the Native Irish Honeybee Society, and owner of Galtee Honey Farm.Image: Dr Kit Prendergast, Curtin University

James May, who is probably best known for his presenting role on Top Gear and The Grand Tour, is back launching his new show ‘James May’s Shed Load of Ideas’. He joins Ciara Doherty to discuss!Image: Armonico

Journalist Lise Hand joins Ciara Doherty to place her favourite book on The Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

Following the housing order for all poultry, which came into effect yesterday amid bird flu risk, Ciara Doherty is joined by one of those impacted, Nigel Renaghan, Ulster/ North Leinster Regional Chairman of the IFA to discuss…

Sinn Fein’s Pádraig Mac Lochlainn raised the issue of long Covid and renewed calls for the State to recognise long Covid as an occupational illness in line with other EU member states.It was found that the Department of Social Protection reviewed the EU recommendation and determined that Covid does not meet the criteria required for recognition in respect of the Social Welfare Acts.But, what is life like for those who still suffer from long Covid?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Jennifer, who has been dealing with long Covid since her first infection in 2020 and Professor Jack Lambert, Consultant in Infectious Diseases, with a special interest in long Covid.

The Dáil will debate a Social Democrats’ Bill on Thursday calling for a legislative pathway towards reducing the voting age from 18 to 16 years.So, should it be reduced?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Noel Howard, Spokesperson for Social Care Ireland and Aidan Farrelly, Social Democrats TD for Kildare North.

Over 450 motorists have gotten out of convictions and avoided getting penalty points by making a donation to the court poor box since 2022.459 drivers in front of the District Court had their charges dismissed or struck out after putting money in the poor box.To discuss further Ciara Doherty is joined by Newstalk’s Henry McKean.

As you should know by now, Catherine Connolly is now the 10th President of the Republic of Ireland. She has officially taken over from Michael D Higgins after an inauguration ceremony in Dublin Castle today.Newstalk’s Political Correspondent Seán Defoe has been keeping an eye on proceedings today, and joins Ciara Doherty to discuss how things went, and to look ahead to the next few days as President Connolly begins the role.

As eight counties are issued a Status Yellow rain warning today, drivers are urged to take care as spot-flooding and poor visibility are expected, but are these warnings enough, or should we look to revamp our flood warnings here to account for high rivers and saturated land?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather and Danny Collins, Independent Ireland Cllr.

If you’ve had your bike stolen in any Irish village town or city then you’re certainly not the only one.In fact, it’s estimated that half of cyclists will have at least one bike stolen in their lifetime on two wheels.But can anything be done to stop the scourge of bike theft in it's tracks?Newstalk's Sarah Madden reports.

Scams are on the rise across Ireland, with many people being targeted on a daily basis, and so there is a push to make people aware of how to protect themselves as the scams become more intelligent and harder to detect.To chat about this, Ciara Doherty is joined by former Irish international and FraudSmart advocate, Niall Quinn.

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Ollwyn Moran, Neuro Development Therapist and Founder of Cognikids joins Ciara Doherty to discuss how to recognise autism and ADHD in your child.

BBC Chair Samir Shah has given an apology this afternoon to a parliamentary group responsible for scrutinising the work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its associated public bodies - including the BBC.It follows the resignation of BBC Director General Tim Davie and Chief Executive of News Deborah Turness following criticism that a BBC documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by US President Donald Trump during an episode of Panorama.It’s also been confirmed that Trump has sent a letter to the BBC threatening legal action.Steve Barnett is Professor of Communications at University of Westminster, and joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, was asked on the Anton Savage Show on Newstalk on October 18th about popping up in emergency departments unannounced, she stated: “That’s the way I’m doing it, if they don’t like it, they can leave”.One consultant who was not encouraged by the Minister’s words was Dr Lisa Cunningham, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Mayo University Hospital. She joins Ciara Doherty to discuss…

Sesame Street has gone global today, with new episodes dropping on Netflix, also marking the show’s 56th anniversary. And, in an age where kids have access to endless amounts of entertainment, will there be much of an appetite for Sesame Street - is there a need for a reimagination of kids TV in general?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is author Sarah Maria Griffin.

The pressure on Israel’s participation in international competition is building.It’s after the FAI passed a resolution this weekend to submit a formal motion to UEFA urging it to ban Israel from European club and international competitions.One of those leading the charge is Bohemians FC, and their Chief Operating Officer Daniel Lambert joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

While the focus from many wellness influencers in recent years has been on protein, there has been a noticeable shift towards prioritizing fiber, but what are the health benefits of a fiber-rich diet?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Shelly Gray, Today FM Presenter and Registered Dietitian.

Donegal Olympian Caitriona Jennings smashed the 100-mile world record, coming in more than five minutes faster than the previous best.It’s a huge achievement, and she joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

Figures from bonkers.ie suggest that Irish households are expected to spend over €1200 this Christmas, between food, presents, socialising and more…And some will consider borrowing to get through it all - is that a good idea?John Lowe is from Money Doctors.ie, and joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

This week, Ciara Doherty was joined by Broadcaster Meghan Scully and Comedian Jim Elliot to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

Calls are being made for more offline spaces to be created for the young people of Ireland. To chat about this need and the urgency behind it, Ciara Doherty is joined by Kathryn Walsh, the National Youth Council of Ireland’s Director of Policy and Advocacy.

Ahead of what looks set to be a cold and damp weekend, we’re going to be discussing some wintry meals that might warm you up.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss some recipes is TV Chef and Culinary Lecturer, Edward Hayden!

The Louvre is facing fresh scrutiny over its security deficiencies following an 80-million-euro heist last month, as it was revealed that the password for the museum’s video surveillance was “LOUVRE”.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Elaine Burke from the ‘For Tech's Sake’ podcast.

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…

BreastCheck looks set to miss its screening target for a third year in a row.The national screening programme for breast cancer screens symptom-free women aged between 5 and 69 – and the target set was 219,000.However, it is expected that just 170,000 will be screened…Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Amy Nolan, Director of Clinical Affairs at the Irish Cancer Society and the Green Party’s Hazel Chu.

American TV series ‘Bob’s Burgers’ has received praise in Ireland following their recent portrayal of an old Irish mammy, and it got us thinking: what are some of the best and worst Irish representations on both the big and small screen?To discuss this, Ciara Doherty is joined by Arts Journalist and Film Critic, Chris Wasser.

Former Prince Andrew has been ordered to appear before US Congress over ongoing investigations into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It comes just days after King Charles stripped his brother of his “Prince” title following renewed scrutiny of his links to Epstein.Joining Ciara Doherty with more on this is Mark Paul, London Correspondent for the Irish Times.

An Post has put out a warning when it comes to sending teabags, crisps or chocolate this Christmas, because of US tariffs and rules…Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been investigating, and joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

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…

'Scanxiety' or scan anxiety is something many cancer survivors will understand, but how do you deal with the worry in the days leading up to a scan?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Professor Seamus O’Reilly, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Cork University Hospital and Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin.

Artist Paul Hughes joins Ciara Doherty for this week’s Thursday Interview!

Taoiseach Micheál Martin today begins a two-day official visit to Belém, Brazil to attend the COP30 Leader’s Summit.Newstalk Reporter Jessica Woodlock is there, and joins Ciara Doherty to give the latest updates.

Almost a quarter of Uisce Éireann staff earned a salary over one hundred thousand euro last year.Officials from Uisce Eireann appeared before the Public Accounts Committee earlier today outlining how over four hundred staff earned one hundred thousand euro or more last year…Uisce Eireann also outlined that it will be beyond 2030 before the Greater Dublin Drainage Project will be up and running, which was identified as necessary over a decade ago.Newstalk’s Chief Reporter Barry Whyte was monitoring this meeting, and joins Ciara Doherty to give the latest updates. Also joining to discuss is James Geoghegan, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Bay South, and member of the PAC committee.

The US Government shutdown has entered its 37th day - it is the longest period of time the American government has been closed…It all started on October 1st, because of the inability of Congress to agree to a new funding deal for Government workers and essential services.Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Anthony Zurcher, North American Correspondent with BBC News.

There are renewed calls for a dedicated transport police to be set up. Newstalk Reporter Josh Crosbie spent an evening out with Dublin Bus - one year since they have established the Safer Journeys team, and joins Ciara Doherty to discuss.

“Every diocese in Ireland would collapse if priests retired at 75”. That’s according to Father Roy Donovan, Spokesperson for the Association of Catholic Priests, but is Catholicism purely functional now?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Portlaoise Parish Priest, Fr David Vard.

A new policy and a plan to strengthen the teaching, learning and use of Irish language in schools is due to be launched today by Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee, but what exactly should be done to encourage young people to love the Irish language and keep it alive?Joining me now is Irish Independent Columnist, Mary McCarty and Seán Ó Mhaoilchiaráin, Cuala Ceathair Presenter.

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 break bad news.