The Hard Shoulder

New research has revealed that large numbers of motorists are making changes to their driving habits in response to the ongoing increase in petrol and diesel prices across the country.More than 13% of motorists are now using public transport more frequently, with 11% opting to walk more, but what about those in more rural areas?To discuss this news, I’m joined by former Green MEP for Dublin, Ciarán Cuffe.

This week, Kieran Cuddihy was joined by the presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis and Comedian Jim Elliott to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

Aisling Larkin, Mindful Eating Coach and TV Chef joins Kieran to talk about some wonderful elevated Irish recipes that you can make during this St Patrick’s Day weekend!Image: Peas & Crayons

There were ecstatic scenes as Team Ireland beat Switzerland 3-0 to win bronze in Floorball at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin.Henry McKean was court side, and sent in this report!

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

Supermac’s owner Pat McDonagh is voicing strong opposition to plans for a near 17% increase in personal injury awards. He argues that the rise will only add more strain on struggling businesses, and drive up insurance costs. With Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan now considering the proposal, McDonagh warns it could lead to more court cases and higher legal fees, benefiting the legal profession but costing businesses and consumers…Joining Kieran to discuss this is Stuart Gilhooley, Solicitor and Senior Counsel and Brian Hanley, CEO of Alliance for Insurance Reform.

Seachtain na Gaeilge is coming to a close, and joining Kieran to discuss the importance of the week is one of its Ambassadors for 2025, Comedian Julie Jay!

Is it time to overhaul the secondary schools admission process, and streamline how it works?Joining Kieran to discuss is Gary O’Sullivan, Chair of the Secondary School Crisis Action Group and Eric Leonard, Chair of the Stillorgan Secondary School Crisis Action Group…

This year, ‘Maniac 2000’ by Mark McCabe turns 25!Joining Kieran to look back on the track’s impact is Today FM’s Shelley Grey, 98FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan and Go Loud’s Ed Smith.

The availability of fast fashion and increased use of social media has led to a rise in online boutiques. Consumers are raising concerns over the quality of goods and the misleading information promoted by some influencers.Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie has been examining the practice of white labelling.

Hexahydro Cannabinol, or HHC, is a new drug which experts have been raising the flag over its dangers to young people, as it’s often sold in vapes or jellies.Why hasn’t this been tackled sooner, and do we need to discuss how we approach drug use in the country?Joining guest host Anton Savage to discuss is Dr Bobby Smyth, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Addiction Specialist.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would be open to agreeing to the 30-day ceasefire agreement tabled by the US, but only under his own terms.What are these terms, and will Putin honour the ceasefire if this is agreed?Volodymyr Solohub, Freelance Journalist in Ukraine and Dr Shane O’Rourke, Senior Lecturer in Modern Russian History in the University of York join guest host Anton Savage to discuss.Image: Reuters

Marks & Spencer's have announced their new ‘1 ingredient’ Cornflakes, and that ingredient is… corn!Do we always just expect to see additives, salt and e numbers in a lot of our food these days?Sarah Keogh, is Registered Dietician at Eatwell.ie, and joins Anton Savage to discuss.

What happens when trade talks turn into threats? President Trump has warned of a 200% tariff on EU alcohol imports, escalating tensions over a dispute with the bloc…What does this mean for businesses, consumers, and the global economy - and what has history taught us about the negative impacts of tariffs?Joining guest host Anton Savage to unpack this is Regina Doherty, Fine Gael MEP for Dublin, and Emma Howard, Economist at TU Dublin.Image: Reuters

There is a great importance to first aid training, and it’s crucial for everyone to be prepared in an emergency. From schools to everyday life, knowing what to do can make all the difference…Joining Anton Savage to discuss is Niamh Gaffney, Registered PHECC EMT and Founder of Emergency First Aid Training.

AI has become ever-present in our lives, but even more so in the realms of academia. How has it affected universities in terms of their grading and their assessments?Dr Stephen Lucek, Assistant Professor in Linguistics in UCD, joins guest host Anton Savage to discuss.

The Phantom of the Opera on London’s West End has been given 15 trigger warnings.Viewers have been warned to expect loud sounds, gun shots, flashing lights, haze, fire, pyrotechnics and depictions of violence and death.Has it all gone too far?Joining Anton Savage to discuss is Columnist with The Irish Daily Mail and The Sunday Times, Brenda Power.

There have been calls for a binned option and a digital DRS Scheme. This would see you scan a QR Code on your bin and the item being recycled and will return the deposit to a virtual bank balance.Is this a worthwhile idea to revisit, or is it too much hassle for recyclers?David Hall CEO of iCare Housing and CEO of Lifeline Services and Sinead Ryan Consumer Columnist with the Irish Independent and the Presenter of The Home Show on Newstalk join guest host Anton Savage to discuss.

Ireland has won big at this year’s Special Olympics World Winter Games, including our first gold medal! Henry McKean is reporting from Turin and joins Kieran to share what he’s seen.

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 Kieran to give a lesson on being patriotic!

Micheál Martin has come out of his meeting with Donald Trump relatively unscathed, but could he have done more?Joining Kieran to give their thoughts is Senior Lecturer in Journalism at TUD, Harry Browne and former People Before Profit TD, Bríd Smith...

Pets are not just for Christmas, but this saying still rings through as there have been reports of a phenomenon called ‘new pet blues’ – where owners experience overwhelming anxiety or regret after getting a new pet…Pete Wedderburn, AKA Pete the Vet joins Kieran to discuss.

For this week’s Tech Takeover, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joined Kieran to discuss artificial intelligence. For the next few weeks, she will be giving an 'AI 101', delving into the uses of the technology and how it can make your life that bit easier. Today, she gives an overview on what is available now!

Kieran’s guest has been appearing as a contestant on Irish language dating show ‘Grá ar an Trá’. The catch? He’s a TD now…Independent TD for Dublin Bay North, Barry Heneghan, joins to discuss.

Earlier today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin met with President Donald Trump in the White House.Joining Kieran to give their reactions is former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern and Brian Murphy, former Chief of Staff to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar…

Former Tánaiste Micheal McDowell has said today someone should stop development on the MetroLink, which is facing a total sum of nearly €23 billion...But, will it be worth that cost?Joining Kieran to discuss is Sinn Féin Councillor for the North Inner City, Janice Boylan.

With reflections being made 5 years on from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar marking the first lockdown - what actually happened 5 years ago, and have things returned to full normality?Joining Kieran to discuss is Oonagh Carr, long Covid patient, Robert Maguire, Director at Massey Brothers Funeral Homes and Linda Kelly, Spokesperson for Better Maternity Care.

People Before Profit TD for Dun Laoghaire, Richard Boyd Barrett joined Kieran Cuddihy this week to place his favourite book on the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

Despite a statement from the Department of Housing that there are no plans for it at the moment - do we need water charges in households?Joining Kieran to discuss is Padraig O’Ceidigh, former Senator and former Chair of the Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water as well as Richard Boyd Barrett, People Before Profit TD for Dun Laoghaire.

Ticketmaster, Eir and Ryanair are at the top of a list of companies with the most complaints in a list compiled by the CCPC in its Consumer Helpline Report.Many complaints have been submitted over 2024, but do we in Ireland complain enough, or do we prefer not to make a fuss?Siobhan Maguire, Consumer Journalist, joins Kieran to discuss.

5 years ago, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar marked the first lockdown for the Covid-19 pandemic. Cast your mind back to some of the weird and bizarre aspects to the pandemic - there’s too many to think ofJoining Kieran to discuss is Ruth Scott, Broadcaster and Celebrant, Jen Hogan, Irish Times Columnist and Conor McAllister, co-owner of Grafton Barbers.

TikTok has announced a new change to the platform to help teenagers shut down from the day – and walk away from their screens.Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly and Richard Hogan, Family Psychologist and Columnist with The Irish Examiner join Kieran to discuss what’s being introduced, and the impact it could have.

With the Dáil firmly in place, there is another race on the horizon, and the rumour mill is buzzing around who might replace Michael D Higgins.But, what will potential candidates be looking to do at this stage, and how does a presidential candidacy differ from regular elections?To discuss, Kieran is joined by former Campaign Strategist Derek Mooney.

Earlier in the show, Kieran spoke with Sports Journalist Daniel Hussey, who thinks the weekend defeat to France in the Six Nations could be a stark warning for the future…So, are we over-reliant on our school system?  Does the tightening of residency rules adversely affect us? Is Irish rugby in trouble?Gordon D’Arcy, former Ireland international, joins Kieran to discuss.

US President Donald Trump has announced that the month of March will officially be declared as ‘Irish-American Heritage Month’, but that begs the question on the eve of Micheál Martin’s White House Trip; is this just opportunism, or does Trump actually want to celebrate that heritage?Susan Garraty is a former MSNBC Producer, Writer and Freelance Journalist based in the US. She joins Kieran to discuss.

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Kieran is joined by Enda Murphy, Clinical Psychotherapist and Director of SeeMee.ie to discuss what to do when your child inevitably watches something a bit too scary for them!

A new survey has found that 40% of women have been harassed or felt threatened in sports or exercise…Joining Kieran to discuss this is Valerie Mulcahy, former Cork Footballer.

Syria's new authorities announced on Monday the end of an operation against loyalists of deposed President Bashar al-Assad, but it’s after nearly 1,000 civilians were killed in the worst violence since his overthrow...So, where does this leave things in a Middle East that seems to be ever-more fractured?Author, Comedian and Broadcaster Dom Joly, who born in Lebanon himself, but who knows the area very well joins Kieran to discuss.Image: Reuters

Actor and Comedian Ricky Tomlinson, and Artist and Songwriter Asa Murphy join Kieran to discuss their new show!‘In Conversation with Ricky Tomlinson’ is a show taking place on Thursday April 3rd in the Ambassador in Dublin, Friday April 4th in the National Opera House in Wexford, and Saturday April 5th in Crescent Concert Hall, Drogheda.

With a devastating 42-27 loss to France in the Six Nations this weekend, questions are being raised about the state of the Irish team.So, are we in a new era?Kieran is joined by Daniel Hussey, Sports Presenter, to discuss.

New Leaving Cert reforms could see Home Economics shift to a purely theoretical subject to help aid with busy teachers schedules, but would children miss out on the practical life skills this way?Holly Dalton, Chef and Director of Conbini Condiments and Clare Corrigan join Kieran to discuss.

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

Ireland will be facing off in a pivotal clash against the French tomorrow in what will be a crucial game for their Six Nations hope.To help preview the game, Kieran is joined by Denis Hickie, former Irish International and Phillip Saint-Andre, former French Head Coach.

Calls for the Molly Malone statue in Dublin to be elevated to protect her from the public and all that comes with that! So, should it be done?Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been out asking the public, and joins Kieran to discuss. Also joining to share her thoughts is former Dublin Lord Mayor and Green Party Councillor, Hazel Chu.

‘Grá ar an Trá’, Ireland’s answer to ‘Love Island’ in the Gaeltacht kicks off for a second season on Monday March 10th and will appear all though Seachtain Na Gaeilge next week.Joining Kieran to discuss the show is James Kavanagh, Presenter of Grá ar an Trá and The Simpler Life with James and William.Image: Ruth Medjber

Off The Ball's Eoin Sheahan joined Kieran Cuddihy on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

The topic of Early Childcare providers has been discussed on the show recently, covering the issues in the sector.Today, Kieran is joined by Mary Moloney, Associate Professor in Early Childhood Education and Care in Mary Immaculate College and Sonya Duggan, who runs early years educational facilities in Laois, to discuss pay issues in the sector.

You know Kieran’s guest from ‘This is England’ and ‘Line of Duty’, but in a change from acting, she brings her ‘Day Fever’ daytime night club experience to The Academy in Dublin this April!Vicky McClure joins to discuss!

With Ireland facing France in the Six Nations tomorrow, people may be thinking of their storied rugby rivalry, but what is the history of the relationship between the two countries?Joining Kieran to discuss is French Ambassador to Ireland, Céline Place.

When is enough enough? Some people find it hard to know the difference between the perception of their financial status, and their actual finances. So, how bad can it get, and what are ways to alleviate it?Conor Pope, Consumer Affairs Correspondent for The Irish Times & Pricewatch Editor and Leslie Shoemaker, Psychotherapist, join Kieran to discuss.