The Hard Shoulder

Electric Ireland have announced further cuts to energy prices, but is energy inflation on the decline?Joining Kieran to discuss is Consumer Editor for The Irish Times, Conor Pope and Head of Communications at Bonkers.ie, Darragh Cassidy.

According to a new survey in the UK: food, beer garden and atmosphere are the most important factors in deciding what makes the perfect pub.To have a chat about what makes the Irish pub so special, Kieran is joined by Meghann Scully, Broadcaster and Freelance Journalist, Mike McMahon, Co-Owner of award-winning Mother Mac’s Pub and Pat Carty from Hotpress.

Today, a 1,700 report on the Grenfell Tower fire was published. The report concluded that the fire was “the culmination of decades of failure by central government and other bodies in positions of responsibility in the construction industry.”Ireland’s construction industry also has its own issues with building defects.To discuss, Kieran is joined by by Special Correspondent with the Irish Examiner, Mick Clifford, and Claire MacAfee, a former resident of a defective apartment.

Taoiseach Simon Harris met with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. They held a press conference which included the signing of a joint memorandum. So, what was agreed to?Chief Newstalk Reporter Barry Whyte was there, and joins Kieran to discuss.

When it comes to motherhood, anyone having a baby over the age of 35 is deemed to be going through a ‘geriatric pregnancy’ or to be of an ‘advanced maternal age’.However, many feel that this terminology is outdated.Kieran is joined by two women who had children at above 35 to discuss their opinions on the term.

A new Online Health Taskforce has been instructed to develop a public health response to the harms caused to children and young people by some types of online activity.Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly joins Kieran Cuddihy to discuss.

The Scoping Inquiry Report for sexual abuse in schools released yesterday, which complied over 2400 sexual abuse allegations against 42 religious orders, representing over 308 schools.One of the schools was Blackrock College, and Kieran Cuddihy to discuss is a survivor of abuse there, William.If you were affected by this podcast, you can contact support at One In Four, nationwide, at 01 662 4070. Or, at oneinfour.ie

Children are not telling parents when they get upset online. According to CyberSafeKids 25% of 8 to 12 year olds are bothered by harmful content or unsolicited contact. Meanwhile phone ownership has risen in primary school-aged children, despite ‘smartphone-free’ initiatives.For this edition of Kidstalk, Henry McKean looked at cyber safety with St Kevin's School in Sallynoggin, Dublin.To find out more, check out cybersafekids.ie

Dublin Airport passenger numbers are soaring to new heights. The DAA has issued a warning that Dublin Airport is to exceed its annual passenger cap of 32 million, while also applying to increase its limit to 40 million.Joining Kieran to discuss is resident of St Margarets and the Ward Residents Association Niamh Mar, and Sabrina, who is a resident in Portmarnock.

As school is back in swing for another year, some children with special needs are being left behind in what is being described as a ‘Hunger Games’ system.That’s according to Tracey Carroll, mother of daughter Willow with special needs. She joins Kieran Cuddihy to discuss.

If you find yourself with a full social calendar one week and living on beans and toast the next, we may have tips and tricks to change your mindset around spending, and the best tips and tricks to save.Joining Kieran to discuss is Caz Mooney, Irish Budgeting Influencer.

Norma Foley has announced many changes this week to the Leaving Cert Curriculum. One of these changes is that SPHE will be compulsory from September 2027, but should it be?Joining Kieran to discuss is Dr. Siobhan O'Higgins, Lead on the Active Consent Programme at NUI Galway and President of Catholic Secondary School’s Parents Association, Alan Whelan.

David Gillick, former Euro champion and Olympian, Masterchef and author of’ Back On Track’ and ‘David Gillick’s Kitchen Ambassador’ joined Kieran Cuddihy to add his favourite book to The Hard Shoulder’s Bookshelf!

Ahead of this year’s inevitable general election, Newstalk’s Political Correspondent, Seán Defoe, has been taking a look at what the major parties actually stand for.With the cabinet returning after their summer break, Seán joined Kieran Cuddihy to profile both The Green Party and People Before Profit.

Labour have launched their Cost-Of-Living Action Plan today - which begs the question: are we still facing a cost-of-living crisis? Or is that becoming a thing of the past?Colette Bennett, Director of Advocacy and Researcher at The Wheel and John Fitzgerald, Adjunct Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin join Kieran to discuss.

With a new bike shed in Leinster House costing the government approximately €356k, people are justifiably annoyed. But, why is it so expensive, and could things have been done differently?Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been out asking the public (including shed experts!) and joins Kieran Cuddihy to discuss.

A new bicycle shed for Leinster House which allows for storage of 18 bikes cost more than €335,000…Quantity Surveyor Shay Lally joined Kieran to discuss the addition, and how it could possibly cost this much.

We’ve all probably dabbled in AI to do simple tasks like writing a Limerick for your partner or asking it history questions.But, what can you do if you are considering using AI to help in your work, and what are the best ways to ensure you get the best out of it?Joining Kieran to discuss is Host of Futureproof on Newstalk, Jonathan McCrea.

Cut, slice, peel, dice – there are so many ways to enjoy a cucumber!A TikTok trend has recently taken the social media world by storm, with one creator, dubbed ‘The Cucumber Guy’, going viral on the app for his cucumber salad combinations.Joining Kieran to discuss all things cucumbers, and how you can get the most out of the fruit at home, is Member of the Irish Food Writers Guild, Ross Golden Bannon.

For this week’s Kids Health Check, we’re looking at gaming, and how best to manage that habit of our little ones.Aoife Lee, Parenting Coach at ParentSupport.ie joins Kieran to discuss.

Sinn Féin has today announced its new housing policy, pledging to spend €39 billion over the next five years to deliver 300,000 homes.Eoin Ó Broin, Sinn Féin Housing Spokesperson, joins Kieran Cuddihy to discuss this, and also the scandal over the €355k bike shed in Leinster House.

A primary school in Cork is being forced to teach their pupils in hallways and the staff room due to overcrowding in their classrooms…Kieran is joined by Toni Maguire, Principal of this school, Fermoy Educate Together, to discuss.

Many issues are currently facing An Garda Síochána from recruitment, retention and how we view the force.How do we improve our current system and get the best out of our force?Former Garda and Founder of Out of Blue Training Stephen Moore, joins Kieran to discuss...

This week Kieran Cuddihy was joined by Presenter of Weekend Breakfast, Alison Curtis and Elaine Burke, Presenter of the ‘For Tech’s Sake’ podcast to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists…

Coldplay will take centre stage at Croke Park again tonight as excited gig-goers prepare for the band’s 2nd concert out of 4 Irish performance dates.It has undoubtedly been an amazing summer for the Irish music scene, both for homegrown talent, and big names from overseas that have caused thousands of fans to flock to Irish stadiums to see them perform.Joining Kieran to discuss the success of concerts this summer is Peter McKenna, Stadium and Commercial Director at Croke Park, and Rebecca Fisher, Entertainment and Music Journalist at DMG Media.

Are you unsure where to start when it comes to making the kids’ lunch? Fear not! TV Chef and Mindful Eating Coach Aisling Larkin joins Kieran to give a crash course.

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

Grab your popcorn and get comfy, because tomorrow is National Cinema Day!It’s been an incredible year for homegrown Irish talent on the big screen, and it appears that the magic of going to the cinema is still as popular as ever.Joining Kieran in the studio to discuss the power of the pictures is Alice Black, Head of Cinema at The Lighthouse Group.

One of the Keynote speakers at this week’s Kennedy Summer School is the former leader of the Green Party and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan.He joins Kieran Cuddihy to discuss what he will speak on, and the importance of climate change globally.

New Research by DNG has revealed 4 in 10 new homes bought last year were bought by bulk buyers... Should we let this happen?To discuss, Kieran is joined by Rory Hearne, Associate Professor in Social Policy in the Department of Applied Social Studies in Maynooth University and Author of ‘Gaff’ as well as Barry Ward, Fine Gael Senator.

People who regularly have lie-ins on Saturdays and Sundays have been found to develop heart disease less often than the chronically sleep-deprived. Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been talking to experts about this, and joins Kieran to discuss.

A Cork City Councillor has called for harsher penalties for those found to be public intoxicated and aggressively begging in hopes to tackle anti-social behaviour.What is ‘aggressive’ begging? And will this actually work?Kieran is joined by Cllr. Shane O’Callaghan and Fergus Finlay, Columnist for the Irish Examiner to discuss.

As the summer draws to a close, Coldplay are marking the end of the season’s major concerts in Ireland. With 3 more performances from the band at Croke Park, the capital is abuzz with excitement.However, there has been a lack of recognition and respect for residents in the stadium's surrounding area. “We don’t want to seem like whinging killjoys”, says one resident, “but people’s lives are being disrupted”.Joining Kieran to discuss is Croke Park resident, Cathy Power.

The Hard Shoulder was in New Ross for the Kennedy Summer School and one of the events taking place this Saturday in St Michael’s Theatre is in depth look at crime and anti-social behavior.  Joining Kieran is Retired NYPD Deputy Commissioner and Vice Provost St. John’s University, NYC James O’Keefe, Maura Butler Lawyer, formerly Chairperson of the Association. for Criminal Justice, Research and Development and Catherine Norton Psychologist

It’s time for the Shopping Trolley Hotline! Where we review the same product from various stores and brands.This week, Newstalk’s Simon Tierney joined Kieran to compare different offerings for bin bags.

Biting the bullet, cats got your tongue and a dime a dozen; these are all regular sayings we often quote, but where do we get them from, and why do some sound so strange?Dr Stephen Lucek, Assistant Professor in Linguistics in UCD joins Kieran to discuss.

During the trial and tribulations of online dating, are people’s personal beliefs or political views something you should consider when trying to find a partner?Joining Kieran to discuss is Saoirse Hanely, Audience Editor and Columnist at The Sunday Independent and Stephanie Regan, Clinical Psychotherapist and Co-host of Tough Love Podcast.

More and more American style SUVs are making their way into the Irish market, and due to a legal loophole with its classification, those vehicles are getting bigger and bigger.Do we need to cut this out? And are SUVs too dangerous for our roads?Kieran is joined by Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, MEP and Michael Pidgeon, Green Party Councillor to discuss.

Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Tech Correspondent joined Kieran Cuddihy for the Tech Takeover! This week, she discusses the viral ‘very demure’ meme, and how its creator was beaten to the punch with a trademark.

We can’t welcome more fast-food restaurants with open arms when the country faces an obesity epidemic. So says Sinead Ryan, Consumer Columnist and Host of the Home Show on Newstalk, following news that McDonald’s plans to open 200 new restaurants across Ireland and the UK.She joins Kieran to discuss.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has suggested a two drink limit for Dublin Airport in order to curb any potential anti-social behaviour.Joining Kieran to discuss if this is a good idea is Managing Director of Freedom Travel and Solo Travel, Ciara Mooney and Travel Writer, Joan Scales.

Excitement is building in Paris and beyond, as the Paralympics Opening Ceremony kicks off tonight.It’s hard not to feel the nerves, as the success of Team Ireland this summer has undoubtedly put some wind in the sails for these events.Joining Kieran to discuss what we can expect is former Irish Paralympian and Motivational speaker, Peter Ryan.

Cheers and jeers would have rung out in many Irish houses today as the first rounds of university offers from the CAO went out.But, for some university courses, students will be allocated random spots due to a high number of applicants.Why is this the case, and are inflated grades to blame here?Kieran is joined by John Walshe, Former Advisor to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, to discuss.

Coldplay are due to kick off their Dublin show tomorrow and many have descended upon the city.With all those people booking hotels, would it make sense to have a tax on hotel rooms to make the most of big events like this?Labour Party Councillor on Dublin City Council, Dermot Lacey and Micheal Lennon, General Manager of the Westport Woods Hotel join Kieran to discuss.

Passengers should be restricted to two drinks at airports, that’s according to Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary.He said introducing alcohol limits at airports would help tackle a rise in anti-social behaviour on flights.Henry McKean went to Dublin Airport today to get the public’s opinion, and joins Kieran Cuddihy to discuss.

Every week for Tuesday Travel 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 Kieran Cuddihy to talk about golfing holidays you can take at home.

Recent figures published by the Central Statistics Office show that Ireland has reached immigration levels of a 17-year high, along with the country’s highest emigration figures since 2015.Joining Kieran to discuss what this means is Sociologist, Evelyn Mahon.

CEO of Starbucks Brian Niccol has a very unusual commute as he takes a private jet over 1000 miles to travel between offices in Seattle, Washington and California.Is this reasonable? And should the use of private jets be banned to protect the environment?To discuss, Kieran is joined by Oisin Coughlan, CEO of Friends of the Earth Ireland and Kevin Byrne, retired Air Corps Lieutenant Colonel and Airport Safety and Security Auditor.

Bananas for bananas? There are layers to our favourite fruit.Today is National Banana Lovers Day, and Kieran is joined by registered Dietician Orla Walsh to share some fun facts about the fruit to celebrate.

Gardener Diarmuid Gavin joins Kieran Cuddihy to put his favourite book on The Hard Shoulder’s Bookshelf!