The Indo Daily

The Government will publish a new roadmap for the lifting of Covid restrictions at the end of the month but already it has been branded too little, too late by many in the events industry.Justin Green, spokesperson for Event Industry Alliance believes the sector has been discriminated against at a time when 40,000 GAA fans were allowed inside Croke Park.“Enough is enough, and it’s now time for Micheál Martin to consider his position. On one side he says he can’t allow a sector to fully reopen – a sector of 35,000 people that is worth €3.5 billion to the economy and yet he does the opposite and endorses the All-Ireland hurling final by turning up”For the thousands of people working in the industry like Nightclub owner Ian Redmond, it has been disheartening to see the goalposts continually moving.“It’s one rule for the GAA and another rule for the publicans and the nightclub operators. It’s so disheartening that we all can’t be treated fairly. It just shows the power, the depth and the reach of the GAA in this country”With rising Covid cases and schools and colleges returning it is unlikely that any more measures will be relaxed until the end of September.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Taliban’s sudden return to power in Afghanistan has caused shock, fear and desperation.But what next for Afghanistan? And what does it tell us about Western intervention in the region?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Dublin’s north inner city, Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch is the once untouchable crime boss who became a fugitive on the run. Irish Independent journalist and author of The Monk, Paul Willams tells the story of a career criminal now fighting extradition from Spain "tooth and nail".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kellie Harrington. The pride of Portland Row. World Champion. Olympic Champion. People’s champion. Commercial sponsors will now be knocking at her door and she needs to decide whether to go to Paris or go pro.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 26, 2020, two sons and a father lost their lives in what became known as the 'Kanturk tragedy'. Mark O'Sullivan (26) was shot dead by his father and brother, who then took their own lives. Six months later, their bereaved mother and wife Anne O'Sullivan lost her life to terminal cancer. In this podcast, host Denise Calnan talks to Irish Independent Southern Correspondent Ralph Riegel about the Kanturk tragedy, the story of how a family was wiped out after an inheritance row, and a mother and son's desperate attempts to quell tensions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week the Government confirmed that the Covid-19 vaccination programme will be extended to all those aged 12 to 15. But even the experts can’t agree on the issue with some urging caution and others who believe primary school children should be vaccinated .See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The charity sector has been rocked by a series of financial scandals, resulting in investigations, court cases and questions over transparency. Moreover, public trust has been severely damaged.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The summer’s biggest horse-racing festival, the Galway Races, starts next week. But it comes at a time when the horse racing industry is dogged by controversy, scandals and crises.From bans on trainers, to doping allegations to revelations of animal abuse, the sport of kings is under the spotlight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The brutal murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier has captured the public imagination with two documentaries on the crime. Host Fionnán Sheahan talks to Irish Independent journalist Senan Molony who met the main suspect Ian Bailey at the scene of the crime 25 years ago. “Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s death remains a stain on the national consciousness, the savage who slew her having remained free for a quarter-century (unless dead himself). Ireland’s criminal justice embarrassment currently has the attention of the world, amid parallel TV documentaries on Sky and Netflix and a growing demand for answers.” The former journalist was tried for the murder in absentia in France and found guilty. However, the Irish courts refused to extradite him and the Irish Director of Public Prosecutions has said there is not enough evidence to warrant bringing any charges against him. The Sunday Independent’s Ali Bracken assesses where the investigation is at now and we examine the unanswered questions in arguably the most notorious unsolved crime in Irish history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indoor dining and drinking will be back next week - provided you have a vaccine passport. How will the system work and who will police it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Football is going to Rome after Italy beat England to win Euro 2020 - and there are plenty of Irish football fans having a good laugh at our near neighbour's expense. Is it about rivalry or racism?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that the so-called “Freedom Day” is on track to go ahead on July 19. Meanwhile, the Irish Government are concerned about the Delta variant and have postponed further lifting of restrictions. Which country has picked the right path out of lockdown?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The reopening of hospitality has been delayed again - and it's now balancing on the controversial introduction of a vaccine pass system. What exactly is a vaccine pass and how would it work in Ireland? A vaccine pass could grant those who are vaccinated or immune access to indoor restaurants and amenities - but it has been steeped in controversy with allegations of discrimination and inequality and the question of who exactly would police the pass. In this podcast, host Denise Calnan speaks to Irish Independent Political Editor Philip Ryan who tells us everything we need to know about the pass - and who is for and against it. Dublin restaurateur Angela Ruttledge shares how she believes the pass will work in her everyday business - and we check in with journalist Tom Carstensen who joins us from Denmark where they have successfully introduced a domestic vaccine certificate system.You can listen, follow and subscribe to InFocus wherever you like to listen to your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dublin Bay South one of the wealthiest constituencies in the country will go to the polls later this month to find a replacement for Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy. History suggests the constituency is an FG stronghold. But their candidate James Geoghghan has Labour's Ivana Bacik and Sinn Féin's parachute candidate Lynn Boylan clipping at their heels.Host Kevin Doyle is joined by Political Correspondent John Downing to assess the field and the likely outcomes from the constituencies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Delta variant is taking hold. The UK has pushed back their reopening. And our own reopening is being impacted by Delta, with question marks over the lifting of restrictions and the speed of the vaccine rollout. Is it time to reboot our strategy for dealing with Covid?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Irish wife of an internationally acclaimed mechanical engineer being "held hostage" in an Iraq prison said his 12-day solitary confinement was "like any of the American movies that you see with torture.. just appalling". Father-of-three Robert Pether is currently in a 14-foot cell with 22 other inmates in a prison in Iraq. He was held in solitary confinement for the first 12 days of his imprisonment. The Australian citizen, who lives in Roscommon with wife and three children, was allegedly lured to Baghdad for a business trip, when he was arrested without charge and imprisoned. His detention relates to a contractual dispute between his employer, CME Consultants in Dubai and the Central Bank of Iraq.His wife, Desree McCarthy, is extremely concerned about her husband's condition and said their family is struggling to cope and remain hopeful. Their eldest son has deferred his first year of college, while Desree had to organise for emergency counselling for their 16-year-old son. "The kids absolutely adore Rob. He's an awesome dad,"Desree told the Independent.ie InFocus podcast. "He always travelled a lot for work, but no matter where he was, he would always call our 8-year-old daughter at 8pm for a bedtime story.""When we heard he had been taken it was like a bomb had dropped in our house," Desree said. "I went and woke our boys up and told them what had happened and I was trying to speak and I was hysterical. "I didn't get to speak to Robert for nearly three weeks. "I could hear him crying. And I said like, oh my God, what's happened?" In this InFocus podcast, host Denise Calnan talks to Desree McCarthy about the moment her husband was arrested, the details of his imprisonment and living conditions, her family's desperation for help and her direct appeal to the Department of Foreign Affairs for assistance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been 25 years since Veronica Guerin was shot dead on the Naas Road as a result of her exposes in the Sunday Independent. Only one person is behind bars for the murder and it isn’t the man who ordered the hit. Paul Williams recounts how most of the men who set out to kill his friend have avoided justice. And Liam Collins recalls working alongside the journalist whose impact on Irish society has arguably been greater than any other.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michaela McAreavey was murdered in her hotel room on her honeymoon in Mauritius on January 10, 2011. In 2012, two hotel workers were unanimously acquitted of her murder after an 8-week trial. Michaela’s family is still searching for justice. So what went happened in the trial? And what went wrong with the police investigation? Why have the Mauritian government now agreed to look at the case again?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The vaccine rollout powering on and falling Covid-19 cases means a return to the office is on the horizon for workers.Taoiseach Micheál Martin is tentatively talking about a return at the end of the summer.Tánaiste Leo Varadkar acknowledges that convincing employees to return to the workplace will not be an easy task.But with footfall in city centres down by more than 70pc, businesses are lobbying the Government to ensure office workers return soon.On InFocus, the current affairs podcast from Independent.ie, Fionnán Sheahan talks to HR expert Caroline Reidy on the legal position for workers on returning to work.Irish Independent Political Correspondent Hugh O’Connell outlines the challenges facing the Government and Independent.ie Audience Editor Rachel Farrell speaks of the difficulties young workers have encountered working from home.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They said it could never happen. They promised it would never happen. But with the country shutdown by Covid, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael formed a grand coalition and ended a century of tribal politics.Election 2020 also saw the Green Party move back centre stage as they put their 2011 wipe-out behind them as joined the traditional ‘big two’ in Government Buildings.But it has been a year like no other. Multiple resignations, people ordered to stay at home for months, a Tánaiste under garda investigation and a Taoiseach whose biggest critics are arguably within his own party.In this episode host Kevin Doyle is joined by Political Editor Philip Ryan to reflect on the many twists and turns from a remarkable year in Irish politics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story of Princess Latifa who has been missing since 2018 when she attempted to flee Dubai but was forcibly returned by her father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Host Kevin Doyle examines what happened to the Princess and how former Irish president Mary Robinson became embroiled in the controversy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the casualties of the pandemic was Romantic Ireland. Single people were left in isolation when dating was replaced by distancing. But as lockdown lifts host Fionnán Sheahan examines the legacy Covid has left on dating and relationshipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You've been HACKED. What does it mean? Are we all at risk? In this podcast, Host Denise Calnan talks to Irish Independent Technology Editor Adrian Weckler about how we can protect ourselves from being hacked - and what it actually means to be hacked. And we speak to celebrity makeup artist and businesswoman Niamh Martin who almost lost her business after her social media accounts were hacked and held to ransom. You can listen, follow and subscribe to InFocus wherever you like to listen to your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renters could be forgiven for feeling they are the forgotten cohort of the housing crisis. With the spotlight often on homeless people and first-time buyers, those who are renting don’t get as much attention. In this podcast Host Fionnán Sheahan talks to Irish Independent Political Reporter Gabija Gataveckaite about her experience of renting.“I lived with six other people, every room was converted into a bedroom and there was no living room. Mould, mice, thin walls, we had the lot..’And Irish Independent Public Affairs Correspondent Amy Molloy examines the rights of renters and the wrongs done to them too.“It took a global crisis for the Government to introduce greater protections for renters, but now that normality is set to resume the evidence suggests the housing crisis is set to get far worse.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story of Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley has given every parent in this country moment for pause over the past week. Killed by their mother, Deirdre Morley, who a jury ruled was not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.That’s a verdict their children’s father agrees with – but for Andrew McGinley reflecting on where he finds himself now, he tells of the many unanswered questions.In this podcast, Andrew sits down with host Kevin Doyle to speak about the changes he believes should be made to the Mental Health Act so that patients automatically have an advocate or family member who is aware of their condition and the potential risks that might come with it.Andrew is acutely aware of the interest in his story – and despite his own grief sees an opportunity to honour his children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 1st, 2009. Flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris goes missing over the Atlantic Ocean. It sparks one of the most ambitious searches in the history of aviation.Days later, wreckage and the remains of some of the passengers are recovered from the ocean.A total of 228 people were killed in the disaster, including three young Irish women; Aisling Butler (26), from Co Tipperary, Jane Deasy (27) from Dublin and Eithne Walls (28) from Co Down.The close friends had studied medicine together in Trinity College and had been travelling with friends in South America.Their deaths have tormented their families and friends in the intervening years.Now, 12 years later, a French court, ruling on a request from prosecutors, have overturned a previous ruling and Air France and Airbus are to stand trial over the crash.In this InFocus podcast, host Denise Calnan speaks to Irish Independent news correspondent Eavan Murray, who has been covering the story since 2009.We speak about the tragedy; what happened in the cockpit, and why twelve years later no-one has been held accountable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the world BC – Before Covid – one issue dominated the political agenda in Ireland like no other. Now it’s back. The housing crisis is becoming the defining issue for a generation that feels it is locked out of ever having a place to call home.In this podcast Fionnán Sheahan examines the housing headache for first-time buyers. He speaks to Irish Independent writer Larissa Nolan about her experience of the housing market and her desire to become a homeowner . And Irish Independent Business Editor Donal O’Donovan talk through the possible solutions that might end the crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Hello, how may I help you?" - yes, hairdressers and barbers have opened for the first time in five months and the phones are ringing off the hook for appointments. There is an 'appointments only' rule, and men and women alike are booking their much-anticipated slot to get the chop and feel like themselves again. There is nothing like a new hairdo to put a pep in your step. But why is it that our hair is so important to us? In this pilot news podcast, host Denise Calnan speaks to Irish Independent writer Katie Byrne who gives us some insight into the psychology of hair. She also discusses the challenges the hairdressing industry now faces. And what's in store for both hairdressers and clients? We know the magazines and cups of tea are a thing of the past, but Lisa Eccles, vice-president of the Irish Hairdressers Federation and owner of Zinc Salon in Kilmainhan explains why consumers can expect an even better haircut experience post-lockdown and explains how salons nationwide have adjusted to the new way of life.We appreciate your feedback on our podcasts. If you have any thoughts you’d like to share, please email [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After more than four months of being trapped in our 5km, the summer is starting to stretch out in front of us. Foreign travel remains a challenge but the race for staycations is hotting-up. So while many of us might be dreaming of sun, sand and sangria it appears we’ll have to settle for sheltering from the rain in Connemara. Even that will be a welcome break in a very difficult year. Host Kevin Doyle is joined by Irish Independent Travel Editor Pól Ó Conghaile about where to go, how it will all work, and whether there is any way to avoid feeling ripped off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One hundred years after partition; what’s in store for Northern Ireland in its second century? Host Fionnán Sheahan talks to Columnist Martina Devlin about growing up during the Troubles and her hopes for the future.Brexit and the border on the Irish sea have led to tensions and recent riots in Belfast. At the same time, the change in population balance has resulted in the possibility of a unity referendum on both sides of the border and a United Ireland being openly discussed. Irish Independent Writer John Downing examines what this means for Northern Irish society and politics into the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been a tumultuous year for students, teachers, parents and principals and the impact of Covid 19 on our education system has been far-reaching. In March 2020 then Health Minister Simon Harris shut schools for two weeks to deal with the Covid crisis. Thirteen months later and many students have spent up to five months at home, learning remotely. In this pilot news podcast, host Fionnán Sheahan speaks to Irish Independent Education Correspondent Katherine Donnelly about the repercussions (both good and bad) of digital learning for students and teachers. We appreciate your feedback on our podcasts. If you have any thoughts you’d like to share, please email us [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Irish pubs have been closed for over a year because of Covid19 restrictions. Along with the rest of the hospitality industry in Ireland, they have endured one of the longest shutdowns in Europe. How have they survived and what does the future hold for the Irish pub industry?In this pilot news podcast, host Denise Calnan explores the issues with contributor and Social Affairs Correspondent Amy Molloy, who has spent the last year following the plight of the Irish pub. We also visit Dublin publican Dee Costello - the owner of the much-loved Kilmainham spot, The Royal Oak to hear what life has been like living above a pub with closed doors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A vaccine passport could allow you into pubs, clubs, museums and gigs and even open up the possibility of foreign travel later this year. But how will it work and is it a good idea? On St Patrick's Day the European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen announced plans for a digital health certificate. However, our own government are taking a very cautious approach to the idea.Could a Covid passport mean a return to normal? Or is it doomed to failure?In this pilot news podcast host Kevin Doyle explores the issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.