The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Looking to head away for a few days and see somewhere new without breaking the bank?Kaitlin Murphy from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to chat about some of the best value city breaks in Europe.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Ireland may ban sunbeds amid reports that they are being used by children as young as 10; Australian woman is convicted for murdering family with poisonous mushrooms; & Taoiseach Micheál Martin denies his flight was changed for Cork hurling semi-final.Ben Finnegan, Today FM news anchor, and Sarah McGuiness, political correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A major new report suggests that Artificial intelligence (AI) is already starting to replace graduate jobs in Irish firms. Adrian Weckler, tech editor with the Irish and Sunday Independent, joins The Last Word to discuss the five Irish jobs that are most exposed to AI.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Supermarkets have denied accusations of price gouging, despite the price of meat increasing by 22% in the last year. The cost of a pound of butter has seen a 30% surge in the same time period.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor at the Irish Independent and Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, spoke to Matt on Friday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

A €1.3bn sewage and drainage scheme, which will service north Dublin and parts of Meath and Kildare, has been given the go ahead by An Comisiún Pleanála.The project has been deemed essential as it will ease pressure on the wastewater treatment plant in Ringsend.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, spoke to Matt on Thursday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly is the latest to rule himself out of running in the forthcoming presidential election.Daniel McConnell, editor of the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss who the runners and riders may be.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Climate change has been cited as the reason for recent European heatwaves being more extreme than seen previously.Western Europe had its warmest June on record, with many experiencing conditions of over 40 degrees Celsius.Environment commentator John Gibbons spoke to Matt on Thursday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

This Tech Thursday Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss the Nothing phone, a new phone competitor looking to tap into a demand for minimalist tech.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Stuart Braithwaite, guitarist with Mogwai, joins The Last Word for the Culture Club. Listen to all of his cultural picks by pressing the 'play' button on this page!

There was a 42 per cent rise in divorce applications involving assets of more than €3 million last year, despite a fall in the overall number of couples splitting.Keith Walsh, family law solicitor, and Michelle Browne, family mediator and author of Scars of Divorce, join The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Averil Power, CEO Irish Cancer Society and Muireann McColgan, co-founder of Too Young To Be Heard group, discuss the latest Irish Cancer Society data highlighting the delays in cancer care and what regions have longest delays.To listen to the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

A recent report from Unio Wealth Management found that Ireland is among the richest countries in Europe, ranking higher than Germany and France.The average net wealth per adult in Ireland is €323,000, behind only Luxembourg.So why, despite these figures, are so many of us feeling the pinch?Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

On Monday, Donald Trump hosted Benjamin Netanyahu for dinner at the White House and the Israeli prime minister told the US President that he nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.Meanwhile, the death toll from extreme flooding in Texas has now exceeded 100 people, with survivors questioning the authorities’ planning and safety response.Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone spoke to Matt on Tuesday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

A new report from Irish Music Rights Organisation has found that Irish adults spent €757 on music events in 2024, while two thirds of respondents said that the main barrier to attending gigs is the cost of tickets.Matt spoke to Eleanor McEvoy, Chair of IMRO, about this.Elsewhere, Live Aid will be 40 years old on Sunday and Apple Music has released its top 500 streamed songs of the past decade.Dee Reddy and Dave Hanratty joined Matt for Tuesday’s music slot.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

The Government has been accused of "showing complete disdain" for the heritage of the GPO on Dublin's O'Connell Street amid calls for the building to be redeveloped into a significant cultural quarter.Peadar Toibin, TD for Meath-West and Leader of Aontú, and James Geoghegan, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Bay South, join The Last Word to debate what should be done to revamp the historic site.Catch the full chat pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Sarah Slattery from thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to discuss all the best things to see and do when visiting Chicago in the US. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Cabinet is to consider reducing the size of studio apartments in order to encourage developers to build more of them.Is this the most effective way to solve the housing crisis?Orla Hegarty, Architect & Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy at UCD and Kate English, Chief Economist at Deloitte, spoke to Matt on Monday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Croke Park will host a bumper weekend of senior hurling championship action as we reach the All-Ireland  semi-final stage.On Saturday, Dublin will face Cork while on Sunday, old rivals Tipperary and Kilkenny go head to head.Matt spoke to Jamesie O’Connor, Aidan ‘Taggy’ Fogarty and John McIntyre about what we can look forward to over the coming days.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

A tearful moment from UK chancellor Rachel Reeves in the House of Commons attracts criticism and solidarity, calls for Electric Picnic to be televised and Dublin city gets a new mobile unit to help late night revelers.Alison Healy and Dave Hanratty join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Do you want to encourage your kids to spend more time outdoors this summer? Or are you looking for ways to keep them learning over the break?Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to run through the best tech to keep kids busy during the summer holidays.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

BirdWatch Ireland has released a map highlighting over 70 of the most vital areas for seabirds around the country.Under EU legislation, Ireland must designate areas to protect the lifecycle of birds.Environment commentator John Gibbons spoke to Matt on Thursday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

A new study from the Economic and Social Research Institute has found that offers like free bets and money-back guarantees from gambling companies convince people to place more bets, leaving punters at risk of gambling addiction.Dr Diarmaid Ó Ceallaigh, Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the ESRI Behavioural Research Unit and Professor Colin O’Gara, Head of Addiction Services at St. John Of God Hospital spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Streaming giants Netflix and Spotify are in talks to team up and bring live concerts and award shows to audiences worldwide.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest business news. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Writer Ciara Geraghty is the latest inductee into the Culture Club. The author of ten novels for adults has now written her first children's book 'Wanda Broom' and she joins The Last Word to chat through her favourite music, books, movies and more. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Former Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey has pleaded guilty to ten charges of deception by falsely claiming he needed money for cancer treatment.Mr. Carey, who won 5 All-Irelands with his county, was due to stand trial today on 21 fraud and forgery charges.Today FM’s Courts Correspondent, Frank Greaney, joined Matt to explain what happened in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

The feud between billionaire Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump has reignited as the Tesla chief renews his criticism of Trump's tax and spending bill.Musk claims that the legislation, known as "The Big Beautiful Bill", would undermine the work he did to cut government spending while in charge of Doge.Marion McKeone and Cal Thomas join The Last Word to discuss the clash between the former allies and more of the latest news from the United States.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Former MMA fighter Conor McGregor this morning withdrew his application to introduce new evidence as part of an appeal against the outcome of his civil rape trial.Last year, Nikita Hand won a lawsuit against the Mr. McGregor, whom she accused of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.Frank Greaney, Today FM's Courts Correspondent, joined Matt on The Last Word.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the conversation.

The four All-Ireland senior football semi-finalists were confirmed at the weekend after another hugely entertaining weekend of championship action.On Saturday, an impressive second half performance saw Donegal overcome Monaghan and 2021 champions Tyrone beat Dublin, leading to Dessie Farrell's resignation as Dublin manager.On Sunday, Meath put an end to Galway’s All-Ireland hopes while Kerry dumped current champions Armagh out of the competition.Matt spoke to Colm Keys, GAA Correspondent with the Irish Independent and Ray Silke, former All-Ireland winning captain with Galway, about the results.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Known as the Pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is an affordable choice for a European short trip.From the boat tours, day trips, sunset cocktails and walking the city’s famous walls, Travelexpert.ie Sarah Slattery ran through the best of what the Croatian city has to offer.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

UK police have launched a criminal investigation into comments made at Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s Glastonbury performances.This follows comments from the BBC stating that it regretted not cutting the stream of Bob Vylan’s performance, saying its “antisemitic sentiments” were “utterly unacceptable”.Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke spoke to Matt on Monday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

US Republicans and Democrats are sent in a spin as 'socialist' Zohran Mamdani wins the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez take over Venice for star-studded wedding, and Glastonbury organisers say Kneecap will play, but will the BBC air the performance?Marion McKeone and Joe O'Shea join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Sales of Prize Bonds topped €350 million in 2024 but this was a significant drop on previous years.Charlie Weston, personal finance editor with the Irish Independent, joins The Last Word to discuss whether Prize Bonds are still an attractive and worthwhile investment?Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Wine expert Brigid O'Hora joins The Last Word to run through the best wines to enjoy this summer. She has picked a selection to suit all tastes including a crisp and refreshing vinho verde, a delicate rosé, and even a beautiful red for those die-hard red wine drinkers.Find a list of Brigid's choices below and catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!Aimery Cremant de Limoux RoseEscapada Vinho Verde, Minho Valley, Lisbon, Portugal Springfield Estate, Miss Lucy, Roberston, South AfricaAvanzi, Lugana Rose di Rosavero DOC, Lake Garda, ItalyMonte Santoccio Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy

European politicians are seeking to ban airlines from charging passengers for small carry-on luggage or charging for families to sit together on a flight, in moves strongly opposed by the aviation sector.Eoghan Corry, travel and viation journalist, and Kevin Hiney, communications director with Airlines for Europe, join The Last Word to discuss these proposed measures. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

From time trackers, smart home organisers to advanced driver assistants, Andy O'Donoghue outlined the best AI assistants to use for in the home, for work and for motoring.To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Primark, the parent company of Penneys, is planning to cut around 100 jobs at the its Dublin head office as the company moves to outsource some of its human resources, finance and procurement activities.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest business news. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Author and former actor R B Egan was Matt's guest in the Culture Club, he spoke about the inspiration for his new crime novel, The Landlord.He also discussed his favourite music, film, TV, and books.

Natasha O'Brien came to prominence after soldier Cathal Crotty, who viciously attacked her in Limerick in 2022, received a three-year suspended sentence for the assault, sparking outrage across Ireland.Natasha joins The Last Word to discuss the new RTÉ documentary 'Natasha', which explores what happens next for her and other survivors of violence.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Anne Marie Allen, author of Serve: My Lost Years At The Heart Of Opus Dei, spoke to Matt about her life inside Opus Dei and how she left the organisation ato rebuild her life through education.To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

US President Donald Trump has said he is "not happy" with Israel and Iran after claiming both countries violated a ceasefire.Marion McKeone and Cal Thomas join The Last Word to discuss Trump's involvement in the conflict and more of the latest news from the United States.But to start, Dr Edward Burke, lecturer in the history of war at UCD, joins to discuss how the escalating situation in the middle east could impact global defence and security as NATO leaders gather in The Hague for a crucial summit.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The new €2.4bn pediatric hospital will officially be named the National Children's Hospital of Ireland according to a Government proposal, despite efforts to name it after doctor and political activist Dr Kathleen Lynn.Dr Mary McAuliffe, director of Gender Studies at UCD, and Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh join The Last Word to discuss whether public buildings should be named after historical figures or whether it is better to play it safe.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The fixtures for the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals have been confirmed, with the four teams which topped their groups - Armagh, Meath, Monaghan, and Tyrone - set to meet the winners from the preliminary quarter-finals.Will O’Callaghan from Off The Ball and Ray Silke, former All-Ireland winner with Galway, join The Last Word to look back on the previous weekend's action and ahead to the quarter-finals in Croke Park.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Worry, anxiety and frustration are the most common feelings people have towards climate change and climate policies, according to a new government report.Sadhbh O'Neill, project lead for Feminist Communities for Climate Justice, joins The Last Word to discuss why people feel so hopeless about Ireland's climate action and what can be done about it. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Spain, Italy, Greece and further afield, Sarah Slattery, thetravelexpert.ie, had a run-down of the best deals of offer for last minute Summer holidays.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

Rumours swirl after Cork's lucky €250m Euromillions win, Sky to monitor WhatsApp chats in an attempt to catch dodgy-box users, & Kneecap's Mo Chara stands defiant at Dublin gig after UK court appearance.Sarah McGuinness, political correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail, and Cathal O’Sullivan, assistant producer with 98FM, join The Last Word to discuss all of the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Claire Liddy, social care worker and co-founder of GAA Palestine explained the origins of the only GAA club in the West Bank and what the club means for young players as they plan a trip to Ireland this summer for a series of games around the country.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

New figures released by Eurostat show that Ireland is now the second most expensive country in the EU for goods and services.Meanwhile, the prices of alcohol and tobacco are more than double the EU average, making them the most expensive in the EU.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent and Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, joined Ian Guider on Friday to discuss the issue.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Lord Henry Mount Charles, the man who introduced concerts at his iconic home of Slane Castle in Co. Meath, has died.His death was announced on Thursday morning after fighting “a long and valiant battle with cancer”.There have been 26 concerts altogether which included U2, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen.Lise Hand and John Caddell spoke to Ian Guider about the legacy he left.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Sky Ireland has warned dodgy box users of “consequences” if they’re caught illegally streaming through their so-called dodgy boxes.Tech expert Andy O’Donoghue spoke to Ian Guider on Thursday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the piece.

Planning permission has been sought for 439 purpose-built student bed spaces in Clonskeagh, Dublin 6.The site is just 1km from UCD’s main campus, but it has been met with opposition from residents.Ian Guider joined Will O’Callaghan for Wednesday’s business news.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.