The Last Word with Matt Cooper

An independent review into the use of unapproved metal springs in paediatric spinal surgeries has found that "children were left unprotected from risk of harm".The report by the Health Information and Quality Authority found there was inadequate oversight within Children's Health Ireland and that families could not give informed consent to procedures using these devices due to a lack of information.Former director general of the HSE Tony O'Brien joins The Last Word to discuss the findings of the report.Hear the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Brian Honan, chief executive and cybersecurity expert, BH consulting and Louise Corrigan, US immigration lawyer, Louise Corrigan Law discuss discuss the recommendation to delete social media apps if travelling to the US, if you have been critical of current US Policy.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Sarah Slattery from the travelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to talk about the best options for couples, families and solo travelers who may be looking to head away on a cruise.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Russell Brand is charged with rape and sexual assault, Chappell Roan says all her friends who have children are 'in hell' and the rarely used Farmleigh House is costing the taxpayer almost €3.25 million a year.Fionnuala Jones and Dave Hanratty join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.But first, Nick Ferrari, presenter of Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC, explains the charges against the comedian and actor Russell Brand.Catch the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Trauma surgeon Dr Morgan McMonagle recently spent six weeks on a humanitarian mission in Gaza.On The Last Word he recounts the challenges faced by healthcare professionals in Gaza and the grim reality of treating patients in an active war zone.Hear the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

New research from the ESRI has shown that only half of fathers are using paternity leave, with issues around levels of income a common reason for not doing so.Claire Keane – Associate Research Professor in Taxation, Welfare & Pensions at the ESRI and co-author of the report and Frances Byrne, Director of Policy, Advocacy & Campaigning with Early Childhood Ireland spoke to Matt on The Last Word about this.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

On Thursday, the death was announced of former intercounty manager and legendary figure, Mick O’Dwyer.Micko was arguably the most influential manager in the GAA’s history, guiding his native Kerry to 8 All-Ireland titles with some of the game’s most prolific players like Páidí O’Sé, Jack O’Shea, Eoin “Bomber” Liston and Pat Spillane.He also managed Kildare, where they won two Leinster titles under his guidance and also reached the 1998 All-Ireland final. Following that, he had spells with Laois, Wicklow and Clare.Former All-Ireland winner with Kerry, Marc O’Sé and former Kildare footballer Johnny Doyle, who played under Micko, spoke to The Last Word to remember him.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

IDA Ireland chairman Feargal O’Rourke considers next steps to guarantee continued inward investment into Ireland following Trump’s 20% tariffs.Kate English, Chief Economist with Deloitte, Paul Colgan economics journalist and Robert Armstrong, US Financial Commentator with the Financial Times, discuss the implications in Ireland, EU and in the US of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs and whether a trade war will ensue.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

From keeping track of passwords to clearing old email accounts, Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss the measures you can take to protect your information and keep your online life running smoothly.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Legendary singer-songwriter Roisin Murphy was the latest inductee into the Culture Club on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all her music, film, TV & literature choices.

Ryanair flew 200.2 million passengers in its fiscal year to the end of March, making it the first European airline to carry 200 million passengers in one year.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the day's business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Independent, says there has been a huge fall in personal injury claims, with the value of payouts also down, that has yet to be passed to consumers.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

United Cancer Advocates Network is a newly formed group of cancer advocates who are pushing for better access to cutting edge drugs in Ireland.Chairperson Miriam Staunton joins The Last Word to discuss the challenges Irish cancer patients can face in getting access to new treatments.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Ahead of World Autism Day, author Niamh Garvey talked about her late diagnosis and editing a book of essay from neurodiverse people.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and journalist Marion McKeone join Matt for a bumper edition of the The Last Word on the US.They discuss how US President Donald Trump's tariffs will impact the US; the Trump administration's threats to Greenland; and news that US prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has confirmed the Local Property Tax will rise next year. Most property owners will see it increase by between €5 and €25, with homes being reevaluated from November 2025.Minister Donohoe joined Matt to explain this decision and they also discussed how the introduction of tariffs on European goods by US President Donald Trump will impact Ireland.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their conversation.

Sam Scriven, senior statistician with the Central Statistics Office, and Eoghan O'Mara Walsh, chief executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, join The Last Word to discuss the latest inbound tourism figures which indicate a collapse in foreign visitors to Ireland.Matt is also joined by Kenny Jacobs, chief executive of the Dublin Airport Authority, to discuss the Dublin airport passenger cap following reports that the government is considering a major intervention.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Kerry won the Division One National Football League on Sunday after a dominant win over Mayo at Croke Park.Elsewhere, Monaghan were crowned winners of Division 2, Offaly were winners in Division 3 and Limerick took the Division 4 title after beating Wexford on Saturday.But after approximately 30,000 people attended the games over the weekend, have the league finals lost their spark?Former Monaghan footballer Dick Clerkin spoke to Matt and Will O’Callaghan about the results.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Stuart McNamara, spokesperson for The Irish Craft and Artisan Distilleries Association and director of Portmagee Whiskey in Kerry, and Barry Cowen, Fianna Fáil MEP discuss the exposure of the Irish Whiskey Industry to US tariffs and what can be done to insure the future of jobs.To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

The European Union urges every household to put together a 72-hour emergency kit, a Conservative MP calls on Ireland to join the Commonwealth and spicebag and morto are added to the Oxford English Dictionary.Journalist Lise Hand and Dion Fanning, co-host of the Free State podcast, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button page!

Conor Gallagher, Security and Crime Correspondent, Irish Times and Prof Colin O’Gara, Head of Addiction Services, St John of God Hospital discuss the findings of an EU-wide study that found Ireland was second only to the Netherlands in terms of ecstasy use among young people.Press play on this page to catch the full conversation.

In 1972, American boxing champion Muhammad Ali, the most famous athlete in the world, came to Ireland to fight in Croke Park.Dave Hannigan, author of 'The Big Fight : When Ali Conquered Ireland', joins The Last Word to discuss how he pieced together the details of one of the most unique events in Irish sporting history.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to run through some of the best new driving tech including easy to read smart navigation and top of the range dash cams,Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page

Fianna Fáil Senator Teresa Costello has said that radical reform is needed for women under the age of 50 who present with breast cancer symptoms, having previously been diagnosed with the disease at the age of 36.Ahead of Daffodil Day 2025, she is calling on the Minister for Health to discuss the matter in the Seanad.Hit the ‘Play’ button to hear her chat with Matt.

Environmentalist and Researcher in Climate Policy, Sadhbh O’Neill, recently made the decision to sell her car and buy an e-bike.She spoke to Matt on Thursday’s The Last Word to explain why and to highlight the financial, physical and environmental benefits she has seen from doing so over the last 6 months.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Writer Patricia Scanlan is the latest inductee into The Last Word Culture Club, where she talks about the music, books, TV and movies that have influenced her life and work.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Energy supplier Energia has been given the go-ahead to build a data centre in Dublin to be operated by tech giant, Microsoft.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the day's business news. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The CSO has released a survey showing the long term impact the experience of living through the Covid-19 pandemic has made.Five years on, one in four people who were surveyed said they still try to avoid shaking hands, while a third of respondents between the ages of 22 and 29 said that their alcohol consumption increased since Covid restrictions were introduced. Tim Bergin, People Consulting Partner at EY Ireland and Helen Vaughan, psychotherapist at Maynooth Counselling spoke to Matt on Wednesday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

There's outrage in the United States after a journalist was included in a group chat in which US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance and other top officials discussed upcoming strikes against Yemen's Houthi group.Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and journalist Marion McKeone joins The Last Word to discuss this massive security leak and more of the latest news from the US. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

On Monday, gardaí conducted raids on members of a Dublin-based drugs gang known as The Family.The Irish Times reported that the gardaí’s National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau has been investigating the group for up to a decade.Conor Lally, Crime and Security Editor with The Irish Times, joined Ian Guider on The Last Word to explain the story.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Elaine Burke and Joe O’Shea discuss the four-part Netflix drama, Adolescence, written by and starring Stephen Graham, that is being watched all over the world. Dealing with toxic influences in teenaged lives, Joe and Elaine talk about why they think it’s an era defining drama.

Ireland beat Bulgaria 2-1 (4-2 on aggregate) in the Aviva Stadium on Sunday night which retains their status in League B in the Nations League.Gavin Cooney, Sportswriter with The42.ie and Off The Ball’s Will O’Callaghan spoke to Matt about a positive few days for Heimir Hallgrimsson, Evan Ferguson getting on the scoresheet again and how these results can benefit Ireland’s World Cup qualifying prospects.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Has medicine gone too far in diagnosing disorders like autism, ADHD or even long Covid? Can these diagnoses sometimes hinder a person more than they help?Neurologist Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan joins The Last Word to discuss the dangers of over medicalisation as explored in her new book 'The Age of Diagnosis'.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Following his St Patrick's Day White House visit, Conor McGregor has said he will run for president of Ireland this year; Tesla cars are being boycott in protest against Elon Musk; and what countries are the happiest?Laura Byrne, voices editor and podcast producer with TheJournal.ie, and Eoghan Tomás McDermott, managing director of The Communication Clinic, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A teacher has claimed that she was wrongly identified as the so-called “GAA Catfish”, and has secured a short term injunction restraining her employer from continuing a disciplinary process against her.The story was originally told on The 2 Johnnies podcast and detailed how a woman was using fake online profiles to dupe men into romantic relationships.Carl O’Brien, Education Editor with The Irish Times, explained the story on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

In his latest book, high performance coach Gerry Hussey examines the power of the inner voice and how to silence the criticisms that are holding you back from your dreams.Gerry joins The Last Word to discuss his new book 'I Am, I Can, I Will'.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A jury in North Dakota has ordered Greenpeace to pay $660m to the company Energy Transfer after finding it liable for defamation over protests that took place in 2016 & 2017.After the verdict, Greenpeace said that lawsuits such as this are “destroying the right to peaceful protest”.John Gibbons joined Matt for Thursday’s environment slot on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their discussion.

Andy O'Donoghue runs through a comprehensive list of alternatives to Amazon streaming, smart home, shopping and audiobook offerings.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

The Government will miss its own housing targets over the next three years, according to new analysis from the Central Bank. Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss why housing delivery is likely to fall short in the coming years and more of the day's business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody has released his first book “The Forest is the Path”, sharing its name with the band’s latest studio album.To celebrate its release, Gary joined Matt for the latest edition of The Last Word’s Culture Club.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all his choices.

Leaving Cert English students could face oral exams worth 20 per cent at the end of fifth year, with the written exam reducing from two papers to one by 2027.There are further plans to introduce a creative writing task, where students will be tasked with writing an original piece during class time.Jennifer Horgan, English teacher and Irish Examiner Columnist and Brian Mooney, Irish Times Education Columnist and guidance counsellor, spoke to Matt about this proposal.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

US President Donald Trump has had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine.Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and journalist Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the United States. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

There was much surprise on St Patrick's Day when MMA fighter Conor McGregor met with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office just days after Taoiseach Micheál Martin's visit.Dion Fanning, co-host of the Free State podcast, and Gary Murphy, professor of politics at DCU's School of Law and Government, join The Last Word to discuss why McGregor was invited to the White House and whether it could mark the beginning of his campaign to be the next president of Ireland. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Amazon.ie was officially launched in Ireland on Tuesday, where Irish users are no longer obliged to use Amazon.co.uk.The subscription price is €6.99, which is lower than Amazon.co.uk’s £8.99 (€11), but can users get the same experience for cheaper?Furthermore, what will this move mean for smaller businesses around the country?Adrian Weckler, Tech Correspondent with the Irish Independent and Jean McCabe, CEO of Retail Excellence Ireland, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Author and journalist Donald McRae has written his latest book “The Last Bell: Life, Death and Boxing”.He’s followed the careers of some of the biggest names in the sport, including Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury and Katie Taylor.But after 50 years of covering boxing so intently, why did he find himself falling out of love with it?Donald joined Will O’Callaghan on Friday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Manchester United unveils plan to build a new stadium beside Old Trafford, gardaí prepare for St Patrick's Day in Dublin and was the Taoiseach's trip to the White House a success?Joe O’Shea, editor of Cork Beo, and Sinead O’Carroll, editor of TheJournal.ie, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A new report has shown that climate whiplash is making an impact in cities such as Madrid and Riyadh, which sees the weather swing between extreme wet and dry spells as a result of rising global temperatures.Environmental commentator John Gibbons joined Will O’Callaghan to discuss the findings.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Are you thinking of shopping online but want to find alternatives to Amazon?On this week’s Tech Thursday, Andy O’Donoghue spoke to Will O’Callaghan to give his recommendations on the options available to you.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Irish folk singer Maria Kelly was the latest guest to be inducted into The Last Word’s Culture Club.She talked to Ian Guider about the music, literature, film and TV that influenced her from when she was young to the present day.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear her choices.

Many Irish retailers have given up challenging shoplifters stealing from their stores due to the number of defamation actions being taken, according to a group representing small and medium enterprise.Neil McDonnell, chief executive of Isme, estimates defamation cases are costing small businesses in Ireland up to €70 million each year. He joins The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button!