The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Traders in Dublin city centre are taking a High Court challenge over traffic measures introduced by the city council in August. Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the day's business news, including the Irish business man who wants to be the next chief executive of fashion brand Boohoo.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

With 11 days to go until America goes to the polls, Bruce Springsteen is the latest celebrity to endorse Kamala Harris for the presidency. He appeared at her rally in Georgia on Thursday night, which drew approximately 20,000 people.Larry Donnelly, law lecturer at the University of Galway and political columnist with TheJournal.ie Marion McKeone, US Correspondent with the Business Post joined Matt for Friday’s update from the States.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the conversation.

Writers Kevin Barry, Edel Coffey, Christine Bohan, Conor Niland and Bert Wright from the An Post Irish Book Awards joined Matt as he unveiled the nominees for this year's Last Word Listeners' Choice category. They also discussed the importance of the awards and why Ireland is a literary powerhouse.To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

John Gibbons returned for The Last Word’s weekly environment slot on Thursday.Up for discussion was the success of the deposit return scheme, whether nature’s carbon sink is failing, the Climate Change Advisory Council’s warning that Ireland could face an €8bn fine by 2030 if we fail to meet our climate targets and the effectiveness of disruptive climate protests.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

There's bad news for drivers as road tolls will rise on motorways once again next year, the fourth increase since 2022. Geraldine Herbert, motoring editor with the Sunday Independent, joins The Last Word to discuss why tolls are increasing and also the further rollout of average speed cameras on Irish roads.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The number of job vacancies has fallen significantly in the past year according two new reports looking at the Irish jobs market.Ian Guider joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the day's business news.Catch the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Swing Cats frontman Luke Thomas, who will be performing alongside Una Healy at this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, joined Matt for this week’s Culture Club.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear his choices.

From social setting to price point, Brigid O’Hora, author of ‘The Home Sommelier’, knows exactly what to look for when picking up the perfect bottle of wine.On Wednesday, she joined Matt on The Last Word to share some tips.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Veterinary surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick, aka the Supervet, joins The Last Word to discuss his new book 'Dogs And Their Humans' which tells the stories of healing and hope from his surgery and explores the unique relationship between dogs and the people that care for them.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The tragic death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne has raised questions in the music industry about the duty of care for young artists. Former boyband singer Robbie Williams and former X-Factor contestant Katie Waissel are among those who have raised concerns about the care and support provided to musicians in the industry.John Caddell and Dee Reddy join The Last Word to reflect on the effects of sudden stardom and what more can be done to protect young stars.Catch the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Journalist and author Lara Marlowe has written a book about Lieutenant Yulia Mykytenko, who, at 29 years of age, has been fighting on the frontline for Ukraine since 2016.Lara, Yulia and Nazar Yatsyshyn spoke to Matt about what the future holds for Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

US presidential nominees Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are neck and neck in the polls just two weeks out from the election.Larry Donnelly, law lecturer at the University of Galway and columnist with The Journal, Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and Marion McKeone, US correspondent with the Business Post, join The Last Word to discuss how both candidates are faring as they try to convince the undecided voters.Catch the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

On Tuesday, Matt was joined by chef Neven Maguire to discuss the release of his 20th book “Eat Out At Home”.He talked about how to create the ideal dinner party menu, being 35 years in business at MacNean House in Blacklion and his love for 90’s dance music.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Dublin city needs 1,000 extra gardaí over three years and more cultural spaces according to a new report from a group tasked with developing proposals to improve the capital.David McRedmond, chief executive of An Post and chair of the Dublin City Taskforce, joins The Last Word to discuss these proposals.Catch the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Ulster beat Connacht in the interprovincial final in Croke Park on Saturday night, where the Football Review Committee’s proposed rule changes were trialled.Former All-Ireland winner with Galway, Ray Silke, and Off The Ball’s Will O’Callaghan joined Matt to give their verdict on whether the rules could improve the game in the long run.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Have you ever dreamt of coming face to face with gorillas in the wild? Sarah Slattery from the travelexpert.ie recently ticked gorilla trekking in Rwanda off her bucket list and she joins The Last Word to talk about her experience.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Daniel McConnell, Editor of the Business Post, joined Matt to run through the day’s political stories.They discussed when the general election is likely to be called, how Gerry “The Monk” Hutch is reportedly considering running as an independent candidate and Heather Humphreys becoming the latest Fine Gael TD to step down.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Written with Wham! band mate Andrew Ridgeley when George Michael was just 17 years old, Careless Whisper is now a modern-day classic.‘Careless Whisper’ holds a truly unparalleled legacy that resulted in George Michael becoming the youngest recipient of an Ivor Novello Award at just 21 years old, propelling him into global superstardom. Today, 40 years after its release, ’Careless Whisper’ resonates even more with new generations of listeners, with TikTok currently surpassing 700 million views, while on YouTube the video averages close to half a million views every day. It is also a member of YouTube’s and Spotify’s exclusive Billions Club.Join Today FM's Steve K for a Last Word Special on George Michael's iconic "Careless Whisper."

On the week trending Orla Ryan of thejournal.ie and Russell Alford, one half of the GastroGays discuss the tributes to singer Liam Payne and the criticism levelled at some media outlets for the way his death was reported. They also chat about the continued election speculation, and protests by members of the hospitality sector.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button below.

Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and Marion McKeone, US correspondent with the Business Post, join The Last Word to discuss Kamala Harris' appearance on Fox News, Donald Trump dropping out of interviews due to 'exhaustion' and more news from the US presidential election.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Lawrence Donegan has been travelling across the USA ahead of the US Presidential Election on November 5th and on Thursday, he joined Matt from Texas to describe the mood among voters before they go to the polls.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

On Thursday’s The Last Word, Matt and John Gibbons discussed whether implementing limits on data centres and passenger numbers at Dublin Airport will help or hinder Ireland’s economic progress.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Author of 'The Girl On The Train' Paula Hawkins joins The Last Word to discuss her new mystery thriller 'The Blue Hour' which is very different to her previous work.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

How can you use tech to make your kitchen smarter?Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss the best kitchen tech and gadgets to improve your kitchen.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

New figures from the CSO show that house prices rose by more than 10% in the year to August, the fastest rate of increase in more than two years. Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss rising house prices and challenges in increasing housing supply.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

On Wednesday’s The Last Word, Matt was joined by Nicola Hanney, who released her autobiography “Stronger: What Didn’t Kill Me, Made Me”.She recounted the abuse she suffered at the hands of her former partner Paul Moody, who was sentenced to three years and three months for coercive control.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Independent, explained why motor insurance premiums are 15 times the rate of inflation, how energy credits will be received by customers, and new research that shows that less than one third of mortgage holders have considered switching.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Joe Canning is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers to ever play the game.He has released his autobiography ‘My Story’ and joined Matt to discuss his club and intercounty career, the influence his family had on him, and whether he was tempted to rejoin the Galway setup to play under Henry Shefflin.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Donald Trump is ramping up his racist and fascist statements with just three weeks to go in the US presidential campaign.Marion McKeone and Cal Thomas join The Last Word to discuss the Republican candidate's increasingly chilling rhetoric about immigrants and the 'radical left'.Catch the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

From Everest base camp to Skellig Michael, Sarah Slattery, thetravelexpert.ie, had a rundown of all the best adventure holiday destinations and activities.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

On The Last Word on TV and Streaming this week Matt is joined by Joe O'Shae and Aisling Bonner to chat about everything new in the world of tv this week. With Traitors coming to Ireland, the new season of Gra ar an Tra being pulled days before release and rumours of who will be in I'm A Celeb Jungle, there is plenty to talk about.

Former Irish Rugby International Johnny Sexton spoke to Matt about his career with Ireland and Leinster, the impact of concussion on rugby players, and his new autobiography, Obsessed.To catch the interview, press the 'play' button on this page.

Sinn Féin has received criticism for how it handled an allegation made against former member Brian Stanley. The matter has since been passed on to the gardaí.Matt was joined by Editor of the Business Post, Daniel McConnell, and the Irish Examiner’s Special Correspondent, Michael Clifford, to assess how this will impact the party.For further discussion, Matt then spoke to Pa Daly, Justice Spokesperson for Sinn Féin and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Fine Gael TD and Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs and Defence.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversations.

New research from the Central Bank has found that one in twenty buildings in Ireland struggle to get insurance for flooding, and that this issue could worsen in the future.Ian Guider, Columnist with the Business Post, spoke to Matt about this and the how shares in Flutter and other UK bookmakers have fallen, on Monday’s business news.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

The Week Trending with Ben Finnegan and Sarah McGuinness this week chatting about the suspected spy in the Oireachtas, calls for road signs As Gaeilge, and Portugal’s tax incentives for young people.

Next week’s interprovincial series will trial new rules in an attempt to improve the game of Gaelic football.So, what are they, and could they make the sport more entertaining?Michael Foley, sportswriter with the Sunday Times and the Irish Independent’s GAA Correspondent, Colm Keys, discussed it with Matt.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Psychologist Allison Keating's new book, 'It's All Too Much, aims to guide people who are overwhelmed, anxious or stressed out by modern life.She joins The Last Word to discuss practical tools that can help with anxiety, stress and panic attacks. Listen to the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Dr Illona Duffy and Andy O’Donoghue spoke to Matt for an extended Tech Thursday where they discussed how technology is advancing GP care and at home care and assessed home testing kits.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Marjorie Taylor Greene has doubled down on her theory that the weather can be controlled, despite experts debunking her statements.Does she actually believe what she’s saying, or is it a cynical move in order to whip up populism? That’s a question Matt posed to nationally syndicated columnist Cal Thomas on Thursday’s programme.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

On this week's environment slot, commentator John Gibbons spoke to Matt about the impact that Hurricane Milton has had on Florida.Here in Ireland, national parks are set to get legal status in the hope of providing them with greater protections.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Matt was joined by author and playwright Michael Harding, author of “I Loved Him From The Day He Died”.The memoir focuses on the relationship he had with his father, who died when Harding was 23.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Poet and playwright Rita Ann Higgins is the latest inductee into the Culture Club. She discussed her new collection The Long Weekend and the music, books, and films that have been influential in her life and work.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Electric vehicle sales are continuing to plummet with new figures showing that they are down by 25% so far this year.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss why demand for EVs has dropped so much and more of the day's business news. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

John Caddel and Dee Reddy join Matt for your weekly music round up. Picks of the week, Pink Floyd updates and so much more!

Paul Tweed is a leading defamation lawyer who has won cases for stars like Britney Spears. His new book 'From Holywood to Hollywood' reflects on his life protecting the reputations of the rich and famous. Tweed joins The Last Word to discuss his career and his call for governments to take action against Big Tech and AI. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Florida residents have been advised to evacuate their homes as the state braces itself for Hurricane Milton.Meanwhile, Elon Musk attracted attention after his appearance at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.Marion McKeone, US Correspondent with the Business Post and nationally syndicated columnist Cal Thomas joined Matt for Tuesday’s update on all that’s happening in the US.

Over 40,000 lives have been lost so far.On the anniversary of the Oct 7th attacks by Hamas, Alex Thomson joins Matt from Israel as further Hezbollah attacks continue.Hannah McCarthy and Declan Power join Matt to discuss the situation as it continues to progress.

Billy Hann, CEO of Dublin Bus, joined Matt to discuss the 20-week pilot scheme for Dublin Bus aimed at curbing the rise of anti-social behaviour on public transport.He also discussed the estimated costs of a contactless ticketing system for public transport.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

For many when they go on holidays the food experience is just as important as the sites and activities.That's certainly the case for Russell Alford, co-restaurant critic at The Sunday Times and one half of the Gastro Gays. He joins The Last Word to discuss some of his top foodie destinations. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Does Kamala Harris need to step up before the election? Who are the polls favouring?Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join Matt to discuss this weeks US election updates and where both candidates stand in the lead up to election day.