The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Following remarks made by former president Trump last night, where he said Kamala Harris only recently "turned black", Law Professor with the University of Galway and columnist with the Journal.ie, Larry Donnelly joins Matt to discuss the damage this may do to Trump's campaign.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button below...

Eoin O Broin, Sinn Féin TD and spokesperson on housing outlined the details of Affordable Homes Plan and how the party believes it can deliver started homes at €300,000.Conor O’Connell, Director of Housing and Planning at the Construction Federation of Ireland explained the challenges faced by the industry in delivering homes, such as infrastructure constraints and a the slow pace of planning permissions granted.To catch the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button below.

Earth Overshoot Day 2024, the temperatures at this year’s Olympics and how climate change is impacting tea and coffee supplies were just some of the topics discussed on this week’s environment slot with John Gibbons.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the full chat.

Lynne Parker, artistic director of Rough Magic Theatre Company, joins The Last Word for The Culture Club where she discusses her favourite cultural choices.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Bank of Ireland has reported a profit of €1.1bn profit before tax in the first half of 2024, an increase of 5 per cent, helped by higher interest rates.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss this and they day's other business news stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan today published the All-Island Rail Review which aims to “significantly” reduce train journey times and increase the number of direct services between several areas of the country.He joined Matt to explain the plans.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and Larry Donnelly, law lecturer at University of Galway and political columnist with The Journal, join The Last Word to discuss the biggest news stories from the US including Donald Trump's suggestion that he would end elections if he returns to the White House. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Author Chris Whitaker discusses his latest novel, All The Colours Of The Dark.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button below

Irish singer CMAT has been nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize for her album Crazymad, For Me.Dee Reddy and John Caddell spoke to Matt about that and the rest of the music stories making the headlines this week.Press the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Fine Gael TD for Mayo Michael Ring has announced that he will not contest the next general election after serving for 30 years in Dáil Eireann.He spoke to Matt to explain why he made the decision.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

The Dolomites mountain range in Italy can be a year round destination with hiking and cycling in the summer and skiing in the winter. Sinéad Kennedy, travel expert and author of Life is a Cycle, joins The Last Word to discuss the best things to do and places to stay in this beautiful area.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Joe O'Shea and Elaine Burke join The Last Word to discuss this weeks top picks in TV and streaming as well as a review of the Olympic Opening Ceremony and the news that Eanna Hardwicke is to play Roy Keane in an upcoming film

Tributes are continuing to pour out for Irish writer Edna O'Brien who passed away over the weekend.Journalist, Lara Marlowe and film maker and writer Sinead O'Shea join Matt to discuss her life, career and her impact on Ireland.

Sinead O’Carroll, Editor of TheJournal.ie, joined Matt to talk about the stories that have been making headlines ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.Up for discussion was Sarah Lavin & Shane Lowry being selected as Ireland’s flag bearers, the inclusion of Steven van de Velde in the Dutch volleyball team, and Charlotte Dujardin stepping down from the British dressage side.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Jim Waldron, Spokesperson for the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, discussed the reviews into passenger safety measures in taxis after the conviction and sentencing of rapist Raymond Shorten.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button below.

Have you considered retrofitting your home, but you're not sure of the steps involved in the process?Matt was joined by Dr. Ciaran Byrne, the SEAI’s Director of National Retrofit, to explain what’s involved.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

133 Irish athletes will take part in this year’s Paris Olympics, but which events do we have the best medal hopes in?Matt spoke to Gavin Cooney, Sportswriter with The42.ie and Neil O’Riordan, Chief Sportswriter with The Irish Sun, to preview the coming weeks.Press the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Frank Greaney, Today FM courts correspondent, joins The Last Word to discuss the second sentencing of the taxi driver Raymond Shorten. In June, Shorten was found guilty of raping two female passengers in the back of his cab in 2022.To hear the full discussion press the 'Play' button on this page.

Andy O'Donoghue explained how technology in sport has evolved to revolutionised sporting events such as Wimbledon and The Olympic Games. To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button below

Environmental commentator John Gibbons joined Matt for The Last Word’s weekly environment slot. up for discussion was climate protests at Frankfurt airport, and can the Paris Olympics meet their target of being the greenest games ever?Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Willie White, director of the Dublin Theatre Festival, joins The Last Word for the Culture Club.He discusses his favourite music, movies, tv and of course theatre.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Maureen Callahan, journalist and author of Ask Not: The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed, talks about her expose of the generations of men from the Kennedy political dynasty and how they treated the women in their lives.

Cabinet have approved a deal on the future funding of RTÉ which will see the broadcaster receive €725 million in public money over three years.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss where this money will come from and what it will be used for.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Department of Finance officials have advised the government that congestion charges and car parking levies should not be implemented in Ireland until adequate public transport and other alternatives are made available to road users.Matt spoke to Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe & climate and environmental researcher Sadhbh O’Neill about this.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and Marion McKeone, US correspondent with The Business Post, join The Last Word to discuss US President Joe Biden's legacy, Kamal Harris' presidential campaign and why the US secret service boss has resigned?To catch the full chat press the 'Play' button on this page!

On this week’s music slot, Matt wanted to know what ‘Brat Summer’ is, following the recent release of Charli XCX’s new album ‘Brat’. Dee Reddy and John Caddell were on hand to explain.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

Sunday 21 July was the hottest day ever recorded globally, according to preliminary data from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather joined The Last Word to discuss this new record and explain where the Irish summer has gone.Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play’ button on this page!

Covid-19 infection rates are as high as they were during the 2021 winter surge.Matt spoke to Monaghan GP Dr. Illona Duffy about the impact that the virus is having on patients.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

AN interesting set of results from the first quarter of the financial year for Ryanair as they see profits slide.Will this mean summer fares will be slashed?Plus Kildare village shopping centre makes the news with new ownership.

Clare became All-Ireland hurling champions for the fifth time in their history after they defeated Cork after extra-time at Croke Park.  Matt and Will O’Callaghan of Off The Ball & The Hurling Pod spoke to former Limerick hurler Joe Quaid and former All-Ireland winner with Clare Jamesie O’Connor about the result.Press the ‘Play’ button on this page to listen to the chat.

On Sunday, Joe Biden announced he is to step down from US presidential election.Matt was joined by Marion McKeone, US Correspondent with the Business Post, nationally syndicated columnist Cal Thomas, Law Lecturer at the University of Galway Larry Donnelly, and Anthony Scaramucci from The Rest is Politics US podcast to discuss what lies ahead in the remaining 4 months of the election campaign.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Frank Greaney, Today FM courts correspondent, joins The Last Word to give details on the sentencing of taxi driver Raymond Shorten for the rape of a seven-year-old child.To hear the full discussion hit the 'Play' button on this page.

Matt is joined this week by Lise Hand and Ben Finnegan to discuss  the trending topics of the week. Should Politicians be photographed with pints? Why has Gaelic Football has been added to intangible heritage database?And why did the Parisian Mayor take a plunge in the Seine?

Larry Donnelly, Law Lecturer at University of Galway & Political Columnist with TheJournal.ie and US Correspondent with the Business Post, Marion McKeone, joined Matt to discuss how Joe Biden is facing calls to step down from the US Presidential race.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Barra Roantree from Trinity College Dublin and Minister of State for Financial Services, Neale Richmond join Matt to discuss the likelihood of any changes in inheritance tax in the 2025 budget.

Dermot O’Leary, General Secretary of the National Bus and Rail Union, joined Matt to discuss a number of antisocial incidents that have recently occurred on bus routes in Co. Limerick, and what can be done to help drivers in such situations.Click the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the full conversation.

Gearoid Farrelly joins Matt for this week's Culture Club ahead of his show at the Paddy Power Comedy Festival.

Leading food economists say reducing herds is not the way to go in the fight against climate change.Food economist Ciaran Fitzgerald and ecologist Padraic Fogarty join Matt to discuss the issue.

Should blockbuster movies that feature extreme weather events focus more on explaining the effects of climate change? That’s a question commentator John Gibbons asked on this week’s environment slot.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Andy O'Donoghue explains why learning coding is beneficial for kids and gives a run down of the best Apps to learn coding and how your kids can begin with creating their own Apps.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button below.

Ian Guider of the Business Post joins Matt to discuss the top business stories of the day include a spike in office spaces being rented in DublinThe Last Word on Business with thanks to Forvis Mazars, the next exciting chapter for Mazars. Same local team, new global reach.Press the 'play' button below to catch up on the full conversation...

Marion McKewon and Cal Thomas join Matt Cooper to discuss a busy week in American politics, including the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump and the addition of JD Vance to the republican presidential ticket

After gardaí were called to investigate an alleged assault at an under-15 hurling match in Co. Waterford this week, former President of the GAA Liam O’Neill said that not enough is being done to tackle violence at GAA matches.He and Sinéad O’Carroll, Editor of TheJournal.ie, spoke to Matt about the issue.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Following violent protests that broke out at the former Crown Paints factory location in Coolock yesterday, 30 have been arrested and 19 charged in relation to public order offences.Conor Lally, Crime and Secutrity Editor of the Irish Times, joins Matt to discuss what took place today in the aftermath of the incident.Trina O'Connor, Criminologist and Lisa Chambers, Fianna Fail Senator and Leader in the Seanad join the Last Word to discuss yesterday's incident further.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button below...

Where should you be jetting off to?Sarah Slattery has all the best deals on the market for your next summer break!

"Trump has become the victim of the violence he did so much to fuel. But his shooting won't make him think twice about his approach to politics" Irish Times columnist, Fintan O'Toole joins Matt, to discuss the fall out from the attempted assassination former president Trump. Larry Donnelly and Marion McKeone also join us to discuss Biden's statement on the events.

The State is due to spend €1.5bn annually on defence by 2028, but should that figure be increased? According to Fine Gael TD & Minister of State for European Union Affairs and Defence Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, it should. She and People Before Profit - Solidarity TD Mick Barry joined Matt to discuss the idea.Press ‘Play’ on this page to hear the conversation.

Matt is joined by James Lawless, the new Minister for State at the Department of Transport.The Junior Minister is on to speak about Drew Harris’ recommendation for graduated penalty pointsHow can the Department deal with rising road deaths?Hit ‘play’ to find out more

The government has announced that a ban on XL bully dogs will be implemented in two phases from October 2024 and February 2025.Matt spoke to Fianna Fáil senator Erin McGreehan and Martina Kenny from My Lovely Horse Rescue about the decision.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the discussion.

Have businesses successfully adopted the 4 day working week? Are there really any benefits for businesses?Matt speaks to Margaret Cox the Director of ICE Group and Peter Cosgrove the MD for Futurewise about the benefits and pitfalls of scheme.