
The Last Word with Matt Cooper
3,278 episodes — Page 34 of 66

Unions Highlight Teacher Supply Crisis
How is Ireland going to deal with a teacher shortage in both primary and secondary schools?Norma Foley, Minister For Education joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Should SUV Drivers Pay Even Higher Penalties To Drive And Park?
With the prices of fuel increasing, should SUV drivers pay more than other road users?Brenda Power, Columnist with The Irish Daily Mail & Sunday Times, and Kevin McPartlan, Chief Executive of Fuels For Ireland joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

ICTU Challenges Employer 'Myths' Around Work Reforms
Have the Government done too much in relation to imposing additional costs on businesses in recent years?Owen Reidy, General Secretary of the ICTU, and Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Anti-Driver Or Pure Common Sense? - The Government's Latest Transport Plan
What does John Gibbons have to say about Eamon Ryan's newly approved traffic legislation? Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Will It Become Too Expensive To Own Cars In Urban Areas?
Shane O’Donoghue, Editor for CompleteCar.ie, and Paul Walsh, Chief Executive of Peopl Insurance joined The Last Word to discuss the possibility of economically unviable car ownership in urban centres, following on from yesterday's cabinet's approval on new traffic reduction measures.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Wireless Accessories For Laptop Or PC
Are you on the hunt for the best selection of wireless add-ons and accessories for your laptop or PC?Andy O’Donoghue joined The Last Word for Tech Thursday with his top recommendations!Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Culture Club: Guy Garvey
Guy Garvey, lead singer of Elbow joined us this week for The Culture Club!Press the 'Play' button on this page to hear his choices!

Tom Vaughan Lawlor On His New Movie About The Homeless World Cup
Actor Tom Vaughan Lawlor joined The Last Word to discuss his latest film, The Beautiful Game, releasing on Netflix on the 29th of March.Today FM’s Big Busk for Focus Ireland is taking place on Friday 12th April.Over 13,500 people are without a home in Ireland – that’s the equivalent of the entire population of Mallow in County Cork.Imagine not climbing into your own bed every night, not being able to cook your own dinner and trying every day to hide the fear in your eyes from your children. That’s the daily reality for thousands of families.You can donate right now – it’s very simple – go to todayfm.com/busk

Government Signs Off On Pension Enrolment Scheme
Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor for The Irish Independent joined The Last Word to discuss details on the new Pension Auto Enrolment Scheme, approved today by cabinet. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Cabinet Approves Green Strategy To Reduce Car Use
Local authorities will have the power to introduce traffic congestion charges in the future as part of a new strategy aimed at reducing private car use.Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has received Cabinet approval for the strategy, which focuses on reducing car use in urban centres to address congestion, pollution and to help reach the country’s transport climate targets.He joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Rescue Underway After Baltimore Bridge Bridge Collapse
Cal Thomas, Nationally Syndicated US Columnist, and Marion McKeone, US Correspondent for The Business Post joined The Last Word to discuss this morning's tragic events in Baltimore.Listen by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Diageo Announces Price Increase On Pints
Why have Diageo decided to increase prices on their draft beers?Ian Guider, Business Columnist for The Business Post joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Big Busk Stories: James Flanagan First Experienced Homelessness At The Age Of Two
On The Last Word, Matt spoke to James Flanagan about his experience of homelessness.TodayFM's Big Busk for Focus Ireland is taking place on Friday 12th April.Over 13,500 people are without a home in Ireland - that's the entire population of Mallow in County Cork. Imagine not climbing into your own bed every night, not being able to cook your own dinner and trying every day to hide the fear in your eyes from your children. That's the daily reality for thousands of families.You can donate now - it's very simple - go to todayfm.com/busk

FG Backbenchers Concerns Over Sale Of Alcohol Bill
Where does Fine Geal stand in relation to enacting Ireland's Sale of Alcohol Bill, which will allow pubs and nightclubs to stay open for longer?Sunil Sharpe from Give Us The Night, and John Clendennen, VFI President and Owner of Giltraps in Kinnity, Co. Offaly joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

UK Government Believes China, Russia, And Iran Have Been Behind The Recent Disinformation About The Princess Of Wales
Nick Ferrari, Presenter of Nick Ferrari At Breakfast on LBC Radio, joined The Last Word to discuss the recent disinformation spread about the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

As Simon Harris Takes The Reigns, What's Next For Fine Gael?
Danny McConnell, Editor for The Business Post, and Senator Barry Ward of Fine Gael joined The Last Word to give their opinions and predictions on Fine Gael's next steps as Simon Harris takes the reigns as Taoiseach.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Kos And Zakynthos
How does a direct flight to a beautiful Greek island sound?Sarah Slattery from travelexpert.ie joined The Last Word with all of the information you need!Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Ireland To Adopt Migration Rules That Would See The Speedy Return Of Undocumented Migrants
Cathal Malone, Immigration Lawyer, and Billy Kelleher, Fianna Fáil MEP for Ireland South joined The Last Word to discuss the possibility of the Irish Government signing up to the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact. But what will this mean for Ireland?Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Leo Resigns
Everyone seems to be talking after Leo's shock departure yesterday.Aisling Moloney, Political editor with the Irish Daily Mail and Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats join Matt to discuss.For the full chat click the 'Play' button below.

John O'Shea Takes Charge Of His First Game As Rep. Of Ireland Manager Against Belgium Tomorrow
Is John O'Shea's first game as interim manager of the Republic of Ireland soccer team an audition of sorts for a position as full-time manager?Gavin Cooney, Sportswriter for the42 joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Week Trending
Finn McRedmond, Columnist for The Irish Times and Eoghan Tomás McDermott, MD of The Communications Clinic joined The Last Word to discuss the week's biggest trending stories.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

What Kind Of Taoiseach Will Simon Harris Be?
Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at The School of Law and Government in DCU, Sarah Carey, Columnist for The Irish Independent, and Craig Hughes, Political Editor for The Irish Daily Mail joined The Last Word for a two part special to discuss the most important political question of the week, what kind of Taoiseach will Simon Harris be?Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

In Case You Missed It: Culture Club With Simon Harris
All eyes are on Simon Harris this weekend.In January The Last Word caught up with the Minister for Justice and Minister for Higher Education so he could talk us through his Culture Club.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

How To Spot The Signs Of Burnout
Do you feel like every day stresses are becoming too much? Leisha McGrath, Chartered Work & Organisational Psychologist joined The Last Word to discuss burnout and how to recognise the signs.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Simon Harris On The Verge Of Replacing Leo Varadkar As Fine Gael Leader And Taoiseach
Daniel McConnell, Editor of The Business Post, and Neale Richmond, Fine Gael TD and Minister of State for Business and Employment & Retail joined The Last Word to discuss the latest news on Leo Varadkar's potential replacement following his sudden exit. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

How To Make Your Smartphone Or Tablet Your Office
How can you maximise your smartphone or tablet to make it your own portable office?Andy O’Donoghue joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Do You Feel Underpaid?
Do you feel underpaid? Would perks like extra holidays or health insurance make your job more bearable?Dr. Tom McDonnell, Co-Director at the Nevin Economic Research Institute, Ben Finnegan, TodayFM News Anchor, and Peter Cosgrove, Managing Director at Futurewise joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Business News: A Good Taoiseach For Business?
Leo announced his shock resignation today, but just how good of a Taoiseach was he for business? Ian Guider, Business columnist, Business Post joins Matt to discuss. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

Business News: Ted Baker Calls In Administrators
Hundreds of jobs at risk as Ted Baker calls in administrators.Ian Guider, Business Columnist, Business Post joins Matt to discuss. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

US With Cal And Marion: Trump Can't Make $464m Bond
Trump has once again hit headlines, he now can't make $464m bond. Cal Thomas, a Nationally syndicated US columnist and Marion Mckeone, US correspondent, Business Post join Matt to discuss. Full the full chat click the 'Play' button below.

Killer Of Garda Det Jerry McCabe Found Dead
Convicted Garda killer Pearse McAuley has been found dead at his home in Strabane.Ronan McGreevy, Irish Times journalist and co-author with Tommy Conlan of The Kidnapping joins Matt to discuss. For the full chat click the play button below.

Poor Connectivity Affects Readings From Thousands Of Smart Meters
Poor connectivity affects readings from thousands of smart metersDaragh Cassidy, head of communications in Bonkers.ie and Carmel O'Connor ESB Networks smart metering project manager join Matt to discuss. For the full chat click the 'Play' button on this page.

Taoiseach Visits Biden in The White House
Leo Varadkar is in Washington D.C. where today he was hosted by US President Joe Biden.Marion McKeone, US Correspondent with The Business Post joined The Last Word.

Ryanair and Eir Among Most Complained About Irish Companies
Ryanair and Eir are just some of the top complained about companies in Ireland.Gráinne Griffin, director of communications with the CCPC joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Week Trending: Louis Walsh vs. Jedward, Irish Bands Pull out of SXSW and Kate Gate
In a whirlwind of a week where Louis Walsh and Jedward go head to head, some Irish artists have pulled out of a music festival in the US and 'Kate Gate' continues to rumble on in the background.Sarah McGuinness, Assistant News Editor of the Business Post and Today FM's Ben Finnegan discuss the Week Trending.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Extra Cut for Tracker Mortgage Holders Due in Autumn
Finally some good news for tracker mortgage holders.Michael Dowling, Managing Director of Dowling Financial joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Varadkar Backs Proposals for Deportation of Asylum Seekers to 'Safe' Countries
The European People's Party is proposing to deport asylum seekers to countries on the 'safe' list.Cathal Malone, an immigration lawyer, and Daniel McConnell, Editor of the Business Post joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

EU Taking Action Over Alleged Failure to Protect Bogs
The EU is taking a case against Ireland and its treatment of its own bogs.The Last Word on the Environment with John Gibbons.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Tech Thursday: Recycling Old Laptops and Phones
On Tech Thursday, Andy O'Donoghue discussed recycling old devices and the benefits.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

European Parliament Votes to Tighten Laws on AI
The European Parliament has voted to bring in tighter controls on Artificial Intelligence.Adrian Weckler, Tech editor of the Irish Independent and Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Asylum Seekers Suffering from Respiratory Illness in Makeshift Dublin Camp
There are concerns Asylum Seekers sleeping in tents in a makeshift camp in Dublin.Kitty Holland - Social Affairs Correspondent with The Irish Times and Nick Henderson - CEO of the Irish Refugee Council.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

More Fuel Price Hikes on The Way
Further hikes to petrol and diesel are on the way this April.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

How Climate is Affecting People in Malawi
Our own Ben Finnegan from the Today FM newsroom visited Malawi to see first hand the devastation climate change is causing.He joined Matt to talk about what he saw on the ground with Trocaire.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Irish Artists Pull Out of Texas Music Festival over Military Links
Irish musicians such as Kneecap and Gavin James have pulled out of a US music festival in protest over the war in Gaza.The Last Word on Music with Dave Hanratty and John Caddell.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Former RTÉ Journalist Charlie Bird Dies Aged 74
The former RTÉ news journalist Charlie Bird has passed away. He had been diagnosed with MND and had raised money for various charities in recent years.The Last Word remembered him with his friend Paul Allen of Paul Allen & Associates PR.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Leo Varadkar Delivers Speech on Gaza in Boston
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is in the US and Trump says there'll be no money for Ukraine if he gets into power.The Last Word on the US with Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

2024 Housing Targets Unlikely to Be Met
The 2024 housing targets are unlikely to be met.The Last Word on Business with Ian Guider from The Business Post.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Jimmy Kimmel Fails To Shine in Oscars Monologue
In the Last Word on TV and Streaming we look back at the Oscars over the weekend.Joe O'Shea and Elaine Burke joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Why Did the Government Fail to Get Recent Referendums Passed?
Why did the government fail in its 'Yes/Yes' campaign?Daniel McConnell, Editor, of Business Post, Aisling Moloney, Political Correspondent, Irish Daily Mail and Gerard Howlin, Public Affairs Consultant and former Gov Advisor joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Kate Middleton Apologises For 'Confusion' Over Edited Photo
The Princess of Wales has apologised over an edited photo published on Mother's Day.Finn McRedmond, Columnist for the Irish Times joined The Last Word from London.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.