The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Are drivers the most entitled of Irish road users?John Gibbons joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Andy O’Donoghue joined The Last Word to continue our discussion about the use of technology to tackle Ireland's road safety issues.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Michael Wolff, Author of The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty, joined The Last Word to discuss Rupert Murdoch's exit from Fox News, and his influence on Tucker Carlson's career over the years.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Figures for the 2020-2021 academic year show that 12% of first-year students at third level didn't go on to the second year of their chosen course. Why is this?Dr. Derek O’Byrne, Vice-President of Academic Affairs at South East Technological University joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

A huge number of Irish households are struggling to pay energy bills, with €600 owed in arrears on average.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with The Irish Independent joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

'Tension' is the name of the new Kylie Minogue album and it's just one of the picks on the weekly music slot.Dee Reddy and John Caddell joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Dr. Tony Holohan has a new book called "We Need To Talk". It explores his life at a time where his family were going through something unimaginable.He joined The Last Word to talk about it.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Irish company CRH (Cement Roadstone Holdings) recently abandoned the Irish Stock Exhange to list on the New York one.Sarah McGuinness from The Business Post joined The Last Word to update on their progress.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Joe Biden's ratings have taken another fall. It comes as a Republican party debate for the presidential nomination is to take place over the next few days.Marion McKeone, US Correspondent with The Business Post and Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated columnist joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Elon Musk's story is full of complexities, mental health issues and difficult relationships.The author of "Elon Musk" joined The Last Word to talk about this biography.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

It's safe to say many households struggled last winter to manage their costs going towards energy, this winter could be the same. What should we do to minimize the burden?Dr Paul Deane, Senior Lecturer in Clean Energy at UCC and Clare O’Connor, Energy Policy Officer with Friends of the Earth joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

A lot of parents like to book holidays for the October mid-term break. Is it too late?Sarah Slattery, from Travelexpert.ie joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

It's a while now since the madness of the Celtic Tiger but yet, some houses are asking for massive prices.To discuss, Barry McDonald, Real Estate Agents Alliance spokesperson and Paul Mitchell, Director and co-founder of Mitchell McDermott joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Week Trending is back - on the agenda is Dáil Protests, missing RTÉ documents and more.Claire Ronan from Ocean FM and Lorcan Nyhan, Head of Training with the Communications Clinic joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The scandal at CHI Temple Street rumbles on. It's claimed some colleagues in the hospital knew about the use of non-surgical grade implants.Health Editor with The Irish Times, Paul Cullen joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Europe is facing a public health crisis, with almost everyone across the continent breathing toxic air. John Gibbons joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

What is appropriate in the workplace when it comes to relationships? Julie Galbraith, Partner in Employment Law at Eversheds Sutherland, and Sinead Brady, Career Psychologist joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Could road safety technology be the answer to decreasing fatalities on our roads?Andy O’Donoghue, Tech Journalist, and Barry Lunn, CEO of Provizio joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Government has a plan to ban disposable vapes due to potential health risks and environmental concerns. John Mallon, Spokesperson for Forest Ireland, and Tad Kirakowski, Chief Executive at VOICE Ireland joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

A confidential internal report from 2019 has found the new Garda roster, which is to be reintroduced by Commissioner Harris, as "not fit for purpose". Brendan O’Connor, President of the Garda Representative Association joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

In a speech made at the National Ploughing Championships, President Michael D. Higgins outlined a number of 'big changes' to be made in the Irish diet as a result of the global climate crisis.Pat O’Toole, Political Correspondent with The Irish Farmers’ Journal, and Dr. Kian Mintz Woo, Lecturer at the Environmental Research Institute at UCC joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Journalist and frequent contributor to The Last Word, Lara Marlowe joined us this week for The Culture Club!She spoke to Matt about her favourite music, podcasts, TV and more!Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Following recent talk of progression towards a cashless society, Minister for Finance Michael McGrath has insisted that cash remain an option for payments to state run agencies.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with The Irish Independent joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

State owned company ESB has been extraordinarily profitable in the first half of the year, with an operating profit of €676 million.Ian Guider, Business Editor with The Business Post joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

US Senators no longer have to follow the traditional 'business attire' dress code while on the Senate floor.Cal Thomas, Nationally Syndicated Columnist, and Marion McKeone, US correspondent with The Business Post joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Medicine shortages are becoming more and more common in the world of healthcare. Which medicines are the most affected today, and how serious is this issue?Dr. Brian Higgins joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page,

Following Russell Brand's recent allegations, Irish Times Columnist Fintan O’Toole joined The Last Word to discuss his piece on the matter, featured in yesterday's paper.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The BBC and Channel 4 have both launched investigations following a documentary which aired over the weekend detailing serious allegations against comedian Russell Brand.Nick Ferrari joined The Last Word from London along with Noeline Blackwell, Chief Executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The weekly travel slot continues, this time some recommendations on a scenic and relaxing cruise along the River Shannon.Sarah Slattery from TheTravelExpert.ie joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Patrick Kielty hosted his first Late Late Show on Friday, Channel 4 aired a joint investigation between them, The Times and The Sunday Times newspapers into allegations against Russell Brand and the first trailer for Fraiser has been released.Joe O'Shea and Elaine Burke joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

After Ireland's 59-16 win over Tonga, attention now turns to the next Pool B clash with South Africa on Saturday.Alan Quinlan, Paul Wallace and Fergus McFadden joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Week Trending continues this week with a look ahead to Patrick Kielty's first Late Late Show, the hole at Portmarnock Beach causing a stir and trouble in Trinity, along with much more.Roe McDermott, Irish Times advice columnist and Kieran Cunningham, Chief Sports Writer, Irish Daily Star joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Tadhg Hickey has released a new book "A Portrait as A Piss Artist of a Young Man".The fellow Cork man joined The Last Word to talk about it.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Minister for Agriculture has appeared before the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee today to discuss the new nitrate directive incoming from the European Union.He joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

In our continuing slot on the Rugby World Cup, we're joined by former Ireland internationals Billy Holland and Paul Wallace to discuss Ireland's upcoming clash with Tonga.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Could we soon see a car-free Dublin City Centre?Brian Caulfield, Professor of Transport at the School of Engineering in Trinity College Dublin, and Colm Ryder, Infrastructure Coordinator for Dublin Cycling Campaign joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather and Environmental Commentator John Gibbons joined The Last Word to discuss the responsibility we have as a nation to both mitigate and adapt when it comes to the issue of global warming.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Andy O’Donoghue joined The Last Word to discuss the incredible developments in medical tech in recent years.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The Government has published its speed limit review. What will the implications of this review be, and how drastic a change can we expect?Jack Chambers, Minister for State at the Department of Transport joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Irish businessman Bernard Looney has resigned from his role as Chief Executive of BP following allegations relating to past relationships with colleagues.Ian Guider joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Do people in Ireland know how to react in the event of a flood, and are we prepared for flooding to become a more common issue?Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather, Councillor Deirdre Forde of Fine Gael, and Liz Dunphy, Reporter with The Irish Examiner joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

What is the likelihood of Ireland becoming a totally cashless society in the near future?Celine Clarke, Head of Advocacy & Public Affairs with Age Action, James Kelly, Head of Financial Services with KPMG, and Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with The Irish Independent joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The RSA has launched a renewed campaign to achieve 0 road deaths by 2050? Is it realistic? Sam Waide, Chief Executive of Road Safety Authority and Donna Price, Chair of the Irish Road Victims Association joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

1 in 5 women in Ireland die from heart disease. What signs should you lookout for and are there any precautions you can takeDr. Brian Higgins, GP from Galway Primary Care joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Our Rugby World-Cup continues following Ireland's explosive opening game of the tournament!Matt Williams, and Cian Tracey joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has confirmed cuts to the Universal Social Charge are being considered as part of Budget 2024.Danny McConnell, Editor for The Business Post, and Suzanne Rogers, Research and Policy Analyst for Social Justice Ireland joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Half a million people will become eligible for free GP care before the end of the year, with 215,000 to avail of it from today.Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Considering a trip to Paris this Autumn? Sarah Slattery joined The Last Word with her top tips for seeing the sights without the hassle!Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

Tomorrow sees Ireland take on Romania in the opening game of the Rugby World Cup in France.To discuss, Alan Quinlan, Duncan Casey and Matt Williams joined The Last Word.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

The week trending this week features topics like that Virgin Radio interview with Ryan Tubridy, the infamous Wofe Tones' record-breaking gig at Electric Picnic and Jordan Henderson's move to Saudi Arabia.Author Edel Coffey and Mick Clifford, Special Correspondent with the Irish Examiner joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.