Highlights From Newstalk Breakfast

Are we heading towards a society in which debate is dying and contentious opinions are being suppressed? That’s what Special Correspondent with the Irish Examiner, Mick Clifford questioned in his column over the weekend and he spoke to Ciara on the show this morning. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

There are currently around 150,000 people on social welfare across the country and, with the hospitality sector on its knees due to staff shortages, is it time we start looking at the unemployment benefits in Ireland?  To discuss Ciara spoke to Adrian Cummins Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland and People Before Profit TD for Dublin southwest Paul Murphy. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

11 out 23 beds at the Linn Dara Unit for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Dublin have been required to close due to what the HSE has described as staff shortages. The General Secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses Association,  Peter Hughes has written to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly calling on him to intervene on the matter and Peter joined Shane on the show this morning. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

Comedian David McSavage has returned from his “Special Comedy Operation” tour in Ukraine where he wielded his comedy skills to cheer people up in the embattled nation. David spoke to Newstalk Breakfast about his tour in Ukraine. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Female teachers outnumber male teachers almost 3 to 1 in the Irish classroom. That’s according to figures obtained by Newstalk Breakfast from the Teaching Council of Ireland.  Why is there still such a lack of male educators and how can we attract more men into the profession?  Ray Silke Former Galway Footballer and Secondary school teacher at Coláiste Iognáid spoke to Newstalk Breakfast. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar yesterday said that the Government still has a majority in the Dáil and Seanad and that the Opposition can "rest assured" that there won’t be an election any time soon.  So what is the future of this Government now that two TDs have been sanctioned?  To discuss Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education,  Niall Collins and Thomas Gould Sinn Féin TD spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

A new report released this week claims government measures to control rents have backfired and, in many cases, have led to an increase in rents.  Is the housing market worse for rent controls? To discuss the report findings further Shane was joined on the show this morning by  Pat Davitt, CEO of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers, and Dr Rory Hearne, Lecturer in Social Policy at Maynooth University. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

Every year, Elber Twomey stages a special “Remorial” event to pay tribute to the family she lost to a driver suffering a mental health crisis. She uses the weekend to promote road safety, raise money for local charities and, above all, honour the memories of the husband, son and unborn daughter she was robbed of.  Elber spoke to Newstalk Breakfast with details on the "Remorial" event. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

On-street drinking is ruining Killarney’s image. That’s according to the Independent Councillor and former mayor of the town, Donal Grady who says he’s never gotten more complaints on an issue. Donal spoke to Ciara this morning on the show about the issue. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

“Just 1% of employees have the protection of a menstrual health policy in their workplace,” according to a survey published by Fórsa today.   The National Secretary for Fórsa trade union, Ashley Connolly, spoke to Shane on the show this morning with more on the findings of this report. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Elite Irish Adventurer James McManus is preparing for the final leg in his hopes of becoming the first ever person from Ireland to climb Mount Everest without using supplementary oxygen.   James spoke to Shane ahead of his final leg. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

Do you have a communion coming up and are hoping to hire a bouncy castle to entertain the kids? You might want to think again as a shortage is leaving many party planning parents deflated  Arina Lewkowski who runs the family business Magic Bouncy Castle spoke to Aideen on the show this morning. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Ireland could be allowed cap gas prices due to it’s isolated location. That’s the welcome news coming from the European Commission which is looking for ways to cut reliance on Russian fuel supplies and insulate consumers from soaring prices. Lisa Ryan, Professor in Energy Economics at UCD School of Economics and UCD Energy Institute joined Aideen on the show this morning. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

The Green Party has suspended two TDs – Neasa Hourigan and Patrick Costello  who voted in favour of a Sinn Féin motion which calls for the new National Maternity Hospital to be fully public and located on publicly owned land. Senator Pippa Hackett, Minister of State of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Keith Duffy says he won’t go out in Dublin for fear of getting ‘a dig’.  The “Boyslife” singer and bandmate Brian McFadden say they don’t do interviews or even gigs here because while they’re championed in the UK, the response they get at home is negative and begrudging. So, is Keith right? Is Ireland a nation of begrudgers? For his take on this Ian O’Doherty, Columnist at the Irish Independent spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Myopia, better known as shortsightedness, is on the increase globally.  Experts predict that half the world will be short-sighted by 2050. So, is screentime the cause of this? Joining Aideen to discuss was Lynda McGivney-Nolan, Optometric Advisor at the Association of Optometrists Ireland. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Irish tourists heading to Spain this week are being warned to prepare for “extreme” heat as “exceptionally high” temperatures take hold. What destinations are affected, and what should you do if you’ve booked a holiday during a heatwave? Eoghan Corry Editor of Air and Travel Magazine has some tips and advice. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Yes, the group is staging a post-box protest outside the Dáil today to demand the government to do more to shield the public against spiraling price increases. TD Bríd Smith is a member of People before Profit one of the parties involved in this movement spoke to Aideen on the show this morning. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said she intends to introduce legislation in the coming weeks to "make changes" to the Northern Ireland Protocol.  Tánaiste Leo Varadkar joined us on Newstalk Breakfast with his reaction to these plans by the UK Government. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

The Dail will hear statements today on Ireland’s progress towards a Just Transition. Just transition refers to the need to move away from fossil fuels in order to meet its energy and emissions targets while also protecting and creating jobs.  Kieran Mulvey, Just Transition Commissioner spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning with more on this. Listen and subscribe to Newstalk Breakfast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.    You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.