Highlights From The Hard Shoulder

Freedom of Information figures released to Newstalk show the health service spent 363,000 euro on debt collectors in the first ten months of last year. They show that the HSE paid the agencies a total of €931,000 in the 22 months between January 2020 and October last year. Gino Kenny, People Before Profit TD for Dublin Mid-West and Party Health Spokesperson joined Kieran on the show. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.

Fine Gael Councillor Derek Byrne this morning called for the Irish Hotels Federation to appear before an Oireachtas Committee to explain the inflated prices of hotel rooms in Dublin.  Denyse Campbell, President of the Irish Hotels Federation joined Kieran to discuss hotel price inflation. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.

Ollie Gorman in Laois and Amelia joined Kieran on Bruce Springsteen ticket woes and issues they faced while trying to purchase tickets using the Bank of Ireland App. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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 National Rifle Association is pressing ahead with its annual convention today, with the likes of Donald Trump set to attend. The event will be held in Texas just four hours from the site of the school shooting. Sarah Elliott, spokeswoman for Republicans Overseas UK joined Kieran to discuss what happened this week. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.

Kate Brennan Harding DJ and Broadcaster joined Kieran to discuss if Ireland is gay-friendly and her experiences in society. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.

An elderly man was on a hospital bed for 5 days in University Hospital Galway In Ireland. The man is 74 years old.  What does that say about the Irish healthcare system? How did we get here? Elaine joined Kieran on the show to explain her father's story. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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 this evenings Hard Shoulder Kieran spoke to listener Brian, who was in touch with the show after being upset by the way his daughters teacher spoke to her about the Texas school shooting. Brian described his daughters concern as she relayed what the teacher had said to her parents and how he worried some of her innocence had been taken from her.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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 man turned up at hospital A&E with short-term memory loss that was brought on by daytime sex with wife. Consultant neurologist at James’ Hospital and Professor at Trinity joined Kieran to discuss if  short term memory loss really can be brought on by sex.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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 latest Labour Force Survey from the CSO has shown that the number of absences from work has fallen to its lowest level since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. It also shows that the number of people in employment increased by 12.3% to over two and a half million. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar joined Kieran to discuss Irish employment and issues with gun culture following this week's tragic school shooting in Texas.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.  

According to a new report from the ESRI, the percentage of households renting in Ireland rose from 18% to 29% over the past 20 years and just over half of those renting are in receipt of some form of State support. Seamus Coffey Economist at University College Cork and Former Chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council joined Kieran to discuss the report and the on going issues facing renters. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.

Thousands more homes around Ireland could have the cancer-causing Radon gas than was first thought. Especially in the West of Ireland. There’s been such a huge concern around this that the website that was launched this morning on which you could check if your house was affected has crashed. And was down for hours. Senior Scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency David Fenton joined Kieran to explain what that could mean.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is in front of the Dáil this afternoon, as a debate will take place over the passport controversy. Politicians across the country have been inundated with complaints from the public about delays in the system. Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway joined Kieran to discuss on going issues within the system.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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 US President Joe Biden has questioned why anyone would need a gun like the one used in Texas yesterday - other than to kill someone. 19 children and two teachers were killed in a massacre at a school last night. Minister for Justice Helen McEntee joined Kieran to discuss the situation.

As Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope celebrates it’s 45th Anniversary today, Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Anthony Daniels, the actor who played C3PO in all the Star Wars films...

Ron Barber was a former staff member in US Congress, and was shot twice in Tucson in 2011. He spoke to Kieran on Wednesday's edition of the Hard Shoulder to give his reaction to the school shooting in Texas.

19 children and two teachers were murdered by a gunman who opened fire at a primary school in Texas yesterday. Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Ali Bradley, Independent Journalist in Texas at the scene and Frank Smyth, Author of ‘The NRA: The Unauthorized History’...

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he has taken full responsibility for the revelations that have come out of the Sue Gray Report today. Kieran spoke to journalist Enda Brady and former Conservative MP Edwina Currie about the details of the report, and whether this affect Johnson in any way.

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band will be playing the RDS in May 2023. Tickets are on sale this Friday and and one superfan who cant wait to get a ticket is superfan Anton Martin. He joined Kieran to explain why he thinks Bruce has stood the test of time and why even after seeing him 50 times he cant wait to make it 51.     Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.

Daithi O’Shea Presenter of The Today Show and the Rose of Tralee joined Kieran in the Republic Of Work studio in Cork to chat about everything from the show to his love of Cork city.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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 passport office have said there’s no backlog in applications as long as you haven’t made any mistakes in your application. However  lots of listener have been contacting the show to share stories of applications being rejected over what they believe are false errors. Kieran was joined by two listeners who spoke about the difficulties they have faced while applying for a passport.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and 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'.