Highlights From The Pat Kenny Show

From its blend of comedy, sci-fi and teenage angst, we take a look at why Back to the Future is a perfect movie on this week’s segment from Inside Hollywood with Lisa Cannon, TV Host and Head of Studio at DMG Media.  

VHI will increase the cost of seven plans. This occurs just weeks after other price surges. However, other health insurers, like Laya and Irish Life Health, are launching new cheaper plans. Dermot Goode, of Total Health Cover, joined Pat Kenny to discuss.

Over the past ten years the DPP chose not to prosecute nearly 67 percent of people accused of sexual offences, in files submitted by the gardai. Our reporter Jessica Woodlock has been looking into the data, which was released to Newstalk under a freedom of information request. 

Why do we struggle with compliments? It’s such a common scene, isn't it? Someone says, 'You look great today!' or 'That presentation was brilliant!' And instead of just letting that good feeling in, we often find ourselves deflecting: 'Oh, this old thing?' or 'It was nothing really, I just got lucky.' We even squirm a bit!" Why does it make people uncomfortable- people like to say it's all about self-esteem but actually while people with self-esteem issues can find compliments uncomfortable not everyone who is uncomfortable with compliments has self-esteem issues. It can be a number of things. Stephanie Regan, Clinical Psychotherapist joined Pat Kenny to discuss.

Diarmuid Gavin, Garden Designer, tells us all about Désert de Retz.All with thanks to Tirlán.

Darragh O’Brien Minister for Transport, Climate, Energy and the Environment joined Pat Kenny to discuss the future of Irish transport and the government’s climate plans as billions have been committed to both departments under the national development plan. From the supposed commencement of the Metrolink, the slow development of offshore wind resource, to will Irish buses ever see contactless card payments?

This week on the Green Scene we hear how cleaner air might be increasing global warming and new research that shows that we (and dolphins) might be breathing in micro plastics. Dr Ruth Freeman Director of Research for Society For Research Ireland joined Pat Kenny on the show.

Ger Herbert, Motoring Editor and Columnist talks all things motoring.

As the dust settles on the trade agreement struck by the European Union and the United States on Sunday…did the EU really eke out a win from the Trump administration? Or was it left with no choice but to bow to his tariff demands? John Clarke, former Director for International Affairs at the European Commission joined Pat Kenny on the show.  

Overnight a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck of Russia’s pacific coast triggering tsunami warnings across the pacific. We get updates from Hawaii, Japan and the US with a full explainer from Professor Chris Bean, Professor of Geophysics at Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Pixie Clay, Managing Editor, Hawaii Public Radio, Martin Fackler, acting Tokyo Bureau Chief, New York Times and Steve Futterman, US West Coast Correspondent.

The UK has introduced age verification requirements online, but users are finding workarounds. VPNs top download charts as UK age verification law kicks in. Virtual private network (VPN) apps have become the most downloaded on Apple's App Store in the UK after sites such as PornHub, Reddit and X began requiring age verification of users. Jess Kelly, Newstalk Technology Correspondent, joined Pat Kenny on the show.

Have you ever opened your luggage and found a knot of tangled necklaces? Or rather have you been out for an entire day on holidays, perhaps at the beach, and there are no plugs to be found when your phone is about to die? Megan Virgo, Travel Writer with The Irish Daily Mail and Image joined Pat Kenny on the show.   

A new garda commissioner is set to be appointed today. The new appointment follows garda commissioner Drew Harris’ seven-year role. The new garda commissioner will face challenges surrounding Garda retirement as a decade-long increase in resignation is expected. Conor Lally, Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times joined Pat Kenny on the show.

President Donald trump hosted Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at his Scottish golf club for a press conference yesterday. The conference had some remarkable moments as trump made comments on Starmer's ‘friend’ Sir Saqid Khan, London mayor, and trump noticed from the ‘television’ that Palestinian children are ‘terribly hungry.’ Enda Brady, International TV News Anchor at TRT World joined Pat Kenny to discuss the visit.  

Today’s political context is making dating more difficult for young people, studies show. This is partly because there is strong political divide between young men and women. Some young men and women view gender equality differently which also makes dating challenging. Dr Jenny Van Hooff, Reader in the Department of Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University joined Pat Kenny on the show.

Investing used to be a case of pension funds, equities, and perhaps some stocks and shares. Lately, though, the whole area has become a lot less boring and far more luxurious. But is it wise to put all your savings in a Rolex watch or bag from jimmy choo, or when it comes to luxury investments, should the price tag say buyer beware? Newstalk's Sarah Madden reports…

Salim Oweis, UNICEF Communications Specialist for the Middle East and North Africa joined us to discuss the work the body are constantly undergoing in the Gaza strip as Palestinians face widespread malnutrition. As of today, 14 more Palestinians have died from hunger.  However, Salim says that UNICEF is running out of supplies of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food. Food could be depleted by August if the current trend continues.   

 Take cuts to farm payments of over €20,000 – proposals are also being made to fully withdraw farm subsidies from about 40,000 Irish farmers. Farmers over 65 in receipt of State pensions will lose their farm supports if the Commission’s plan to reform the CAP is successful. Alan Matthews, Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy, Trinity College Dublin, joined us to discuss.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is calling for the Irish Government to ensure that victims of historical sexual abuse in schools are properly and promptly provided with redress. The commission say they fully agree with Minister Helen McEntee that those responsible must pay, but point out that it must include the State. Liam Herrick, Chief Commissioner with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

  The much talked about planning exemption for cabins or modular homes in back gardens will head to Cabinet today ahead of a public consultation on the proposal. Conor Skehan, Sunday Independent Columnist and Seán Defoe, Political Correspondent  brings us the full details of that and other items going to Cabinet today, including confusion over the EU-US tariff agreement.