Highlights From The Pat Kenny Show

Tensions in the middle east have reached an all time high after us military strikes destroyed three Iranian nuclear sites. We discuss the events of the weekend with Alastair Campbell, Host of The Rest Is Politics and Former Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy for Tony Blair and Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor with The Economist.

We take alook back on the stories of the week on our Friday Forum. Joining Pat today was Mary Fitzpatrick Senator in Dublin Central. Seanad Spokesperson on Dublin, Dublin City Taskforce, Local Government and Heritage, Peadar Tóibín, Aontú TD for Meath West and John Lee, Executive Editor Irish Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. 

Israel and Iran enters its second week of conflict as the Israeli military issue another warning of incoming missiles from Iran this morning. With the latest on the situation we heard from Paul Kearns, journalist based in Tel Aviv and Gershon Baskin former Israeli hostage negotiator.

The Lions face Argentina in the Aviva stadium tonight before travelling down under to take on the Western Force. A round of fixtures in the League of Ireland also kicks off tonight with bohemians facing Waterford FC.  And it’s a football championship weekend which means lots of fixtures to look forward to. Dublin play cork in the preliminary quarter finals while the Tailteann cup semi-finals take place in Croke park.  Off The Ball’s Colm Boohig looks ahead to the weekend of sport.

New research shows that Ireland is now the second most expensive country in the European Union. We discuss this research with Emma Howard, Economist and Lecturer at TU Dublin and Emily Keegan, Newstalk Reporter.

This weekend will be 6 months since Ireland’s first medically supervised injection centre opened in Dublin’s south inner city. Operated by Merchant’s Quay Ireland, it’s been used more than 4-thousand times. Our reporter Emma Tyrrell visited the Riverbank Centre to find out more about the 18 month pilot.

From 27 weeks to 18.4 weeks, the driving test wait list has finally been reduced. The RSA action plan set out a series of actions to bring the average wait time down. This included expanding testing hours, training new testers and even building new driving test centers in Drogheda and Sandyford, which are due to be open soon. All to discuss with Brendan Walsh, chief operations officer of the RSA.

As the GAA season hits full swing here at home. we turn our attention to France where one of Europe’s oldest GAA clubs in is celebrating a major milestone. Paris Gaels GAA marks it’s 30 year anniversary. Oisin Coyne from Off the Ball tells us more.

Donald Trump has approved attack plans for Iran, but for now is holding back on a final decision to go ahead with any attack according to sources who spoke to CBS news who also earlier reported that trump was weighing a strike on Iran’s subterranean uranium enrichment facility in Fordo. Analysis on this and more from Scott Lucas Professor and Political Analyst, Clinton Institute, UCD

Sky Ireland are warning people that they will face consequences if they’re caught using dodgy boxes. we discussed this further with Larry Bass, CEO of production company ShinAwil.

Hot flushes; insomnia and loss of libido for women and for the men flagging libido, shrinking muscles and growing body fat. Luke O’ Neill on the latest science around menopause and “manopause”

You might know him from being the Horslips drummer and lyricist or from his journalistic career with the Herald in 1989. Eamon Carr, writer, musician and art historian released his new book ‘Pure Gold: memorable conversations with remarkable people’. 

Israel's ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich join Pat this morning on the show as it is becoming more likely that the US will enter the conflict between Iran and Israel.   As the conflict escalates, the death toll in Gaza only mounts, as civilians continue to starve and be attacked, while their hospitals cannot cope.   

Jo Linehan Editor of CLIMATE, Sunday Times Ireland and Sustainability columnist Irish Country Magazine  tells us about the Circular Economy how to keep materials, components, and products in use in the economy for as long as possible.

Issues in a Tipperary graveyard, where large headstones are being erected under nightfall, were the subject of a public meeting last night Josh Crosbie attended the meeting and is here now to tell us all. 

Minster for Health Helen McEntee today launched Education Plan 2025 which included provision for more therapists in special schools. We discuss this and more including AI and phones in schools as well as a follow up to yesterday’s interview on schools catering for students with mild general learning disabilities.Minister McEntee joined Pat in studio this morning.

This week’s Garden Stories turns to the quietly revolutionary figure of Humphry Repton (1752–1818), the last great name of the English landscape tradition and the man who bridged the classical sweep of Capability Brown with the rising tide of the Romantic and Picturesque. Though he came late to his career—only styling himself a “landscape gardener” in his mid-thirties he left a lasting legacy through over 400 commissions and, most notably, through his extraordinary invention: the Red Books,

Following on from a series of successful debut shows, the rock theatre production ‘moonlight: the Philip Lynott Enigma’ will return to Vicar Street and joining the cast is renowned Irish singer songwriter Brian Kennedy.  Brian known for his hit singles such as ‘you raise me up’ and ‘crazy love’ will be portraying literary icon Oscar Wilde joined Pat on the show this morning.

Special schools who cater for students with mild general learning disabilities are being put under pressure by the government to change their classification.  This means children with mild general learning disabilities would be pushed back into the mainstream schools that have already failed them.Debbie O’Neill is the Principal of Scoil Eoin in Crumlin who caters for students with mild general learning disabilities. Debbie has been a teacher in the school for the past 24 years and Principal for the past 3 years. She fears that students in the special schools are at risk now following the circular letter that was issued to her school recently.  Debbie spoke to Pat this morning.

Record-breaking €250m EuroMillions jackpot has been won in Ireland.But what should you actually do when you get that big cheque? Should you splurge it on a holiday? Give it to friends or family? All to chat with Paul Merriman, CEO of Fairstone Ireland and Founder of AskPaul.