Newstalk Breakfast

European Union leaders have rallied around Ukraine and agreed to boost the bloc's defences.  So after a watershed moment in European security last night, Irish military spending may start to increase.  Here to tell us where and when to start is Declan Power, former Irish Army soldier, Defence Analyst and Writer.   

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has said she has met with the Irish Pharmacy Union in an attempt to resolve the delay in rolling out a national plan to make Hormone Replacement Therapy free to all women. We discuss this issue with Sheena Mitchell, Owner of Milltown Total Health Pharmacy and Host of the WonderCare Podcast.

Suspects for over 40,000 crimes carried out in 2024 are currently out on bail, according to figures obtained by Sinn Féin yesterday.  So does the system need reform? We discuss with Regina Doherty, Fine Gael MEP.  

US President Donald Trump has threatened further destruction of Gaza if all remaining hostages are not released and issued an ultimatum to Hamas leaders to flee. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform Trump said: "I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don't do as I say" We discuss this further with  Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

“The generation I grew up in had much thicker skin. You could be much more direct.”  So said former Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag when discussing the difficulty he had managing Gen Z players.  But does he have a point? Joining us to discuss was Saoirse Hanley, Columnist with the Sunday Independent. 

Cyclone Alfred has intensified to Category 2 as it barrels towards Australia’s southeastern coast, prompting evacuation orders and a state of emergency.  Shane got an update on the situation in Australia with Tim Arvier, Journalist & Queensland Political Editor with 9newsQueensland. 

Today a meeting will take place between Dublin Bus and unions in a bid to resolve the ongoing industrial action by maintenance workers.   Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast this morning was SIPTU Transport Sector Organiser, John Murphy. 

US secretary of state Marco Rubio told Tánaiste Simon Harris it was a priority of the Trump administration to address the “trade imbalance” between Ireland and the US when the two men spoke by phone this week.    So how concerned should we be about finding ourselves in American crosshairs? We discuss all with Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure.

“Our military neutrality effectively ended last week. It happened in the course of an hour, when Volodymyr Zelenskyy was forced to stand up for himself and his country against two schoolyard bullies and was then thrown out of the White House.” So wrote  Fergus Finlay, Columnist with The Irish Examiner who joined us on Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

Are you giving something up for Lent? Maybe you are taking on a new challenge and wondering how to stick with it for 40 days.  We chat to Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin.