Newstalk Breakfast

People granted refugee status will have to wait for three years before bringing relatives including spouses and children to Ireland under a planned tightening of family reunification rules. We get reaction to these proposed changes with Nick Henderson, CEO of the Refugee Council.

Iran has warned it will retaliate if attacked by the US, as reports from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency suggest the number of people killed in anti-government protests across Iran has risen dramatically to more than 500 We discuss the situation there with  Dr Siavush Randjbar-Daemi, Senior Lecturer in Modern Middle Eastern History University of St Andrews in Scotland.

An “aggressive” drive to tighten e-scooter laws will soon begin in light of the growing number of serious injuries being reported, including three fatalities last year. We discussed further with Shane O’Donoghue, Editor of CompleteCar.ie. 

The people of Greenland are hoping for clarity when political leaders of the territory meet with the US and Denmark this week. The US President Donald Trump has ramped up his ambitions of taking over the world’s largest island. Our reporter Josh Crosbie is in Greenland meeting with locals and he sent us this report.

Developers will soon be allowed to build new data centres in Dublin.  According to the Business Post, plans to end the existing four-year ban are set to be approved by Cabinet this week.   Shane debates this with Gavin Lawlor, President of Irish Planning Institute and Rosi Leonard, Data Centre Campaigner with Friends of the Earth. 

Iran has warned it will retaliate if attacked by the US, as reports from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency suggest the number of people killed in anti-government protests across Iran has risen dramatically to more than 500.A meeting has been scheduled between the US and Iran, but the US has said it may act   in advance of that meeting if the need arrives. Speaking to Newstalk with more on this was Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for The Economist. 

Breastfeeding may lower mothers’ later-life risks of depression and anxiety for up to 10 years after pregnancy, according to new research from UCD. We discuss these findings with Fionnuala McAuliffe, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at National Maternity Hospital Dublin.

The Government has confirmed that Ireland will vote against the contentious Mercosur trade deal between the EU and South American countries. Members states are due to vote on signing the deal later today, and if approved it will still need to pass through the European Parliament. We discuss this and more with Dan O’Brien Chief Economist at the Institute of International and European affairs and Columnist with The Currency. 

Gardaí are investigating a suspected murder-suicide following the deaths of a father and his 12-year-old son in Dublin.   The bodies of Oisin O’Reilly and his father Wayne were discovered at separate properties yesterday morning.  Conor Lally, The Irish Times Crime and Security Editor brought us the details. Also we got local reaction with Hazel De Nortúin, People Before Profit Councillor for Ballyfermot/Drimnagh.

Ireland plans to reject Mercosur, but will the EU push it through? Shane and Ciara discussed this morning.