Newstalk Breakfast

Parents should take care to keep their kids safe with their Christmas gift choices.  That’s the warning from  CyberSafeKids, as it releases its new ‘Gadget Gift Guide’. Speaking to Shane this morning was their CEO, Alex Cooney.

Five young people have died and three others have been injured in a road crash in Dundalk in Co Louth.  The three men and two women who died were all under the age of 25 and have been named as Chloe McGee,Alan McCluskey, Dylan Commins,  Shay Duffy and Chloe Hipson. To pay tribute to the victims was Padraig McGovern, Principal of O'Fiaich College, Dundalk and Michael Gallagher Sinn Féin Councillor in Drumconrath. 

Bedtime stories are slipping away. Recent UK literacy surveys have shown a clear drop in how often young children are read to at home. All to discuss with Leslie Shoemaker, Counselling Psychologist and Lecturer in TU Dublin. 

In the past 20 years, the rate of children and teenagers living with high blood pressure globally has nearly doubled because of a toxic combination of unhealthy diets, mass inactivity and soaring levels of obesity.  That’s according to a new meta analysis of data from 96 studies published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal. Joining Shane now to discuss this further is the Clinical lead on Obesity for the HSE, Dr Donal O’Shea. 

Inflation is now at its highest level in a year and a half.   That’s according to the latest consumer price index from the Central Statistics Office. Will it be an expensive Christmas?  All to discuss with Sinead Ryan, Presenter of The Home Show on Newstalk and consumer columnist with the Irish Independent. 

Met Eireann has issued a status orange weather warning for counties Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford today, with heavy rain expected to create the possibility of “significant flooding”.  Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Keith Leonard Director of fire and emergency management at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

How we need to tackle misinformation. Ciara and Shane discussed this morning.

Labour TD for Limerick Conor Sheehan told the Dáil that he would not feel comfortable as a gay man walking on the street while holding the hand of a partner in any part of the country. Conor discuss this further with Shane this morning.

Almost half of people say they’ve been influenced by misinformation they’ve seen online showing just how powerful false content can be in shaping opinions.  Ciara discusses this further with Author and Disinformation expert, David Robert Grimes. 

People receiving unregulated Botox treatment are placing themselves at a “serious risk of harm”. That’s the warning from the Irish Medical Council, who say that people could suffer issues including “infection, paralysis or life-threatening complications” from the injections.  All to discuss with Professor Caitriona Ryan Consultant Dermatologist at the Institute of Dermatologists.