The Hard Shoulder

As Dublin City Council gives the green light for the development of a food hall in the vacant St Andrew's Church on Suffolk Street, what will this add to the city, and is it a pipe dream?Joining Kieran to discuss is Frank McDonald, Author and former Environmental Editor of The Irish Times, Hazel Chu, Green Party Green Party Councillor and Presenter of Lunchtime Live on Newstalk, Andrea Gilligan.

Last week, a High Court Judge ordered that a County Wexford wind farm must fully shut down three of its six turbines and pay a total €360,000 damages, including €60,000 aggravated damages, to a couple over its adverse impact on them.Mr Justice Quinn said the plaintiffs’ expert evidence was that the nuisance was “one of the worst cases of wind farm noise impact”.This begs the question, are updated regulations needed if Ireland is to have a wind powered future?Joining Kieran to discuss this is Oisin Coghlan, former Director of Friends of the Earth Ireland and Richard O’Donoghue, Independent TD for Limerick County.

Tourists could be fined thousands of euro for rowdy/drunken behaviour in Albufeira this summer.New rules are set to come into effect in a bid to clean up the streets from drunken holidaymakers.Newstalk reporter, Josh Crosbie has been looking into this to see what tourists can expect.

Dive into the intriguing world of coffee and its health impacts! Experts discuss how three to five cups may actually be beneficial, especially for cognitive function. They also weigh in on the effects of caffeine for vulnerable groups and the importance of moderation. Learn about the surprising benefits of decaffeinated options and how coffee can influence sleep quality. This conversation has everything coffee lovers need to know to enjoy their brew guilt-free!

For this week’s Kids Health Check, Kieran is joined by Enda Murphy, Clinical Psychotherapist and Director of SeeMee.ie, to discuss how you can navigate sleep routines with your kids, especially when it comes to children sleeping in their own beds!

Drinking in Ireland is changing, and fast. New figures show alcohol consumption is down over 4% in the last year, and it’s dropped by more than a third since 2001- which means for the first time, Ireland is in line with the European average.Has our relationship with drink changed over the years, and are young people leading that charge? Sean O Maoilchiaran, Journalist and Broadcaster joins Kieran to discuss.

The Madleen has been seized.The vessel, which includes activist Greta Thunberg among its crew of 12, was aiming to deliver aid to Gaza, and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.According to officials, it was boarded during the night by Israeli authorities, and is now heading to a port in Israel.So, what next?Francesca Albanese is UN Special Rapporteur to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and joins Kieran to discuss.

Cadaver dogs – do we need one owned by the state?The question is being raised after Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said it would be preferable for the police to have a cadaver dog – it's as he raised concerns over the length of time it took to uncover Tina Satchwell’s body, who was murdered by her husband Richard.Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said that the gardaí will consider it.So, should we train dogs for this purpose, and if so, how would that go?Ralph O’Connor is Training Officer with the Search and Rescue Dog Association for Ireland North, and joins Kieran to discuss.

The Government is planning big changes to Rent Pressure Zones. Under the new proposals, the 2% cap on rent increases will stay in place for existing tenants, but landlords will now be allowed to hike rents between tenancies and charge more for newly built homes.Critics are warning that it may open the door to runaway rents and put renters at greater risk.Joining Kieran to discuss further is Paul Murphy and Karl Deeter, Director of Irish Mortgage Brokers.

Donegal County Council is asking the Government to create a new Bank Holiday in honour of St Colmcille.Joining Kieran to discuss the history of the Saint and why this is being asked for is Jimmy Kavanagh, Donegal County Councillor and DR Elva Johnston, Associate Professor in the school of History UCD.Image: Pope History