The Hard Shoulder

The Dáil returned this afternoon after a day of chaos yesterday. Where did all of this come from, and will it eventually lead to Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy’s resignation?Kieran is joined by Daniel McConnell, Editor at the Business Post, Terry Prone, Chairman at the Communications Clinic and Niall Collins, Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and  Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick to discuss.

From the roar of the crowd, smell of the pitch and getting decked out in your team’s colours – going to the football is an unmatched experience, but one aspect of the day out is going missing - and that’s the match programme.As match day programmes are beginning to disappear in UK and Irish clubs, does their absence take away from the experience?Joining Kieran to discuss is Aodhan O’Riordan, Labour MEP and Roddy Collins, former Footballer Manager.

Brace yourselves! We’re apparently in for a whole rake of price hikes coming our way over the next month. Health insurance, energy, mobile, television fees and more are all going up…Joining Kieran to discuss is Catriona Redmond, Consumer Columnist with the Irish Times...

There have been calls from Sinn Féin on the Government to release a review commissioned in 2019 on cardiac services, in hopes of improving services across the country.Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson David Cullinane believes that the report was sitting idle in the Department of Health for the last 9 months, and he joins Kieran to discuss this, and comment on the recent bit of Dáil chaos. Dr. Máire Finn, GP at Ennis Centric Health, also joins to discuss.

US President Donald Trump has pushed back at any allegation of security breaches or concerns after some of his top officials accidentally added a journalist to a group chat, on the messaging service Signal. On it, they discussed highly sensitive military information, including plans to make strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.Nial Stanage, White House Columnist with American publication, The Hill, joins Kieran to discuss.

The Irish College of Psychiatrists have made calls today to radically reform CAMHS (Child and Adult Mental Health Services) governance to help address vital issues in the services.Dr. Patricia Byrne, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, and Chair of the Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the College of Psychiatrists joins Kieran to discuss. Naomi Connolly and Jenny Flaherty, who are among the thousands of parents who have been engaging with the system for years also join to discuss.

Broadcaster and Presenter on Ireland AM, Elaine Crowley joins Kieran to place her favourite book on the Hard Shoulder Bookshelf!

World Athletics has said that it will introduce mandatory testing for anyone entering female competitions to verify their biological sex.In doing so, they have insisted that it is necessary to protect women's sport.Is this a good move?Former Olympian Sharron Davies joins Kieran to discuss.

The long-awaited resolution of the speaking rights debate has seemingly come to a head following a passing vote on speaking rights, with 94 votes to 74. So, what happens now?Kieran is joined by Louise O’Reilly, Sinn Fein TD for Dublin Fingal West and Timmy Dooley, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine and Fianna Fáil TD for Clare to discuss.

Is going out with friends for a pint a thing of the past? Replaced by an interactive experience where you become someone else and get served by a robot barman? Henry McKean checked out the world of 'competitive socialising' and sent in this report…