The Hard Shoulder

Many of you will be picking up some last minute presents for your other half this evening."Well, expect to pay more than you did last year for your boxes of chocolates and flowers.""New research from the CSO shows the price of a box of cholates has increased by 44 percent since 2020."Josh Crosbie has been looking into the cost of love, and he sent us this report.

Vaping has been across the headlines for the past 24 hours... With the UK Government planning to ban vaping in cars carrying children, as well as in playgrounds and outside schools As well as Trinity College Dublin announcing its campus will be a vape free area from the 18th of March. Is it time we introduce harsher restrictions on vaping?Maybe a ban on vaping in public places?Shane was joined by John Crowne, Consultant oncologist at St Vincent's University Hospital Group and Janet Horner Councilor for Dublin North Inner City, Cathaoirleach for The Green Party

Motorists are being urged not to drive through flooding in Dublin as the council monitors high river levels following an estimated 46mm of rainfall overnight.  For more on Shane was joined by Mark Bowe, Meteorologist with Met Eireann and Graham McQueen, DAA spokesperson.    

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and Dee Reddy, Entertainment Journalist and Podcaster joined Shane David O’Callaghan,  From the Here and Back Again podcast.

Ireland's Senior Mens international Football team, as members of League B of the  Nations League, have been drawn to face Israel, Austria and Kosovo.  Some have called for the FAI not to fulfil the fixture, if Ireland were drawn against Israel given the conflict in Gaza in recent years. The FAI confirmed tonight it will honor the fixture . Sports Writer Kieran Cunningham joined Shane and the Hard Shoulder to explain the impact of the draw

Ryanair, today called on Micheál Martin to urgently pass legislation to scrap the Dublin Airport cap of 32m passengers before St Patrick's Day Today, the Advocate General of the European Court ruled that even an outdated traffic cap, such as the one at Dublin Airport, may still be enforceable. Shane was joined by Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary to discuss the ruling

Actor Jason O’Mara joins Shane for this week’s Thursday Interview!

The Health Minister, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, said she hopes that the National Children’s Hospital could accept patients from December this year if the hospital construction was completed by April. The Minister was asked at the Oireachtas Health Committee yesterday if construction would actually be finished by the latest deadline of April 30th. To which she replied, 'That's up to BAM'. Committee chair Padraig Rice said the Minister must begin legal proceedings against the company to ensure no more deadlines are missed.Joining Shane to discuss further is Public Procurement Expert from DCU, Paul Davis

New figures show almost 200,000 public patients received care through the National Treatment Purchase Fund last year.So what affect does the NTPF have on waiting lists? How does it operate? And do those working in the healthcare system feel the benefits?Our reporter, Josh Crosbie  has been seeing what people do if they are on a waiting list and  examining the alternative options available for public patients

Gardaí are set to take industrial action over the St Patrick’s Day weekend, with frontline Gardaí refusing voluntary overtime.   A Special Delegates Conference for the Garda Representative Association in Kilkenny yesterday decided on this measure in response to a government dispute over pay and allowances.To discuss, Shane was joined by Niall Hodgins, Vice President of the GRA and Representative for Dublin North Central and Mannix Flynn, Independent Dublin City Councillor.