The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Ireland's shock 2-0 win against Portugal has kept their dreams of qualifying for next year's World Cup alive.Gavin Cooney, sportswriter with The42.ie, & former Ireland striker Tony Cascarino join The Last Word to discuss Thursday's incredible performance at the Aviva and to look ahead the team's final group game away to Hungary on Sunday.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

On Thursday, the government unveiled its new housing plan, promising a minimum of 300,000 new homes to be built by 2030.However, Sinn Féin has criticised the plan, with the party’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin saying that it was written for “big developers to benefit their private interests” and that “families have once again been ignored”.Mr. Ó Broin and Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, John Cummins, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation

The Climate Change Advisory Council has said that carbon emissions in Ireland’s transport sector remain “stubbornly high” and that more will need to be done if the country is to achieve its 2030 climate targets.John Gibbons spoke to Matt on Thursday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.

Want to put your feet up while your house is cleaned?Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to run through some of the best smart vacuums on the market.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Chef and author Clodagh McKenna is the latest inductee into the Culture Club. She talks to Matt about her book, Clodagh's Happy Cooking.She also runs through her favourite music, movies, TV and books that other cultural treasures that have she returns to time and again.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

A major conference this week heard that Ireland has seen a significant rise in behavioural addictions including excessive gambling, screen use and online shopping.Professor Colin O’Gara, head of addiction services at St John Of God Hospital and clinical professor of psychiatry at UCD, joins The Last Word to discuss the rise in people presenting with addictions linked to their phone or devices.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Revenue has estimated that over 300,000 people are due an income tax refund which could be claimed back just before Christmas.People who filed a tax return last year got an average of €900 back into their pockets.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, joined Matt on Wednesday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.

The US Senate has approved a Bill that would end the longest government shutdown in US history which has disrupted food benefits and left hundreds of thousands of workers unpaid. Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone joined The Last Word to discuss all of the latest news from the United States. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Single adults need to earn significantly more than couples if they want to enjoy a comparable lifestyle, according to new research.Kelly Warburton, a single first-time buyer, and Michael Dowling, Managing Director of Michael Dowling Mortgage and Financial Services, joined The Last Word to discuss the financial challenges faced by single people.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Catherine Connolly has been formally declared the 10th president of Ireland following her inauguration at Dublin Castle on Tuesday.In her speech, she said she would “embrace the role with dignity, determination and courage”. She also vowed to be a “unifying presence” and a “catalyst for change”.What will Connolly’s presidency look like?Lise Hand & Flor McCarthy, co-hosts of the Think You Know The Presidents podcast, spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.