The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Intel will announce plans to cut more than 20 per cent of its staff this week as part of a bid to streamline operations, according to Bloomberg news. The global tech giant employs over 5,000 people across Ireland.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss the future of Intel and to run through more of the latest business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Insurers are cutting benefits on health plans as they hike the price of premiums, meaning that customers are now getting less value for their money.Meanwhile, the government’s take from taxes on home energy and motor fuels has topped €4bn for the first time, with Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD accusing the government of “cashing in” on the cost-of-living crisis.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor at the Irish Independent spoke to Matt on Wednesday’s The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, will attend Pope Francis’s funeral at The Vatican on Saturday.Pope Francis had previously been critical of President Trump’s views on immigration, describing the program of mass deportations as a “major crisis”.Nationally syndicated columnist, Cal Thomas, and Larry Donnelly, Law Lecturer at University of Galway & Columnist with TheJournal.ie spoke to Matt about this on Tuesday.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Following the death of Pope Francis, Redemptorist priest Tony Flannery, theologian Gina Menzies and catholic commentator Breda O'Brien join The Last Word to discuss the legacy he has left behind.Catch the full discussion by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Andy O'Donoghue reviews the best and more affordable smartphones on the market from Google, Samsung and Oneplus.

Dublin's four local authorities are developing plans for a new tourist tax in the capital which they say could help fund the upkeep of the city.A working group is due to be set up later this year to consider the proposal.Sinn Féin councillor on Dublin City Council Séamus McGrattan and Paul Gallagher, chief executive of the Irish Hotels Federation, join The Last Word to discuss the potential for an additional charge for tourists staying in Dublin.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A new report from the Mental Health Commission has said that there is an urgent need to improve mental health services at emergency departments and that steps should be taken to make access to care easier.Professor Jim Lucey, Inspector of Mental Health Services at the Mental Health Commission, spoke to Matt on The Last Word about this.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Saxophonist, member of Moving Hearts, and author of Music and Mayhem, Keith Donald talks to Matt about the culture that made him, from his early music influences and his time playing with Van Morrison and Christy Moore.To catch the full chat, press the ‘play’ button on this page.

Pharmaceutical companies are calling for 'radical policy change' from the European Union in order to limit a potential 'exodus' of future investment in Ireland and other EU member states.Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss the warning issued by pharma executives to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and more of the latest business news.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Easter eggs appear to be the latest products to be impacted by inflation, with a 200g egg now costing approximately €7.50. That’s more than double the price of five years ago.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent spoke to Matt about this, and also about how the introduction of the auto-enrolment scheme is facing further delays.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.