Newstalk Breakfast

Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir is released today, offering new insight into her experiences as a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking network and the years-long fight for justice that followed. We get reaction to the memoir with Royal Commentator Richard Fitzwilliams.

Duration:00:05:21

Riff: Girls face major gap to accessing STEM subjects

All-girl schools face major gap to accessing STEM subjects, according to new research. Shane and Ciara discuss this further.

Duration:00:03:29

Price of electricity to come down from December

The price of electricity is set to go down slightly from December, thanks to a reduction in the Public Service Obligation levy. But what will that mean for people’s bills every month? We discuss further with Lisa Ryan, Professor in Energy Economics at the UCD School of Economics and the UCD Energy Institute.

Duration:00:06:00

Has the Dublin City Taskforce made any progress?

This time last year, the Dublin City Taskforce Report was launched in the GPO. But one year on has progress been made? All to discuss with Independent Chair of Dublin City Taskforce and CEO of An Post, David McRedmond.

Duration:00:08:11

“The most frightening thing about Halloween is the waste"

“The most frightening thing about Halloween is the waste. From plastic decorations to synthetic costumes and individually wrapped sweets, the whole thing can be an environmental shocker.” So writes Joanne Hunt in The Irish Times. To discuss further Shane was joined on the show by John Gibbons, Environmental Journalist and author of “The Lie Of The Land.

Duration:00:05:25

Girls in single-sex schools are facing a major gap to accessing STEM subjects

Girls in single-sex schools are facing a major gap to accessing STEM subjects. That’s according to a new report from I Wish, and with us to discuss more is their co-founder, and partner in RDG, Gillian Keating.

Duration:00:06:37

How judicial reviews are paralysing infrastructure delivery

The use of judicial reviews is “out of control” and “paralysing” infrastructure delivery. So says Sean O Driscoll, businessman and member of the government’s infrastructure taskforce. Sean explained why to Newstalk Breakfast.

Duration:00:08:24

Man arrested over alleged sexual assault of girl at Citywest

Gardaí investigating an alleged sexual assault on a girl in Saggart, County Dublin have arrested a man in his 30s.The suspect arrived in Ireland six years ago and failed in his application for international protection in 2024. We get the details from Conor Lally, Irish Times Crime and Security Editor.

Duration:00:03:10

Has running become too performative?

‘It’s surprising to think that there was once a time when the runner would keep the minutiae of their jogs and weekly mileage to themselves, but now our social media feeds feature glowing, red faces of a post-run friend, eagerly sharing their complex split stats.’ So wrote Chas Newkey-Burden in The Spectator. Ciara asked Chas has running become too performative?

Duration:00:07:44

Gardaí can issue fixed charge notices for licence plate offences

Gardaí will from this week be able to issue fixed charge notices for licence plate offences. The move follows the passage of the 2023 Road Safety Act, which included penalties for drivers who do not comply with the law on appropriate front and back licence registration plates, including colour, shape, design and font. To discuss further we spoke to Shane O’Donoghue, Editor of completecar.ie.

Duration:00:03:16

Justice Minister to introduce Jennie’s Law

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said he wants to bring in Jennie’s Law, to allow those convicted of domestic violence against a partner or former partner, to be publicly named on a register. The minister will present draft legislation to the Cabinet tomorrow, named in honour of Jennifer Poole, who was murdered by her ex-partner Gavin Murphy in 2021. Speaking to Ciara this morning was Jennifers bother Jason Poole.

Duration:00:05:34

Israel says it will return to ceasefire

The Israeli military has said that a ceasefire in Gaza would hold after it was seriously tested by an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and a wave of airstrikes that killed 36 Palestinians. We get the latest on this situation with Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East Correspondent for the Economist.

Duration:00:05:13

“I’m sorry, but your local property tax needs to go up"

“I’m sorry, but your local property tax needs to go up.” That’s according to Assistant Professor of Economics at Trinity College Barra Roantree, who says gutting the Local property tax might make homeowners happy, but it means the Government is relying more and more on economically harmful taxes.

Duration:00:07:06

The One in Four charity report findings

The One in Four charity, which supports survivors of child sex abuse, saw more men than women come forward last year, for the first time in its more than 20-year history. Speaking to Shane this morning was CEO of One in Four Deirdre Kenny.

Duration:00:04:40

Jewels of ‘historic value’ stolen from the Louvre

Jewels of ‘inestimable heritage and historic value’ were stolen from the Louvre yesterday. The thieves broke in through the gallery window and stole away with the loot, escaping on motorbikes. We get the latest on this with Paris-based journalist John Lichfield.

Duration:00:04:40

It’s five days to polling day!

It’s five days to polling day So what can we expect from the last week of the presidential campaign? All to discuss with Seán Defoe Newstalk’s Political Correspondent.

Duration:00:05:21

Do you hold hands in public?

“I hate hand-holding, I find it uncomfortable, I feel self-conscious and I get sweaty” So writes Newstalk’s own Simon Tierney in the Irish Independent and Simon explained why to Ciara this morning.

Duration:00:05:51

Research finds majority of children use devices in their bedrooms

New research by Ireland's online safety charity, CyberSafeKids, reveals that 83% of primary school children have access to internet-connected devices in their bedrooms, with 63% allowed to have them overnight. We discuss further with Alex Cooney, CEO of Cybersafe Kids Colman Noctor, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist.

Duration:00:06:35

Riff: What is your experience of public transport?

'With phase 7 of BusConnects just around the corner . We ask what is your experience of public transport? Ciara and Shane discuss this together this morning.

Duration:00:03:52

Trump says he will meet Putin in Hungary for Ukraine talks