The Last Word with Matt Cooper
On Ireland's most cutting edge current affairs show, Matt and his guests provide a running stream of intelligent opinions and heated debates on the issues that matter most to Irish listeners. You might not always agree, but you'll never want to miss a Word.
The Week Trending: Count Binface, World Cup Bank Holiday & Heatwaves
This week on The Week Trending, Matt is joined by Journalist Kate Henshaw and Broadcaster Padraig Wilson McCarthy to discuss the week's stories.
They discuss Nigel Farage v Count Binface, a potential English World Cup Bank Holiday, the heatwave and much more.
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Man Almost Sucked Out Of Ryan Air Window
A man was almost sucked out the widow of a Ryan Air flight after the window detached mid-air.
Eoghan Corry, Editor of Travel Extra, joins Matt to discuss the terrifying moment for passengers on their German bound flight.
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Unions Across Europe Call For Worker Protections During High Temperatures
Trade unions across Europe are pushing for new measures to help employees working in extreme heat.
Among the precautions are workplace thermal limits, mandatory site heat risk assessments and rights to heat breaks. It’s estimated that there are 230 workplace deaths a year which are linked to high temperatures.
Environmental commentator John Gibbons speaks to Matt on The Last Word.
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RTE Requires €65m Bailout In 2028, Broadcaster Says
RTE has said it will need an additional €65m from the government in 2028, suggesting that the number of households without a television has “increased steadily”, meaning it’s missing out on potential revenue.
Louise Burne, Political Correspondent with the Irish Examiner, and Fianna Fáil TD Albert Dolan speak to Matt on The Last Word.
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The Last Word On Movies: What To Expect In Irish Cinemas This Weekend
Olivia Fahy joins The Last Word to chat all about the new releases hitting Irish cinemas this weekend.
From The Rocks wig in Moana to watching Evil Dead Burn through her fingers, Olivia tells Matt what to look out for this weekend.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Tech Thursday: Gadgets To Keep You Cool In A Heatwave
As the country sizzles under the second heatwave of the season, Andy O'Donoghue is back to run through the best gadgets to keep you cool.
From phone fans to air conditioners, smart water bottles, gel pillows and more, Andy has thought of everything.
To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
Culture Club: Spider Stacy
Spider Stacy from The Pogues is the latest inductee into The Last Word Culture Club.
He joins Matt to discuss the influence of Irish music in his life, as he plans to tour with The Pogues and special guests from that very canon of new Irish acts.
He also discusses the cultural touchstones in his own life from music to movies, books, TV and plays.
To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
How To AI Proof Your Career
Almost half of Irish workers believe artificial intelligence will replace or negatively impact their current role according to a new survey from FRS recruitment.
Colin Donnery, group CEO of FRS Co-Op, and Peter Cosgrove, managing director pf Careers Portal, join The Last Word to discuss how workers can AI proof their career.
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Uisce Éireann Urges Households To Conserve Water During Heatwave
With temperatures expected to reach 30 degrees in parts of the country this week, Uisce Eireann is urging households to be more mindful of their water usage.
Margaret Attridge of Uisce Éireann, and Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather, join Matt to discuss their top tips to conserve water during a heatwave.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
CCPC Raises Concerns About ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Schemes
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has said its concerned that ‘buy now, pay later’ schemes could negatively impact financially vulnerable people and see them fall further into debt after being targeted by retailers with so-called “free credit”.
Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, speaks to Matt on The Last Word.
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The Last Word On The US: Trump Renews Demand For Greenland
US President Donald Trump has renewed his claim that Greenland “should be controlled by the United States” while at a Nato summit in Turkey.
Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the US.
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Sinn Féin Tables Bill To Kick Start Preparations For United Ireland
Sinn Féin has tabled a Bill which, if accepted, would compel the Government to examine the implications of Irish unity.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald joins The Last Word to discuss why her party believes now is the time to start preparing for a referendum on a united Ireland.
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Nigel Farage Resigns As MP & Vows To Contest Upcoming By-Election
On Tuesday, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announced that he would be resigning as MP for Clacton, triggering an upcoming by-election.
Mr. Farage also confirmed that he will contest the by-election, and accused the media of attempting to intimidate his family.
Nick Ferrari, presenter of Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC Radio, explains all to Matt on The Last Word.
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George Gibney Convicted Of Historic Sex Abuse
A jury has convicted former swimming coach George Gibney of attempted rape of a girl and the abuse of three girls on various dates in the 1970s and 1980s.
Today FM Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney gives a background to the harrowing story of George Gibney's abuse. He details the allegations that Gibney faced and the verdict from the jury.
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Donald Trump Confirms He Asked FIFA To Review Balogun Red Card
On Monday, US President Donald Trump confirmed that he asked FIFA to review US player Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension after he was sent off against Bosnia-Herzegovina at the World Cup.
Balogun was due to miss his country’s last-16 tie against Belgium before FIFA suspended the ban for 12 months, thus clearing the path for him to start for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Dion Fanning, co-host of the Free State podcast, and Off The Ball’s Will O’Callaghan discuss whether the federation’s reputation can ever recover after the move.
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Why Is A Children’s Cartoon Being Accused Of Russian Propaganda?
A group of British MPs have urged ministers to whether they can stop children’s TV show ‘Masha and the Bear’ being broadcast in the UK, after it was accused of expressing pro-Kremlin propaganda.
Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke join The Last Word for Monday’s TV & streaming slot.
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Nigel Farage Insists “No Wrongdoing” Over Failing To Declare Benefits
An investigation by The Sunday Times found that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage failed to declare benefits provided by George Cottrell, an ally who was once convicted of fraud in the US.
Nick Ferrari, presenter of Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC Radio in London, explains the latest to Matt on The Last Word.
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What Is The New Whatsapp Username Feature?
Whatsapp is set to roll out a new feature which will let users chat without revealing their phone numbers.
The move has faced some scrutiny, though, and India has requested that the rollout is paused due to concerns about fraud and phishing scams.
Tech journalist Andy O’Donoghue explains all to Matt.
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Should Air Conditioning Be Installed In Homes Across Europe?
With temperatures soaring across Europe in recent weeks, the debate about the necessity of air conditioning in homes has sparked in France once again.
Is this an inevitable conclusion as the continent experiences high temperatures, and what would the environmental impact of the move be?
Commentator John Gibbons joins Matt for The Last Word on the Environment.
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Trump Hopes Visit To Ireland Later This Year - Do We Want Him?
US President Donald Trump told guests at the US ambassador’s residence in Dublin on Wednesday that he hopes to visit Ireland for the Irish Open later this year.
Larry Donnelly, law lecturer at University of Galway, and Dan O’Brien, chief economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs, join The Last Word to discuss the likelihood of such a visit and the challenges it would present.
Catch the full chat by pressing the ‘Play’ button on this page!
Culture Club: Mike Hanrahan
Musician Mike Hanrahan, of Stockton's Wing, is the latest guest on the Culture Club.
He joins The Last Word to chat about his favourite music, movies, TV and more.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
€3 Customs Charge On Items Coming From Outside EU Comes Into Effect
A major change to EU customs rules, which kicked in on July 1, means that consumers must now pay a lot more for small items that are coming from outside the European Union.
Rory McGinn, business reporter with the Irish Independent, joins The Last Word to explain how this new custom charge works.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Personal Finance: What Is The Government’s Savings Scheme?
The government is working on a saving scheme in a bid to encourage Irish savers, who have an estimated €170bn in deposits, to invest.
Some economists have raised concerns that this will only benefit the wealthy and that there is little benefit for the so-called “squeezed middle”.
Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, joins Matt to run through what’s known about the scheme so far.
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Riad Bouchaker Guilty Of Attempted Murder Of Three Children
52-year-old Riad Bouchaker has been found guilty of the attempted murder of three children at Parnell Square in Dublin in November 2023.
Mr. Bouchaker was also found guilty of stabbing Leanne Flynn, a childcare worker who was trying to protect the children, and of assaulting two other children and a teenager who intervened in the incident.
Frank Greaney, Today FM’s Courts Correspondent, speaks to Matt about the verdict, which was reached after almost five hours of deliberations.
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The Last Word On Music: What Can We Expect From Madonna’s New Album?
Madonna will release her new album ‘Confessions II’ on Friday, a follow-up to her 2005 record ‘Confessions on a Dancefloor’.
Dee Reddy and John Caddell join Matt on The Last Word to predict whether it will live up to the hype and match her previous success.
Plus, they look forward to Take That at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday and Lewis Capaldi being added to the Electric Picnic lineup.
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The Last Word On The US: Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Bid To Limit Birthright Citizenship
The US Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States.
The decision is a significant blow to Trump’s immigration agenda.
Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the US.
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Govt Signs Off On Proposed Overhaul Of One-Off Rural Housing Rules
Cabinet has signed off on a draft plan which seeks to introduce more flexible rules on one-off rural housing.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne joins The Last Word to discuss the new proposals.
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Will DUP Survive Donaldson Convictions & Revelations
Deirdre Heenan, professor of Social Policy at Ulster University, talks to Matt about the continuing fallout from the conviction of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson for child sex abuse and rape.
Politicians are calling for an investigation by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, into what PSNI officers might have known about Donaldson's conduct.
There were also further revelations about Jeffrey Donaldson in a BBC Spotlight programme, including allegations that issues regarding Donaldson had previous been brought to the attention of people in the DUP.
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The Last Word On Travel: Summer Travel Checklist
From visa rules to baggage allowances, Sarah Slattery from the thetravelexpert.ie joins The Last Word to run through all of the checks you should consider before heading off on your summer holidays.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Gaelic Football: All Ireland Quarter Finals Preview
Matt is joined by Former Galway footballer Ray Silke and Former Cork footballer Conor McCarthy to preview the weekend's Gaelic football action.
They preview the All Ireland Quarter Finals this weekend
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The Week Trending: Metallica Concert Fraud, World Cup & Heat Domes
This week on The Week Trending Matt is joined by writer and broadcaster Aoife Barry and Managing Director of The Communications Clinic Eoghan Tomás McDermott to discuss the week's stories.
They discuss three American tourists arrested for counterfeit Metallica wristbands, players taking leaves of absence from the World Cup and much more
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The Last Word on The Environment: Why is Carspreading so Dangerous?
This week on The Last Word on The Environment Matt is joined by Climate and Environmental Researcher and Irish Times Contributor Sadhbh O’Neill.
The discuss why carspreading is so dangerous, election posters impact on the environment and much more
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Tech Thursday: When Is The Best Time To Buy New Tech?
Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to run through the best times throughout the year to buy a new phone, laptop, TV or other gadgets.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Is There Any Solution To The M50’s Traffic Problems?
Since the M50 was first designed, population of the greater Dublin area has risen by 20%, with commuters now facing long delays on their journeys into the city.
With so many people dependent on private cars, is there any way of easing traffic congestion?
Brian Caulfield, Professor in Transportation at Trinity College Dublin and Aidan Farrelly, Social Democrats Spokesperson on Transport speak to The Last Word about the issue.
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Culture Club: Annie Ryan
Theatre director Annie Ryan joins Matt for the Culture Club. Annie's latest production is a revival of Lennox Robinson's canonical play The White Headed Boy, which is at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
Annie talks to Matt about the humour and enduring themes of the play. She also discusses the music, movies, TV shows and books that have influenced her life and work.
To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
Has Ireland Left Itself Vulnerable To Security Breaches?
As Ireland gets closer to hosting the EU presidency, concerns remain about the country's ability to provide adequate national security for such a high profile event.
Dr Edward Burke, assistant professor of the history of war at UCD, joins The Last Word to discuss the security gaps that are leaving Ireland open to bad actors.
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The Last Word on Music: Clive Davies Dies Aged 94
This week on The Last Word on Music Dee Reddy and John Cadell join Matt to discuss the biggest music stories of the week including Clive Davies death.
They also give us their picks of the week
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The Last Word on the US: Iran, Tucker Carlson & Reflecting Pool
This week on The Last Word on the US Marione McKeone and Cal Thomas discuss the ongoing peace negotiations between the White House and Iran.
They also discuss Trump's reflecting pool, Tucker Carlson leaving the party and much more
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The Last Word's Summer Wine Recommendations
Sommelier Brigid O'Hora joins The Last Word to give her top wine recommendations for summer.
Brigid's choices include a Spanish Cava rosé, a classic Muscadet and even a summer appropriate red from an Irish winemaker in northern Spain.
Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Full list of the wines recommended by Brigid:
Mistinguett Cava Rosé, Penedès, Spain RRP €24
Muscadet Le Grand Fief, Loire Valley, France RRP €16
Aussuli Grillo, Sicily, Italy €17–19
Manon Côtes de Provence Rosé, Provence, France €19
Diga, Tom...
What Is Planned For The GPO Redevelopment?
The Government today agreed the first steps to redevelop the iconic General Post Office (GPO) building on Dublin's O'Connell Street.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers joins The Last Word to discuss how the government plans to utilise the landmark building and how those plans fit into the wider development of the capital.
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