Newstalk Breakfast

The average health insurance premium has risen by €56 since the end of summer. That’s according to a new market bulletin published this morning by the Health Insurance Authority 

The total increase in the average cost of plans is now 8% since the beginning of 2025. We get more details from Dermot Goode Health Insurance Expert with healthinsuranceireland.ie. 

Frontline uniformed gardaí could be using Taser stun guns almost immediately under a proposal being brought to Government by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan. 

The stun guns could be used in policing on the streets of Dublin, Waterford and Kilkenny over the Christmas period, if approved by Cabinet today. 

Bohs Football Club is launching their eighth annual Toy Drive for children living in the International Protection system and Homeless Accommodation – and this year they are hoping to raise 75,000 euros. 

We got all the details from Sean McCabe, Head of Climate Justice and Sustainability for Bohemian Football Club. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska have arrived in Ireland for their first official visit. Ciara discusses this further with   Former advisor to the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Yuriy Sak.

As we enter the darkest time of the year, Gardaí have launched a campaign encouraging cyclists and pedestrians to wear high-visibility clothing and stay safe.  However, President of Cycling Ireland and former Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon says this “narrative is deeply problematic”.  Ciarán explained why to Shane.

‘A prison system overwhelmed, overstretched, and unable to uphold the fundamental rights of many people in its care’ – that is the stark messaging coming from a report from the The Irish Penal Reform Trust today.  

We discuss further with Saoirse Brady, Executive Director, Irish Penal Reform Trust.

Dublin City Council has removed the proposal to change the name of Herzog Park in Rathgar from the Council agenda and did not take a vote on the planned change.   

Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr Ray McAdam said the proposal should be removed because the report on the issue was not legally sound and should not be voted on. He explained all to Newstalk Breakfast.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska have arrived in Ireland for their first official visit. 

We get a preview of their visit with our political correspondent Sean Defoe. 

We’re three weeks away from Christmas Day, but anyone with loved ones abroad needs plenty of time to make sure their presents and cards arrive before the big day.  For more advice on getting your post in on time, we’re joined by Anna McHugh, Head of Corporate Communications at An Post. 

Actor Joseph Gordon Levitt has posted a warning online for parents of children who may ask Santa for AI enabled gifts this year. Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly joined us now with the detail and advice.

With thanks to Renault.

More than 9,000 women who were referred to urgent breast cancer clinics across Ireland this year have not been seen within the recommended two-week time frame. With some waiting up to 69 days that's according to figures released to The Sunday Times.  

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Amy Nolan, Director of Clinical Affairs at the Irish Cancer Society.

Plans to remove the name of former Israeli President Chaim Herzog from a park in South Dublin are to be dropped by Dublin City Council.   

Council Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare has apologised for what he said was an administrative oversight leading to the expected withdrawal of two proposals to rename Dublin parks. For reaction we heard from Oliver Sears, Founder of Holocaust Awareness Ireland. 

Supermodel David Gandy has said "There's not enough narrative about good men" and that Andrew Tate pushes a "disruptive" and "immature" idea of masculinity. 

Speaking to Ciara this morning was Eoghan Cleary, Secondary school teacher & Educational researcher with the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute. 

Plans to remove the name of former Israeli President Chaim Herzog from a park in South Dublin are to be dropped by Dublin City Council. 

Council Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare has apologised for what he said was an administrative oversight leading to the expected withdrawal of two proposals to rename Dublin parks. 

We get reaction to this with Conor Reddy, People Before Profit Councillor for Ballymun–Finglas. 

The Faculty of Paediatrics at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland is calling for urgent action as e-scooter accidents have now become the leading cause of traumatic brain injury among children, according to a new report. 

We discuss further with Dr Irwin Gill, Consultant Paediatrician, Fellow of the Faculty of Paediatrics and co- author of the paper.  

The National Transport Authority will begin a phased rollout of contactless payments on Local Links from today, which they expect to be fully operational across all 15 Local Link offices by the end of 2026. 

Speaking to Shane this morning was Grace Boland, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal West.

Black Friday is more than a day of apparent discounts, according to new research at the University of Melbourne. It is a psychological event carefully designed to take advantage of how your brain makes decisions. We’re joined by Dr. Daniel Feuerriegel a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

Legislation should be introduced to place people under house arrest in cases where bail would otherwise be refused. That’s according to a new report on the country's bail laws. To discuss further we heard from Dara Robinson Solicitor and Senior Council.  

The Dail's been told there's been a 55 per cent increase in the cost of some staple supermarket items in the last three years.  The Social Democrats are bringing forward a bill that will give the food regulator powers to investigate what is going on.  

Are the shops ripping us off or is something else behind the increase? All to discuss with Social Democrats TD, Jennifer Whitmore and Adjunct Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin, John Fitzgerald.

Dublin City Council will not remove Tricolours erected by anti-immigration groups. Do you agree? Ciara and Shane discussed this. 

Dublin City Council has decided it will not remove the hundreds of Tricolours erected by anti-immigration groups around the capital and will instead launch initiatives to “promote a deeper understanding of the Irish flag”. 

For more on this we heard from Daithi Doolan Sinn Fein Councillor in Ballyfermot.

Newstalk's Sarah Madden has been investigating Ireland's sperm donor Facebook groups and the pitfalls some people can find themselves in during the pursuit of wanting a child. She sent us this report:

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission are today warning of a surge in online scams as Irish consumers enter the busiest shopping season 

For more on this, Ciara was joined on the show by Grainne Griffin, Director of Communications with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ended his silence on the US supported peace proposal to resolve the war in Ukraine, stating that Moscow is prepared for “serious” talks on the draft plan. 

For more on this, Shane was joined by Donnacha O’Beachain, Professor of Politics at DCU and author of the book Unfinished Empire: Russian Imperialism in Ukraine and the Near Abroad

Nick Clairmont, Life and Arts of the Washington Examiner Magazine has been writing in The Spectator about the prospect of another James Bond film. Nick explained to Jonathan this morning.

  Lack of information, recognition and pay equality are among the issues facing apprenticeships today, according to the Teachers Union of Ireland. They will discuss these problems at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Higher Education. For more on this Jonathan spoke to TUI General Secretary, Michael Gillespie, and began by asking him why we are struggling to fill apprenticeships? 

Lack of information, recognition and pay equality are among the issues facing apprenticeships today, according to the Teachers Union of Ireland, who will be discussing these problems at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Higher Education. Ciara and Jonathan asked this morning do we need to do more to boost apprenticeships? 

Bank of Ireland will pilot a new loan product allowing people to trade down to a smaller home. The product is similar to bridging finance and is likely to appeal to people whose children have left home and who want to downsize. 

We discuss further with Carol Tallan, CEO of the Property District and Author of Irish Property Buyers Handbook Series.

A conference organised by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties in Dublin today will hear that democracy is coming under increasing threat at home and abroad. 

 We heard from Michael McGrath, EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer and is a keynote speaker at the event.

The internet is rife with commentators and self-proclaimed nutrition “experts” promoting products with the promise of health benefits but how do you separate the fact from the fiction?  

All to discuss with Aileen McGloin, Director of Nutrition at Safefood.

A first-of-its-kind empathy education programme from the University of Galway is being rolled out to Transition Year students nationwide, aimed at boosting compassion and emotional skills in schools across the country. 

We discussed this with  Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. 

More than €22 billion will be spent building 30 new major roads, 15 railway lines and five new Bus Connects projects across the country over the next five years. 

But does the plan fall short in some areas? Ciara discusses this with both  Brian Caulfield, Professor in the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin and FG TD for Tipperary South and Transport Committee Chairman Michael Murphy.

A decade after the show first hit Netflix, the grand finale of Stranger Things is here, bringing a conclusion to one of Netflix’s most popular series of all time. All to chat about with Sarina Bellisimo, Broadcaster and Entertainment Journalist.

US President Donald Trump said he is sending his envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week as President Trump seeks to close out a deal to end the war in Ukraine. 

Speaking to Ciara with more on this was Duncan Bullivant, CEO of Henderson Risk Group, Former British Army Officer and Former UK Diplomat. 

The Government is budgeting like there’s no tomorrow and adding more money to an already-strong economy. That’s according to the latest assessment by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Seamus Coffey, Chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.

Ireland is now home to an unprecedented wave of learner drivers, with nearly four hundred thousand novices behind the wheel. 

All to discuss with Ger Hyland President of the Irish Road Haulage Association. 

Ireland is an unfortunate outlier in Europe when it comes to early childhood education and care and family leave.  

That’s the view of the National Women’s Council, who are today hosting a conference discuss how Ireland can develop an integrated model of public early education and care and adequate family leave. 

To discuss further we heard from Donal Swan, Women’s Economic Equality Co-ordinator, with the National Women’s Council. 

British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves will today publish the UK government’s Autumn Budget. Speaking to Shane about the budget was Lauren McEvatt, former Conservative government Special Adviser and Co-host of the Welsh Politics Podcast.

Construction of the MetroLink rail line is now facing an ‘inevitable delay’ according to Transport Infrastructure Ireland, after a number of residents in Ranelagh lodged a High Court challenge against the decision to grant permission for the multibillion-euro project. We discussed further with Tom Phillips, from Tom Phillips and Associates and Adjunct Associate Professor of Town Planning, UCD.

As the Christmas period intensifies, Mandate Trade Union is calling on shoppers to show respect for retail workers under pressure. We discuss further with Jim Fuery, Mandate Assistant General Secretary.