Highlights from The Hard Shoulder

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has met with Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law. The meeting came a day after Kushner held rare talks with Hamas officials in Egypt as part of efforts to move forward the US President's Gaza peace plan.Journalist Borzou Daragahi joins Ciara to give the latest updates.Image: Reuters

In April, the Government reached an agreement after the fuel protests that it would slash excise duty on petrol and diesel, with the cuts to be reversed in four phases between September and October this year.The first of the cuts is set to take place on September 1st, but now there are growing fears that the cut could spark a ‘repeat of the protests'.For more on this, Shane is joined by Energy Economist and Senior Research Officer with the Economic and Social Research Institute, Muireann Lynch…

The company Ornua, that is behind Kerrygold Butter, has reportedly ‘gone to war' over US butter sales.The row comes after the company Tirlán secured a deal to sell the same Kerry Gold butter for $6 less at Costco. This deal is set to financially hit Irish dairy farmers.Joining Ciara to explain is Denis Drennan, President of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association…

For this week's Kids Clinic, Shane is joined by Bronagh Starrs, author of ‘I Can't Go In' to discuss how parents can navigate the challenge of school anxiety, and help their children in this situation.

Cambridge University's Chancellor has criticised the "racist feeding frenzy" around Jason Arday, who became the university's youngest black Professor when appointed in 2023, had faced weeks of media coverage over plagiarism allegations and questions about his achievements. He denied the claims.Arday was found dead at an address in Battersea, south London, on Friday. He had resigned as a Cambridge Professor of Sociology of Education on August 5th.Joining Shane to discuss this is Enda Brady, TRT World News Presenter.

Anyone who drives in the wrong direction on a motorway or road is playing “Russian roulette” with people's lives, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has said.The association's Vice-President, John Joe O'Connell, also said Gardaí need better training to deal with such incidents…Joining Ciara to discuss this is Christy Galligan, former Garda Sergeant and Police Commissioner in Donegal.

When we think about healthy eating, we often think about our heart, our weight or our energy levels. But there's another part of our body that depends heavily on what we put on our plate: our bones!So, what should we be eating to keep them strong, and are some of us putting our bone health at risk without even realising it?Joining Shane to discuss this is Aoife Quinn, Registered Dietician.

"Phoenix Park has an identity problem. The best city parks come in two modes: they either amplify the city that is there, or they turn it off completely… It is a curious third type that I label a ‘pass-through' park, so-called given its main customer: the commuting car." So says Sinéad O'Sullivan in The Irish Times today.The Business Economist joins Ciara to discuss…

Post-mortem examinations will be carried out on the bodies of five teenage boys killed in a head-on collision, when their car was driven the wrong way down the M9 motorway yesterday.Several of the boys who died in the crash have strong links to Carlow town and to Athy in Kildare, while one was from Limerick.In a statement this afternoon, Tusla said its staff are working to provide supports to the local families and communities affected, and that it "will provide any information necessary" to support the Gardaí as they investigate.Joining Ciara to discuss is Fergal Browne, Fine Gael Councillor who is the Principal of St Joseph's National School in Carlow town and Liz Dunphy, Senior Reporter with The Irish Examiner.

This week, Ciara and Shane were joined by Off the Ball's Cameron Hill and presenter of Weekend Breakfast on Today FM, Alison Curtis, to look back on the week that was, but with a few twists...

Joining Shane to discuss the isolating experience of working for the Abu Dhabi royal family is Annette Forde…

It was the most talked about celebrity family feud of the year, but now Alison Boshoff, Daily Mail editor-at-large, writes in her newly published book 'Brand Beckham', her exhaustive account of the couple's business dealings…She joins Shane to discuss.

Off The Ball's John Duggan joined Shane on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the weekend action…

Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty to the two federal charges over the killing of United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, which occurred in December of 2024.Joining Shane to discuss this is Harriet Alexander, Senior Features Writer with the Daily Mail, based in New York.

The average wait time for a children's outpatient spinal appointment has decreased to 4 months since this time last year and the number of spinal surgeries carried out between January and July surpassed the number added to the wait list in the same timeframe.In a statement, CHI said it will "continue to make every effort to achieve the target of 540 procedures by the end of 2026" adding that its overall aim is to "reduce waiting time for patients”.Amanda Coughlan, is co-lead Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy group and joins Shane to discuss.

A piece today in the Irish Times by Killian Woods on Dublin's empty office spaces pointed to multinationals subletting vast amounts of unwanted space, while property firms forecast a shortage going forward, but why is this?Joining Shane to discuss is Killian Woods, Business Correspondent in the Irish Times and Robin Mandal, Architect, former President of the Royal Institute of Ireland and Chair of the Dublin Democratic Planning Alliance.

We have reached that point in the summer holidays where you may be left scrambling for a bit of inspiration on how to entertain the kids or even ways for you to spend the coming weekends…Well, on The Hard Shoulder in the coming weeks, Newstalk's own Meghan O'Halloran will talk us through some of the best activities that you can do with the family, friends or even for a solo day out across the country that won't break the bank.This week, Meghan joins Shane to discuss the cinema, and the best value-for-your-money options that are available.

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign will organise a protest at the World Ultimate Club Championships for Frisbee in Limerick this Sunday, August 16, and some of the participating teams have decided to boycott due to an Israeli team's involvement.Joining Shane to discuss is Rebecca O'Keeffe, Chairperson of Irish Sport for Palestine and Stephen Jones, a frisbee player for the Ranelagh team, who are boycotting the fixture.

Have you ever wondered where the best area is in your garden to plant those beautifully smelling flowers you have? Although a flower's colour, height, flowering time, and pollinator-friendliness are important, their fragrance changes the way a garden feels.Those are the words of garden designer Peter Dowdall, or you might know him as ‘the Irish garden designer', and he joins Shane to discuss more!

The National Strategy for Women and Girls was announced by Minister for Children, Norma Foley, and aims to "level the playing field for women and girls of all ages to eliminate all forms of discrimination against them".Since its launch, it has faced much criticism for being more about warning against the tradwife movement, with some women feeling criticised for choosing to stay at home with the kids rather than in the workforce.What is the focus, and is the Government right to warn girls against the tradwife narrative?Brenda Power, Columnist with the Daily Mail and Sunday Independent joins Shane to discuss.

Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and Dee Reddy, podcaster and Cultural Commentator joined Ciara on The Hard Shoulder to review the latest TV and movie releases…

A street in Limerick has had a major bird poo problem in the city. So much so it has become a major tourist spot thanks to the writer, podcaster and documentary maker ‘Blindboy' after he spoke about it in one of his podcasts last year. People from all over the world have travelled to Limericks Bedford Row since to take pictures of this street after he nicknamed the area the ‘Birdshit District'.Local councillors have recently put up reflectors in a trial run in an attempt to deter the birds but the county's Mayor John Moran has criticised the attempt and is asking for them to be removed so he can get a better understanding of these reflectors.Joining Ciara to discuss is Blindboy himself, writer, author, documentary maker and as you might know him from ‘The Blindboy Podcast'.

Voting is under way over in the UK for the Clacton by-election as a record number of 34 candidates vie to become its next MP.Joining Ciara to discuss is Political Commentator and former Sky News Political Editor, Adam Boulton.

Why do we have irrational fears? How do they develop, especially when the subject is not considered to normally be worthy of fear?Joining Ciara to discuss is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, Brendan Kelly.

Off The Ball's John Duggan joined Ciara on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the week's action…

“Is there a solution to NIMBYism? Yes, and it's fairly simple, argues Progress Ireland think tank, and the government has two out of three parts of it in train. First is to convince people that new development is good. Second is to remove people's ability to object. And the third option is to ensure that new development benefits local people so that they have selfish reasons to support new development.”That's according to Seán O'Neill McPartlin, Housing Policy Director at Progress Ireland, writing in The Journal today.He joins Ciara to discuss.

NATO's top military commander, General Alexus Grynkewich, has said that if the US military was prevented from using Shannon Airport, it "probably would" damage the relationship between the United States and Ireland.Joining Ciara to discuss is Mark Price, Co-Chair of the Irish Anti War Movement and founding member of the Irish Neutrality League.

What has ever happened to having a kids birthday party at home? Soft play or places that have ball bits have become the default destination for kids these days when it comes to deciding on what to do for their birthdays, but why is this, and what is wrong with having a few friends over at the house with a cake and a few games?Newstalk's very own Simon Tierney joins Ciara to discuss!

The Clacton-on-Sea by-election is taking place today after being triggered by Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage's resignation and subsequent running. With his biggest competition being Count Binface, an alien from the planet Sigma IX, how are locals feeling about the election and the media surrounding it?Sarah Madden is there, and joins Ciara to discuss.

With festival season in full flow, and Electric Picnic just around the corner: just how much of a concern should hygiene be at these festivals?Such large crowds gathering in temporary venues can create hygiene challenges if the right precautions are not taken, but what exactly are these precautions?Joining Ciara to discuss is Anna Burns, Microbiologist and Food Scientist.

The RSA have made a decision to temporarily close North Dublin's Raheny driving test centre due to construction works near the building, which is causing disruption. This is despite the 29 week wait times for driving tests in that area. Driving test wait times is an issue across the country and applicants are starting to turn to third-party apps in the hope to secure an earlier test time.David Martin, Head of Communications at the RSA, joins Ciara to discuss.

If you grind your teeth when you sleep or clench your jaw when you are stressed, you may be causing damage over time to your teeth. How can we prevent this?Joining Ciara with advice is Dentist Dr Bronagh Keane AKA Ireland's Tooth Fairy.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez have tied the knot in a private ceremony in Portugal about a year after Rodríguez revealed an engagement ring reportedly worth $3 million to $5 million…Joining Ciara to discuss engagement ring trends is Chupi Sweetman, Founder of Chupi's Jewellers in Dublin.

Data centres should be taxed to pay for improvements to the national grid, so say the Green Party.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Cllr Hazel Chu, Green Party Deputy Leader and party Spokesperson on Infrastructure and Public Expenditure.

For this week's Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk's Technology Correspondent, joins Ciara to discuss what you should do if you ever find yourself losing your phone…

Off The Ball's John Duggan joined Ciara on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the week's action…

Revenue generated by parking fees at public hospitals has more than doubled over a four-year period.A breakdown provided by the HSE shows that Irish people spent a record €17.76m on car park charges at public and voluntary hospitals in 2025 compared to €7.39m in 2021, representing a 140% increase over a four-year period.Joining Ciara to discuss this further is Aidan Farrelly, Social Democrats TD and Martina Balfe, breast cancer survivor.

Waiting lists for special educational places are growing, but the Department of Education has yet to share the latest figures for children left without a place for the new school year starting in around 2 weeks' time.Darren O'Rourke, Sinn Féin TD and the party's Spokesperson on Education and Youth, joins Ciara to discuss.

From the second you open your eyes, your morning habits may be affecting the trajectory of your entire day. Whether it's waking up with a to-do list on your mind or giving yourself minimal time to get out the door, the habits we start the day with not only alter our mood but our brain's functionality.But, what are the realistic things we can do to improve your day?Joining Ciara to discuss this is Ollwyn Moran, M.Ed. and Clinical Director with CogniClinic.ie.

Despite claims AI will simplify and streamline our lives most Irish people want to speak with a human when they are contacting customer services.New research has shown we are happy enough to let the bots deal with simple straightforward tasks, but when it comes to sensitive or complicated topics most people do not want to interact with computers.Newstalk Reporter Bairbre Holmes has taken a look at what the numbers tell us, and sent in this report…

A new HIQA report is set to commence, investigating the affordability of tobacco in Ireland in comparison to other countries in the EU and the UK.The affordability of tobacco products plays a key role in the number of people taking up smoking or continuing to smoke.Joining Ciara to outline this research is HIQA's Deputy Director of Health Technology Assessment, Michelle O'Neill.

Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world.This week, Fionn joined Ciara and Shane to give his ultimate guide to Galway!