This Week

A search is continuing in Donabate, Co Dublin for a missing boy, who is presumed dead. The child - who would now be aged seven - has not been seen for the past four years. We heard from RTÉ reporter Sharon Lynch and the chairperson of the National Review Panel Dr Helen Buckley.

On Tuesday Fianna Fail will select its candidate to enter the presidential election. And tomorrow 12 hopefuls will address Kerry County Council seeking a nomination for the presidency. The Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Fine Gael Councillor Michael Foley joined us to shed light on the nominating process and his party's strategy.

RTÉ political reporter Sandra Hurley broke down the odds of the main candidates - as well as the dark horses - in the race for the presidency.

How much pressure will Ireland come under to agree to the 49-billion euro Mercosur trade deal? It would see a 39% increase in EU exports to South American countries, but Ireland opposes it due to fears of South American beef flooding the European market. Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon laid out the government's strategy in regards to the deal.

More than 2000 pubs closed across the country since 2005 with rural towns worst affected. But despite the headlines, there are signs of recovery in rural Ireland as previously closed premises are reopening to help provide important services in rural towns and villages. RTÉ reporter Sally-Ann Barrett went to County Tipperary to find out more.

The TV show Traitors returns to RTÉ 1 television this evening. The show displays how difficult it can be to spot a liar, and how easy it can be to engage in deception. I spoke to Dr Gillian Murphy, senior lecturer in the School of Applied Psychology at UCC, about whether it's difficult to be a good liar.

After weeks of speculation, Taoiseach Micheál Martin finally revealed yesterday that he wants former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin to represent Fianna Fáil in the presidential election. Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality, and Fianna Fáil TD, Norma Foley speaks to This Week.

While there has been feverish activity amongst the other parties to find a suitable candidate, the only declared runner with sufficient support is the independent TD Catherine Connolly. She speaks to This Week.

Almost half of all the mothers who gave birth at the National Maternity Hospital last year were in their late 30s or 40s. One in ten mothers were aged over 40. The master of the National Maternity Hospital Professor Shane Higgins joins This Week to speak about the trends.

President Donald Trump continues to shake global news and markets with the positions he has taken in his second term. This Week gets analysis from Jim Acosta, broadcaster and former CNN Correspondent, who made an address to the Kennedy Summer School in Wexford this weekend.

With two months until the Presidential Election, there is still just one candidate (Catherine Connolly) in the field while we await Fine Gael's choice. But what about Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil? We hear from Fianna Fail TD Malcolm Byrne; former deputy head of press for Sinn Fein, Siobhan Fenton; and then analysis from the Irish Times' Harry McGee.

There has been a large rise in the number of e-scooters on the roads and footpaths across the country. Collisions involving the devices can have devastating consequences. Dr Raymond Carson, a consultant in rehabilitation medicine at the National Rehabilitation University Hospital, speaks to This Week.

Concerns about a rise in harmful gambling among women came to the fore this week in the wake of a garda investigation into reports of online ticket fraud. Harmful gambling among females in Ireland rose tenfold between 2019 and 2023, according to the ESRI. Nicola Kelly from the Cuain Mhuire treatment centre in Athy speaks to This Week.

A quarter of all Palestinians in Gaza are starving. That is more than half a million people. That number is expected to rise to more than 640,000 within the next six weeks. Rosalia Bollen, UNICEF communications specialist for Palestine, outlines the situation on the ground.

Seven months out from a US midterm election which will determine whether President Donald Trump maintains control over the US House of Representatives, a key piece of legislation was passed in Texas to redraw the political map. Bob Schmuhl, Professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame, gives his analysis.

After the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will now be joined by EU leaders including Ursula von der Leyen, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron for his meeting with the US President in Washington. We get reaction from Ukrainian MP Maria Metsentseva and BBC journalist Vitaly Shevchenko.

After Mairead McGuinness' withdrawal on health grounds, Fine Gael are now searching for another candidate for the Presidential Election. So who looks the most likely? We first hear from Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty, and then get analysis from the Political Editor of the Irish Independent, Mary Regan.

Items belonging to Sophie Toscan du Plantier, who was murdered in 1996, have been analysed with new DNA testing called M-VAC. A Garda cold case team are awaiting results. This Week speaks to Frank Buttimer, the solicitor who represented the late Ian Bailey for over twenty years.

The Israeli military has said it is preparing for the next stage of its offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City. With dozens reported dead each day including children, aid seekers and journalists, how is the conflict reported on through Israeli media? Kate Varley reports.

There is mounting concern that the United Nation's peacekeeping operation may not have its mandate renewed at the end of this month. Ireland has participated in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon - on and off - since 1978 and has more than 340 troops stationed there. Retired Brigader General Ger Ahern joins us from our Athlone Studio.

Supply shortages and the cost of accommodation continue to be major issues for students and their families. Bryan O'Mahoney, President of the Union of Students in Ireland, tells This Week how students are coping ahead of the new academic year.

The event everyone has been talking about in Ireland is taking place this weekend as Oasis play two sold out nights at Croke Park. The Manchester icons played their first Irish gig since 2009 last night and RTÉ's Alan Corr was there.

The Tánaiste Simon Harris is due to meet with the Indian Ambassador tomorrow, to discuss a spate of recent attacks on members of the Indian community living in Ireland. RTÉ reporter Charlie McGinley told us what he learned from speaking to some of those who have been at the brunt of those attacks.

Justin spoke to Colm Brophy, Minister of State with special responsibility for Migration, and asked him if the government had lost the ability to keep Ireland safe for minorities.

A meeting between the Russian President Vladimir Putin and the US President Donald Trump could take place in the coming days. Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University, chimed in on whether Russia is ready to end the war in Ukraine or is simply stalling for time.

Earlier this week the Guardian reported that Irish data centres were being used to store Israeli military information, including the surveillance data of thousands of Palestinians. Microsoft has denied knowledge of the surveillance. Investigations correspondent Harry Davies, who broke the story, joined the show to discuss his findings.

Complaints have been made to Garda management over the fairness of Garda Superintendent recruitment. IT problems during the recruitment test have led to some of the candidates being allowed to retake the test a second time. Sinn Féin's Justice Spokesman and Chairman of the Oireachtas Justice Committee Matt Carthy told shared his conc

On Friday Germany, Israel's second largest arms supplier, announced it would not sell weapons which could be used in Gaza to the IDF. Meanwhile European and Arab nations slammed the Israeli government's decision to occupy Gaza city. Shona Murray, Europe Correspondent for Euronews, unpacked the shifting sentiment for Israel among European leaders.

Detectives are appealing for information following the report of a priest being seriously assaulted in Downpatrick, Co Down. For more on this we were joined by RTÉ Northern Correspondent Conor Macauley.

Ahead of the All Ireland camogie final today a new study has revealed high prevalence of fatigue and menstrual disturbance among camogie players and female Gaelic footballers. Dr Aoife Courtney, endocrinologist and co-writer of the study, told Justin why the study was carried out.

The Indian embassy issued a warning about an increase of physical attacks on Indian people in Ireland. We were joined on the show by Dr Santosh Yadav, a data scientist from India who has been in Ireland for the past four years, and who was attacked by a group of teenagers on an evening walk last Sunday.

It remains unclear whether pharmaceuticals in Ireland will be tariffed under the new Tariff deal between the EU and the US. Brad Setser, former economist with the US treasury and senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, told us what impact the tariffs could have on the pharmaceutical sector in Ireland.

Storm Floris is on its way to Ireland bringing wet and windy weather for the end of the Bank Holiday Weekend. Gerry Murphy, Senior Forecaster with Met Eireann, joined us in studio to tell us everything about the coming weather.

Earlier this week the UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer announced that his government would recognise the state of Palestine by September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza. As of today three G7 countries are putting pressure on Israel. Gideon Levy, an Israeli journalist and writer, told us whether the coalition is likely to impact Israel.

The University of Galway has sent out 40,000 fliers asking people in the city to make accommodation available for students ahead of the new semester. Student unions say this year the accommodation crisis is worse than ever. RTÉ reporter Charlie McGinley has been meeting students in Galway, and he shared what he has learned with us on the show.

Four years ago the government promised to introduce a new monthly payment for children living in Direct Provision, which would be in line with Child Benefit. That was never implemented. Justin went to Limerick to meet with three young mothers living in Direct Provision who are rearing children on a tight budget.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told the PCSA this week that extreme online pornography is radicalising some men into normalising violence against women. We were joined by Gemma Kelly, Head of Policy and Public Affairs for the UK-based Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation, who are campaigning for age checks on pornography sites.

New rules came into force requiring makers of artificial intelligence models to ensure their systems are safe and transparent. While EU's AI Act means the Government must police the companies providing AI tools, the US vows to cut red tape for the sector. RTÉ Work and Technology Correspondent Brian O'Donovan reported on the latest in tech.

Where else would one of the most important trade deals on the globe be conducted but on a golf course? Later today in Turnberry, Scotland, Donald Trump will meet with Ursula von der Leyen to sign off on an EU-US trade agreement. We hear from Michael McGrath, European Commissioner, shortly but first a report from London Correspondent Tommy Meskill.

The Israeli army has annnounced a pause in military activity in three designated areas of Gaza and will allow the UN and aid agencies to open secure land routes into Gaza. Secunder Kermani, Channel 4's Foreign Correspondent, gives us an update before we speak to Salim Oweis, UNICEF spokesperson for Middle East and North Africa.

With talk of a 15% tariff across EU goods heading to the United States, what impact could that have on the Irish economy? We first hear from Sinn Féin's Donnchadh O'Laoghaire before analysis from Dr. Emma Howard, economist at TU Dublin.

Greece is battling several major wildfires across the country, with officials evacuating the homes of some residents in a town north of the capital Athens. We can speak now to Helena Smith,The Guardian Corresspondent in Greece