Podcasts about Irish Independent

Irish Households are paying twice as much for their electricity as data centres, according to a report by Eurostat.Charlie Weston, personal finance editor with the Irish Independent, joins The Last Word to discuss this and also claims that Irish banks are ripping off young savers. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

In this episode of If I were the Minister for Education, I break down what happened after projected SNA allocations for the 2026/27 school year showed roughly 200 schools set to lose at least one Special Needs Assistant: not due to cuts or clerical error, but because of how the national redistribution model works under a capped total. I explain the background to the current situation, including the long period where schools largely held on to allocations since around 2017, the return of NCSE-led reviews from 2023 onward, and how this year's broader round of reviews led to some schools being told they had more SNAs than the model allowed. I talk through the predictable political cycle that followed: schools and parents mobilised, pressure built, the Minister “paused” the process, additional funding was announced (€19 million), and the government confirmed no school would lose an SNA this year. While I'm relieved for schools, principals and SNAs facing uncertainty, I argue that pausing-and-funding responses don't fix the underlying pattern and that we're likely to repeat the same crisis again. I also say I feel sorry for the NCSE in this instance because they became the visible face of a policy they were implementing, and I argue the real issue sits higher up the chain. I then outline what I see as the structural problem: Ireland's primary schools are publicly funded but privately managed individual entities competing for enrolment, staff and survival, while staffing supports (SNA posts and SET hours) are allocated through a national, projection-based redistribution model. I describe how redistribution creates concentrated losers and dispersed winners, making it politically fragile, and I connect this to the annual “cluster games” around SET allocations. Finally, I set out the kind of structural change I think is needed: moving away from competition as the organising principle by exploring regional employment and local coordination through education authorities, because I don't believe repeated annual firefighting counts as planning. I also reference additional writing and commentary, including an Irish Independent piece by Fionnan Sheahan and analysis by Ciara Reilly, and I point listeners toward my Substack articles for more.00:00 Welcome and Subscribe00:47 SNA Allocations Fallout02:30 How the SNA Model Works04:28 From Freeze to Reviews07:59 Backlash and the Pause09:11 Predictable Crisis Cycle10:03 Relief and Real Stakes12:19 Why NCSE Took the Heat14:06 Schools Compete to Survive17:09 Redistribution vs Competition18:25 SET Cluster Games Parallel22:42 Politics and Concentrated Anger29:29 What Would Actually Change33:16 Final Thoughts and Goodbye This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of If I were the Minister for Education, I break down what happened after projected SNA allocations for the 2026/27 school year showed roughly 200 schools set to lose at least one Special Needs Assistant: not due to cuts or clerical error, but because of how the national redistribution model works under a capped total. I explain the background to the current situation, including the long period where schools largely held on to allocations since around 2017, the return of NCSE-led reviews from 2023 onward, and how this year's broader round of reviews led to some schools being told they had more SNAs than the model allowed. I talk through the predictable political cycle that followed: schools and parents mobilised, pressure built, the Minister “paused” the process, additional funding was announced (€19 million), and the government confirmed no school would lose an SNA this year. While I'm relieved for schools, principals and SNAs facing uncertainty, I argue that pausing-and-funding responses don't fix the underlying pattern and that we're likely to repeat the same crisis again. I also say I feel sorry for the NCSE in this instance because they became the visible face of a policy they were implementing, and I argue the real issue sits higher up the chain. I then outline what I see as the structural problem: Ireland's primary schools are publicly funded but privately managed individual entities competing for enrolment, staff and survival, while staffing supports (SNA posts and SET hours) are allocated through a national, projection-based redistribution model. I describe how redistribution creates concentrated losers and dispersed winners, making it politically fragile, and I connect this to the annual “cluster games” around SET allocations. Finally, I set out the kind of structural change I think is needed: moving away from competition as the organising principle by exploring regional employment and local coordination through education authorities, because I don't believe repeated annual firefighting counts as planning. I also reference additional writing and commentary, including an Irish Independent piece by Fionnan Sheahan and analysis by Ciara Reilly, and I point listeners toward my Substack articles for more.00:00 Welcome and Subscribe00:47 SNA Allocations Fallout02:30 How the SNA Model Works04:28 From Freeze to Reviews07:59 Backlash and the Pause09:11 Predictable Crisis Cycle10:03 Relief and Real Stakes12:19 Why NCSE Took the Heat14:06 Schools Compete to Survive17:09 Redistribution vs Competition18:25 SET Cluster Games Parallel22:42 Politics and Concentrated Anger29:29 What Would Actually Change33:16 Final Thoughts and Goodbye This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

There were dramatic developments in the Mike Gaine murder investigation on Tuesday morning following the arrest of 53-year-old Michael Kelley. The American was previously arrested in connection with the investigation last May. Irish Independent special correspondent Catherine Fegan joins The Indo Daily with the latest details. Host: Fionnán Sheahan Guest: Catherine FeganSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Government has allocated an additional €19 million for special needs assistants (SNAs) to ensure there are no cuts in the 2026/27 academic year following outcry over plans to reduce the service provision in almost 200 schools.But SNAs, unions and parents say that this measure is just 'kicking the can down the road' and the Government must now engage with stakeholders to address issues relating to special education.Tabitha Monahan, political reporter with the Irish Independent, and Jesslyn Henry, SNA and Social Democrats councillor, join The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

A dramatic government U-turn on Special Needs Assistant cuts. Nearly 200 schools were facing potential impact — now the review is scrapped and €19 million in additional support will go ahead. What changed?Are we facing a graduate jobs crisis as AI disrupts the labour market?And should League of Ireland clubs lose funding over hooliganism?Guest presenter Shane Coleman is joined by Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne, Sinn Féin TD and Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty, Kate English, Chief Economist with Deloitte Ireland, and Daniel McDonnell, soccer correspondent with the Irish Independent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Hanratty, Irish Independent

Ralph Riegel, Southern Correspondent for the Irish Independent

The High Court is set to assess damages owed to Nikita Hand by her former neighbours after they failed to respond to her claim for damages accusing them of abusing court processes.For more on this, Shane is joined by Shane Phelan, Legal Affairs Editor with the Irish Independent.

Mayo bounced back in impressive fashion from last weekend's defeat to Donegal as they recorded an emphatic nineteen-point win over Monaghan at St Tiernach's Park. On a day when Mayo had many star performers, debutant Kobe McDonald lit up the afternoon in Clones with a hugely impressive tally of 1-4 off the bench. Rob and John were at St Tiernach's Park for the game and they're joined on the pod by Mark Ronaldson and then Frank Roche of the Irish Independent in our club members only edition on Patreon. We also hear post-match thoughts from Mayo manager Andy Moran which you can listen to also only on Patreon.

In the past few months, providers such as SKY or Virgin have been discussing how to use information gleaned from things such as WhatsApp messages to target both providers and end users of so-called ‘dodgy boxers'. Could we see a penalty point system be introduced in the months ahead? Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor at the Irish Independent and host of the Big Tech show podcast, joins Emmet Oliver to discuss.

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being struck in the face with an e-scooter during a violent attack in the Temple Bar area while he lay on the ground unconscious. We get the latest on this with Robin Schiller Senior Journalist, Irish Independent.

Is the term working mothers offensive?The BBC posted a video during the week where their broadcasters were having a conversation about the term working mothers and they labelled it a “societal gaslighting issue”.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Terry Prone, Chair of the Communication Clinic, Katie Makk from the Opinions Matter podcast, Aideen Finnegan, Presenter of Early Edition from the Irish Times and Mary McCarthy, Columnist with the Irish Independent…

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being struck in the face with an e-scooter during a violent attack in the Temple Bar area while he lay on the ground unconscious. We get the latest on this with Robin Schiller Senior Journalist, Irish Independent.

Why men telling women to “smile” and “look happy” has nothing to do with happiness, and everything to do with control, so says Newstalk's own Simon Tierney in a recently published article. But, is this something that is starting to die out, or is it as blatant as ever?Joining Shane to discuss is Saoirse Hanley, Features writer with The Irish Independent.

Is the primary school day in Ireland too short and would longer days could give children more time to flourish, not just to fit in academic targets? With mid term break underway in many schools across Clare this week the topic of the school day and its structure is a timely one. One mother believes there's a lesson to be learned from our European neighbours on how the juggle of school schedules and childcare can be balanced for the better: For more on this, Sally-Ann Barrett was joined by Mary McCarthy, Irish Independent columnist on Tuesday's Morning Focus. Photo (c) Neustockimages from Getty Images Signature via Canva

Much travelled Irish Independent star LJ Cleary talks about moving to the states, wrestling in Japan, Excelling at Exodus and More!

An scéim nua coigiltis atá beartaithe ag an rialtas.

Ralph Riegel, Southern Correspondent with The Irish Independent

"We're living in the Peak A**hole Era and there's nothing anyone can do about it", so says Tanya Sweeney, Features writer and Columnist with The Irish Independent.She joins Shane to discuss why people have seemingly become so rude…

More than 800 drivers were arrested numerous times for drink or drug driving between 2022 and 2024, with figures from last year expected to bring that number to over 1,000.That's according to the latest figures from the Medical Bureau of Road Safety.Joining Ciara to discuss is Professor Dennis Cusack, Director of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety & Ger Herbert, Motoring Expert, The Irish Independent…

Church launches marriage-themed computer game for Valentine's Day aimed at enticing more couples to the altar – What other video games try to encourage human behaviour (social engineering) and the marriages of gamers? Ronan Price, Journalist and games critic at Irish Independent joined Sean to explain all.

Report from Una Kelly & Fionnan Sheahan, Ireland Editor for the Irish Independent.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of toddler Daniel Aruebose. For more on this Anton spoke to Robin Schiller, Senior Journalist, Irish Independent.

A protest against the Residential Tenancies Bill will take place today at 5.30pm outside the Dáil. The bill would allow small landlords to reset rents to market rates between tenancies and will introduce six-year tenancies, amongst other changes. People Before Profit called the protest, as TD Richard Boyd Barrett accused the Government of “dancing to the tune” of corporate landlords “profiteering” from the “housing crisis misery”.Shane was joined by Helen who is a staff member and regional organizer at the Community Action Tenants Union and tenant and by Michael Houghton, Columnist with the Irish Independent, host of the Irish Fire podcast and private landlord to debate the incoming measures

Klaudia Barrett, renter / Paula Butterly, Fine Gael TD for Louth / Donna McGettigan, Sinn Féin TD for Clare / Ken O'Flynn, Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central / Maeve McTaggart, political correspondent, Irish Independent

Paula Butterly, Fine Gael TD for Louth / Donna McGettigan, Sinn Féin TD for Clare / Ken O'Flynn, Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central / Maeve McTaggart, political correspondent, Irish Independent

Paula Butterly, Fine Gael TD for Louth / Donna McGettigan, Sinn Féin TD for Clare / Ken O'Flynn, Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central / Maeve McTaggart, political correspondent, Irish Independent

Paula Butterly, Fine Gael TD for Louth / Donna McGettigan, Sinn Féin TD for Clare / Ken O'Flynn, Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central / Maeve McTaggart, political correspondent, Irish Independent

Episode 210: In this episode of Accelerate, host Nicola Graham is joined by Emma Meehan — Founder, CEO, and CTO of KinetikIQ. Emma is building technology that sits at the intersection of biomechanics, machine learning, and real-world performance. KinetikIQ turns any smartphone into a full-body 3D biomechanics system using LiDAR and AI — no wearables required — making advanced movement analysis far more accessible across sport and health. With a background in computer science and software engineering, alongside experience as a competitive weightlifter, Emma brings both technical depth and practitioner perspective to product development. Her work has already been recognised across sport, technology, and business — including wins at the KPMG Global Tech Innovator Ireland and the Barca Innovation Challenge, Best New Sports Business of the Year at the Irish Sport Awards, recognition from SportsTechX as a European startup to watch, and features in the Sunday Business Post and Irish Independent 30 Under 30 lists. Together, Nicola and Emma explore what it really takes to build a company as a technical founder, how the Irish startup ecosystem can support early-stage growth, and the realities of securing venture capital in sport and healthtech — alongside the lived experience of building as a female founder in a still-emerging industry. Topics discussed: Building a company as a technical founder The role of the Irish startup ecosystem in early growth Venture capital funding in sport and healthtech The realities of being a female founder in sports technology Where you can find Emma: LinkedIn Instagram KineticIQ - Sponsors Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT's to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment VALD Performance, makers of the ForceDecks, ForceFrame, HumanTrak, Dynamo, SmartSpeed, NordBoard. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Hytro: The world's leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.  -  Where to Find Us Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website - Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth Steve Barrett  Pete McKnight

Sarah Burke, Dublin Reporter for the Irish Independent, reports on the latest following a fatal crash involving a bus on a pedestrianised street in Dublin city.

An freagra atá tugtha ag an rialtas ar dheacrachtaí atá á gruthú ag báisteach.

For more on this we are joined by Katie McGuinness, restaurant critic with the Irish Independent.

European regulators are seeking to ban TikTok's most addictive features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and its “highly personalised” recommender system.The European Commission has made a preliminary ruling that the social media platform must change it's 'addictive' design or face major fines.Adrian Weckler, technology editor with the Irish Independent, and Regina Doherty, Fine Gael MEP, join The Last Word to discuss this significant move by the EU and whether it will succeed in getting TikTok to drop these features.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Panda Recycling, one of the largest waste collection companies in Ireland, is hitting thousands of households with a 9 per cent price rise. We discuss further with Charlie Weston, Personal Finance editor with the Irish Independent.

Tanya Sweeney tells Ruth McKee which books she'd save if her house was on fire. Tanya Sweeney is a journalist and Weekend magazine columnist at the Irish Independent and is a regular contributor on Irish radio & TV. Her work in the music, film & TV industries helped inspire her debut novel, Esther is Now Following You (Penguin), a funny, fresh and deeply affecting story about celebrity fandom and what happens when it all becomes a bit too real.

A tragic incident occurred in Dublin City Centre yesterday afternoon when a Bus Éireann bus crashed on North Earl Street, resulting in the death of one man and injuries to three others. Since the incident, videos and images have been circulating on social media. An Garda Síochána has urged the public to refrain from sharing such footage, out of respect for the victims and their families. Is this something the gardai should have to ask, or is it common sense to avoid taking these videos and pictures?Andrea was joined by Entertainment and News Correspondent with the Irish Independent, Melanie Finn, Volunteer first responder, Michael, Mark McLaughin, Secretary, Buncrana Hearts, Newstalk's tech correspondent Jess Kelly and Clodagh in Dublin to discuss.

One person has died and three others have been injured after a bus drove down a pedestrianised street in Dublin city this afternoon. Joining us with the latest from the scene was Keith Kelly Journalist at the Irish Independent and David Hall CEO of Lifeline Ambulance Service

Reachtaíocht nua faoi rothair streachailte á phlé ag an rialtas.

Carzone's 2026 Motoring Report has found that the average cost of running a car is now €224.40, which is a 6% increase on last year.Insurance premiums and fuel prices have been cited as the most common reasons among those surveyed.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, speaks to Will O'Callaghan on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

A study has revealed one of the reasons that Gen Z are having less sex than previous generations – they are simply too tired. 70% say they have less energy than their parents, with 26% saying they are too tired to do the deed. Joining Andrea was Irish Examiner Columnist Jane Cowan, Saoirse Hanley, Features Writer at the Irish Independent and Emily Power Smith, Sexologist

Hairdressers across the country are preparing to increase their prices between three and five per cent as mounting cost pressures, according to the Irish Independent. To discuss further with Anton was Lisa Eccles, Owner of Zinc hair and beauty and spokesperson of the Irish Hairdressers Federation.

An cur agus cúitimh polaitiúil faoi chúrsaí tuilte agus aimsire.

John Downing of the Irish Independent reviews the week in politics.

An stoirm pholaitiúil faoi chúrsaí aimsire.

Leithscéal gafa ag an Taoiseach le daoine a d'fhulaing i scoileanna ceartúcháin agus tionsclaíocha.

With the global state of play, many Irish tourists are choosing not to travel to the US in these tense times. So is a travel boycott really a smart move? Technology Editor at the Irish Independent, Adrian Weckler, believes not... he joined Sean to explain

Has your car insurance premium risen since last year? Do you want to switch providers but aren't sure where to start? If so, Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent, has all the best tips for getting the best value for money for the year ahead.He joined Matt on Wednesday's The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

Cúrsaí Polaitiochta an lae - athruithe le cur ar an gcóras cíosa.

In this episode, Michael walks through the thinking and habits behind his family's journey from having nothing saved in 2017 to building a €800,000 investment portfolio in eight years. This episode is based on his recent article for The Irish Independent and expands on the real mechanics behind wealth-building: saving first, avoiding lifestyle creep, investing consistently, and letting time do the heavy lifting. If you've ever felt that FIRE sounds unrealistic, extreme, or only achievable for high earners - this episode is for you. Show Notes: The original article: https://www.independent.ie/business/money/21-tiny-habits-that-will-help-you-build-wealth-in-2026/a2046147432.html Join the newsletter: https://www.firepodcast.ie/newsletter