Highlights From Newstalk Breakfast

A man has been sentenced to death in Lebanon after he was convicted for his part in the killing of Irish peacekeeper Private Seán Rooney, who was shot dead while serving in the region in December 2022. Conor Gallagher, Crime and Security Correspondent with the Irish Times joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

 The new Garda Commissioner will be announced later today, taking over from Drew Harris after seven years in office. Whoever fills the role will face issues such as rising resignations and low recruitment in the force. Ronan Slevin, General Secretary of the Garda Representative Association joined Jonathan Healy on the show.

Local authorities will be told to zone more land for housing, as the Government plans to more than double the national annual target as part of efforts to tackle the housing crisis. Under planned guidelines being brought to Cabinet today, councils will be asked to collectively zone enough land to hold 83,000 new homes per year, up from the current 33,000 annual target. Tom Philips Managing Director of Tom Phillips and Associates joined us on the show this morning.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam has invited former US President Barack Obama to formally accept the Freedom of Dublin during their visit to the city in September. However, the Irish Anti War Movement is now considering a protest against the honour. Jim Roche PRO of the Irish Anti-War Movement and Scott Lucas Professor of US and International Politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin joined us on Newstalk Breakfast to discuss.  

A major international study has found that streetlights aren’t the only culprit when it comes to light pollution. Georgia MacMillan University of Galway researcher based in Dark Sky Park County Mayo joined Shane Coleman on the show.

Nearly a quarter of doctors work more than 48 hours per week, with that figure rising to half of doctors working in surgery in hospitals. That’s according to the latest figures from the Medical Council. Jantze Cotter, the Executive Director for Regulatory Policy, Standards and Research joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

A 15% EU-US tariff deal is preferable to a “ruinous” trade war, according to the Taoiseach, as talks continue on the finer details, including potential exemptions for key sectors. Will pharma be among them?  Joining Shane Coleman was Cathal Friel, Chairman and co-founder Poolbeg Pharma.

The only suspect in the murder investigation into the fatal shootings of a Vanessa Whyte and her two children James and Sara Rutledge in Co Fermanagh has died. Amanda Ferguson, Belfast-based Journalist brought us the latest.

Today is World Conservation Day; a day that acknowledges, the foundation for a healthy society is a healthy environment. Environmental Journalist and Campaigner, George Monbiot joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

Vogue magazine has come under scrutiny after publishing an issue featuring AI generated models in an advert for fashion brand, Guess. What does this mean for beauty standards and the future of publishing? Newstalk's Tech Correspondent Jess Kelly joined Jonathan Healy on the show.

Israel has begun a pause in fighting in three areas of Gaza to address the worsening humanitarian situation. Juliette Touma UNRWA Communications Director joined Jonathan Healy on the show this morning.

The European Union and United States have agreed a deal that will lock in tariffs on most EU imports to the US, but prevent the prospect of an economically devastating trade war. Jeanna Smialek Brussels Bureau Chief for the New York Times and Dan O’Brien Chief Economist at the Institute of International and European affairs and Columnist with The Currency joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

“I'm a mum on holiday – but why am I more burned out than ever?” So writes Rhiannon Picton-James, Freelance Journalist who joined Jonathan Healy on the show.

  Kerry have claimed their 39th All-Ireland Championship after a resounding victory against Donegal in Croke Park yesterday. Tommy Rooney, Off the Ball GAA Correspondent joined us from the celebrations.

People need to put down their phones and stop filming tragic road accidents in order to share them online. That’s the call from the Irish Road Victims’ Association. Their vice-President Leo Lieghio, who lost his own daughter in a road accident in 2005 joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.

The EU has agreed to a 15 per cent tariff with the US after months of tense talks and the risk of 30 per cent tariffs from Friday. Neale Richmond, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade joined Jonathan Healy on the show.  

As we approach the end of July, back to school costs loom large for parents across the country.  But what can parents do to pare down those expensive bills? To explain was Sinead Ryan, Presenter of The Home Show and Consumer Columnist with the Irish Independent.  

Tech giant Amazon has scrapped plans to build a big industrial plant in Dublin because it could not secure an electricity supply for the €300 million project. That’s according to a report in The Irish Times this morning. We discuss this further with Muireann Lynch Energy Economist and Senior Research Office with ERSI.

Amazon scraps Dublin plant and hundreds of jobs over failure to secure power supply. Shane and Jonathan discussed this breaking news.  

France will officially recognise a Palestinian state in September, President Emmanuel Macron has said. This move will make it the first G7 nation to do so, drawing the ire of officials from Israel and The United States. This coming as talks for a ceasefire in Gaza were dealt a new blow on Thursday after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams.  We heard from Sean Bell, Former Fighter Pilot, Military Analyst and Co-Host of the Red Matrix Podcast and also Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson of the UN Secretary General a little earlier.