Highlights from Newstalk Breakfast

Sean Crowe, Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Health has said that Five-year wait for weight-loss surgery is forcing obese people to go to Turkey Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Dr Donal O’Shea, HSE Lead for Obesity.

The new deposit return scheme launches today how will it work? Ciara was joined on the show this morning by Minister of State with responsibility for Circular Economy, Ossian Smyth.

“We’ve come to the end of the road with clamping in terms of its effectiveness.”  That’s the view of James Geoghegan, Fine Gael Dublin Bay South General Election Candidate who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast. Also joining the conversation was Michael Pidgeon, Green Party Dublin City Councillor.

The Arts Council is inviting every school across Ireland to be part of Creative February a new initiative to encourage students to embrace their creativity But is traditional schooling actually stifling this creativity?  To discuss Ciara spoke to Aoife Dunne, teacher, comedian and content creator.

Dark, unlit streets in Limerick are causing women in the city to take long detours for their own safety, according to local councillor Sarah Kiely.  Yvie Murphy, Co-Ordinator of women's collective Ireland, Limerick joined Ciara this morning and was asked Is this the case?

An exit package paid to RTÉ's former chief financial officer Breda O’Keeffe was not brought before the executive board of the broadcaster before being approved that's according to a damning new report on voluntary exit schemes Patrick Downes, Managing Partner at Lionheart & Former Chair of the Corporate Governance Association of Ireland spoke to Shane this morning on the show.

From tomorrow, the Irish Defence Forces sees a relaxation of their dress code such as allowing beards, pony tails and painted nails. Joining Ciara to discuss the implications and the rationale behind these changes is Keith Caffrey, the Defence Forces Sergeant Major.

Mary Lou McDonald claimed Irish unity is "within touching distance," signaling transformative shifts across Ireland. To dissect these remarks and their implications, Shane is joined by Newton Emerson, Political Commentator in the North and columnist with the Irish Times and Sunday Times.

Following the FAI's commitment to reforms as a condition of a 2020 bailout, a recent report highlights the extension granted for achieving gender balance on its board. Thomas Byrne, Minister for Sport, shares insights on the progress and challenges faced by the FAI.

Following an eye-opening discussion with Lisa Tierney Keogh about her prolonged journey to an Endometriosis diagnosis, and the dismissal of her symptoms, many listeners reached out to share analogous experiences. Ciara and Dr. Caoimhe Hartley, a GP specialising in women's health, delve into why this issue persists and its implications.