Highlights from Newstalk Breakfast

A UK public health expert is today visiting Dublin to warn legislators and regulators that extreme measures to ban flavoured vapes will have detrimental effects on tobacco-free ambitions.       Clive Bates is the Director of Counterfactual and former Director of Action on Smoking and Health (UK) and joined Ciara this morning on the show.

The owner of a building in Longford where a fire began after it was earmarked to house 85 Ukrainians has pulled out of the agreement with the Department of Integration over concerns regarding his family’s safety. We speak to Independent Councillor Mark Casey.

The Government must make reform of the television licence fee a “legislative priority” for this Dáil term.  That’s the call from Susan Kirby, Chief Executive of Screen Producers Ireland who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

Put trains on disused railway lines, not just bicycles  That’s the call from Eamon O’Cuiv, Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Rural Development who joined Shane in the studio this morning.

The Labour Party’s Fertility Leave Bill has been pushed out for twelve months by the government.  Ivana Bacik, Labour Leader, joined Shane this morning and was ask was she disappointed with this decision.

Longer-term commitments needed to achieve our ‘Housing For All’ 2024 target.  That’s according to an annual Irish construction industry review, published today by AECOM.   Speaking to Ciara this morning on the show was Hubert Fitzpatrick, Director General of the Construction Industry Federation.

What do you do when your parents are pressuring you to marry? We're joined by author Naina Kumar. Naina, in your debut novel ‘Say You’ll Be My Jaan’, you explore the idea of a pair of friends trying to escape their matchmaking families. Is it still a thing, do you think? Do parents still put pressure on their kids to get married.

Senator Rónán Mullen denies that e-collars for cats and dogs are cruel as the government launch a public consultation about a possible ban  Gillian Bird, DSPCA Head of Education and Media gave her view on the show this morning.

Friday is the deadline for appealing against the planned redevelopment of the Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre. A petition has also been started to have the centre listed as a protected structure. One of those who has made an appeal is the journalist Frank McDonald who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

The first meeting of the Department of Health’s Productivity and Savings Taskforce will take place today.  The task force hopes to deal with the use of new technology, new ways of working, and the future cost of health care.  Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.