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A recent closure order issued by the County Council to a registered puppy farm in north Cork saw veterinary inspectors seize dogs worth over €80,000 from the premises. Dog breeding is big business in Ireland.

And while the majority of dog breeding establishments here are legitimate enterprises, the sheer demand for puppies means standards can vary hugely from one business to the next. 

Conor Dowling is today’s guest on In the News, and he is the Chief Animal Welfare Inspector at the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA). He has seen the absolute worse effects of puppy farming and feels that the current rules around mass dog breeding here have led to a ‘confused picture’ and would like to see ‘a total revamp of the legislation that’s currently in place’.  

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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Irish billionaire John Magnier has been steadily accumulating huge tracts of land in south Tipperary. He's entitled to do so. But local farmers say they are being priced out of buying the land they desperately need to stay afloat in a difficult business environment. Ronan McGreevy reports.

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The Government received an early Christmas gift this week with the latest exchequer data pointing to another surge in corporation tax as well as increases in income tax and VAT.

The figures show total tax receipts for the 11 months to the end of November amounted to €82 billion, which was €4.5 billion (5.8 per cent) more than the same period last year. This puts the Government on course to at least meet or exceed a projected budget surplus of €8.8 billion for 2023 and comes against a backdrop of slowing global growth and tighter financial conditions as a result of the European Central Bank’s interest rate hikes, which had been expected to limit the Government’s tax revenue.

Cliff Taylor explains why November is a key month for tax receipts and why these latest figures will calm jitters. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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In July 2022 a very public scandal erupted in the normally relatively closed world of Irish dancing. An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (CLRG), the oldest and largest governing body for competitive Irish dancing, was informed of allegations that at least 12 Irish dancing teachers in Ireland and overseas were involved in the “fixing” of competitions.

And that was the tip of a very grubby iceberg as further allegations emerged – including stories of “unwanted behaviours”, tales of sexual impropriety among the adults and a lack of trust among dancers, parents and teachers. Now 44 individuals are facing disciplinary hearings as the global organisation tries to rebuild trust in the highly competitive world of Irish dancing.

Irish Times reporter Shauna Bowers spoke to North Carolina-based Sandra Connick who has taken over as chair of CLRG. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.

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US commentator Tucker Carlson interviewed MAGA figurehead Steve Bannon about Irish society and politics in the wake of the Dublin riots. The men agreed Ireland is a ‘powder keg’ ready to explode thanks to a sinister globalist conspiracy.

Then comedian Russell Brand tackled the subject on his online show, touching on the same themes and coming down heavily on Ireland’s proposed new hate speech laws.

The three alternative media stars also focussed on the role and influence of MMA fighter Conor McGregor in recent events. Could McGregor become a political leader - or perhaps a political influencer like them?

On today’s In the News podcast Irish Times writer and Inside Politics host Hugh Linehan separates the kernels of truth from the misinformation and explains why it all matters.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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Ridley Scott’s Napoleon is a “breathless rollick” says Irish Times chief film correspondent Donald Clarke; Joaquin Phoenix makes the character his own and Vanessa Kirby is a terrific Josephine. But since its release, historians have been carping from the aisles pointing out the inaccuracies in the sprawling blockbuster. Among other things they point out that Napoleon didn’t fire on the pyramids; he wasn’t at Marie Antoinette’s execution and he did not, when general, participate in cavalry charges. But so what? Does it matter? How faithful does an historical biopic be to the facts?

Clarke, who has interviewed the veteran British film director many times, including most recently to discuss Napoleon, gives his take.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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COP28, the UN’s annual climate change summit kicks off today in Dubai. This year the COP President is Sultan Al Jaber, who is both the UAE’s special envoy on Climate Change and the CEO of the State’s oil and gas company Adnoc. Campaigners have likened his appointment to a tobacco CEO chairing a forum on cancer cures. So how damaging is this to the credibility of COP and how can this conflict of interest be reconciled? Sorcha Pollak speaks to Patrick Galey, journalist and senior fossil fuels investigator for Global Witness. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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