Newstalk Breakfast

The Government’s new digital ID plan for social media users has been labelled as “intrusive”, “illegal” and an “expensive national embarrassment” waiting to happen. 

One of its critics is TJ McIntyre, Associate professor at the school of law UCD, Solicitor and Chair of Digital Rights Ireland.

China has told the US to free Nicolas Maduro, hours before he is expected to appear in court in New York. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has suggested Colombia could be a target for the US, calling its president a "sick man" who won't be in power for long. 

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Sean Bell Former Fighter Pilot, Military Analyst and Co-Host of the Red Matrix Podcast   Luis Diaz, Venezuelan man living in Ireland.

Just one in three of us think that hard work alone determines success in Ireland today. That’s according to a new Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks opinion poll. So, is it true that hard work doesn’t equate to success?  All to discuss with success? 

We discuss this further with Jill O'Mahony Sociology Lecturer at South East Technological University Waterford. 

Ireland’s towns and cities are cleaner overall in 2025, with lower litter levels driving a nationwide improvement, according to the latest Irish Business Against Litter survey. 

However, Dublin’s north inner city remains the most littered area in Ireland. We hear the details of the survey findings with Conor Horgan, Spokesperson for Irish Business Against Litter.

Delcy Rodriguez, interim leader of Venezuela, has invited the US Government to “collaborate” with her and said she is seeking "respectful relations" with Washington. This comes after US forces ousted President Nicolas Maduro, who is due to appear in a Manhattan court on drug charges later today. 

 We get the latest on this with David Smith, Washington Bureau Chief, The Guardian. 

Met Eireann have warned of a "treacherous start" to this morning with frost, ice and freezing fog patches that will carry into tomorrow. For more on this, Shane was joined by Ailis Hankinson, Forecaster with Met Eireann.

A recent survey has placed Ireland in the top 10 countries most pessimistic about the future. We asked Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin why are we so gloomy? 

House prices nationally rose by an average of 5.5% during 2025, with prices now 41% above their pre-covid levels and just 10% below their Celtic Tiger peak.  

That’s according to a new report from Daft.ie.  Ronan Lyons Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin and author of the report discusses these findings.

A best-selling crime writer, a retired police detective and a communications expert from County Down are among the contestants on the new series of The Traitors in the UK, which kicked off last night on BBC One.  

We heard from Niamh O’Reilly, Freelance Journalist and Traitors Superfan.

The first victim of the tragic fire at a ski resort in Switzerland has been named as Emanuele Galeppini, an Italian teen golfer.  Officials continue to investigate the exact cause of the fire in which over 40 people were killed and 115 were injured, although they have already ruled out a terror attack. 

Speaking to Ciara this morning was Felix Smith a journalist for Bauer Media Copenhagen.