Newstalk Breakfast

The Dáil has heard that ‘thousands’ of people are spending their lives stuck in Dublin-bound traffic, with many motorways becoming ‘carparks’.  How pressing is this issue, and what can be done to fix it? All to discuss with Brian Caulfield, Professor in the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin.

The Defence Forces are preparing to deploy a naval ship to monitor a Russian surveillance vessel should it move closer to Irish waters.  We discuss further with Vice Admiral and Former Head of the Defence Forces Mark Mellett,

Brazil failed to secure an early COP30 climate deal on Wednesday, but their President Lula optimistic, saying there’s still room for progress in the summit’s final two days  

Former Environment Minister and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was at COP30 last week and recently questioned “is this really working?”

Yesterday, University of Limerick PHD Researcher Emma Jude Lyons claimed the victory in the Irish Universities’ Association’s 3 minute thesis competition for her presentation of a new methodology to create bespoke breast prosthesis.

Dublin’s planned new metro system will need about 8,000 workers to construct, according to Metrolink’s Project Director Sean Sweeney.  He told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport that the Irish construction industry cannot support the construction of this project.  

Shane discussed this further with Paul Davis, Lecturer in Public Procurement at DCU. 

There are concerns about Russian spy ship on course for Irish waters . Also Washington has reportedly developed a secret 28-point plan with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. This comes ahead of a meeting later today between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a US delegation in Kyiv.  Also

  All to discuss with Declan Power Defence and Security Analyst. 

A New ESRI study has found that participation in afterschool clubs and centres is more common among higher income families, with this gap widening over time. Dr. Helen Russell, Research Professor and head of the Social Research Division at the ESRI. 

The Government is being forced to bring in emergency regulations to stop companies attempting to subvert the new auto-enrolment pension. We get more on this with Charlie Weston, Personal Finance editor with the Irish Independent. 

Would you be interested in dining at a restaurant where your phone is locked away? One restaurant who has adapted this policy is Punk Royale in London and we spoke to Katherine Bont, Head of Guest Experience at The Punk Royale Group.

This morning, Friends of the Earth are setting up a cold and drafty “sitting room” outside the Dáil in support of a Bill to introduce Building Energy Rating standards in rented accommodation.  

For more on this we spoke to Clare O’Connor, Friends of the Earth's Programme Coordinator for Heat.