The incoming garda commissioner Justin Kelly is taking the reins of the organisation at a time when the demands placed on it by a rapidly changing, complex society are at the highest they have ever been.

As the head of law enforcement and national security he will be expected to earn every cent of the €314,000 salary.

So what are the five biggest challenges he faces in the five years ahead?

Crime Writer & Journalist Paul Williams wrote about this in today’s Irish Independent, and he joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us what those challenges are.

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At least 56 Irish people have been arrested by the US ­Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office so far this year, as Donald Trump embarks on a major immigration crackdown.

Of these, 43 Irish citizens have been deported or are due to be deported.

In general, the figures show ICE has tripled its number of daily ­arrests since Mr Trump’s inauguration, that the majority of people being arrested have no criminal convictions and that detention centres are being stretched beyond capacity.

As well as the 43 Irish citizens who were deported, the figures show many more are being detained.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by head of Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, Ciaran Staunton, who says it is a “worrying time” for undocumented Irish immigrants as Trump increases deportations.

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Businesses in Navan's Church Hill and Bedford Place say trade is suffering with a huge drop in footfall since work began on the Navan 2030 project in the area.

Customers are staying away because they cannot negotiate the maze of bollards blocking off footpaths, the lack of parking is deterring shoppers, noise and dust is driving people elsewhere and water outages forced at least one local premises to close for two days.

Some local business owners in the area joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us about how big a problem this is.

We also spoke to local Aontu Councillor, Emer Toibin, who gave us her thoughts on this.

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Cllr Marianne Butler is urging people in Louth to have their say on commercial rates on empty business premises.

Cllr Butler explained “that since 2014 vacant commercial premises that can demonstrate that they are for sale or available to rent are only liable for half their commercial rates bill”.

The rationale for this is to give the owner time to find a new tenant or new owner. The difficulty with the present system, Cllr Butler explained, is that there is no time limit on how many years that this 50% discount applies for.

The Green Party councillor added, “the present situation is contributing to long term vacancy and in some cases dereliction especially in the likes of Dundalk and Drogheda.

Councillor Butler joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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The Government has been urged to remain vigilant and responsive to new drug trends after it banned an addictive cannabis substitute which has been commonly sold in vapes or as edibles and which has been linked to serious medical episodes and psychosis in young people.

The classification of hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) as an illegal drug, agreed by Cabinet on Tuesday, means the import, export, production, possession, sale, or supply of products containing HHC is now illegal, giving added powers of enforcement to gardaí.

Labour Party TD & Spokesperson on Health, Marie Sherlock TD, has called on the Government to go further than a ban on HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) and to urgently introduce a public education campaign on this widely available drug.

Deputy Sherlock joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this. 

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A Dublin woman who rescued an Indian man from a mob of teenagers who beat him, stripped him and stole from him has said he was “left for dead”.

Gardaí are investigating a “racially motivated” attack that took place at Parkhill Lawns, Kilnamanagh, on July 19 at around 6pm.

The group of attackers falsely accused the man of acting inappropriately around children before and after he was set upon.

Jennifer Murray, from Tallaght, says that the victim, who said he arrived in Ireland just weeks ago, kept asking, “Please help me, ma’am” when she went to his aid.

Jennifer was driving in Kilnamanagh, an area of Tallaght, when she came across the scene and pulled over her car to help.

Jennifer spoke to us this morning on The Agenda this morning to tell us all about what happened. 

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A garda has suffered multiple stab wounds following an unprovoked knife attack in Dublin city centre yesterday evening.

One man aged in his 20s is in custody following the incident.

The officer, who was on routine patrol in the city, suffered puncture wounds to his side. He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is “recovering well” and expected to be discharged, a Garda spokesperson said.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Assistant General Secretary at the GRA (Garda Representative Association), Tara McManus, who told us more about this shocking incident.

We also heard about Justin Kelly being appointed as new Garda Commissioner. 

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One of Ireland’s leading obesity specialists has claimed the ‘hijacking’ of the weight loss treatments by the beauty industry has led to an increase in hospitalisations. 

The licensing of weight loss drugs has been widely hailed them as a “game changer” in the fight against obesity. 

However, Professor Donal O’Shea warned their arrival is not unalloyed good news and cautioned that they are now “widespread” in beauty salons. 

Professor O’Shea spoke to us this morning on The Agenda about this. 

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A Louth councillor has called for a database to be set up, listing volunteer water search and rescue groups across the county.

Drogheda councillor, Debbie McCole, submitted a motion to the July meeting of Louth County Council, “noting the recent deaths from drowning and calls from Water Safety Ireland for heightened vigilance around water.”

Debbie spoke to us this morning on The Agenda about this. 

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Donald Trump has given Russia “10 or 12 days” to reach a peace deal with Ukraine.

The US president slashed the 50-day deadline he had issued to Moscow earlier this month to end Europe’s biggest war since 1945 or face

“severe” tariffs on its trade.

Ukraine welcomed Mr Trump’s intention to bring the deadline forward by almost a month and his admission he was “very disappointed” by Russian president Vladimir Putin and “not so interested in talking [to him] any more”.

Political Columnist at TheJournal.ie, Larry Donnelly, joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this.

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