Sinn Féin TD for Meath East, Darren O’Rourke, alongside party representatives from across County Meath, last week met with officials from the National Transport Authority (NTA) to confront the escalating transport crisis facing the county’s growing population.

The meeting, held at Leinster House, covered a comprehensive list of deficits and required interventions across all modes of public and active travel.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Sinn Fein TD for Meath-East Darren O'Rourke, who told us about the key issues that were raised by the delegation.

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A flurry of new social housing will be advertised on Louth County Council’s letting portal ‘CBL’ in the run up to Christmas, it emerged this week.

Dundalk councillors were provided with an update on the units coming on stream across the county in the final weeks of 2025.

These include Approved Housing Body (AHB) developments in both Dundalk and Drogheda.

Councillor Kevin Meenan told the meeting councillors had welcomed an email from the Director of Services, Ger Murphy, outlining the upcoming schemes.

Councillor Meenan joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this

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Louth County Council has opened public consultation on the Draft Town Centre First Plan for Clogherhead, and locals are being strongly encouraged to take part in shaping the future of the seaside village.

The plan, developed in collaboration with the Clogherhead Town Team, community groups, local stakeholders, elected members and specialist urban designers — sets out a long-term vision for revitalising the village centre and improving amenities, accessibility, public spaces and services.

Councillor Declan Power said it was “a very important moment” for anyone living in, working in, or connected to Clogherhead.

Councillor Power joinsed us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, has announced the allocation of €3.2 million to expand domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services.

The allocation follows a targeted funding call by Cuan, the national agency for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. 

Nearly 300,000 euro worth of funding has been granted to Louth and Meath with services in Louth to receive funding.

One of the services receiving funding is the Drogheda’s Women’s Refuge, and that will receive €92,307.

CEO of Drogheda Women’s & Children’s Refuge, Susan Keogh, joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this funding and how it will help their services.

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Drug-driving prosecutions in our district courts have surged, with 2,050 people before the courts up to October 2025 alone for drug driving offences, according to figures supplied to Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú by the Irish courts service. 

A total of 1,499 people faced district court proceedings for drug driving in 2024, but this has already risen by 37% in the first 10 months of 2025, with 2025 marking the highest level on record for drug driving prosecutions in our district court system. 

Cynthia said the trend reflects a steady rise since 2020 — but warned that this year’s sharp escalation is particularly alarming.

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

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Farmers will be setting off later this morning to join their colleagues from across Europe at a protest in Brussels later in the week.

They're concerned about the CAP budget, trade deals including Mercosur and excessive regulation around the cost of doing business.

They'll be driving tractors today from the Irish Farm Centre to Rosslare and will get on a ferry to France for the demonstration in Brussels on Thursday.

Irish Farmers Association President Francie Gorman set out what farmers want from the next EU budget, and Francie joined us on The Agenda this morning tell us more about this. 

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Last week on the programme, we heard about “authoritarian” moves by Donald Trump’s administration to ask travellers, including from Ireland, to hand over five years of social media history.

The new policy has been branded “a massive overreach” that would damage relations with the US.

Under the new policy announced this week, all tourists, whether they require a visa or not, may have to undergo social media screenings to enter the US.nThe proposal, which is open for public consultation for 60 days, comes as the Trump administration has ramped up scrutiny of foreign travellers.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson, who says that the policy amounts to a “direct attack on privacy, free speech and freedom of expression” and would represent “a setback” for relations between Ireland and the US.

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The widow of a man who died in a road crash has condemned as “just appalling” a Department of Transport proposal to remove roadside memorials. 

Officials believe the tributes should be banned on motorways, dual carriageways, regional and local roads where the speed limit is above 60km/ph. 

A spokesperson said existing memorials could remain, so long as they are not a “clear hazard to road users or interfere with maintenance activities”. 

Park Road Safety Advocacy Group spokesperson Susan Gray says that she was shocked when a journalist called her to ask for comment as she had heard nothing about it.

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

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Targeted reforms to improve the Assessment of Need (AON) process for children and their families have been announced.

Legislation will be required to introduce the reforms which Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley acknowledged would take time.

Minister Foley said the reforms will lead to a faster and more efficient way of carrying out AON reports, instead of "tying up therapists' time unnecessarily".

Assessment officers will be supported by 11 new teams comprising 44 experts, who will provide clinical guidance and support during the AON process.

Each team will include a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist, and an administrator.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Sinn Fein TD for Louth, Ruairi Ó Murchú, who gave us his thoughts on this.

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Ireland's first women-focused taxi service is set to launch in Dublin this month, giving women the option of choosing a female driver.

LadyCab says it will offer safer journeys for women who can use its app to request a female driver.

Founder Emanuela Negura said she was determined to make a change in the industry after experiencing first-hand "the dangers" of the capital's nightlife.

Emanula was attacked on a Saturday night last year in July in the city centre by a male passenger, who tried to get into her car. 

Emanuela says she was parked up and he tried to get in, but luckily the door was locked. The attacker then tried to smash her window and grabbed her by the neck and he hit her - that is when she realised how exposed women are as taxi drivers to the dangers of Dublin’s nightlife.

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

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