A total of 23 Romanian people with criminal convictions have been deported from Ireland as part of an EU agreement.

The Department of Justice has flown the 23 men, who are aged between 22 and 49 years, to their home country using a government charter flight this afternoon.

Unlike in other recent deportations targeting one non-EU country’s nationals living in Ireland, today’s move comes against a fellow EU member.

It was carried out under Free Movement of Persons regulations, which allows the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to issue orders for both the removal and exclusion of an EU citizen or their family member who represent a danger to public security.

Sinn Fein TD for Cavan-Monaghan and spokesperson on Justice, Home Affairs & Migration, Matt Carty, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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A new Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (AHRRA) has been established by the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.

The legislation will aim to protect the rights of all parties involved in assisted human reproduction, including parents, donors, and children born through these technologies.

Chairperson of Irish Gay Dads Seamus Kearney Martone said the legislation will ultimately mean that both parents of children born through surrogacy will have the same legal rights to their child.

Seamus joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this

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As Fire Safety Week begins across Ireland, Meath residents are being urged to look out for vulnerable neighbours by asking three “simple” questions.

The campaign, which runs from October 13 to 19, comes amid figures showing that more than 60pc of fire fatalities in Ireland involve people aged 65 and over.

This year’s theme, “Together Against Fire,” focuses on community awareness and the role every Meath household can play in keeping older and more vulnerable people safe.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer with the Meath County Council Fire and Rescue Service, Barry Quinn, who spoke to us some more about this.

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Twenty-five men are taking fresh civil cases against paedophile surgeon Michael Shine and the religious order that ran the hospital where he once worked.

Adrienne Reilly, CEO of advocacy organisation Dignity4Patients, said the new civil cases against Shine and the Medical Missionaries of Mary show that “the Shine case is still current because there are still people coming forward for the very first time”.

She explained that recent reporting on the case and a campaign for a Commission of Investigation to probe matters surrounding the case has forced victims to revisit painful childhood memories of abuse: “Media exposure and engagement with high level government ministers have been the main trigger for this.”

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

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Local TD Ruairí Ó Murchú says commuters using Clarke train station in Dundalk will face even more pressure for car parking spaces after Irish Rail confirmed it's restricting parking at part of the site from today.

A bus needed for transfers because of Storm Amy was unable to get past cars parked on a service road accessed from the Ardee Road and passengers at the end of last week returned to their cars there to find a note telling them that from today, they would no longer be able to park there and would be clamped if they did.

In response to a query, Irish Rail has told Deputy Ó Murchú the extent of parking there has created safety issues in access for emergency services vehicles and for access for buses.

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

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Loyalists who vandalised an Irish language street sign in east Belfast say “it won’t be the last”, as police launched an investigation into the “hate-motivated” damage.

Police are appealing for information following the “hate-motivated” criminal damage to an Irish language street sign in east Belfast.

It is believed the white sign at Shandon Park was cut with an angle grinder, with the Irish language wording removed, at around 8.15pm on Saturday evening.

Crime Correspondent/columnist with the Belfast Telegraph, Allison Morris, joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this.

We were also joined on the line by SDLP Councillor in East Belfast, Seamus De Faoite, and by DUP MLA for North Belfast, Brian Kingston, who debated the issue live on air.

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As we watched Ireland’s fashion elite make their way to iconic Irish sites this week for the country’s first fashion week, one designer from Co. Meath is advocating for the small designers continuing to make their mark off the runway.

Siobhán Daly Designs was founded in 2016, showcasing the creation of headpieces for occasion wear, necklaces, and earrings, while putting sustainability first.

Support for local shops and businesses is growing according to Siobhán, but she says: “we need to see more of it”.

“We need to rally around small shops or we’ll end up with empty streets. We don’t need to be buying from large manufacturers.

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

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There’s now officially less than two weeks to go until polling day for the presidential election, and candidates are nearing the end of their list of debates.

Now only two presidential rivals Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys visited RTÉ’s Donnybrook radio studio yesterday for a surprisingly combative debate.

It came as a Business Post/Red C poll, carried out from October 1-7, indicates that Connolly is on 36%, Humphreys is on 25%, and now withdrawn Jim Gavin was on 12%.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Political Correspondent Sean Defoe, who spoke to us some more about this .

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The first seven of the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas after more than 783 days in captivity in Gaza, according to the Israeli military.

The group were handed over to the Red Cross ahead of being reunited with their families at the Re’im reception point near the Gaza border.

Israeli ministers had approved overnight a list of 1,718 Palestinian prisoners set to be released as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence & Meath-East Fianna Fail TD, Thomas Byrne, who spoke to us in more detail about.

We also spoke about the news that anti drone defences are to be fast tracked in advance of Ireland's EU Presidency.

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Residents of a Drogheda housing development are facing crippling electricity bills—some reaching between €800 - €900 and as high as €1,100 this winter, due to what they describe as a “flawed and inefficient smart electrical heating system in their duplex apartments.”

Louth councillor Declan Power highlighted the exorbitant bills faced by people living in Tullybrook Court, which is managed by Clúid Housing.

Speaking at the October meeting of Drogheda Borough District, Cllr. Power said that even in the summer months, when usage is typically much lower, people were facing bills as high as €400.

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

We also spoke to mum of 3, Ciara Byrne, who lives in Tullybrook and she told us about just how bad things are.

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