Councillor Ejiro O’Hare Stratton has condemned a shocking incident of racial and verbal abuse directed at her in broad daylight on West Street, Drogheda, last Friday, 26th September. The confrontation took place at around 3pm.

Councillor Stratton reported that she was followed and filmed by an individual who shouted racist slurs, telling her to “go back to your country,” and questioned her contribution to the town. 

The abuser also mocked her with comments such as, “Here is the Nigerian lady who came to Ireland as a nun, now running for the presidential election.” The encounter lasted several minutes, with no Garda presence in the busy public area, leaving her visibly shaken.

Councillor O’Hare Stratton joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this shocking incident.

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Micheal Martin should apologise for his “offensive and insulting” comments on homelessness, Sinn Fein’s Eoin O Broin said.

The Dublin Mid-West TD hit out at the Taoiseach’s suggestion that some people in emergency accommodation aren’t actually homeless.

Deputy O Broin, Sinn Fein’s housing spokesperson, said: “In August, a total of 16,353 people including 5,145 children were in emergency accommodation. This is the highest number of adults and children experiencing homelessness since modern records began.

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

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Following the publishing of proposed guidelines by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) have expressed concerns that they could be facing redeployment or job uncertainty next year if the new proposed guidelines are implemented.

The 2025/26 guidelines for the review of SNA allocations outline that there are plans to decrease the level of care identified in schools as the care needs of the children could “be appropriately supported with less resources than are currently allocated.”

However, following engagements by Fórsa with the Dáil Joint Committee for Education and Youth, the guidance on how SNA reviews will be conducted will be clarified.

Prior to the statement published by Fórsa that talks had taken place on Wednesday, September 24, Sophie Brady, an SNA from Trim, Co. Meath expressed her anger and concerns in a video posted to TikTok where she spoke about the impact of these guidelines on children who face having their SNAs revoked.

Sophie spoke to us this morning on The Agenda about all of this.

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Over a third of claims for the Carer’s Allowance are being rejected each year sparking renewed calls for the means test to be scrapped in the upcoming budget.

The Government has said it will increase the income disregard for the carer’s allowance in each budget with a view to phasing it out before the end of its term in office in 2029.

New figures provided to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín following a parliamentary question to social protection minister Dara Calleary show that, on average, around 37% of Carer’s Allowance claims are being rejected.

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

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Louth Fianna Fáil TD Erin McGreehan has called for urgent reform of the school transport system, warning that families across the county are being left “stranded” by bus cancellations, restrictive rules and what she described as an “unfair lottery system.”

Speaking in the Dáil last week, Deputy McGreehan said school transport problems have become an “annual event” for parents in Louth and nationwide.

Deputy McGreehan joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us some more about what is going on here and what she believes should be done to alleviate the ongoing issue in Louth and across the country.

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There will be no border poll on a united Ireland by 2030, Taoiseach Micheál ­Martin has said.

Earlier this year, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald renewed calls for a border poll to take place in this decade.

The opposition party, which has joined others in backing Independent Catherine Connolly’s candidacy, believe a united Ireland will be an important part of the upcoming presidential election, with Ms McDonald saying unity will be at the heart of Ms Connolly’s campaign.

Political Correspondent Sean Defoe joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this,

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The Irishwoman who alleged she was raped by the suspect in the Madeleine McCann case is assisting the pre-legislative hearing on legislation around the disclosure of counselling records in sexual assault trials.

Hazel Behan is one of a panel of 14 people who will take part in a private session of the Oireachtas committee on justice, home affairs and migration on Tuesday for pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025.

The bill was approved by the Cabinet in May and includes measures aimed at ensuring that counselling records are only released where the court decides that they contain material relevant to legal proceedings. 

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

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Dara Keogh 

CEO GEO DIRECTORY

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Eimear Tobin 

Aontu

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