This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Minsiter for Education and Meath-East Fine Gael TD Helen McEntee, who spoke to us about the shooting of Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk and the recent threats against Tanaiste Simon Harris.

Minister McEntee told The Agenda that she believes it is a dangerous time for politicians and journalists.

We also spoke about the recent secretaries and caretakers strikes which have been put on hold, Budget 2026, phone bans in schools and the shortage of teachers and SNA's in Ireland.

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Customers of Energia are being hit with electricity price increases of up to 12 per cent with almost immediate effect in a move that is likely to cost many households more than €200 a year.

Energia is the third energy company to announce price increases this year. It said the price changes - which kick in on October 9th - were “now unavoidable” as a result of ongoing, substantial increases in electricity system operator and network charges.

Consumer Affairs Correspondent at the Irish Times, Conor Pope, joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this.

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Childcare in Louth now costs parents an average of €185.62 a week for one child, with more than 1,400 children on waiting lists, new figures from Pobal show. 

The National Women’s Council (NWC) says the situation highlights the urgent need for Government action and is calling for Budget 2026 to deliver a public childcare system that lowers costs, expands access, and supports women returning to work.

Ireland ranks in the top three countries in Europe for childcare costs. Country wide, there are more than 50,000 children under the age of four on waiting lists for places across the country; and thousands more on waiting lists for after-school/school-age childcare.

The National Women’s Council is now urging the Government to use Budget 2026 to deliver a shift in Ireland’s early childhood education and care system. 

Women's Economic Equality Co-Ordinator at the National Women’s Council, Donal Swan, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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Meath County Council held a special meeting yesterday which was brought by Independent councilor Alan Lawes. 

There was a vote to pass a motion calling on ”Meath County Council to consider all lawful sanctions it can take against the apartheid state of Israel in order to put pressure on them to stop the Genocide and forced starvation of the Palestinian people.” 

There was 100% support of all the councillor’s voting, passing by 27 votes, 13 cllrs absent. The vote needed was 14 to pass the motion. Everyone present in the chamber and online voted in favour. 

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

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Today, September 10th, is World Suicide Day all across the globe. 

The international theme of World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is 'Changing the Narrative on Suicide'. Suicide is a serious global public health issue, with over 700,000 lives lost each year. Its impact extends far beyond the individual, deeply affecting families, communities, and societies at large.

This year’s theme calls on people, communities, organisations and government to foster open, honest conversations about suicide. By initiating these vital conversations, we can break down barriers, raise awareness, and create better cultures of understanding and support.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Carol Murphy, General Manager at SoSad in Drogheda, who spoke to us some more about this day and about why this day is so important.

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A Meath woman living in Doha has described how her building shook following an Israeli strike on the Qatari capital.

Niamh Collins said there was ‘black smoke everywhere’ after the attack on senior Hamas leaders, and Niamh spoke to us on The Agenda this morning to tell us exactly what happened.

We also spoke to Sharon Lifschitz, whose mother and father were kidnapped by Hamas last year - her father was murdered in captivity.

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U.S. President Donald Trump feels "very badly" about Israel's strike on Hamas targets in Qatar and directed a top aide, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar the attack was coming, the White House said on Tuesday.

Hamas, responsible for the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel from Gaza, said five of its members had been killed in the Israeli attack in Doha, including the son of Hamas's exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya.

Professor Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford, joined us this morning on The Agenda to tell us more about this.

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Tánaiste Simon Harris said he is doing his "very best to get on with my job" after a series of threats were made against him and his family.

Gardaí are investigating the threatening calls made to Mr Harris and his family.

It is understood the calls, which included bomb threats, were made on Telegram, which offers security provisions and encryption, enabling callers to disguise their identity.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by local Fine Gael councillor in Wicklow, Graham Richmond, who took to social media yesterday to condemn those making the threats and stand in solidarity with the Tanaiste.

Adrian Kennedy, who was presenting the programme, also opened up about his own harrowing experience with online threats and intimidation and said that targeting a persons family is "NO GO" and is "a step too far".

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Poland said it scrambled its own and Nato air defences to shoot down drones over its territory after repeated violations of its airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine in what the Polish army called an “act of aggression”.

It marks the first time in the war that Warsaw has engaged Russian assets in its airspace.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to former Independent TD & retired army soldier Cathal Berry, who says that this "signals a major escalation".

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