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The GAA in the north went through a torrid time during the Troubles, with members targeted and even murdered simply because of their membership. There were also members of the association who were in the IRA and ended up dead primarily because they were themselves involved in violence.

Peadar Thompson has written a book commemorating all the GAA members who died violently. In particular he spoke to bereaved families who remember their loved ones for who they were rather than how they died. Peadar Thompson is this week’s guest on the podcast. 

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For the first time, new regulations aimed at protecting Irish children online have been enacted – the ‘wild West’ era of social media is over. At least, that’s according to the Government, which this week announced the beginning of the Online Safety Code.

It’s taken the law over 20 years to catch up with social media – and in the meantime, a whole generation of children has been exposed to violence, pornography, self-harm content and misogyny, with only some minor attempts at protecting them from Big Tech.

But Ireland’s Online Safety Code is part of a wider effort including Europe’s Digital Services Act, the UK’s Digital Services Act and new Australian rules around social media which includes under 16s being banned from opening YouTube accounts. The measures have been widely welcomed in Ireland but have become the subject of huge debate in the UK. 

So – what are the rules, what are the penalties, and crucially, do they have enough teeth?

Irish Examiner journalist Sean Murray joins Deirdre O’Shaughnessy on this week’s episode of the Mick Clifford podcast

You can read Sean Murray’s take on the Online Safety Code here: Will tech giants finally take online safety for children seriously?

Clare O’Donoghue Velikic’s piece about Meta is here: Meta's ban on political ads will mean less transparency and more slop for users

Alex Cooney from Cybersafe Kids wrote recently in the Irish Examiner about Big Tech and children: Social media aimed at kids is driven by profit, not safety

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The National Development Plan review was launched earlier this week to an underwhelmed response. 

An update of the previous plan, the review takes into account the Apple Tax escrow fund the Government was so keen not to claim, and promises a focus on providing the infrastructure key to housing delivery.

Along with the Summer Economic Statement, both announcements this week make a statement about the forthcoming fiscal period, but in the absence of clarity on Trump's tariff plans - what does it all mean?

Deirdre O'Shaughnessy speaks to Political Correspondent Louise Burne about the figures, the ambitions, and the lack of detail at the plan's core. 

Mick Clifford is away

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To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Irish Examiner’s Feelgood supplement a major survey of women’s health in Ireland was undertaken by the newspaper. Some of the results were surprising, some worrying and a couple were quite shocking. To run their eyes over the results we were joined this week by Feelgood Editor Irene Feighan and Irish Examiner Health Correspondent, Niamh Griffin.

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As the destruction of Gaza by Israeli defence forces continues, bigger questions about how the world got to this point have gone unanswered. The plight of the Palestinian people has long been the issue that much of the west simply doesn’t want to know about. Businessman, author and migration activist Fintan Drury has written a book that melds history with polemic into a compelling narrative. Catastrophe – Nakba II is a timely examination of an issue that is turning into a major indictment of the west. Fintan Drury is this week’s guest on the podcast.   

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