The MOTH NEWS Podcast

MOTH News Live — Friday 20 NovemberThis week: US businessman Jeff Leo faces a High Court grilling over €60 million in disputed assets, unfiled accounts, and a secret stake in an IPAS accommodation centre.Keith breaks down what it means — and why it matters.Also:The real story behind the Beyond the Pale Festival rescueOscar explains how FOI requests hold the State to accountAnd Ireland’s playoff path for the 2026 World CupLive from 11am with Keith Walsh, Oscar Virdee and Al Francis.

Moth News Live returns with a brand new format! Host Keith Walsh, joined by Al and Oscar, leads a high-stakes investigation into three stories the establishment doesn't want discussed.This week, we are asking who is financially benefiting from Ireland's ongoing crises. Keith begins by dissecting Simon Harris's suggestion that immigration is the core housing problem, arguing instead that the focus should be on the financial beneficiaries who profit from the crisis's continuation. We examine a sourced snapshot of private companies currently operating IPAS centers, including Barlow Properties, Cromey Ltd., Aramark, and Mosney Unlimited Company, and ask the central question: “Who’s lobbying hardest to keep it this way?”.Next, Oscar brings alarming data from Dublin and Wicklow adolescent addiction programs. We discuss the finding that up to a quarter of teenagers seeking treatment have ADHD, which is a recognized risk factor for addiction. We explore the prevalence of cannabis (70%) and the regulatory failure surrounding the surge of the semi-synthetic cannabinoid HHC (20%).Finally, Al investigates the turbulent world of startup investment. We highlight the success of the Boole Angel Investment Syndicate, which has invested €15 million, but contrast this with serious allegations stemming from the collapse of food-tech startup Senoptica. We examine claims that investor actions (by Boole Nominees Ltd.) were an "unreasonable and inconsistent" move that "created a funding crisis" designed to be exploited.Join us as we connect the dots and expose the forces profiting from instability—from housing to health to high-tech finance.

Neil Giles of Stop the Traffik says the pattern of trafficking has changed, with more victims from Nigeria and Ghana who are exploited long before reaching Europe. He argues that prevention begins with lived-experience narratives and digital outreach. Campaigns on Facebook and Instagram Lite warn communities about false job offers and scams. Giles cites Desmond Tutu’s analogy: instead of rescuing people downstream, we must stop them from falling in upstream. He says changing awareness and reducing profit can disrupt traffickers’ control.

Miriam Moriarty Owens, one of four Boarded‑Out survivors sleeping rough outside Leinster House, discusses the 40‑day hunger strike, the meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the role of the upcoming mediator, and the demand for a written HAA medical, state pension and official apology.

MOTH News Live — Friday, November 7thSurvivors of Ireland’s industrial schools are on hunger strike outside the Dáil — demanding medical cards and pensions they’re already entitled to.Keith Walsh speaks with Miriam Moriarty Owens, whose story of violence and survival under the Sisters of Mercy exposes how little has really changed.

If you’ve ever wondered why it’s so hard to get a mortgage in Ireland — even when you’re doing everything right — or why repossessions are still happening over loans taken out during the Celtic Tiger, then this next conversation is one you need to hear.

Cormac Butler is a financial consultant, a former derivatives specialist, and a whistleblower who’s been raising the alarm about serious problems in how Irish banks operate — and how the Central Bank regulates them.

He believes the banks are hiding major losses. And that the Central Bank is choosing not to act — because doing so could unravel the entire mortgage market.

Today, he joins me to explain what he’s uncovered, why he chose to speak out, and what it all means for Irish homeowners, renters, and anyone hoping to buy a home.

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On today’s MOTH News Live, Keith Walsh is joined by Al for the stories behind the headlines

The latest on Jeff Leo's promised repayments. Will he make it on time and what happens next

Sports journalist Philip O’Connor joins us live from Sweden to preview the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Final: Spain vs England.

Ireland may not be there, but we can’t afford to sit out the conversation.

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This week on MOTHCAST: Unvetted, we’re joined producer, and activist Áine O’Neill for a powerful and unfiltered conversation about one of the most controversial cultural moments of the year: Irish rap trio Kneecap’s explosive performance at Coachella.

Fresh from a 12-day visit to Palestine, Áine shares what she witnessed on the ground, why she speaks out for Palestinian rights, the backlash to Kneecap’s pro-Palestinian message and how once she started to see society for what it is, she had to look at changing everything.

We also dig into Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s public demand for Kneecap to clarify their position on Hamas and Hezbollah — and why media outlets in Ireland should clarify where their loyalties lie.

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“The Grace Case, All Over Again?”

This episode featurs a powerful and urgent conversation that echoes one of Ireland’s most harrowing scandals — the Grace case.

Philip O'Connor speaks exclusively to solicitor Caoimhe Haughey, who represents Caitlin Hassan, a young autistic woman who alleges she was raped while in State-funded care.

Senator Tom Clonan has called this “the Grace case happening again – in real time.”

In this episode:

• Are the HSE repeating the same catastrophic mistakes?
• Why were red flags ignored?
• What justice is possible for Caitlin and her mother Louise?

This is a story about safeguarding, systemic failure, and the right to be believed.

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In this episode of MOTHCAST – Unvetted, MOTH News chief reporter Philip O’Connor sits down with People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy for a wide-ranging and unfiltered conversation.

Can the current opposition parties really form the next Irish government? What role does Michael Lowry still play in shaping outcomes? Is protest still a powerful tool for change, or has it been neutralised? Paul and Philip also dive into the triple lock on military deployments, Ireland’s neutrality, and ask the big question—are the days of the establishment parties numbered?

Smart, sharp, and straight to the point—unfiltered news for unfiltered minds

🔊 Subscribe, share, and get involved—because the news doesn’t end when the mic goes off.

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