The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)

Niall is joined by Karl Deeter to discuss two very different stories that have sparked plenty of reaction.

First, they look at the controversy surrounding the naked Donald Trump statue displayed at the euopean parliment and ask whether political protest and satire have now crossed into cheap provocation.

Then the conversation turns to a growing debate about animals in public spaces.

The National Transport Authority has proposed a more consistent policy allowing pets on Transport for Ireland services. Under the proposals, small dogs, cats and other small animals could travel in suitable carriers, while larger dogs could travel on a lead and muzzled. More than 2,500 people responded to the consultation, with the vast majority supporting greater access for pets, although concerns were also raised about hygiene, allergies, safety and passenger comfort.

But should that approach extend beyond buses, trains and the Luas?

Should dogs and other pets be welcomed into cafés, shops and supermarkets, or are there some places where animals simply do not belong?

Supporters say Ireland needs to become more pet friendly and that responsible owners should not be excluded from everyday life. Critics argue that public spaces have to work for everyone, including people with allergies, fears of dogs and concerns about hygiene.

Niall and Karl ask where the line should be drawn between being pet friendly and respecting everyone else sharing the same space.

Niall talks to journalist Laura Perrins about Budget 2027 and asks whether it will actually make any meaningful difference to households struggling with the relentless rise in the cost of living.

Every year we hear about tax cuts, credits, welfare increases and new Government supports, yet for many people the bills keep rising faster than the help arriving. Electricity, heating, groceries, rent, mortgages, insurance and childcare continue to swallow more of our income.

Budget 2027 promises tax relief for workers, increased welfare payments, childcare supports and measures to reduce energy costs. But will people genuinely feel better off, or are we simply getting a little more from the Government while paying far more everywhere else?

Niall asks Laura whether Government policy is really tackling the cost of living or merely trying to soften the impact of continually rising prices.

And if there was just one thing the Government could do to make your life financially easier, what would it be?

Niall talks to business owner and podcaster Paul Treyvaud about the Government’s expected decision to increase the minimum wage by 79 cent to €14.94 an hour from January, and the continuing debate over plans for a €16 living wage.

For workers struggling with rent, food, energy and other everyday costs, higher wages may seem essential just to keep up. Supporters of a living wage argue that anyone working full time should earn enough to have a reasonable standard of living.

But many small business owners say they are being squeezed from every direction. Energy, insurance, rates, stock, VAT and labour costs have all increased, and another compulsory wage rise could mean higher prices, reduced opening hours, fewer employees or, in some cases, businesses closing completely.

On the other side of the argument is a simple question: if a business cannot afford to pay its workers a decent wage, should that business be operating in the first place?

Niall asks Paul who should ultimately take priority, the worker struggling to pay the bills or the employer struggling to keep the doors open?

And should Ireland move towards a €16 an hour living wage, even if some businesses say they simply cannot afford it?

Niall talks to callers about the death penalty following the disturbing case of Christa Pike, who is reportedly critically ill in hospital after an attempt by the state of Tennessee to execute her went badly wrong.

Pike was just 18 when she brutally tortured and murdered 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995. She was sentenced to death and has spent almost three decades awaiting execution. Last week, she was given lethal injection drugs, but the execution failed, reportedly leaving her with severe swelling and chemical burns and requiring ventilation in hospital.

Nobody disputes the horrific nature of Pike’s crime, but does that justify the state deliberately taking another human life?

Supporters of capital punishment argue that some crimes are so brutal that death is the only appropriate punishment and that victims’ families deserve justice. Opponents say the death penalty is an outdated and barbaric practice that gives governments a power they should never possess.

After an execution attempt that has already caused Pike enormous suffering, should the state be allowed to try again? Has she already been punished enough, or should the sentence still be carried out?

Niall opens the phone lines and asks callers a simple but deeply divisive question: do you agree with the death penalty?

Niall talks to Cormac Lucey, economics commentator with The Sunday Times Ireland, about growing concern that Ireland is becoming increasingly unaffordable for its own young people.

New figures from the National Youth Council make for stark reading. Some 68% of young adults say they are considering leaving Ireland in search of a better quality of life, while 90% believe secure, well-paid work is becoming harder to find and 89% say the housing crisis is hitting young people disproportionately hard.

With rents, house prices and the general cost of living continuing to put pressure on younger generations, many are now asking whether Ireland risks exporting its own skilled and educated young people while relying increasingly on inward migration to fill jobs and support economic growth.

Niall and Cormac examine what is driving the problem, whether current housing and economic policy is failing younger people, and what practical changes could help persuade another generation that their future is in Ireland rather than abroad.

Are we losing our best young talent, and if so, what can be done to stop it?

Niall talks to housing campaigner Peter Dooley about a proposal from Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne to put a constitutional right to housing before the Irish people.

Hearne is bringing forward a Bill using wording proposed by the Housing Commission, arguing that putting a right to housing into the Constitution would place a legal responsibility on the State to ensure people have access to adequate housing. He has said this could require stronger measures to prevent homelessness and evictions.

Supporters believe a secure and affordable home should be recognised as a basic right and that constitutional protection would force successive governments to take the housing crisis more seriously.

Critics question exactly what such a right would mean in practice, how far the State’s legal obligations could extend and whether the Constitution should guarantee housing rather than access to shelter and support. The Housing Commission itself did not reach unanimous agreement on the issue, with the Government previously describing it as complex.

Niall and Peter debate what a constitutional right to housing could actually mean for homeowners, renters, landlords and taxpayers.

Would you vote Yes to put a right to housing into the Constitution?

#895 Artificial Intelligence: Our Greatest Invention or Biggest Mistake?

Niall talks to Podcaster Nick Delahanty about the growing debate surrounding artificial intelligence and whether the technology is advancing faster than society can safely handle.

AI promises enormous benefits, from breakthroughs in medicine and education to major changes in business, productivity and everyday life. But with that progress come serious questions. Could artificial intelligence replace millions of jobs? Could it become powerful enough to shape the information people see, influence public opinion and decide which ideas or conversations are promoted or suppressed?

There are also concerns about who ultimately controls the technology. If the most powerful AI systems are owned by a small number of governments and multinational companies, how much influence could they have over society, politics, the media and even our understanding of reality?

Niall and Peter discuss the opportunities, the risks and whether regulation can realistically keep pace with a technology developing at extraordinary speed.

Should we embrace artificial intelligence and everything it could offer, or should we be genuinely worried about where it is taking us?

The Government is delivering 2.2 million copies of its new “Be Emergency Ready” booklet to households across Ireland, but is it sensible preparation for an uncertain world, or is it unnecessarily frightening the public?

Niall Boylan is joined by journalist John McGuirk to discuss the Government's so-called doomsday handbook, which advises households on how to prepare for emergencies, major disruptions and potential crises.

With taxpayers footing the bill for millions of booklets, Niall questions whether this is money well spent and asks why the Government feels the need to issue such advice now.

Some listeners have expressed genuine concern, wondering whether the Government knows something the rest of us don't. With ongoing international conflicts and growing tensions between world powers, is the threat of a wider war something we should seriously consider?

Are we right to be concerned about the possibility of World War Three, or are we allowing ourselves to worry about disasters that may never happen?

Niall and John discuss the booklet, the Government's intentions, public reaction and whether Ireland really needs to prepare for the worst.

Just when you thought there was nothing left to tax, along comes another charge on your online shopping!

Niall Boylan is joined by podcaster and restaurateur Paul Treyvaud to discuss new EU charges on goods ordered from outside the European Union, including popular websites such as Temu and Shein.

With a new €2 handling fee being added to existing customs charges, could cheap online bargains soon become a thing of the past?

Is this about protecting Irish and European businesses from unfair competition, or simply another way of squeezing more money out of hard-pressed consumers?

Niall and Paul debate whether these charges will encourage people to shop locally or simply punish families trying to save a few quid.

Fuel prices are soaring again, with diesel reaching around €2.20 a litre in some areas and petrol close to €2, adding even more pressure to households, motorists, farmers and businesses already struggling with the cost of living.

In this episode, Niall speaks to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín and John Dallon, one of the organisers and speakers behind the fuel price campaign, following a packed public meeting at The Well in Moate. More than 1,000 people reportedly attended, with organisers demanding that the Government scrap the carbon tax, reduce other taxes on fuel and take stronger action to bring prices down.

Supporters of the campaign argue that Government taxation is making an already serious international fuel crisis considerably worse. The Government, meanwhile, has pointed to global supply problems and conflict in the Middle East as major factors driving prices upwards, while signalling that further measures may be considered in the upcoming Budget.

Niall asks whether the Government should dramatically cut taxes on petrol and diesel, whether the carbon tax should be abolished completely, and what happens to the wider cost of living if fuel prices continue climbing.

Are the fuel protesters making reasonable demands, or are they expecting the Government to protect motorists from price increases largely caused by events outside Ireland?

Niall puts those questions to Peadar Tóibín and John Dallon and hears what they believe should happen next.