Upfront: The Podcast

Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shuilleabháin served as chair at the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. The UCD academic speaks to Katie about the damage being done to our biodiversity and what needs to happen to reverse its decline.

What exactly is public service broadcasting and why should we care if it is undermined or under threat? We're joined by Shaunagh Connaire, a twice Emmy-nominated journalist who has worked with Channel 4, BBC and PBS to get an international perspective.

Randal Plunkett, also known as the heavy metal baron, is the ancestor of a saint and an advocate of the rewilding movement who returned more than 700 acres of his family’s Dunsany estate to nature.

On the week Katie Taylor looks to make boxing history, Katie Hannon chats to Drogheda's Deirdre Gogarty. When Gogarty became the first Irish woman to win a boxing world title in 1997, it was still illegal for women to box in this country and her success went unnoticed by many.

Clare Dunne is the star of the ground-breaking family crime drama Kin. She is a two-time IFTA winner, picking up gongs for both acting and writing and she chats to Katie Hannon about her journey to becoming the head of the Kinsella crime family.

Christine Collins is an actor and member of the Irish Traveller community who’s set to appear in a new production of Tennesee William’s The Rose Tattoo. She tells Katie about her experience with discrimination, why 'education is power' and self-determination for women within the Traveller community.

This week Katie Hannon speaks to David Gorman. David is a recovering cocaine addict who found himself in throes of addiction for almost five years, racking up debts of €80,000 before eventually turning his life around. If you have been affected by on of the issues in today's episode visit www.rte.ie/helplines.

On the week Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch escaped a conviction for the murder of David Byrne, Katie Hannon speaks to the man responsible for running Ireland’s most notorious prison. Eddie Mullins is the Governor of Mountjoy Prison and he tells us about organised crime and addiction within the prison service.

In the wake of the damning IRG report into equality and dignity issues in the Defence Forces, Katie Hannon speaks Roslyn O'Callaghan about her own experiences in the army and a devastating sexual assault she suffered at the hands of a more senior officer. If you have been affected by any of the topics discussed please visit www.rte.ie/helplines.

Dubliner Becky Lynch will continue her remarkable journey in the world of professional wrestling this weekend when she stars at WrestleMania. The Baldoyle native tells Katie Hannon about her rise and influence in the ever-changing industry.