Podcast

On today’s show, Niall talks to social commentator Karl Deeter, Stephen Delaney and callers about the growing controversy surrounding the Ireland vs Israel football match due to take place in the Aviva Stadium this October.

A worried mother contacted Niall Boylan after a massive family argument erupted over their 16 year old daughter wanting to stay overnight at her boyfriend’s house for the first time. The mother says she is terrified at the idea and believes 16 is far too young for sleepovers with a boyfriend, especially overnight and out of her sight. Her biggest fear is that her daughter could end up pregnant at such a young age and she says once certain decisions are made, there is no going back.

Journalist Laura Perrins joins Niall Boylan to talk about, or more accurately give out about, Ireland’s controversial Deposit Return Scheme. What was supposed to be a simple environmental initiative has instead left many consumers frustrated, with complaints about long queues, broken machines, extra charges on shopping bills and people storing bags of sticky cans and bottles in their homes waiting to cash them in.

Niall talks to callers about the growing outrage after two 15-year-old boys in the UK walked free from court despite being convicted of raping two girls, filming the attacks on their phones and later sharing some of the footage online. The judge ruled that a custodial sentence would be too harsh because of their age, a decision that has sparked fierce public debate about whether teenagers who commit the most serious crimes should still be treated as children by the justice system.

Niall talks to Paul Lawless TD about the Government’s plans to implement the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact, which comes into effect on June 12 and promises faster processing of asylum applications across the EU. Supporters believe the pact could finally bring more order and efficiency to Europe’s immigration system, while critics fear Ireland is surrendering control of its own borders and immigration policies to Brussels.

Niall is joined by priest and commentator Father Gabriel Burke to discuss the possibility of Pope Leo XIV visiting Ireland after Taoiseach Micheál Martin officially invited the pontiff to come here. While no official visit has yet been confirmed, the mere suggestion has already sparked fierce debate online, with some people saying “he’s not welcome here,” while many practising Christians say they would proudly line the streets to welcome him.

Journalist Ben Scallan joins Niall to break down the dramatic results of the weekend’s by-elections and what they could mean for the future of Irish politics. From the rise of socialist support in Dublin to signs of a Green Party comeback, the conversation explores whether voters are sending a warning to the Government or simply becoming more disconnected from politics altogether.

Niall is joined by legendary broadcaster George Hook for a fiery and thought-provoking discussion about whether Ireland was actually a better place decades ago, or whether nostalgia is blinding people to the harsh realities of the past.

Here’s a strong podcast description with context from the news story woven in naturally: Niall takes your calls on the controversial decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála to grant permanent planning permission for Ireland’s first medically supervised drug injection facility at Merchant’s Quay in Dublin.