Highlights From Newstalk Breakfast

The biggest funeral since Nelson Mandela is taking place this morning in Westminster Abbey. The ten days of mourning are coming to an end. Queen Elizabeth II will be buried in Windsor by tonight. The 5 mile ‘Lying in State’ long queue where hundreds of thousands of people joined finished at 6.30 this morning. Henry McKean is there for us and joined us live from London.

Ireland should develop substantial gas storage facilities to reduce the risks posed by any future disruptions in supply. That’s according to a landmark report on Ireland’s energy security to be unveiled by Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan later today. To discuss further Shane spoke to Denis Naughten, Independent TD and John Gibbons, Environmental Journalist and Commentator.

The Climate Change Advisory Council is a “quango” full of flakes, and the ESRI conclusions on climate change are “ridiculous”. That’s according to David Horgan, Chief Executive of Petrel Resources who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast with more on his views.

Hollywood could be on its way to the Midlands today as Westmeath County Council votes to approve planning permission for Ireland’s largest film studio. Mayor of Mullingar Green Party Councillor Hazel Smyth spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning with more on this.

Following almost two weeks of mourning, Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will take place at Windsor Abbey today with 2,000 people and many heads of state from around the world set to attend the ceremony Stephen Bates, Former Royal Correspondent of the Guardian and Author of Royal Inc Britain’s Best-Known Brand spoke to Shane this morning.

The health service is bracing for tough winter with “significant risks” of a “twindemic” of coronavirus and flu, staff shortages, and “unprecedented” levels of unplanned hospital admissions, particularly among older people. That's according to HSE draft plan revealed by Irish Independent. Phil Ni Sheadhaga is the General Secretary at The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

Now men can often be bad for getting the health NCT and this month the Irish Heart Foundation are encouraging people to get their hearts tested. So we sent a rather nervous Shane along to get tested.

Both Ryanair and Aer Lingus have had to cancel a number of flights in and out of Dublin Airport today as a result of a strike by French air traffic controllers. Joining Jonathan this morning with the details is Eoghan Corry, Editor of Air and travel magazine.

The Government is planning to introduce a windfall tax on energy companies, but the Taoiseach said it is still unclear how much money the levy will raise. Micheál Martin has said it was "difficult to be precise on the exact amount" of money that may be forthcoming to Ireland as a result of European Commission proposals to cap energy prices and tax profits. Muireann Lynch, Energy Economist at the ESRI

The workplace has been designed for men, by men, and society still tilts the scale in their favour. That’s the view of Edwina Dunn, Businesswoman and founder of The Female Lead, who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

As a mass exodus of young Irish nurses continue to emigrate to Australia, one nurse that immigrated to Ireland from Australia with her family has been experiencing difficulties registering with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for over a year. Toni Mayola Su joins me now to tell me more about her story.

Many Irish people are in denial about their drinking habits with a large share of binge drinkers not believing they are consuming dangerous levels of alcohol - that’s according to new research from the Health Research Board Chairman of the communications clinic Terry Prone spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

The only benefits of expensive Commissions of Investigation is to the legal profession due to their high costs. That’s according to Brian Stanley, Sinn Fein TD and chair of the Public Accounts Committee who spoke to Shane this morning on the show.

Palliative Care Week takes place this week to tell us more about it Ciara was joined by Fundraiser for the Mayo Roscommon Hospice and one third of ‘The Tommy, Hector and Laurita Podcast’, Laurita Blewitt.

The introduction of distance, location and time-based road usage charges was among the recommendations from the Commission Taxation yesterday. But would this be a good idea? To discuss Ciara spoke to John Fitzgerald, Adjunct Professor in Economics at Trinty College Dublin, and Michael Healy Rae, Independent TD for Kerry .  

Cost of living Protests are taking place across the country with a national protest organised for September 24th. The Cost of living coalition are calling on people to take to the streets for what they say will be ‘biggest protest in this country for many, many years.” For more on this Shane spoke to Mick Barry, Socialist Party TD Cork North Central and part of the cost of living campaigns organising protests.

Minimum wage will rise to €11.30 per hour from January 1st, an 80-cent increase from the current wage at €10.50. There are hopes that minimum wage will be phased out and replaced with a living wage by 2026. But will this increase encourage people to re-join the workforce to save our service industry? Tony Foley, Emeritus Associate Professor of Economics with the DCU Business school spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning to discuss.

The leader of Sweden’s incumbent Social Democrats conceded defeat in the country’s knife-edge election last night, handing victory to a loose bloc of rightwing parties that includes the far-right Sweden Democrats. Becky Waterton is the Deputy Editor of The Local in Sweden and spoke to Shane this morning.

The regional Independent group will today table a motion in the Dail on the security of our electricity supply. Independent TD for Galway East Sean Canney spoke to Ciara this morning on the show.

Women aged 17 to 25 years old will be able to access free contraception from their GP’s, starting today. While the scheme is largely welcomed, some doctors are raising concerns about their ability to take extra work. Will the scheme end up putting more pressure on the system? Illona Duffy Monaghan based GP, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.