Highlights From The Hard Shoulder

A man turned up at hospital A&E with short-term memory loss that was brought on by daytime sex with wife. Consultant neurologist at James’ Hospital and Professor at Trinity joined Kieran to discuss if  short term memory loss really can be brought on by sex.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

The latest Labour Force Survey from the CSO has shown that the number of absences from work has fallen to its lowest level since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. It also shows that the number of people in employment increased by 12.3% to over two and a half million. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar joined Kieran to discuss Irish employment and issues with gun culture following this week's tragic school shooting in Texas.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

According to a new report from the ESRI, the percentage of households renting in Ireland rose from 18% to 29% over the past 20 years and just over half of those renting are in receipt of some form of State support. Seamus Coffey Economist at University College Cork and Former Chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council joined Kieran to discuss the report and the on going issues facing renters. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Thousands more homes around Ireland could have the cancer-causing Radon gas than was first thought. Especially in the West of Ireland. There’s been such a huge concern around this that the website that was launched this morning on which you could check if your house was affected has crashed. And was down for hours. Senior Scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency David Fenton joined Kieran to explain what that could mean.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is in front of the Dáil this afternoon, as a debate will take place over the passport controversy. Politicians across the country have been inundated with complaints from the public about delays in the system. Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway joined Kieran to discuss on going issues within the system.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

The US President Joe Biden has questioned why anyone would need a gun like the one used in Texas yesterday - other than to kill someone. 19 children and two teachers were killed in a massacre at a school last night. Minister for Justice Helen McEntee joined Kieran to discuss the situation.

As Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope celebrates it’s 45th Anniversary today, Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Anthony Daniels, the actor who played C3PO in all the Star Wars films...

Ron Barber was a former staff member in US Congress, and was shot twice in Tucson in 2011. He spoke to Kieran on Wednesday's edition of the Hard Shoulder to give his reaction to the school shooting in Texas.

19 children and two teachers were murdered by a gunman who opened fire at a primary school in Texas yesterday. Kieran was joined on The Hard Shoulder by Ali Bradley, Independent Journalist in Texas at the scene and Frank Smyth, Author of ‘The NRA: The Unauthorized History’...

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he has taken full responsibility for the revelations that have come out of the Sue Gray Report today. Kieran spoke to journalist Enda Brady and former Conservative MP Edwina Currie about the details of the report, and whether this affect Johnson in any way.

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band will be playing the RDS in May 2023. Tickets are on sale this Friday and and one superfan who cant wait to get a ticket is superfan Anton Martin. He joined Kieran to explain why he thinks Bruce has stood the test of time and why even after seeing him 50 times he cant wait to make it 51.     Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Daithi O’Shea Presenter of The Today Show and the Rose of Tralee joined Kieran in the Republic Of Work studio in Cork to chat about everything from the show to his love of Cork city.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

The passport office have said there’s no backlog in applications as long as you haven’t made any mistakes in your application. However  lots of listener have been contacting the show to share stories of applications being rejected over what they believe are false errors. Kieran was joined by two listeners who spoke about the difficulties they have faced while applying for a passport.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

This week hospitals will see tens of thousands of medical procedures and appointments cancelled due to strike action by medical scientists. The MLSA warned that if no progress was made they would continue Industrial action today and tomorrow. Newstalk reporter Mairead Cleary spoke to some of those striking today and, Stephen McMahon from the Irish Patients Association joined Kieran and Dr Fergal Hickey Consultant in emergency medicine at Sligo University Hospital about the pay discrepancies and career development issues.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

New figures from the Courts Service, released under Freedom of Information here on Newstalk, show that nearly €2.6m was paid into court poor boxes over the last 2 years. Mick Barry, People Before Profit TD for Cork North-Central, and Catriona Twomey, co-ordinator with Cork Penny Dinners  joined Kieran to debate if they are still useful part of the judiciary service, or whether they should be scrapped. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien has said that the Government is planning to introduce a vacant property tax in Budget 2023 which could impact on an estimated 137,000 properties. A vacant designation would be based on data collated by the local property tax. Fergus O’Dowd Fine Gael TD for Louth joined Kieran to discuss what impact a tax would have and why so many houses lay vacant while the country battles through the housing crisis.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.    

A Fianna Fáil Senator has said he has been forced to sleep in his car because it is “impossible” to get a hotel room in Dublin. Roscommon Senator Eugene Murphy told Kieran he has slept in his car twice in the recent months and said he knows of a number of other Oireachtas politicians who have dealt with the same problem.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.  

Dublin Airport has faced criticism in recent weeks because of the long delays passengers are facing when travelling through the airport. Kieran spoke to listener Jenna Golden, who went through Dublin Airport this weekend about the delays she faced and Businessman Declan Ganley about how considering Shannon airport could help alleviate delays.     Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

That was Matt Whelan and Phil Doran, two thatchers giving their view on the Thatched Cottage crisis. There are only 1,000 thatched cottages left in the country. Some owners can’t get cover or are being quoted up to €8,500 and can’t afford it so switch to a metal roof. There is now only one insurance company offering cover meaning some Irish owners could lose everything in a fire or storm. How important are thatched cottages for our history, heritage and tourism and what would it mean if they all disappeared? Henry McKean has been out and about for us visiting thatched cottage owners and he joins us now.

Menopause is something that all women will go through, and yet we know so little about it. Comedian Anne Gildea has based a whole new show around it and she joined Kieran to explain the best way to think about menopause is to think of it as 'reverse puberty'.   Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.