Highlights From The Hard Shoulder

The decision to close Navan Hospital’s A&E department seems to be etching forward as the HSE today has strongly backed the proposal. Dr Gerry McEntee Clinical Director of Our Lady's Hospital in Navan & Gus Martin Part of Save Navan Hospital Campaign, joined Kieran to discuss what the impact will be if this does go ahead.

This year's budget could be brought forward a month. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has suggested plans for 2023 could be unveiled in September rather than October. Neale Richmond, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown and member of the Oireachtas Finance committee, joined Kieran and Donnacha O’Laoghaire Sinn Fein’s Education spokesperson, to debate if a move forward would be enough to ease the cost of living crisis.

According to the GPA Some LGFA and Camogie Players are spending around €1500 euro per month to play at inter county level. The report highlights costs piling up due to fuel or travel expenses, nutrition and medical or recovery expenses. Cork Camogie Player, Ashling Thompson and Karen Hegarty Westmeath Footballer, joined Kieran to discuss what could be done to ease the financial burden.

In The Irish Times Today, Gordon D'Arcy's column said his fundamental need to be liked threatened to derail his career. Keelin O’Dwyer, a behavioural psychologist at Fettle- Irelands Online Therapy Platform, joined Kieran to discuss if, as humans, we put the need to be liked by others above what we really want and need.

A major survey of Irish people by The Good Information Project has found that as a nation, Irish people largely support staying in EU but many are unsure how it works, or what are the benefits to us as a country. Kieran was joined by Deirdre Clune, is a Fine Gael MEP for Southern Region, to discuss what the EU has done for Cork.

As part of the Hard Shoulders Cork broadcast, Kieran went out and about to explore the Cork Victorian Quarter.

Kieran was joined in Newstalk Cork studio by Rob Heffernan, Irish Race Walker and Presenter of Red Breakfast at Cork’s Red FM. He spoke to Kieran about doing the punditry for RTE for the National Athletics last weekend and how his excitement at his other upcoming athletic events.

Almost 64,000 homes and businesses across the country will have access to high-speed internet through the National Broadband Plan by the end of tomorrow. That’s according to National Broadband Ireland, as they went in front of the Oireachtas Communications Committee today. Seamus Boland is CEO of Irish Rural Link, Justin Trant and Peter Hendrick CEO of National Broadband Ireland, joined Kieran to share their reaction to the plan.

The term 'service charge' will no longer be allowed in hospitality, unless the money goes directly to workers. The Payment of Wages Bill aims to stop owners from using tips to make up basic wages. Paul Gavan, Sinn Fein senator, and JP McMahon Top Chef, Author and restauranteur, joined Kieran to discuss what this will mean for employees in the industry.

We always hear from Cork people that Cork is a great place to live in, but what about people who have moved to Cork from other parts of the country. Kieran was joined by Scott De Buitléir, Author and poet who is from Dublin and Nicola Cloghassy, South African born chef, to discuss what it was about Cork that made them want to settle in it.

The first of a number of Joint Oireachtas Committees on Autism was held today. TD's and Senators met with members of The National Council for Special Education to discuss the current situation and the future of Autism Education in Ireland. Miriam Kenny, Chairperson of Involve Autism, Rachel Martin from Families Unite for Supports and Services, joined Kieran and Senator Micheál Carrigy, Fine Gael Senator and Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committer on Autism, to discuss what needs to be done to address the situation.

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. The conflict lasted almost a year and cost 2,000 lives. Ronan McGreevy is an Irish Times journalist and author of the book ‘Great Hatred: the Assassination of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP’, he joined Kieran to discuss what happened, and the impact that is still felt from that time.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee joined Kieran to discuss a new strategy, approved today by Cabinet, aiming to ensure a “zero tolerance” to domestic and gender-based violence.

The government have today supported a request from Minister for Transport, Eamonn Ryan and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton for the Irish Defence forces to be trained to be on stand-by to assist the DAA with security duties at the airport. Kevin Byrne, Retired Lieutenant Colonel and airport safety and security auditor, joined Kieran and Greame McQueen Media Relations Manager at the DAA, to discuss what this might mean for delays and what exactly their role would involve.

As we come to the end of the school year, a question that parents often ask themselves is should they get a present for their children's teacher. Mary McCarthy, Columnist with the Irish Independent, joined Kieran and Simon Lewis, Principal of Carlow Educate Together National School, to discuss if the tradition of gift giving at the end of term a thing of the past.

Uruemu Adejinmi,Fianna Fail Councillor in Longford, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Fine Gael TD and Spokesperson on Equality,Teresa Buczkowska Integration Manager at the Immigrant Council of Ireland, joined Kieran to discuss what it means to be Irish.

HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid has announced that he will be stepping down from his position later this year. Roisin Shortall Social Democrats Co-Leader, Liam Doran former general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association and Stephen McMahon Non-Executive director of the Irish Patients Association, joined Kieran to discuss what his exit means for the HSE.

An Armagh player was seen attempting eye gouging on Galway player, Damien Comer, as both teams entered the tunnel during the quarter final on Sunday. With this level of violence, Rory Hickey Former GAA Referee, joined Kieran to discuss if its time that the GAA reconsider introducing Video assisted technology for referees.

World leaders meeting in Germany say they are united in their support of Ukraine, as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked for more help. It's all as price caps are being proposed for Russian oil. Shona Murray is Europe Correspondent for Euronews, and Barry Kenny of Irish Rail who is currently in Moldova, joined Kieran to discuss the summit. ---- Barry Kenny also joins me from Moldova … tell us why you’ve over there …

The typical adult plays two puzzles a day, with almost half of those mobile game players spending on average 25 minutes a day playing them.Stefanie Preissner is a broadcaster, and presenter of the ‘Basically’ podcast, and Mark Goodliffe, who is a serial crossword champion, and co-host of the ‘Crack The Cryptic’ Youtube channel, joined Kieran to discuss what it is about puzzles we love so much.