Highlights From The Pat Kenny Show

The Mental Health Commission has published a report signifying a noteworthy decline in the use of restrictive practices, such as seclusion and physical restraint, across Irish mental health services in the past seven years. The report highlights how the MHC adopted a human rights-based approach to result in the declining trend in these types of practices. Professor Jim Lucey, at Trinity College Dublin and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Inspector of Mental Health Services joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

Ireland’s first-ever Women’s Rugby World Cup in 1994 where the tournament wasn’t sanctioned by World Rugby, and Ireland and the other countries defied the higher powers to host and play this tournament, it’s a good story. Cameron Hill from OTB joined Pat Kenny to discuss.

You may know the CIA from fiction, but how does the actual agency work around the world? Tim Weiner has reported on the agency around the world and joins us to discuss the work of the agency in the 21st century which he details in his new book ‘The Mission’. Tim Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author joined Pat Kenny on the show.

According to new research from LinkedIn, Ireland has been ranked highest for the availability of remote jobs in Europe. The data shows that in Ireland, 9.4% of all job listings offer remote work options, which is almost double the European average of 5.2%. But is remote working really the most efficient form of work? Peter Cosgrove, Managing Director of Futurewise and Mary Connaughton, Strategic and Engagement Director of CIPD joined Pat Kenny on the show. 

Today marks 50 years since the Miami Showband Massacre which saw the murder of singer Fran O'Toole, guitarist Tony Geraghty and trumpeter Brian McCoy. Two other band members, Des McAlea and Stephen Travers, were also injured but survived the atrocity. The band was travelling home to Dublin after a gig in Banbridge when they were stopped by a fake Army patrol involving Ulster Defence Regiment and Ulster Volunteer Force members. Half a century later, Stephen and Des want to celebrate the lives of their bandmates. Josh Crosbie, Newstalk Reporter has been meeting with those who survived the attack. 

Every day we are engrossed with more imagery of starving, injured and dying children in Gaza. We are often left helpless and are unsure of what to do after viewing these images. That feeling is called ‘moral injury’. Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East Correspondent with The Economist and Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin joined Pat Kenny on the show.

Pat Kenny was joined by Jo Linehan, editor of the climate supplement at the Sunday Times Ireland to discuss a survey that came out this week about plastic packaging in Ireland and how most of it is linked to our supermarket purchases.

Leadless pacemakers are a significant development in cardiac care. Unlike traditional pacemakers, leadless pacemakers are implanted directly into the heart via a minor procedure. These pacemakers improve overall patient comfort. Doctor Jim O’Brien, Consultant Cardiologist at Mater Private Network, discusses the latest in modern cardiologic technology as the Mater Private now offers leadless pacemakers. 

From using ‘well’ incorrectly to those misplaced apostrophes we get a grammar lesson with Oliver Murphy, Author of Grasping Grammar.

 New figures supplied to the Minister for Justice have shown a 15% drop in drug searches across the country last year compared with 2022. However, certain regions suffered much larger drops, including the southern region which saw 30% fewer searches. It comes as the Garda Representative Association is sounding the alarm once more about the number of Gardaí retiring in the coming years. Cllr Janet Horner, Cathaoirleach, Green Party joined Pat Kenny on the show to discuss.

From its blend of comedy, sci-fi and teenage angst, we take a look at why Back to the Future is a perfect movie on this week’s segment from Inside Hollywood with Lisa Cannon, TV Host and Head of Studio at DMG Media.  

VHI will increase the cost of seven plans. This occurs just weeks after other price surges. However, other health insurers, like Laya and Irish Life Health, are launching new cheaper plans. Dermot Goode, of Total Health Cover, joined Pat Kenny to discuss.

Over the past ten years the DPP chose not to prosecute nearly 67 percent of people accused of sexual offences, in files submitted by the gardai. Our reporter Jessica Woodlock has been looking into the data, which was released to Newstalk under a freedom of information request. 

Why do we struggle with compliments? It’s such a common scene, isn't it? Someone says, 'You look great today!' or 'That presentation was brilliant!' And instead of just letting that good feeling in, we often find ourselves deflecting: 'Oh, this old thing?' or 'It was nothing really, I just got lucky.' We even squirm a bit!" Why does it make people uncomfortable- people like to say it's all about self-esteem but actually while people with self-esteem issues can find compliments uncomfortable not everyone who is uncomfortable with compliments has self-esteem issues. It can be a number of things. Stephanie Regan, Clinical Psychotherapist joined Pat Kenny to discuss.

Diarmuid Gavin, Garden Designer, tells us all about Désert de Retz.All with thanks to Tirlán.

Darragh O’Brien Minister for Transport, Climate, Energy and the Environment joined Pat Kenny to discuss the future of Irish transport and the government’s climate plans as billions have been committed to both departments under the national development plan. From the supposed commencement of the Metrolink, the slow development of offshore wind resource, to will Irish buses ever see contactless card payments?

This week on the Green Scene we hear how cleaner air might be increasing global warming and new research that shows that we (and dolphins) might be breathing in micro plastics. Dr Ruth Freeman Director of Research for Society For Research Ireland joined Pat Kenny on the show.

Ger Herbert, Motoring Editor and Columnist talks all things motoring.

As the dust settles on the trade agreement struck by the European Union and the United States on Sunday…did the EU really eke out a win from the Trump administration? Or was it left with no choice but to bow to his tariff demands? John Clarke, former Director for International Affairs at the European Commission joined Pat Kenny on the show.  

Overnight a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck of Russia’s pacific coast triggering tsunami warnings across the pacific. We get updates from Hawaii, Japan and the US with a full explainer from Professor Chris Bean, Professor of Geophysics at Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Pixie Clay, Managing Editor, Hawaii Public Radio, Martin Fackler, acting Tokyo Bureau Chief, New York Times and Steve Futterman, US West Coast Correspondent.