Newstalk Daily

A Midlands garda detective’s simple act of kindness during the first Covid lockdown spiralled into a national story. He loaned a dusty, unclaimed bike to a local farmer with a knee injury, and ended up suspended for more than several years, investigated by the NBCI, and facing a disciplinary board.The farmer told of feeling “like a criminal” as officers searched his home and retrieved the €50 bicycle, leaving him stressed and traumatised. The detective was eventually cleared of all charges, but the saga didn’t end there. Now, the State has agreed to a confidential High Court settlement worth around €275,000. A judicial review over sick pay remains ongoing.Journalist and author Paul Williams, whose latest book is Crooks 2: More Stories Behind the Headlines, joins Ciara Doherty to trace the full story behind “Bikegate,” from the spring of 2020 to today’s settlement, exploring the lessons — and lingering questions — about compassion, discretion, and disciplinary systems inside An Garda Síochána.

It was meant to be private. Instead, it’s all over YouTube. Newly released recordings of depositions given by Bill and Hillary Clinton to the House Oversight Committee have thrown fresh political fuel onto the long-burning fire of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. What was supposed to be a closed-door hearing quickly turned combative. A photo from inside the room was leaked online. Lawmakers veered into questions about conspiracy theories like “Pizzagate.” Republicans pressed both Clintons about Bill’s documented flights on Epstein’s private jet in the early 2000s. Hillary repeatedly distanced herself from Epstein and redirected questions toward her husband. Bill Clinton has acknowledged taking several trips on Epstein’s plane in 2002 and 2003 but has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activity. Hillary Clinton has long insisted she had no relationship with Epstein. So, what do these tapes tell us? Former RTÉ Washington Correspondent and University of Galway journalism lecturer Carole Coleman joins Ciara Doherty to assess what’s new, what’s theatre, and where the Epstein investigation goes next. 

A row is erupting over the cost of criminal legal aid — and it’s about far more than legal fees. The State spent more than €115 million on criminal legal aid last year, a jump of over a third, even though case numbers fell. Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan wants to scrap the current payment system in the District Court and replace it with a flat fee per client. He says it will simplify things and speed up cases. Critics warn it could drive experienced defence lawyers out of the system and risks cutting corners on justice. Recent figures showing 31 lawyers earning over half a million euros each from legal aid have only intensified the debate. Meanwhile, Aontú’s Paul Lawless argues that repeat offenders on social welfare should contribute towards their defence costs. So, is reform overdue — or a threat to basic rights? Ciara Doherty is joined on the podcast today by defence solicitor Frank Buttimer and Mayo TD Paul Lawless. 

The war on Iran continued today, following the killing of the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, over the weekend. In Lebanon, Hezbollah has entered the war. Oil tankers are stalling in the Strait of Hormuz as global markets brace for impact. In this bonus edition of Newstalk Daily UCD’s Dr Edward Burke tells Ciara Doherty we are facing the most dangerous regional moment in decades. Edward says the fallout from the US–Israeli strikes on Iran could mean a heightened terrorism threat in Europe, soaring energy costs and even the risk of a global recession. He describes Trump’s America as being on an “interventionist high” — acting in ways that are “chaotic and capricious.” Is this a short, brutal escalation — or the start of a wider regional war with global consequences?

For generations, going to university in Ireland was a defining rite of passage. A few intense years of independence, late nights, lifelong friendships, and a campus culture that felt alive. But for many students today, that picture looks vastly different. On today’s Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty asks whether the traditional Irish college experience has been quietly reshaped — or hollowed out — by Covid disruption, soaring rents, long commutes, and the cost-of-living crisis. Ciara is joined by Trinity College Dublin student and Irish Examiner columnist Jane Cowan, and by Dr Mary McAuliffe of UCD, to explore what’s changed, what’s been lost, and whether policymakers truly understand modern student life. If you’re a student — or the parent of one — we’d love to hear about your experience. Email newstalkdaily@newstalk.com or get in touch with Ciara on Instagram @officialciarad. 

They’ve been mythologised, dramatised, and targeted by assassins for more than six decades. Still, the Kennedy name refuses to fade. On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty is joined by broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, author of JFK in Ireland: Four Days That Changed a President, to explore why America’s most famous political family continues to grip audiences in 2026. The conversation begins with Love Story, the new Disney+ drama from Ryan Murphy charting the romance and tragic deaths of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Tubridy gives his verdict — calling the series “truly awful” — and reflects on whether glossy retellings risk turning real loss into aesthetic spectacle. From the 1963 visit of John F. Kennedy to Ireland to the carefully constructed myth of “Camelot”, the episode examines how glamour and grief fused into political legend. Why did Kennedy resonate so powerfully in Ireland? And does that affection still endure? At heart, this is a conversation about image and inheritance, about beauty, youth, and narrative power, and about how a democratic republic continues to produce something that looks remarkably like royalty. Love Story is streaming now on Disney+. To get in touch with the show, email newstalkdaily@newstalk.com. 

This week, France banned online influencers from promoting cosmetic surgery and extreme makeover hacks. Looksmaxxing started on obscure message boards. Now it’s in memes, targeted ads, and TikTok feeds. It promotes the idea that male success is determined by physical appearance — sometimes through extreme grooming, supplements, cosmetic procedures, and risky “optimisation” techniques. With influencers like “Clavicular” drawing huge audiences, concerns are growing about body image pressure, belief that some people are genetically superior, and misogyny embedded in the culture. Ciara Doherty speaks to James Bloodworth, author of Lost Boys: A Personal Journey Through the Manosphere, and Professor Debbie Ging, expert in digital media and gender at DCU.

Gardaí have completed this phase of their search of a disused quarry in Co Wicklow, a search that reopened two of Ireland’s most haunting unsolved cases. More than 30 years after they disappeared, the names Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob remain etched into the story of the so-called “Vanishing Triangle” — a cluster of missing women cases across Leinster in the 1990s. A new line of inquiry led investigators back to the Wicklow–Kildare border, where a concentrated excavation was carried out. On today’s podcast, investigative journalist and author Barry Cummins joins Ciara Doherty to describe what happened at Castleruddery Upper, explain what Gardaí believe may be buried there, and outline how this latest search connected to long-standing theories about potential links between the two cases. They discuss the history of earlier searches, the role of a “person of interest,” and why cases once thought cold can be revived decades later through persistence, new information and advances in forensic work. Most of all, this episode reflects on the families of Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob who have lived through years of false dawns — and what this latest development could mean for them. Barry Cummins is the author of Missing: The Unsolved Cases of Ireland’s Vanished Women and Children. 

On the 24th of February 2022 Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine. A full-scale invasion and a major land war in Europe had begun. It was a scenario that seemed unimaginable for so long. Four years later, the geopolitical landscape seems utterly changed. But in 2022 there were experts warning that the invasion was coming. So why didn’t the people who mattered listen? On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty speaks to Shaun Walker, eastern Europe correspondent for The Guardian.  

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual abuse and rape. For years, Gisèle Pelicot was unknowingly drugged by her husband and raped by dozens of men he invited into their home. When the case came to light, she refused anonymity and chose to face the trial publicly — a decision that stunned France. Now, with the publication of her memoir A Hymn to Life, her story returns to the spotlight. On today's podcast, journalist Roe McDermott reviews the book, and Paris-based reporter Elaine Cobbe joins Ciara Doherty to discuss the reaction in France and the wider cultural impact. A Hymn to Life by Gisèle Pelicot is published by The Bodley Head. The English-language audiobook is read by Emma Thompson. 

A heated Cabinet row, a leaked digital strategy, and one big question: should Ireland limit access ban social media for under-16s? As tech giants face court battles in the United States over alleged harm to children, the Irish Government considering its options. Instead of an outright ban, Ministers want to trial a state-backed “digital wallet” to verify age online — promising protection for children without handing social media platforms any more personal data. But will it work? Critics warn that age verification could push users towards VPNs and expand data-sharing, while supporters argue it’s more realistic than a blanket ban that might fall foul of EU law. Ciara Doherty is joined by Elaine Burke of the For Tech’s Sake podcast to break down what the strategy really means, while Olga Cronin from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties weighs in on whether this digital fix could become a privacy risk. Is this smart child protection — or the start of age-gating the entire internet? 

Britain's former prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, a younger brother of King Charles, was arrested today on suspicion of misconduct in public office and is in police custody. On this special edition of Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty gets the latest from Tom Sykes, European Editor at Large with The Daily Beast and host of the @TheRoyalistChannel on Youtube.Tom's substack is here: https://theroyalist.substack.com/

A Taoiseach warning of a “slippery slide to disaster” — while sailing a 52-foot yacht decked out in mahogany and teak, with an “Admiral’s” cabin and vintage Champagne on ice. Celtic Mist wasn’t just a boat. It became shorthand for power, privilege, and the contradictions of 1980s Ireland. Bought after Charles Haughey’s first yacht was wrecked off Mizen Head, and later examined by the McCracken and Moriarty Tribunals, the vessel raised sharp questions about money, loans from businessman Dermot Desmond, and the gap between public austerity and private luxury which included a private island, Inishvickillane, Charvet shirts, and summer voyages to Brittany with Terry Keane. Then came an unexpected second act. After Haughey’s death, Celtic Mist was donated to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, circumnavigating Ireland, logging more than 100,000 kilometres of research and even heading for Arctic waters in search of humpbacks. It will retire from service later this year. From tribunal exhibit to conservation vessel, Celtic Mist charts a course through scandal, spectacle, and reinvention. Newstalk’s Aisling Moloney joins Ciara Doherty to tell the story. 

When the Republic of Ireland football team was drawn against Israel in the UEFA Nations League, what should have been a routine fixture quickly became something much bigger. Ireland previously asked UEFA to consider banning Israel from competition. Yet after the draw, the FAI confirmed it will fulfil the games. For some fans and politicians, that feels like a contradiction. For the association and Government, it’s about sporting rules, legal risk and wider consequences. The comparison many are making is with Russia. In 2022, Russia was suspended from international football after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine — but only after Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic refused to play them. No such coordinated boycott has happened in Israel’s case. So, is this a double standard? Or are these fundamentally different situations? On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty is joined by Financial Times writer and author Simon Kuper, one of the leading voices on the intersection of sport and politics. He has explored these themes in books such as World Cup Fever, Football Against the Enemy and the bestselling Soccernomics. What would a boycott actually achieve? Would it change anything — or simply punish Ireland? And what does this moment reveal about how global football is really governed? You can share your thoughts with the team at newstalkdaily@newstalk.com. 

Say the wrong thing about someone… and it can cost you. A tweet. A headline. A comment under a post. In Ireland, words have come with a serious price tag. Last week, the Defamation (Amendment) Bill passed through the Oireachtas, bringing the biggest changes to Irish libel law in years. No more juries in High Court defamation cases. New protections for journalists. New powers aimed at stopping so-called SLAPPs — lawsuits designed to intimidate and silence critics. And crucially, courts will now have clearer authority to order the identification of anonymous online posters — meaning the era of the untouchable “keyboard warrior” may be coming to an end. Why does this matter? Because Ireland has long punched above its weight in defamation claims. Despite being a fraction of the size of England and Wales, we’ve historically handled a similar number of libel cases each year. Big jury awards — like the €1.87 million originally awarded to Monica Leech — created a reputation for unpredictability and eye-watering damages. High-profile rows have kept the issue in the spotlight, from celebrity disputes involving Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, to battles involving Elon Musk’s company X, to cases closer to home involving Louis Walsh and Enoch Burke. Critics said the system created a “chilling effect” on journalism. Others argued that if your reputation is destroyed, you deserve serious redress. So, will this finally end Ireland’s reputation as a go-to venue for libel actions? On today’s podcast, Newstalk’s courts correspondent Frank Greaney explains what’s changed and why reform took so long. Later, media law expert Olivia O’Kane from Lewis Silken joins Ciara Doherty to look at what this means for journalists, social media users and anyone concerned about their good name. You can email your thoughts to newstalkdaily@newstalk.com. 

An American conservative powerhouse is setting its sights on Ireland. Turning Point USA, the youth movement founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk, has become one of the most influential networks in US conservative politics, with deep ties to the Republican Party and the MAGA movement. Now, following Kirk’s assassination in Utah last September, his widow Erika Kirk is reportedly planning a visit to Northern Ireland as part of a European recruitment tour. The aim? To establish a local branch of the multi-million-dollar organisation on this island. The group has already launched a UK branch. Now, with reported encouragement from former DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr, discussions around a Northern Ireland chapter appear to be gathering pace. But what does Turning Point stand for? How influential is it within today’s Republican Party? And what happens when a highly organised, well-funded American political network attempts to embed itself in a vastly different political culture? On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty speaks to journalist and author Peter Geoghegan, whose work examines how money and influence shape modern democracies. Is this simply student activism — or something much more strategic? And in a region with its own complex political history and strong evangelical traditions, what might Turning Point NI mean for the future of political organising here? Follow Ciara on Instagram @officialciarad. 

The true-life story of Jenny James and the Atlantis commune in Burtonport, County Donegal, has it all: primal scream therapy, free love, Garda raids, political controversy and a tragic death in Colombia. On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty speaks to bestselling Irish author Carmel Harrington about her 14th novel, The Nowhere Girls. The story follows Vega, an investigative journalist determined to uncover the truth about her own past after discovering she was one of two children abandoned on a Dublin train platform in 1995. Her journey stretches from 1990s Dublin to the countercultural communes of Vermont in the 1960s, and on to an Irish commune in the wilds of Connemara. While researching the book, Carmel came across the story of the Screamers. Drawing on archive documentaries and first-hand accounts, she reflects on the blurred line between communal living and coercive control — and why children born into such environments often carry the deepest consequences. The Nowhere Girls is published by Headline. Step inside Carmel Harrington’s world — explore her novels, latest releases and the story behind the stories on her official website: 👉 Visit Carmel Harrington’s website: http://carmelharrington.com/ There, you’ll find everything from book details to news and events, straight from the source.  

Stripe is back in the headlines — and this time the numbers are eye-watering. The Irish-founded fintech company is reportedly arranging a tender offer that would value it at around 140 billion dollars, a dramatic jump from last year and a figure that puts it among the most valuable private tech firms in the world. So, what exactly is Stripe? If you’ve ever paid for something online — from shopping to subscriptions to gig work — there’s a strong chance Stripe powered the transaction behind the scenes. Founded by Patrick and John Collison from Co Tipperary, the company set out to make online payments radically simple for developers. That simplicity turned into a global payments infrastructure business operating in more than 100 markets, with dual headquarters in Dublin and San Francisco. In this episode, Ciara Doherty is joined by Charlie Taylor, Technology and Innovation Editor at the Business Post, to explore the extraordinary story of how two teenage coders built a fintech giant 

Bord Bia is at the centre of one of the most explosive rows in Irish farming in years. Protests outside and inside its headquarters. A Dáil motion calling for the chair to go. Farmers, Sinn Féin and the government pulling in opposite directions. At the heart of it all is Larry Murrin, Bord Bia chair and CEO of Dawn Farms, and the revelation that a small share of the company’s beef is sourced from Brazil. Supporters say it’s a standard global supply chain practice. Critics say it shreds the credibility of Ireland’s food brand. On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty is joined by Francess McDonnell of Agriland, who has been tracking the controversy from the start and has spoken directly to Murrin, and by Thomas Hubert, editor of The Currency, on the politics, the pressure on government, and what this row tells us about power, trust and fault lines in Irish agriculture. 🌍 The backstory behind the beef fight  Brazilian beef, EU trade rules, and the Mercosur deal didn’t come out of nowhere. In our recent explainer, we looked at how a Brussels trade agreement became a lightning rod for farmers — and why it still looms over today’s Bord Bia crisis. 🎧 Listen back here: https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/newstalk-daily/beef-business-and-a-brussels-bust-up 

Irishman Seamus Culleton has been held by US immigration authorities for nearly five months — despite a valid work permit, a US citizen wife, and no criminal record. From Boston to upstate New York to Texas, his family describes a nightmare of overcrowded cells, paperwork disputes, and relentless uncertainty. Seamus says he never signed deportation papers; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – the notorious ICE – claims otherwise; a judge agrees. Seamus remains trapped between two parts of the same system — one processing his green card, the other trying to remove him. On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty speaks to his sister, Caroline Culleton, about the emotional and physical toll this ordeal has taken on Seamus and the family. The story highlights broader concerns over rising deportations of Irish citizens in the US and the human impact behind the statistics. If you or someone you know has faced similar challenges, we’d like to hear from you. Email the Newstalk Daily team anytime at newstalkdaily@newstalk.com