Salt marshes are in decline all over the world and Ireland is no exception
Our reporter Eithne Dodd visited two salt marshes recently - in Cork and Dublin See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 18, 2026•7 min
This Week
A look at events making the news in Ireland over the last week. Listen live every Sunday at 1pm on RTÉ Radio 1.
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Episodes
Iran's crackdown appears to have crushed nationwide protests
BBC's Middle East Analyst, Sebastian Usher on the brutal crackdown by the authorities, which reportedly led to the death of thousands and has appeared to have crushed nationwide protests. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 18, 2026•4 min
Leaders Interview: Micheál Martin
Uachtaráin Fianna Fáil, an Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Trumps move on Greenland, Homelessness and Grok's AI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 18, 2026•30 min
Emergency meeting of EU Ambassadors on Trump's threat of sanctions
Suzanne Lynch, Brussels Bureau Chief at Bloomberg and Professor John McHale - Head of Economics at the University of Galway give an outlook ahead of this afternoons meeting of EU Ambassadors. The meeting is to assess how to respond to Donald Trump's threat to sanction 8 European countries for getting in his way to take over Greenland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 18, 2026•10 min
Dáil returns from the Christmas Break
The Dáil returns on Tuesday following its lengthy Christmas break. We were joined in studio by Sandra Hurley, RTÉ's Political Reporter, to find out what it will mean for the Government and Opposition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 11, 2026•4 min
500+ university students caught cheating with AI
Over 500 students in higher education institutions were found to have used AI illegally in their graded coursework last year. The responses do not include some of the country's biggest universities including UCD, UCC, Maynooth and UL, meaning the figure is likely to be higher. RTÉ reporter Eithne Dodd told us what the findings entail. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 11, 2026•9 min
Leaders: Peadar Tóibín
The beginning of each year is when this programme interviews the leaders of the political parties in the Dáil. In 2026, we're starting with the Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, who joined Paul in studio today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 11, 2026•7 min
European Parliament to weigh ratifying Mercosur deal
The European Parliament is to consider whether to ratify the controversial Mercosur trade deal between EU and South America. We discussed the matter with Jorgen Warborn of the centre-right European Peoples Party grouping backing the deal and Sinn Féin's Agriculture spokesperson Martin Kenny, who stands in opposition to it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 11, 2026•13 min
New protests hit Iran as alarm grows over 'massacre'
Iran has been roiled by protests against rampant inflation and a slump in the currency. Dozens of protestors have reportedly been killed amid an ongoing government crackdown. We were joined by Roja Fazaeli who is Iranian and also Professor of Law and Islamic Studies at the Irish Centre for Human Rights in University of Galway. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 11, 2026•8 min
Greenland united in opposition to US takeover bid
US President Donald Trump declared bluntly this week: "We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not." The Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said this week the US "has no right to annex" Greenland.” Paul spoke to Pele Broberg, Greenland's Opposition leader, and a Foreign Minister in the last government. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 11, 2026•9 min
Irishman plays leading role in constructing the world's largest ever telescope
Work is nearly complete on the aptly named 'Extremely Large Telescope' high up in the Andes Mountains in Chile. Tom Ray, Professor of Astrophysics at the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies and President of the European Southern Observatory, leads the project. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 04, 2026•8 min
Will the government finally hit its housing targets in 2026?
Will the Government finally hit them, or will they be missed again? It's the major political question yet again this forthcoming year. We hear from Conor O'Connell, Director of Housing and Planning at the Construction Industry Federation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 04, 2026•6 min
2025 'a devastating' year on Irish roads as 190 people killed
2025 has been described as a "devastating" year on Irish roads, as concern has been expressed about the number of fatalities recorded. This Week speaks to the Minister of State with responsibility for Road Safety, Sean Canney. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 04, 2026•13 min
Trump says US will run Venezuela after Maduro seized
Venezuela's toppled leader Nicolas Maduro is in a New York detention centre after an audacious raid to capture him by the United States. We hear from Venezuelans in Ireland; journalist Catherine Ellis; our Global Security Reporter Yvonne Murray; Caracas-based freelance journalist Gabriela Mesone Roja; and UCD's Assistant Professor Ed Burke. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 04, 2026•25 min
French icon Brigitte Bardot has died at the age of 91
French actress, singer and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot had died aged 91. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 28, 2025•3 min
Global warming has consequences for everyone on the planet
The target, agreed by world leaders in 2015, to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels is now impossible, according to scientists. The consequences are global, and some of those consequences have already been seen in Ireland over the past year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 28, 2025•6 min
Looking ahead at 2026 in politics
To look ahead at the politics of the coming year, we’re joined by Gerard Howlin, a former Fianna Fáil government advisor and now political commentator and Irish Times columnist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 28, 2025•10 min
Gaza diary: Ghada Ashour
Earlier this year, 52 Palestinian scholarship students arrived here to begin their studies at Irish universities, after they were evacuated from Gaza. Among them was Ghada Ashour, who documented her struggle to pursue her studies, while living in a displacement camp. She has now started her Master’s at DCU. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 28, 2025•6 min
The State Papers: a glimpse at what was happening in the corridors of power decades ago
Our reporter Fiachra O’Cionnaith has been trawling through the newly declassified documents. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 28, 2025•14 min
The view from Ukraine, where strikes continue
Siobhan O'Grady, the Washington Post's Ukraine bureau chief in Kyiv See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 28, 2025•6 min
Is peace really on the cards in Ukraine?
Today US President Donald Trump will meet President Volodymr Zelenskyi in Florida to discuss a newly refined 20-point plan covering security guarantees, territory in the Donbas, and the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Niall Stanage from the Hill in Washington explains what he expects from today's meeting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 28, 2025•8 min
Crowds gather to celebrate Winter Solstice at Newgrange
Around 2,000 people have gathered at Newgrange to celebrate the Winter Solstice. The ancient passage tomb is aligned for the rising sun on the shortest day of the year to shine into the inner chamber. Colman O'Sullivan reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2025•4 min
The Trump administration receives a mixed reaction over drip-feed release of Epstein files
In the US, there is widespread reaction to the release of documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case. The previously sealed documents were made public for the first time on Friday by the US Department of Justice under the Epstein Transparency Act. We speak to Eric Hamm, political analyst with CTV in Washington. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2025•6 min
Santa makes an early stop to bring gifts to homeless children
There will be a record number of children in homelessness this Christmas in Ireland. For the kids living in a Focus Ireland-run centre in Finglas, Santa arrived a little early to give these homeless children the gift of a book. Eithne Dodd reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2025•6 min
Memorial event held at Bondi Beach one week after mass shooting
In Australia, one week on from the attacks in which 15 people were killed, a national day of reflection was held. Phil Mercer, Sydney-based journalist, gives us the latest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2025•6 min
High Court dismisses challenges on 'super junior' ministers
This week, two Opposition TDs lost their High Court challenge to the attendance of junior ministers at Cabinet meetings. James McDermott, barrister and lecturer at UCD's Sutherland School of Law, goes through the case for us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2025•7 min
Taoiseach visits Lebanon peacekeeping troops after recent attack
Taoiseach Michael Martin has been visiting Irish peacekeeping troops this weekend in Lebanon. Justin McCarthy reports from Camp Shamrock in Southern Lebanon where he has been speaking to Ltt Col Mark Lennon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2025•6 min
The effects of the foster care shortage on vulnerable children
With more than 5,000 children in the care of the state, there is a huge reliance on foster care. A shortage of foster carers remains a continuous problem however. We are joined by the Chief Executive of the Irish Foster Care Association, Corrinne Hasson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2025•9 min
Flu cases continue to rise with a possible surge over Christmas
Last week saw over 3,200 recorded cases of flu with some hospitals introducing visitor restrictions to restrict the spread. We hear from Dr. Sean Underwood, consultant in emergency medicine at Cork University Hospital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 21, 2025•6 min
Zelensky willing to drop NATO goal for security guarantees
US President Donald Trump's special envoy is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders in Berlin in the latest efforts to end Russia's war with Ukraine. Christopher Miller, Chief Ukraine Correspondent with the Financial Times, speaks to This Week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 14, 2025•5 min
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