Driver's Republic Podcast

This week we're joined by Dave Humphreys who is not only one of Ireland's busiest motoring journalists but a seasoned motorcyclist who has been lucky enough to ride a lot of two wheeled things in his career! He has been trained in advanced riding and is here to chat about being on the road from the perspective of a motorcyclist but also as a car driver. Mark has recently progressed through the Initial Bike Training (IBT) scheme which is mandatory in Ireland and is regulated by the RSA and gives his perspective on how he found the training as someone who until just a few weeks ago, had never ridden motorcycles. Paddy asks the important questions and tries to uncover some of the issues that both motorcyclist and motorists need to be aware of during yet another particularly tragic spell on Irish roads.Please be considerate to motorcyclists on the roads and remember, particularly when pulling out of junctions in your car, look right, look left and look right again.

Mark is just back from Goodwood and fills us in. Paddy thinks we're at crisis point when it comes to new EV sales versus public charger roll out. And we're testing the new diesel Passat this week, is it a case of careful what we wish for when it comes to killing most diesel cars?!

No surprises, the additional EV grant sold out within a couple of hours of going live on July 1st - will it come back in 2027?Mark has seen the new BMW X5 and not everybody is a fan.Just how good is the Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50?Plus the other car bits and news relevant to Ireland this week!

We went straight to the top to get all the latest details on the new fully electric vehicle grants from the manwho has been charged with spearheading it - Minister For Transport, Darragh O'Brien. Why 13 years? Why not used EVs? Will the grants continue into 2027? We ask all the relevant questions!Enjoy.

With new EV grants announced earlier today, Paddy takes us through what it means for motorists. We've also test driven the new Cupra Raval, Honda Prelude and even been to Slane Castle to check out the new Jeep Compass.Ian Tolan from Honda Ireland and Mark McGrath from Cupra Ireland are our special guests this week!

We discuss lots on this one!Paddy has been crunching the numbers when it comes to drink driving breath tests and the numbers are well... sobering. Skoda have finally released the Epiq with prices detailed in this episode. Honda get a new Irish brand ambassador and Mark is having another mid life crisis!

Busy one this week... (yes we say that regularly but it's true)!Mark has been to China for a week with BYD and tells us all about it.Paddy has a big birthday coming up, will he sell his VW eUp! as a present to himself?!And VW boss Thomas Schäfer sits down for an extended chat about his 'True Volkswagen' era.

We're back after a little break and we have a LOT to catch up on including the new Mercedes GLB, Skoda Peaq, Kia PV5 and the True Volkswagen presentation in Hamburg.Why Mark is a little nervous ahead of his first trip to China with BYD!And Paddy gives us an insight of living close by to the only oil refinery plant on the island on a week that has seen one of the largest protests ever by the Irish people.In association with DoneDeal cars.