In The News

Kerry farmer Michael Gaine disappeared in March. In April Gardaí upgraded the search to a murder inquiry, despite not finding a body. Now, following a macabre discovery, a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Irish Times southern correspondent Barry Roche explains what we know.

Ten years ago this week, on May 23rd, 2015, the people of Ireland voted to legalise same-sex marriage.Writing in The Irish Times the day after the referendum, columnist Fintan O’Toole noted the overwhelming victory for the Yes side “looks extraordinary” but was actually “about the ordinary”.“Ireland has redefined what it means to be an ordinary human being,” wrote O’Toole.“Everybody gains from equality – even those who didn’t think they wanted it. Over time, those who are in a minority on this issue will come to appreciate the value of living in a pluralist democracy in which minorities are respected.”Ten years on, is Ireland a pluralist democracy in which minorities are accepted and equal? Or has the rise of far right groups and the fear-driven, macho-infused culture of Trump and Tate, impacted how gay and lesbian people in this country are perceived and treated?Buzz O’Neill Maxwell, a nightclub promoter and freelance events manager who campaigned for a Yes vote in the 2015 referendum, is one of many LGBTQ people who feel acceptance has declined and homophobia has increased over the past five years.Today, on In The News, ten years on from Ireland’s referendum to legalise same-sex marriage, have old prejudices returned?Social affairs correspondent Kitty Holland and Buzz O’Neill Maxwell reflect on whether Ireland has become a better or worse place for gay people to live their lives.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon. 

From the end of June, the people of Ireland will no longer be able to pick up the phone and talk to Joe.Last week, Joe Duffy announced he was leaving his role as presenter of the RTÉ radio phone-in show after 27 years in the hot seat.The 69-year-old broadcaster, whose contract was due to expire this summer, said he was “deeply privileged and eternally grateful” to have worked for so long presenting the programme. He also said he hoped Liveline had “made people feel heard”. Over nearly three decades, Duffy presided over Ireland’s court of public opinion, while his tagline, ‘talk to Joe’, could be seen as either an invitation or a threat.His weekday radio slot gave a platform to issues that were sometimes ignored by the rest of the media. And some of the most unintentionally hilarious, totally unplanned, moments on Irish radio also emerged through the Liveline phone lines. What legacy does Duffy leave behind and who has the experience, and kudos, to fill his shoes?Today, on In The News, Joe Duffy is leaving but who will replace him?Irish Times radio columnist Mick Heaney discusses the history of Liveline, Duffy’s career and the names already in the mix for the much-coveted afternoon slot.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by John Casey. 

Mark Paul on why UK prime minister Keir Starmer evoked the arguments for Brexit - which he had opposed - when announcing a new crackdown on migration into the UK.

Members of Gaeltacht community groups and Irish language campaigners have issued a stark warning. They say the lack of housing, and oversupply of short-term holiday lets in Gaeltacht areas, is displacing native Irish speakers from their home counties.As a result, many fluent Irish speakers, who seek to bring up their families fully immersed in the Irish language and return home to their native town lands or villages, are unable to find a place to live.Census data in recent years continues to how the language is in decline – the number of daily Irish speakers dropped from 36% to 33% between 2016 and 2022.And now, the housing crisis in the Gaeltacht is creating a linguistic and cultural crisis.Campaigners have repeatedly warned that without a national language, Ireland will lose a unique part of its heritage. As the familiar Irish proverb warns – Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam.Dr Lorcan Sirr, senior lecturer in housing at the Technological University Dublin, discusses how Airbnb landlords and holiday homeowners are squeezing native speakers out of Gaeltacht areas.And physiotherapist and Gaeltacht housing campaigner Adhna Ní Bhraonáin describes the real-life implications for native Irish speakers who cannot find a place to life.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. 

"The future can be seen" was the tagline of 2002 dystopian cop thriller Minority Report, in which Tom Cruise prevented crimes yet to take place with the help of a snazzy screen and three psychics floating in a tank. Now Gardaí want to use AI technology to do the same - well, kind of the same. Proponents of the technology say it will help avert criminality driven by online disinformation, like the 2023 Dublin riot. The new capability raises questions about civil liberties and the limits of AI surveillance in the hands of State authorities. Conor Gallagher explains why Gardaí want this tool and how it might be used.

A group of men dubbed the “grandpa gang” are among 10 suspects on trial in Paris on charges of robbing reality TV star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian at gunpoint and stealing jewellery worth millions of euros during Paris Fashion Week in 2016. The billionaire business woman will be in court tomorrow to give evidence. Saskya Vandoorne, a senior producer for CNN based in the network’s Paris bureau, explains how the trial has unfolded so far and how the group planned their €10 million heist. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

US-born Robert Prevost, who worked in Peru for two decades and became a citizen there before becoming a cardinal, is now Pope Leo XIV. But what sort of pope will he be?

For years tourists have been told it’s a tradition in Dublin to rub Molly Malone’s breasts – “for luck”. Something that’s news to residents of the capital.And it is causing damage – not just to the look of the piece but also to its stability and that has prompted Dublin City Council to take action. Every day this week “Molly minders” were at the statue with one job – to stop tourists climbing up to touch her.The metal statue made by sculptor Jeanne Rynhart in 1988 shows all the signs of constant friction – the patina has rubbed off her breasts leaving them gleaming in the sunshine, a contrast to the dull finish on the rest of the near life-size figures.But that’s been obvious for at least a decade, what hasn’t been so visible is the damage people clambering up on Molly is doing to the structure of the piece and increase her stability is now in place.Irish Times Dublin editor Olivia Kelly explains why Dublin City Council has moved to protect the statue and what will happen next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.