The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast

Last Monday Taoiseach Micheál Martin reopened the half century old debate about nuclear power, saying Ireland’s reliance on imported energy must come to an end. Speaking to the Irish Examiner’s Louise Burne in Armenia, the Taoiseach said “we should explore all avenues” to ensure energy sovereignty, including renewables and examining strides in technology around nuclear.The Fianna Fáil TD for Cork East, James O’Connor, has now drafted legislation that would legalise nuclear energy.But would it have any chance of passing a Dáil where so many TDs have objected to solar farms and windfarms in their own back yards – and is it really necessary?Environmental journalist John Gibbons wrote about this issue for the Irish Examiner recently and he is the guest on today’s podcast.John Gibbons: I've changed my mind on nuclear power — we don't need it any moreTaoiseach: We should 'seriously examine' nuclear powerSurplus renewable energy used to heat immersion tanks of older people

Katriona O’Sullivan’s remarkable memoir Poor saw her become a household name. But her new book, Hungry: A Memoir of my Body is her story told through a different lens, one of sexual abuse, disordered eating, diet culture, and the search for sexual pleasure.In this interview, recorded at St Luke’s in front of a live audience as part of the Cork World Book Festival, Katriona talks candidly about the abuse she suffered as a child, how she grew apart from her body through repeated abuse and sexualisation, and how she learned to find pleasure in it as an adult. And, how she’d like to become a brand ambassador for Triton – listen to find out why.In Pictures: Powerful stuff from Katriona O’Sullivan at St Luke’s for Cork World Book FestJennifer Horgan: Middle-class kids learn selfishness early — it's no wonder they won't change the worldCulture That Made Me: Katriona O’Sullivan, author of Poor, picks her touchstones 

The West Cork woman whose partner somehow knew where she was at all times... the Cork city retail worker whose interaction with a customer went viral even though she didn’t know he was filming.These two cases recently reported in the Irish Examiner are just the tip of the iceberg of a new era of surveillance and control of women, aided and abetted, often deliberately, by Big Tech.As ‘technofascism’ becomes mainstream and companies with misogynistic and white supremacist leaders take increasing control of major elements of our daily lives, journalist and consultant Margaret E Ward is the guest on today’s episode of The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy podcast.Read Margaret’s column in Saturday’s Irish Examiner.Woman filmed at Cork workplace by influencer using smart glasses calls for tougher privacy lawsWest Cork Beacon sees surge in women tracked by partners using hidden devicesMarion McKeone: JD Vance needs all his Machiavellian instincts to avoid becoming Trump's whipping boyPalantir sees first billion dollars in quarterly sales amid US spending cuts

Tom Corkery was from Coachford in County Cork – an accountant who had done well in England after a lifetime of hard work, he was looking forward to retirement. Sue, his wife, had been a paediatric nurse.Both in their sixties, they were planning a retirement of travel and adventure when in January 2024 while out walking a friend’s dog on a country lane, they were hit by a BMW SUV travelling at 87mph, or 140km.“My mum was 68. My dad was 61. I think they were described as elderly in some of the press coverage - far from it. You know, my mum would be furious at being described as elderly. She was that kind of person, she was so full of life,” says Claire.Witnesses had seen Scott Gunn travelling at high speed on the narrow country road in icy conditions on the coldest week of the year.Despite all the evidence he pleaded not guilty and so Claire and her brother were forced to sit through his trial.Claire Corkery joins Deirdre on the podcast today to tell her parents’ story – and highlight the dangers of speeding. Her story is one of shock, grief, injustice and finding a new purpose. 

38 year old Siobhán Kearney was killed by her husband Brian in 2006 as she was planning to leave their marriage.Siobhán, a chef, hotelier and mother of one, had been planning to leave Brian Kearney and was keeping a record of his controlling and abusive behaviour on the advice of her solicitor.Although Kearney tried to make her death look like suicide, he was convicted of her murder and has failed in his appeals. He’s currently serving a life sentence in Wheatfield Prison, but has been granted two days a year to meet with his family in a neutral venue, and could be eligible for parole.Siobhan’s sister Deirdre McLaughlin says a life sentence should mean life – and her family having to describe their pain every time he applies for parole is deeply unfair.“There's no parole... we can't go on parole and go meet my sister, Siobhan; he's taken her. She's gone. She's six feet under the ground in Redford Cemetery.” ‘I don’t believe someone who has done something like that should ever be released’If you have been affected by the issues raised in this episode please see www.womensaid.ie.

From Ballincollig to Mahon Point, with 27 stops, the Luas Cork route has finally been unveiled.  Homes, gardens, sports clubs and pubs will all be impacted – but the almost 100 year wait for reinstatement of Cork’s trams might be about to come to an end.Where are the stops going to be? Which locations are controversial? How long is it all going to take, and how much will it cost?Reporter Donal O’Keeffe has all the details on today’s episode of the Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast.New Luas Cork route unveiled with 27 stops as public consultation opens until June'Couple of hundred' gardens face compulsory purchase orders in 'worst-case scenario' for Cork LuasCork Luas: Schools and sports clubs face compulsory purchase orders as preferred route revealed  

Drink driving is on the increase in Ireland and so are road fatalities. Doctors and gardai are frustrated at complex laws that make catching drink drivers in the act far harder than it should be – and they’re demanding action that politicians just don’t want to take.High profile cases such as the tragic death of mother-of-two Sheila Dunne in Cork in 2024 and that of Patrick Murphy in Kerry in 2023 prompted emergency doctor Eoin Fogarty to write in the Irish Examiner that the three hour timeframe and legal complications around collecting a blood sample leads “to gardaí and medical staff working against the clock in already high-pressure situations” and makes investigations harder than they should be.Investigating gardaí have spoken of the frustration of embarking on enormous investigations in the absence of a simple blood test.Irish Examiner Southern Correspondent Liz Dunphy has been covering this story, talking to Gardaí and medics about what needs to change – she's the guest on today’s Deirdre O’Shaughnessy podcast.Fatal Cork crash may lead to reform of laws on intoxicated driving

While Irish minds were occupied with fuel prices and blockades over the weekend a quiet revolution took place in Hungary.The country’s leader for 16 years, Putin puppet Viktor Orban, was ousted in a decisive election, to be replaced at the helm by his former party colleague Peter Magyar.But who is Magyar and what does this mean for Europe?Euronews reporter and Irish Examiner columnist Shona Murray has been following Orban for more than a decade – she's the guest on today’s episode.Who is Péter Magyar: Hungary’s next leader energised voters but is ‘a dark horse’Read Mick Clifford’s pre-election feature here: Russia and White House doing all they can to prop up Viktor OrbánListen to Shona speaking to Mick before the election last week: The Mick Clifford Podcast - Irish ExaminerShona Murray: EU faced with Russian trojan horse if Orbán gets re-electedRoderic O’Gorman: Budapest Pride was a rebuke to Orbán, we must keep an eye on his response