The Agenda

What started as our Roundtable Panel debate about immigration today on The Agenda quickly turned into one of the most heated arguments we’ve ever had on air. We were joined in studio this morning by Councillor Alan Lawes, Councillor Ejiro O'Hare Strattan and Aontu rep Peter Whelan... and things took a very unexpected turn. During a very explosive topic on immigration, voices were raised, tempers exploded and the councillors could barely get through a sentence without interrupting each other. This was extrememly heated start to finish.

Jailed anti-transgender teacher Enoch Burke has finally had his employment terminated by Wilson’s Hospital School, over three years after it decided to sack him for gross misconduct.The move was confirmed by a lawyer for the board of management of the Co Westmeath school in the High Court on Thursday and came after a panel on Wednesday dismissed his appeal against his sacking.After the developments were revealed, two of Mr Burke’s siblings, Simeon and Jemima, were ejected from the courtroom for what Mr Justice Brian Cregan described as “disruptive behaviour”.Both sought to raise objections and continued to talk over the judge, despite being directed to stop.We got the latest on all of this on The Agenda this morning.

It’s amazing what a convoy of tractors and trucks on O’Connell Street can do…. At least, that’s what many union leaders must have been thinking after the recent fuel blockades.Last month a group of relatively unknown protesters got such swift and sizable results that they were surely the envy of any union official locked in talks for months with little to show for it.The protesters’ success may have left them feeling not just upstaged, but facing more intense scrutiny about what they are delivering for members as pay expectations are mounting.Unions and the Government appear more at loggerheads now than at any time since the recession.Not long after the fuel protesters emerged with a massive half-a-billion-euro package, the leader of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu), Owen Reidy, was keen to shift the spotlight to the 800,000 workers represented by unions in his organisation.Owen joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

The soaring cost of private rents is “hurting” a generation of young people facing an unprecedented cost of living crisis, Louth councillors heard at their latest meeting.Councillor Kevin Meenan revealed he had been contacted by many constituents who spoke of the challenges sourcing affordable accommodation in Dundalk.“They are facing rents of up to €2000 a month.. and some of these houses are not even worth half that,” he told the May meeting of Louth County Council.The latest figures from Daft.ie found the average monthly rent in Louth is now: €1,466 for a one-bedroom apartment; €2,015 for a two-bedroom apartment; €2,476 for a three-bedroom apartment; €2,129 for a two-bedroom house; €2,642 for a three-bedroom house and €3,095 for a four-bedroom house. Councillor Meenan joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Young people in Meath are being encouraged to consider EU-funded volunteering placements across Europe, including farming projects in Germany, with funding provided for travel, food and accommodation.Meath MEP Nina Carberry said the European Solidarity Corps is “one of the best opportunities for young people that you’ve never heard of”.The programme is open to people aged 18 to 30 and offers opportunities to volunteer across Europe, with funding available for major expenses.According to the Central Statistics Office Census 2022, more than 30,000 people in Meath regularly volunteer. Irish projects received at least €1.56m in funding through the programme in 2024.Speaking from Brussels, Ms Carberry said the initiative gives young people the chance to travel, meet new people and gain valuable skills while living abroad.Nina joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that he is appalled and shocked at the manner in which activists on board an aid flotilla to Gaza have been treated by the Israeli authorities.Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, is among at least 12 Irish citizens on board the flotilla that were detained by Israel, according to organisers.Hundreds more participants from other countries have also been detained.The footage shows some people kneeling on the ground in tightly packed groups with their hands tied behind their backs. The footage also shows Mr Ben-Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag amongst the detained activists. We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence & Fianna Fail TD in Meath-East, Thomas Byrne, who also condemned the video.

Four new train stations are to be built in Meath as part of plans for a new railway line connecting Navan to Dublin.Navan is currently the largest town in Ireland that is not on the rail network.The emerging preferred route for the 34km line was published by Iarnród Éireann this morning, as a public consultation on the project opens today.The plan will extend the route from the existing line at the M3 Parkway near Dunboyne, with new stations proposed for Dunshaughlin and Kilmessan, along with two new stations in Navan - Navan Central and Navan North.This morning on The Agenda we found out more about all of this.

On The Agenda this morning, we turned our attention to calls by local councillors in Louth for the abolition of the Universal Social Charge. Introduced during the financial crisis as a temporary measure, the USC has remained in place for more than a decade — but now Ciaran Fisher and a number of Independent councillors across the country are calling on the Government to scrap it altogether.A motion passed at this month’s meeting of Louth County Council is urging the Minister for Finance, the Taoiseach and local TDs to outline a clear timeline for the removal of the charge, with critics arguing it has effectively become a permanent second income tax on workers.Councillor Fished joined us to discuss why he believes the USC has outlived its purpose and why he says now is the time to axe it