The Agenda

Nearly three decades after Dundalk teenager Ciara Breen vanished without trace, fresh calls have been made for a dedicated memorial to honour her memory and provide her family with a place to grieve.Ciara was just 17 years old when she left her home on Bachelors Walk in the early hours of February 13, 1997, and never returned. Despite extensive Garda investigations over the years, no one has ever been charged in connection with her disappearance, and her remains have never been recovered.The case was brought back into public focus at the May meeting of Dundalk Municipal District where Cathaoirleach Councillor Robert Nash tabled a motion urging Louth County Council to erect a memorial dedicated to Ciara.Councillor Nash joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.We also heard about his calls for new council tenants to be subject to a 12 month probation period.

There are calls for all Tusla founded allegations to be passed on to An Garda Síochána.A founded allegation means the Child and Family Agency has established that, on the balance of probabilities, child abuse has occurred.However, it's not a criminal conviction and, as such, does not automatically form part of a person’s criminal record.Aontú leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín says these types of allegations should be flagged when someone undergoes Garda vetting and he believes that there should be a legal requirement that all founded allegations that are made against individuals to TUSLA are passed on to the Gardaí.Deputy Toibin joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Councillors are calling for urgent safety works at a “dangerous” mid‑Louth junction, warning that drivers are being forced straight on to a main road with 100kph traffic.The concerns were raised at the monthly meeting of Ardee Municipal District, where Councillor John Sheridan tabled a motion calling on Louth County Council to arrange a meeting with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to discuss safety at the junction of the N2 and the LP1201 at Edmonstown.Councillor Sheridan said the junction has posed problems for years, “since before Covid" when hopes were pinned on the construction of a new road which would have essentially connected mid- Louth to the border.Councillor Sheridan joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this

Demonstrators at a Palestine solidarity march in Dublin called on the Government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill and impose sanctions on Israel.The demonstration on Saturday, which was organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), marched from the Garden of Remembrance to Leinster House.Zoë Lawlor, chair of the IPSC, said the IPSC was “proud” of the fact Ireland is among the countries boycotting the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Vienna on Saturday night, because of Israel’s participation.Zoe also called on the Football Association of Ireland to refuse to play Israel in the Uefa Nations League in Dublin in October.Zoe joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

This morning on The Agenda we had our ‘LMFM Roundtable’, where we were joined in-studio by 3 contributors from different parts of Louth and Meath to discuss and debate the big stories of the week.This morning we discussed calls for former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to apologise for his comments on immigrants in Ireland, particularly his comments about African immigrants. We also discussed RTE's decision to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest.Also, the ban on flavoured vapes - is is counterproductive?... And the roads are unsafe for cyclists in Ireland - we asked about jsut how unsafe the roads really are for cyclists.

Much of the abuse of vulner­able adults and older people is going unpunished because of a lack of safeguarding law, a new report from the Oireachtas Health Committee has warned.The committee’s “Report on Adult Safeguarding” highlights a litany of weaknesses that are putting vulnerable adults at risk of physical, financial, sexual or emotional abuse and being left to suffer in silence.It follows a series of hearings at which experts and advocates highlighted the need for legislation to protect adults from harm.Sinn Féin TD David Cullin­ane, who acted as rapporteur for the report, said: “Time and again, devastating failures are exposed where adults are recklessly exposed to harm, coercion or, indeed, suffer it”.Deputy Cullinane joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

A Dundalk councillor has expressed concern that local applicants on Louth County Council's social housing list could be waiting longer than those elsewhere in the county.Marianne Butler was speaking at the Dundalk Municipal District's monthly meeting, where she highlighted how local applicants (2,627) account for 55 per cent of the total of 4,717 who are on the list. There are 615 on the housing list in the Ardee Municipal District.The councillors were told that the Drogheda figure of 1,475 was 'slightly lower' at the moment reflecting the 'huge amount' of house building mostly along the Port Access Northern Cross Route, but they were assured that housing developments in the Dundalk area will be available 'pretty soon'.Councillor Butler says she wants to make sure those on the list from the Dundalk MD area aren't missing out, because of the greater demand there.Councillor Butler joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has said he wants to reduce the number of migrants claiming asylum in Ireland and believes Irish reunification could happen “quicker than we think” as he set out his stall for the leadership of Fianna Fáil.In a wide-ranging interview with the Indo Politics podcast, the minister said there needed to be a “mature discussion around migration” and suggested people were at times nervous to talk about it.He defended former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who is at the centre of a racism row over comments he made while being secretly recorded when canvassing in the Dublin Central by-election.Mr Ahern was taped saying to a voter at their doorstep that “the ones I worry about are the Africans” and that he had concerns about the next generation of Muslims in Ireland.We were joined on The Agenda this morning by CEO of Doras, John Lannon, to get his reaction to this.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is facing criticism after comments he made about immigration during a byelection canvass were recorded and shared online. In the footage, Ahern said he believed there were “too many” migrants coming into Ireland and specifically referenced African migrants.The comments have sparked backlash across the political spectrum, with Fianna Fáil deputy leader Jack Chambers calling the remarks “totally wrong and inappropriate.”Fine Gael councillor in Navan, Yemi Adenuga, who is originally from Nigeria, has also strongly criticised the comments, saying she was “deeply disappointed and honestly appalled.” In a social media statement, she warned that remarks like these can fuel fear, prejudice and anti-migrant hostility at a time of growing tensions around immigration in Ireland.Councillor Adenuga is calling on Bertie to apologise for his comments, and she joined us on Teh Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.We were also joined by Dr Ebun Joseph, CEO & Founder of the Institute of Antiracism and Black Studies, who also wants Bertie to apologise and to revoke his comments immediately.Dr Joseph called our Bertie Ahern and all those who have agreed with his comments.