The Agenda

There are fresh concerns about the water supply in Dunshaughlin, with residents reporting discolouration in their water and low water pressure.A public meeting was held in the town on Wednesday night, with residents raising concerns about the quality and reliability of their water supply. It’s an issue that has caused frustration in the area previously, and there are now renewed calls for answers about what is causing the problems and when they will be resolved. Residents say the ongoing issues are causing great concern, particularly around the quality of the water coming into their homes.Sinn Féin Councillor for Dunshaughlin, Fionnan Blake, was at the meeting and joined us on The Agenda this morning to discuss the concerns being raised by residents.We also spoke to local resident Hugh O'Reilly, who says this is now a public health risk issue.

An informal meeting of European Affairs Ministers has been taking place at Dublin Castle, with Ireland continuing its work as President of the Council of the European Union.One of the major challenges facing the Irish Presidency is reaching agreement on the EU’s next multi-annual budget — a hugely important financial package which will determine how funding is allocated across the bloc over the coming years.Ireland has been tasked with trying to secure agreement on the budget by the end of this year. There are a number of competing priorities for member states, including agriculture, defence, migration, climate and regional development.Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne says progress is being made and he remains confident that an agreement can be reached before the end of the year.Minister Byrne joined us on The Agenda this morning to discuss the talks and what Ireland hopes to achieve.

Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty is calling on the Minister for Justice to urgently progress legislation aimed at tackling spiking in Ireland.The call comes after new figures show that 339 alleged incidents of spiking were reported to Gardaí between 2021 and 2025 — an average of around one reported incident every six days.Regina Doherty and her Fine Gael colleagues first brought forward the Spiking Bill in 2023, with the legislation already drafted and having passed through the Seanad.Ms Doherty says it is unacceptable that, almost three years later, the Bill remains before the Dáil while concerns around spiking continue. She is now urging the Government to put the legislation on the agenda and get it passed into law.Regina joined us on The Agenda this morning to discuss the legislation and why she believes urgent action is needed.

E-scooters could soon be off limits to under-18s, with the Government planning to raise the minimum age from 16 to 18 as early as the end of this month.The move comes as new safety rules also take effect today, requiring e-scooter users to wear a helmet and high-visibility clothing, with a €100 fine for those who fail to comply.The Government says the measures are about improving safety and protecting vulnerable road users, but there are questions over whether they will actually reduce injuries among younger users.Jason Cullen, Chair of the Dublin Commuter Coalition, believes the changes could unfairly impact adult e-scooter users while doing little to address the number of children being injured, and Jason Cullen joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Almost one-third of people on Louth’s social housing waiting list are non-Irish nationals, according to figures presented to councillors at this week’s Dundalk Municipal District meeting.The figures were requested by Councillor Shane McGuinness, who says councillors are regularly contacted by members of the public with questions and concerns about social housing and how allocations are made.He says having a clear breakdown of the waiting list is important so that elected representatives can provide accurate information to the public and he is now calling for a similar breakdown of actual housing allocations, which he believes would give a clearer picture of who is receiving social housing in the county.The figures come as pressure on social housing remains a major issue for communities across Louth, with demand continuing to outstrip the supply of available homes.Councillor Shane McGuinness joinedus on The Agenda this morning to discuss the figures, the public concerns he is hearing, and the wider housing situation in Louth.We were also joined by Green Party Councillor in Dundalk, Marianne Butler, who was warning of “dis-information” or “misinformation” circulating about the allocation of social housing.

More than one in five primary school parents and one in three secondary school parents say their children have refused or avoided going to school at least once a month.The findings come from a new report by Barnardos, highlighting the growing issue of school avoidance and the challenges facing children, parents and schools when it comes to regular attendance.The report raises concerns around the reasons behind children not wanting to attend school, and the impact this can have on their education, wellbeing and families.So, what can be done to better support children who are struggling to attend, and what pressures are schools facing in tackling the issue?To discuss the findings, we were joined on The Agenda this morning by Paul Crone, Director of the National Association of Principals and Deputies.

A new report from CyberSafeKids has raised fresh concerns about children’s safety online, finding that there has been no reduction in underage children accessing social media despite new age-assurance measures.The research found many children aged between eight and 12 still have accounts on social media platforms intended for users aged 13 and over.It also highlights a sharp increase in the use of generative AI among young people, alongside growing exposure to scams, misinformation and other negative experiences online.While parent-led campaigns have helped delay smartphone and social media use for some children, CyberSafeKids says this is not happening equally across all communities.We discussed the findings yesterday with Philip Arneill from CyberSafeKids, and joining us on The Agenda this morning was Meath East Sinn Féin TD & spokesperson on Education and Youth, Darren O’Rourke, who attended the report launch and has serious concerns…

Bus and train fares are expected to increase, with the National Transport Authority due to announce the full details later this morning.The average increase is expected to be around 15%, although there will also be reductions for some children, students and young adults.It comes after significant reductions in public transport fares were introduced by the previous Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green Party Government in 2022, including the 90-minute fare and reductions for young adults.At the time, the Government was very much focused on making public transport more affordable and encouraging people out of their cars.So today’s expected increase will raise questions about whether that policy is now being reversed — and what passengers are getting in return for paying more, and Fine Gael TD for Louth, Paula Butterly, joined us on The Agenda this morning to give us her reaction to this.