The Agenda

With thousands of fans expected to descend on Slane this weekend for the Luke Combs concerts, concerns are growing after a night of anti-social behaviour in the village. Barriers erected as part of the traffic and crowd management plan were pulled down overnight, a life buoy was destroyed, and a number of plant pots in the village were vandalised.The damage comes as Slane puts the finishing touches to preparations for one of the biggest music events of the year. We heard more about this on The Agenda this morning.

The cost of deportation operations in Ireland has reached almost €4 million, according to new figures provided to the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee. The figures show that 377 failed asylum seekers have been deported on 10 flights since February 2025, with the average cost coming in at more than €10,000 per person.The breakdown of costs includes thousands spent on additional expenses such as emergency landing fees and aircraft services, while almost 1,000 members of An Garda Síochána have accompanied returnees on the flights. The figures do not include the cost of Garda escorts, meaning the overall expense of these operations is higher.We heard more about this on The Agenda this morning

The Taoiseach has said he is “leaning towards” a complete ban on e-scooters, as concerns continue to grow over their misuse alongside scrambler bikes.The comments came during a Dáil debate, where Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called for stronger action, including better regulation, registration and more resources for Gardaí to deal with anti-social behaviour involving the vehicles.Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Transport Minister Seán Canney is looking at all options, including tighter rules or an outright ban.Aontú leader and Meath-West TD Peadar Tóibín has called for greater parental responsibility, saying fines should be considered where children are misusing e-scooters. Deputy Toibin joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this, and we also discussed his concerns over Ireland’s water infrastructure as Meath enters a six-week hosepipe ban

Survivors of abuse by former basketball coach Bill Kenneally are reflecting on a significant moment today, following a State apology delivered in the Dáil yesterday over the failures that allowed his crimes to continue.The victims were at Leinster House to hear Taoiseach Micheál Martin acknowledge the shortcomings in the investigation into Kenneally’s abuse. Kenneally, who was responsible for the abuse of a number of young boys during the 1970s and 1980s, died in prison just days after a Commission of Investigation found that repeated opportunities were missed by authorities to intervene and prevent further harm.The apology has been described by the Tánaiste Simon Harris as an important step in recognising the experiences of survivors, many of whom spent years campaigning for answers, accountability and acknowledgement of what happened to them.We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Colin Power, one of the survivors of Bill Kenneally’s abuse, to talk about the State apology, what it means to finally receive that recognition, and the long journey survivors have taken to have their voices heard

Louth Labour TD Ged Nash is calling on the Taoiseach to invite Andy Burnham MP to visit Drogheda, highlighting the strong family connection the incoming British Prime Minister has with the town.Deputy Nash says Mr Burnham’s great-grandfather, Edmund “Ned” Burke, was born in Drogheda before emigrating to Liverpool with his family. He later worked on the docks and joined the King’s Liverpool Regiment during the First World War, where he was captured by German forces and died in captivity just weeks before the end of the conflict.Mr Burnham has previously spoken publicly about his links to Drogheda and his great-grandfather’s affection for his Irish roots and hometown. Deputy Nash says a visit would be warmly welcomed by the local community and would be an opportunity to celebrate that shared history, and he joined us in-studio this morning on The Agenda to discuss why he believes Andy Burnham’s connection to Drogheda is worth recognising.

This morning on The Agenda we received a shocking call live on air from a resident in Ballivor named Amy, who told LMFM that ongoing problems with the local water supply have left her and her neighbours in an unacceptable situation, claiming the water quality has become so poor that they are now being forced to shower outside using a garden hose.The caller says residents have been dealing with issues for some time and that the situation has had a major impact on everyday life, with concerns about access to clean, reliable water in the area.This left Adrian and LMFM listeners stunned.

***TRIGGER WARNING: UPSETTING/DISTRESSING CONTENT****For years, Claire Smith carried the pain of a childhood stolen from her.The Louth mother of four says she endured a decade of sexual abuse at the hands of her father — an experience that left her with deep trauma, anger and a feeling that her suffering had gone unseen.In 2012, Claire made the brave decision to waive her right to anonymity as her father, Seamus Byrne, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing her. She says at the time she felt broken and devastated by the sentence handed down.But in the final moments of her father's life, Claire says something changed. As she learned he was dying, she found a way to forgive him — not because she had forgotten the harm he caused, but because she wanted to free herself from the weight of that pain.Now, Claire is turning her experience of survival into support for others, creating an app to help people through some of the darkest and most difficult moments in their lives.Claire joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this.

A Drogheda woman says she has been left at breaking point after months of water supply problems at her home in Termonabbey. Lorraine Dunne says the situation has forced her to pay for a hotel, laundry services and has impacted her daily life and health. She joins us to share her experience and call for answers.Lorraine spoke to us on The Agenda this morning, and we also heard from neighbours of Lorraine, who are dealing with the same issues and are also at breaking point with it.