The Agenda

Government TDs will not be granted a free vote on Dáil motions calling for the Republic of Ireland's upcoming Nations League match against Israel to be cancelled.While the FAI is expected to move the October 4th fixture at the Aviva Stadium to a neutral venue, that has not gone far enough for some opposition parties. Sinn Féin is bringing a motion before the Dáil today calling for the game to be cancelled entirely, while the Social Democrats will table a similar motion tomorrow.One of those calling for the match to be scrapped is Sinn Féin TD for Louth, Joanna Byrne, who says it is "incomprehensible" that Ireland would play Israel while what she describes as a genocide is ongoing, and argues that Ireland should do everything in its power to "Stop The Game".Deputy Byrne joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Yesterday on The Agenda, we heard about how after weeks of discussion and consultation, two major concerts at Slane Castle this July were officially given the green light. Meath County Council confirmed that an event licence has been issued to organisers MCD Productions, despite concerns raised by local residents about traffic management, road closures, access arrangements and the impact the events could have on daily life in the village.A series of meetings involving residents, organisers, An Garda Síochána and other stakeholders took place in recent months, with a range of issues discussed. We were joined on The Agenda this morning by local resident Ronan Coleman, who now has a number of questions for Meath County Council as a result of the license being granted.

Aontú has launched a campaign against the EU Migration Pact, arguing that it would reduce Ireland's control over migration policy and leave the State bound by EU decisions on migration numbers and costs.The party says the pact fails to address the movement of asylum seekers entering Ireland through Northern Ireland and comes at a time when housing, healthcare and other public services are already under significant pressure. Aontú says it supports a compassionate system for those fleeing war and persecution but believes stronger controls are needed.The party has also launched a petition calling on the Government not to implement the pact.We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Aontú leader and Meath West TD, Peadar Tóibín, who spoke to us in more detail about this.

A new law is set to require social housing applicants to prove they are both lawfully resident and habitually resident in Ireland before they can access social housing supports.The Government says the move is aimed at providing greater clarity around access to social housing supports, but the proposals are already generating debate about who will qualify and how the new rules will be applied in practice.We heard more about this on The Agenda this morning.

Thousands of people across parts of County Meath were left without water over the weekend following a major burst on a water main serving Duleek, Stamullen, Donore and surrounding areas. For many households and businesses, the disruption caused significant inconvenience, with residents forced to rely on alternative water supplies for essential daily needs. This morning on The Agenda we spoke to local residents and business owners in the Duleek area to hear how they were affected by the outage and what impact it had over the weekend.Residents have had enough and are now at breaking point due to the ongoing issues with water outages.

Serious concerns are mounting over reports that vulnerable children in Drogheda and across County Louth are being targeted, groomed and drawn into the orbit of organised drug gangs.Fears are growing that criminal networks are actively exploiting young people, using manipulation and pressure to recruit them into drug-related activity, with devastating consequences for their safety and future.The allegations have sent shockwaves through local communities, with urgent warnings that without stronger intervention, more children could be pulled into a dangerous and deeply entrenched criminal underworld.We heard more about all of this on The Agenda this morning.

After weeks of discussion and consultation, two major concerts at Slane Castle this July have officially been given the green light. Meath County Council has confirmed that an event licence has been issued to organisers MCD Productions, despite concerns raised by local residents about traffic management, road closures, access arrangements and the impact the events could have on daily life in the village.A series of meetings involving residents, organisers, An Garda Síochána and other stakeholders took place in recent months, with a range of issues discussed. As part of the licensing agreement, organisers have also committed to establishing a €61,000 community fund for local projects in the Slane area, more than double the amount originally proposed.We heard more about this and what it will mean for the local community of Slane on The Agenda this morning.

A major pollution incident on the River Glyde in County Louth has resulted in the deaths of more than 20,000 fish, with dead trout, salmon and other species found along stretches of the river. The incident has shocked local anglers and residents, who fear the environmental damage could take years to reverse.The River Glyde is an important natural habitat and fishing resource in the region, and concerns are now growing about the long-term impact on biodiversity and the wider ecosystem. Members of the local fishing community have warned that the loss of fish stocks could have lasting consequences for both the river and those who rely on it.Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley, visited the scene in recent days alongside representatives from Inland Fisheries Ireland. Describing it as a very significant fish kill, he said the incident would have a devastating impact on biodiversity and could take a considerable period of time for the river to recover.Minister Timmy Dooley joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú is calling for the introduction of stricter measures aimed at improving road safety, including a potential night-time curfew for novice drivers and the use of AI-enabled cameras to detect mobile phone use and seatbelt offences.She says road safety figures are moving in the wrong direction, with young drivers particularly at risk during night-time hours, although she stresses that any curfew would need to include exemptions for those travelling for work.