The Agenda

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Independent TD in Meath-East, Gillian Toole, who spoke to us about why the Ashbourne Chamber of Commerce has come to the very difficult decision not to hold a St Patrick’s Day parade in the town of Ashbourne this year. Taking to social media last night, Ashbourne Chamber posted this message:“We regret to confirm that we are unable to organise a St Patrick’s Day Parade in Ashbourne in 2026. With so many of our committee retiring, we simply do not have the resources to organise such a large scale and complex event. If however, there are any organisations that feel they have the resources to take on the organisation of this event, please email us on info@ashbournechamber.ieWe would like to thanks High Street Ashbourne and our many other supporters for their continued support”Deputy Toole told us all about what is going on here.

Elderly people in the Duleek Street area of Drogheda are living in fear of teenage gangs who are terrorising them.The youngsters are gathering in groups around local retail units and harassing pensioners.One 90-year-old woman living alone had her door kicked as a teenager tried to force his way into her house last week.The incident was caught on a security camera, and the victim could be seen cowering behind a curtain as the attempted break-in took place.The teenager was wearing a jacket with the hood pulled up and could not be identified.The Duleek Street area is full of elderly people, many of whom live alone.We heard more about this harrowing story this morning on The Agenda.

A 48-year-old man who pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse images has been remanded on bail for sentencing at Trim Circuit Court.The defendant’s property was searched as part of an investigation in 2015 after gardaí in Navan were informed about a video of concern uploaded by an IP address belonging to the accused.The video downloaded at the address in Navan town was flagged to gardaí in October 2014 by German authorities.Louise Hickey from The Irish Independent has been covering this harrowing story and joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this.

An Aontú Limerick councillor has called for an end to the "illegal and cruel practice" of sulky racing on public roads, following the death of a horse who was found still attached to its sulky cart.Councillor Sarah Beasley said she was "horrified" by a string of "inhumane cases where horses died as result of abject cruelty and serious neglect", and she claimed organisers are using social media to encourage the practice as well as betting on illegal races.Sulky racing has traditionally, but not solely, been an activity by members of the Traveller community. However, Councillor Beasley said: "I'm not calling out any community. I'm calling out an activity that kills horses, endangers the public, and enriches criminals".Councillor Beasly joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this. 

We were joined in-studio on The Agenda this morning by Labour TD for Louth, Ged Nash, who has formally written to Ministers Colm Brophy and Jim O’Callaghan ahead of the expiry of the IPAS contract with the D hotel in Drogheda, this month.Deputy Nash says that for local economic reasons, the government must allow the deal to expire on the agreed date, and that the hotel needs to be restored to full tourism use to help boost Drogheda. Deputy Nash spoke with Minister for Migration Colm Brophy this week, and has been raising the expiration of the contract with the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, for weeks now, via Parliamentary Questions.Deputy Nash spoke to us in more detail about all of this.

A Meath councillor has hit out at a loophole in the SEAI Warmer Homes Scheme, which she says is 'inexplicably discriminatory'.Aontú's Emer Tóibín says she is baffled by confirmation from the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’ Brien that the Deserted Wife’s Allowance/Benefit is not a qualifying payment.With almost 4,500 women in Ireland currently in receipt of the payment, she says they’re being deserted by the Government and are literally being left out in the cold.It closed to new applicants in 1997 and Councillor Tóibín says she will write to the Minister to seek absolute clarity on eligibility criteria, and she wants to know if women who receive another qualifying payment, for example Fuel Allowance, might qualify.Councillor Toibin joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

New legislation aimed at strengthening school responses to medical emergencies is to come before the Dail this week.Labour TD Eoghan Kenny, who introduced the bill said he hopes it will help protect school communities and the overall health of students.A former teacher, Deputy Kenny, who lives with epilepsy, described the Bill as both professionally and personally significant.He said: "Having worked in our classrooms and having experienced epilepsy in my own life, I understand how important it is that schools are prepared for medical emergencies."Awareness is important, but awareness must lead to action. Every student and every staff member deserves to feel safe and supported in their school community."Deputy Kenny joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Over 19.2pc of homes offered to Louth’s social housing tenants through the Choice Based Letting (CBL) system have been turned down, according to new figures released by Louth County Council.The statistics emerged at the local authority’s January meeting, following a question submitted by Independent Councillor, Ciaran Fisher, revealing that over the last eight years the rate of tenant refusals was highest in Dundalk followed by Drogheda and Ardee.Councillor Fisher asked for a breakdown of the percentage of refusals the council have received yearly since the introduction of the CBL system, which is the portal used by tenants to bid for social housing when it is advertised by Louth County Council.The meeting heard the CBL system is designed to give tenants the freedom to bid on social houses in areas “they actually want to live in.”Councillor Fisher joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

Every public swimming pool in Meath currently has a waiting list for lessons, according to a new report, prompting calls for “greater investment” in swimming facilities.The Swimming Pool Gap Analysis report, funded by the Department of Sport and published by Swim Ireland found that Ireland has just one public pool per 81,000 people, compared with one per 14,000 in Scotland.Meath’s eight public swimming pools serve a population of more than 220,000. Three of these pools are hotel-based, while the remaining five operate on a pay-as-you-go basis. All eight currently have waiting lists for lessons, highlighting the pressure on existing facilities.Sinn Féin TD for Meath East, Darren O’Rourke, said the findings confirm what many parents across the county already experience first-hand, and Deputy O’Rourke joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.