The Agenda

This morning on The Agenda we spoke Fianna Fail Councillor in Ardee, John Sheridan, about the biggest issues facing local residents of the town, including dereliction, traffic congestion and water problems.

Louth County Council has ruled out clearing algae along the shoreline in the Blackrock area as its a protected area under EU regulations.At the local authority's monthly meeting yesterday, both Fianna Fáil Cllr Shane McGuinness and Fine Gael Cllr Robert Nash called for the bathing water to be independently tested given how popular the beach is and from an ecological perspective.Councillor McGuiness spoke to us this morning on The Agenda about this.

Whether a flat white or a skinny caramel macchiato are your beverage of choice, late night cafe culture could soon be the norm in County Louth, after a new approach to the night-time economy in Drogheda proved a hit.Speaking at the June meeting of Louth County Council, Cllr. Emma Coffey said the Late Night cafe pilot programme “seems to have been well received in Drogheda.”Councillor Coffey spoke to us this morning on The Agenda about this.

This morning on The Agenda we broadcast live from Merci Beaucoup in Ardee.During the broadcast we spoke to Eoin Lennon who owns Ardee Coach Trim and Defy Sports in Ardee.Eoin is also involved with the Ardee traders, and he spoke to us about all of this and about how business is going in Ardee.

**TRIGGER WARNING: SOME LISTENERS MAY FIND CONTENT DISTRESSING**This morning on The Agenda we spoke to a Louth man about the horrific abuse he suffered at the hands of a person who took their own life before justice could be served."John" (whose name we changed) told us about how nobody would listen when he tried to seek help.

This morning on The Agenda we broadcast live from Merci Beaucoup bakery in Ardee. During the broadcast we spoke to husband and wife Jeremy and Olana Humeau, who own the bakery. They spoke to us about why they came to Ardee to open to open their bakery, the obstacles they faced in doing so and how business is going in Ardee now.

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Education and Youth, Darren O’Rourke TD, has demanded urgent government intervention to reduce the high cost of school uniforms for families.The Meath East TD’s call follows a warning from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) that current school uniform policies may be stifling competition and driving up expenses for parents.Deputy O'Rourke spoke to us on The Agenda this morning about this.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Fine Gael Councillor in Ashbourne, Alan Tobin, about works being carried out in the town which are causing some problems locally, particularly causing traffic congestion, making it a struggle to get through Ashbourne at certain times.Councillor Tobin also says that since December (when works on the cycle network in Ashbourne were completed) all manhole coverings have been banging and clattering as vehicles drive over them, which is now causing disturbances, particularly at night while locals are sleeping. We also spoke to a local man who is affected by all of this.

The Ombudsman Ger Deering has criticised the lack of progress made by the HSE to move younger people out of nursing homes, and called for additional government funding to tackle the issue.According to the Ombudsman Annual Report for 2024 – which examined complaints and reports from the Ombudman last year – the HSE has insufficient funding to continue to assist hundreds of young people to move out of nursing homes and into more appropriate accommodation.Ger Deering spoke to us on The Agenda this morning about this.