The Agenda

A major new all-island radiotherapy trial, INSPIRE, will launch this Spring.Sponsored by Cancer Trials Ireland, and supported by the Irish Research Radiation Oncology Group, the study aims to reduce treatment side-effects while maintaining excellent cancer control for men with prostate cancer.With more than 5,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer across the island of Ireland each year, there is a clear need to continue improving treatment and reducing its impact on quality of life. The trial plans to recruit more than 130 patients across Ireland. The INSPIRE trial is for men with localised prostate cancer who are suitable for treatment with Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR).We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Angela Clayton-Lea, CEO of Cancer Trials Ireland & Ashbourne native, who told us more about this.We were also joined by Martin Sweeney, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was involved in the design of the trials.

The judicial review into the Slane Bypass was dismissed by the high court yesterday.The proceedings had been taken by former attorney general John Rogers, who owns land in the area.Planning permission for the project was granted by An Comisiún Pleanála last June but Mr Rogers applied for a legal review of the decision. However yesterday afternoon, Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council and Fianna Fail Councillor in Slane, Wayne Harding, confirmed the review had been dismissed saying it was "fantastic news and another huge milestone in the project."The project would see the construction of a 3.5km road around Slane village, including a dual carriageway, as well as a 258m bridge over the River Boyne.Councillor Harding 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 Minister for Foreign Affairs & Meath-East Fine Gael TD, Helen McEntee, who was with us ahead of her visit to Dundalk today.  During our discussion with Minister McEntee this morning we addressed the issue of the lack of school places in Dushaughlin, with local parents becoming increasingly frustrated as they have still not recieved school places for their children in their preferred schools. Many parents are being forced to accept places outside of the Dunshaughlin area. We also discussed the fuel support scheme plan and what that will entail.Minister McEntee also told LMFM that "every effort" is being made to secure the return of two boys who were taken by their father during a family holiday in Egypt four years ago, to their mother in Dundalk.

The Government has agreed to begin withdrawing State-provided accommodation that is currently housing 16,000 Ukrainian refugees.Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan secured the agreement this afternoon at the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs. Ukrainian people who arrived in Ireland before March 2024 will no longer be entitled to state-contracted commercial accommodation, with the exception of “highly vulnerable” people or those with barriers to independence. In order to continue being accommodated, it’s been proposed that people who fall into those categories will be required to apply and self-declare their need for accommodation, supported by evidence. This accommodation will be in a different location and setting and will be similar to designated accommodation centres.The withdrawal will begin in August on a phased basis over six months. People affected will be given a minimum of three months’ notice. We were joined on The Agenda this morning by the National Coordinator at The Ukraine Civil Society Forum, Brian Killoran, to get his thoughts on this.

Men In Ireland are exposed to a “dizzying” number of advertisements for gambling on social media, new research has suggested.Researchers from University of Cambridge and Munster Technological University, Cork, said gambling companies are reaching young men, the group most likely to exhibit problem gambling behaviour, on social media at more than double the rate of women.The researchers looked at 411 advertisements from 88 gambling operators in Ireland, and found that young men reached 2.3 times more than women across Meta platforms — such as Facebook and Instagram — even if the adverts did not directly target young men.We were joined on The Agenda this morning by journalist Declan Lynch, who also wrote “Tony 10”, which is out now on audiobook, 8 years after original publication… Which highlights how long this problem is going onIn his book, Declan delves into what happened when a former postmaster from Carlow, racked up a €10m turnover in his Paddy Power online account, when he was arrested for stealing €1.75m of his spending from his employers, An Post.

Banning children under 16 from social media would ‘deprive them of the benefits’ associated with the platforms, the Youth Council of Ireland has argued. Last year, Australia became the first country in the world to ban children from social media platforms, including Tiktok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Threads. Announcing the ban, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that “one of the biggest things worrying Mums and Dads is the impact social media is having on their children’s wellbeing”.The Irish Government is considering the implications of introducing their own ban; however, the National Youth Council of Ireland has raised concerns. We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Roisin O’Neill from the NCYI’s Young People Committee, who told ud that she believes there is “no evidence” Australia’s social media ban is working. 

Details of the peace deal that ended the fuel protests will be brought to Cabinet today.Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon will be bringing further details of the €100 million Fuel Subsidy Support Scheme, including how it will be rolled out.Payments will cover the months from March this year up to the end of July, which coincides with peak fuel usage on farms.The scheme, alongside the already introduced excise cuts, is expected to mean an effective reduction of €274 on 1,000 litres of Marked Gas Oil.Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien is separately bringing details to Cabinet of the Transport Subsidy Scheme in the road haulage sector, with a similar start-time and duration.We found out more about all of this this morning on The Agenda.

A local councillor has called for immediate action after what he described as a serious incident of illegal dumping near the Louth/Meath border outside Ardee.Councillor Paddy Meade said a significant quantity of waste was discovered late last week on the Louth side of the border between Shanlis Cross and Newtown.He has urged Louth County Council to remove the dumped material as a matter of urgency, citing both the environmental impact and the negative effect on the surrounding rural area.Councillor Meade said the incident was part of a wider pattern of anti-social behaviour in the locality.According to the councillor, the area has experienced repeated dumping, graffiti and the theft of an old council water pump earlier this week.There was also another case of illegal dumping again over the weekend in the same area, and Councillor Meade joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.