Highlights From Newstalk Breakfast

“Cohabiting couples deserve the same compassion as married couples” that’s the message The Labour Party will be bringing to the Seanad today as they call for support on their Surviving Cohabitant’s Pension Bill. Labour Senator Mark Wall spoke to Shane with more on this.

Too many owners of large dogs are careless about keeping their pets on a leash. That’s according to Irish Independent Columnist Frank Coughlan who spoke to Shane on Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

Families who are looking to bring their little ones along to see Santa this year could run into some challenges. We are hearing from listeners that spaces are booked out and demand is higher than ever for Christmas experiences. Newstalk reporter Josh Crosbie has already put his Christmas hat on and went along to one of these events.

Fines for speeding, driving while using a mobile phone, and not using a seatbelt are set to be doubled from tonight in a bid to tackle the increasing number of road deaths and injuries in Ireland. Is this a welcome move or just a money-making exercise? JoiningShane this morning was former Transport Minister Shane Ross Independent TD Michael Healy Rae .

Employees’ rights to request remote working are set to be strengthened following a review of new draft laws. Employers may be given fewer grounds to turn down applications for home working after the Department of Enterprise puts the finishing touches to the proposals. Mary Connaughton is the Director of the professional body in Ireland for HR and spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

Experts have said that by forgoing the winter clock change, households could potentially save up to €400 a year on energy bills. Is that reason enough to consider scrapping the clock change? To discuss this, Ciara spoke to Richard Guiney, CEO of Dublin Town Adjunct Professor in Economics at Trinty College Dublin, John Fitzgerald

There is a severe teacher recruitment and retention crisis across the education sector. That’s according to a survey carried out by the Teaching Union of Ireland. Liz Farrell is the TUI President and spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

From midnight tonight fines for 16 road safety offences will double. Some of the fines that are doubling include speeding and learner permit holders driving unaccompanied which will increase from €80 to €160 while mobile phone use and non-wearing of seatbelts will go from €60 to €120. Hildegarde Naughton Minister of State at the Department of Transport spoke to Ciara

Doubling the payment for families who take in refugees from €400 to €800, that’s just one option over a series of proposals that the cabinet discussed last night to tackle the growing crisis in providing for those fleeing the war. But do these measures alleviate the problem? Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik spoke to Shane this morning.

Under plans being brought to the cabinet by Justice Minister Helen McEntee to reform licencing laws, clubs could serve alcohol until 5am but stay open until 6. Pubs would also see their closing times extended to 12:30am seven days a week while closing times for late bars will remain at 2:30am. With reaction to this Newstalk Breakfast spoke to Sunil Sharpe Spokesperson from the Give Us The Night campaign and also Dr Garrett McGovern GP specialising in addiction medicine and Medical Director of the Priority Medical Clinic in Dundrum.

New treatment guidelines that redefine care for more than a million people in Ireland who live with obesity have been launched today. Dr. Donal O’Shea is the HSE Lead for Obesity and he joined Shane this morning on the show.

Sinn Fein are to bring forward a motion in the Dáil this evening, to deliver what they deem “affordable, reliable and safe public transport.” The motion includes a range of proposals, one of which is the introduction of a dedicated transport policing unit. For more on this Newstalk Breakfast spoke to Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Transport, Darren O’Rourke.

Rishi Sunak will today be crowned UK Prime Minister after he became the only candidate in the Conservative Leadership race to get the backing of over 100 MPs. He becomes the first British Asian prime minister and at 42, he will be the youngest to hold the role since 1783. Lauren McEvatt Former Conservative government Special Adviser spoke to Jonathan this morning on the show.

“Erasing ‘women’ from a controversial clause in the constitution is dishonest” That’s according to Sunday Times Columnist Brenda Power This comes after Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he would like a referendum to be held next year to remove the ‘women in the home’ clause from the Constitution. Brenda Power, Columnist with The Sunday Times and The Daily Mail gave her view.

Reports this morning have suggested that the long-awaited report on planning decisions by former deputy chairman Paul Hyde and “further allegations of wrongdoing” to the planning board’s chairman, Dave Walsh has been completed. The Irish Examiner’s Special Correspondent Mick Clifford has some of the detail in today’s paper and spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

Almost 11 and a half thousand contacts were made with Rape Crisis Networks across the country in 2021. According to the Network’s annual report, 2020 saw a massive surge in contacts Rape Crisis Centres from those seeking support, however, numbers in 2021 did not return to pre-pandemic levels. Cliona Sadlier Executive Director Rape Crisis Network Ireland spoke to Jonathan on the show this morning.

Rishi Sunak looks set to become the next Prime Minister of the UK after Boris Johnson pulled out of the Conservative leadership race last night. Penny Mourdant is his remaining challenger but it looks likely that she will not receive the backing a hundred Tory MPs needed to make it to the ballot paper while Sunak has the backing of over 150 MPs. To discuss Philip Webster Former Political Editor of the Times joined Shane on the show this morning.

The European Union is preparing to set stricter energy requirements on TVs from March 1, 2023. This could cause severe disruption to some of the biggest manufacturers in the TV space. Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly brings us more details on this.

“Not acceptable” that’s the response from Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney after 43 people from Ukraine were told there was no accommodation for them on Friday and Saturday after the Citywest transit hub was closed for new arrivals. Where do we go from here? Speaking to Shane this morning was Dr Lorcan Sirr, Senior Lecturer in Housing, Planning, and Development at the Technological University Dublin.

Rishi Sunak looks set to become the next Prime Minister of the UK after Boris Johnson pulled out of the Conservative leadership race last night. Penny Mourdant is his remaining challenger but it looks likely that she will not receive the backing a hundred Tory MPs needed to make it to the ballot paper while Sunak has the backing of over 150 MPs. One of those Conservative MPs who have backed Rishi Sunak is Stephen Hammond spoke to Newstalk Breakfast with his reaction. We also heard from Adam Boulton Political Commentator.