In The News

Fine Gael is doubling down on its support for a General Election candidate who was filmed punching a man in the head. John McGahon was 28 years-old and a Fine Gael councillor, at the time of the altercation outside a pub in Dundalk six years ago. Now he’s running for a seat in the Dáil – which Taoiseach Simon Harris defended on Monday night’s Leaders Debate. But questions remain about how McGahon was nominated for the party ticket, amid accusations of double standards from the opposition. Irish Times political correspondent Harry McGee has the latest.

Presented by Sorcha Polllak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Aideen Finnegan.

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In April 2015, William Maughan and his pregnant girlfriend Anastasija Varslavane disappeared without a trace. 

Noone has ever been charged in connection to their murder, but this week a new development is bringing fresh hope to the victim’s families.

Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally has the latest.  

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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On October 6th, 2020 in a school outside Paris, teacher Samuel Paty gave a lesson on freedom of speech – the same lesson he had given several times before which involved showing drawings of the prophet Muhammad – to a class of teenagers.

He was later beheaded outside the school in a savage attack that shocked France. The assailant Abdoullakh Anzorov, the young man of Chechen origin who wielded the knife, is dead – shot by police in the minutes after his attack.

The next day one of his pupils – the 13-year-old girl – was asked by her father why she was not going to school. She told him she had been disciplined because she dared to stand up to Paty when he told Muslims to leave the class so he could show a naked picture of the prophet. It was all a lie; she was not even in school that day.

Believing her, her father took to social media to condemn Paty and the story grew online.

On trial are two men accused of identifying Paty as a “blasphemer” over the Internet, two friends of Anzorov who allegedly gave him logistical help, and four others who offered support on chatlines.

As BBC correspondent in Paris, Hugh Schofield explains to In the News that the trial is less about the murder itself, and more about the circumstances that led to it.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed that Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, will co-lead a newly-created Department of Government Efficiency, with a mission to slash spending by $2 trillion. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that its acronym is DOGE, the cryptocurrency favoured by the tech billionaire. It’s one of a raft of nominations this week, with Dalkey woman Gail Slater, who worked behind the scenes in the campaign, set for a top government role. Irish Times reporter Laura Slattery traces her path to power and analyses Musk's move to The White House.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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Postmortem sperm retrieval is a procedure whereby the sperm of dead men is extracted in the hours following their death and stored for potential future use. The practise is banned in many countries while regulated in others. Usually, the gametes are used by the spouse of the dead partner to posthumously conceive a child. But in Israel, it's increasingly being used by parents of Israeli Defence Force soldiers who have died in war in Gaza, with the hope of creating grandchildren. Journalist, author and broadcaster Jenny Kleeman has travelled to Israel for the Financial Times to speak to those involved in the controversial procedure, and explores the contested ethical ground underpinning PMSR.

Produced by Aideen Finnegan

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On the 9th of November 1995, Josephine "Jo Jo" Dullard disappeared on her way home from a night out and was never seen again.  

The Kilkenny woman's disappearance was initially treated as a missing persons case, but it was later upgraded to a murder investigation in 2020.

On Monday, a 55 year-old man, who is a member of a well-known family in the Kildare-Wicklow region, was arrested by Gardaí and taken in for questioning on suspicion of murder. He was later released without charge. In conjunction with the arrest, Gardaí are also conducting an open ground search in the east of the country. Up until this week, no arrests have ever been made in relation to the case.

On today's episode, Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Lally paints a picture of Dullard's last known movements and explains how this Garda operation marks a major development in this 29 year-old cold case.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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After weeks of speculation, Dublin criminal Gerry Hutch has confirmed he will run in the upcoming general election.

The 61-year-old, who was arrested in Lanzarote last month on suspicion of money laundering, was granted bail by the Spanish High Court last week to permit him to run in the election and released on a bond of €100,000.

Mr Hutch, who is also known as The Monk, is hoping to take one of the four seats up for grabs in the Dublin Central constituency, where Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald is also seeking re-election.

However, arriving back into Dublin airport on Monday morning, Hutch refused to share any details of his election manifesto or comment on which policies his campaign will focus on.

In this episode, Irish Times crime correspondent Conor Gallagher discusses what Hutch's campaign might look like, his chances of winning a seat and why he has set his sights on political office.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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Rocky Elsom was a fearsome competitor on the rugby pitch, capable of winning matches almost single-handedly with his dominance in attack and defence.

Ireland and Leinster great Brian O’Driscoll called the Australian “the best player I have ever played with”.

But last month Elsom was handed a five-year sentence having being found guilty of forgery and embezzlement by a French court, in absentia. He had been living in Dublin, coaching rugby at a private school but now his whereabouts is unknown and there’s an international arrest warrant out for him.

But that hasn’t stopped him using media interviews to make his case and attempt to clear his name.

Irish Times sports writer John O’Sullivan has been following his career from the highs on the pitch to this fall from grace.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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After months of speculation Taoiseach Simon Harris finally announced that the general election will take place on November 29th. Later today he will travel to the Áras to ask the president to dissolve the Dáil. Once that happens, it’s every party for themselves with the Coalition partners, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens fighting it out in the constituencies. But what are the key issues? Will immigration be a hot button topic after housing and health? And what about the far-right, particularly those candidates who emerged during this year’s local elections who might now set their sights on the Dáil? And will the parties be looking to the US for tips on campaign strategies? Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy tees up what will be a busy three weeks of electioneering.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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Donald Trump is an unpredictable and chaotic leader so what does his second term as US presidency herald? An interruption in trade between Ireland and the US could cost jobs and a loss to the exchequer. His apathy towards Ukraine could result in a new European border. And his climate denial may stymie attempts to limit global warming. Five Irish Times journalists explain key election promises made by Trump over the course of his campaign, and what they might look like if the 78 year-old follows through with them.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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On Monday, Israel formally notified the United Nations of its intention to sever all ties with the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa).

It follows the Israeli parliament’s vote last week to ban Unrwa from operating in Isael and Palestinian territories and prohibiting all Israeli state contact with the agency.

The ban is not set to take effect for another three months but Israel has already contacted the UN secretary general officially withdrawing itself from a 1967 co-operation agreement with Unrwa.

What are the implications of this ban, both immediate and long-term?

Can Unrwa staff continue to carry out their work without co-operation from Israeli authorities and if not, can other agencies really fill the gap that UNRWA would leave behind?

John Whyte, Unrwa’s head of projects who is currently based in Gaza, joins In The News, to discuss the consequences of this ban on the Palestinian people, and whether the agency can continue to operate without Israeli co-operation.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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US presidential election day has arrived and the counting of votes will being tonight. With the race a dead heat according to polls, the results will be a fascinating conclusion to an eventful, high-stakes contest.

But the coming days could take a dark turn if former president Donald Trump decides to once again refuse to accept the results should they favour vice president Kamala Harris.

So, what should Irish audiences expect from election night? When will things really start to happen and where are the best places to watch? Irish Times journalist and Inside Politics podcast host Hugh Linehan gives his advice for following the 2024 US election results.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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On the morning of August 31st, 2018, award-winning film producer Trevor Birney was arrested at his home in Belfast while the PSNI searched the house as his bewildered family looked on.

They were searching, they said, for documents used in his powerful documentary, No Stone Unturned, that examined the 1994 Loughinisland massacre when the UVF shot six men dead as they watched the Ireland v Italy football match in a village bar.

That film unmasked in unflinching detail the collusion between the security forces in Northern Ireland and loyalist paramilitaries and it’s a controversial subject Birney has returned to in this new book, Shooting Crows.

The book’s title refers to the comments of the judge granting the warrant to raid Birney’s home, who worried that it was an exercise in scaring off other journalists.

It set Birney on a path to prove historic and ongoing attempts by British authorities to silence journalists, film-makers, lawyers and activists in the North and to uncover surveillance and bugging operations.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey.

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More than a year’s worth of rain fell in southern Spain in barely eight hours on Tuesday.

It caused devastation. By Thursday the death toll had reached 155 with an unconfirmed number of people still thought to be missing.

Valencia appears to be the worst hit city; the images of cars piled up on narrow residential streets and videos of torrents of muddy water sweeping away all before it were unprecedented scenes in the European city. People of all ages died when they were trapped in their cars or homes or simply swept away by the sheer force of the water.

Valencia has experienced significant rain events in the past particularly in autumn – but nothing like this. It’s to do with the DANA weather phenomenon whereby, at its most basic, cold and warm air meet and produce powerful rain clouds. The intensity of such rainfall events appears to be increasing due to climate change and rising global temperatures.

As Guy Hedgcoe explains from Madrid that in the calm after the chaos of the flood, citizens in the region are questioning if the authorities could have done more. And who will pay for the clean up in what insurance analysts in Spain have predicted that the floods will mark the most expensive natural disaster to ever hit the country.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Aideen Finnegan.

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Earlier this year, The Irish Times gained access to the bankruptcy files of Derek Quinlan, one of the most prolific Irish property investors of the Celtic Tiger period, who lost his fortune in the 2008-09 crash.

Quinlan ended up with €3.5 billion euro of debts, making him the biggest debtor to Nama – the State agency set up after the crash to save the banking system.

This major Irish Times investigation reveals how Quinlan still owes Irish taxpayers €403 million and why he was blocked from exiting bankruptcy last year.

Who exactly is Derek Quinlan and how did he amass so much debt? What do court documents tell us about his lifestyle and current finances, and will his stint in bankruptcy finally end next month?

Today, on In the News, London Correspondent Mark Paul delves into the life and finances of Derek Quinlan.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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Last week, the Government rushed through a number of priority Bills in a scramble to clear the decks before the next general election.

Five Bills were considered and passed, all in under six hours, a process that normally takes weeks.

But, are there any risks involved in rushing these Bills so quickly through the Dáil? And, what happens to the pieces of legislation, such as the Defamation or Mental Health Bills, which are not expected to be passed before the election?

Meanwhile, opposition TDs are continuing to call for the Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban trade between Ireland and Israel’s illegal settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territories, to be passed without delay. Can that happen before the end of November?

Today, on In the News, how the Government is rushing to pass new laws before its term ends. Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy examines the implications of fast-tracking Bills through the Oireachtas.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.

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Kyran Dirnan case puts spotlight on how schools and Tusla monitor children

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This episode was originally published in August 2024.

Sales of EVs in Ireland collapsed in 2024 with the number of newly-licensed electric vehicles down by 24 per cent in the first seven months of the year.

But why? The push towards EVs is a key plank in the Government’s climate strategy and the choice of EVs has never been wider.

Early adopters worried about range anxiety but advances in technology has seen that replaced by charge anxiety – concerns about the availability of charging stations, whether that be at home or on the road. But that’s just one worry motorist have before considering an EV.

The Government’s Climate Action Plan aims to have almost one million EVs on Irish roads by 2030, comprising 845,000 cars and 100,000 vans, trucks and buses.

With just over six years to go before that target date, the falling sales figures raise further questions over what was already an ambitious target.

Motoring writer Neil Brisco explains why the shine has gone off EV cars for Irish motorists.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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The Apprentice isn’t a movie about the reality TV series that made its presenter, New York businessman Donald Trump, a star. Instead it tracks the relationship from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s, between Trump (Sebastian Stan) as a young man desperate for acknowledgment, fame and wealth and the legendary lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), a whatever-it-takes fixer for a host of shady clients, including the mob.

It is Trump who is the apprentice here, eagerly learning from an amoral master and latching on to a particular style of “winning”.

This vivid, sometimes fun, always compelling telling (written by journalist Gabriel Sherman and directed by Iranian film-maker Ali Abbasi) won an eight-minute standing ovation when it premiered in Cannes in May but as Irish Times culture columnist Hugh Linehan explains, its path to global cinema screens was fraught as distributors backed away from what they feared could be trouble if Trump is re-elected.

Screen Ireland came on board to help finance the distribution.

But what does the film ultimately say about Trump? And will it have any impact on the election?

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and John Casey.

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At an event this week, an all-male panel led by Taoiseach Simon Harris, went through the Dublin task force’s 10-point plan.

Irish Times Dublin editor Olivia Kelly was there to find out if the task force’s 10 “big moves” offered a new vision for the city – and one where the words might translate into action.

She tells In the News what the 10 “big moves” are and how – after she shook off the felling of deja vu – the report, which borrows heavily from the 70-plus such reports that have gone before, might make a difference for Dublin.

Presented by Bernice Harrison.

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Kinahan gang leader Liam Byrne (43) has been sentenced to five years in prison for weapons charges, while Thomas “Bomber” Kavanagh (57) has been sentenced to six years for similar offences.

Both pleaded guilty to the charges, while Kavanagh had also admitted perverting the course of justice. Their co-accused, Shaun Kent (38) from Liverpool, was also sentenced to six years.

Observers in the court noticed Byrne’s relief as he realised the sentence would see him out of prison as soon as next year.

The court had not heard the full details of Byrne’s criminal past, and Gardaí do not believe Byrne’s claim that he wants to live a lawful life upon release.

Conor Lally gives the background to the case and Mark Paul reports from the sentencing in London.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan.

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Sending Irish prisoners to jails in eastern Europe and letting some sex offenders out early with electronic tags are just two of the 16 recommendations put forward by an expert group to solve the overcrowding crisis in Irish prisons.

These two proposals are not being considered by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee but most of the measures in the Prison Overcrowding Response Group’s new report are, including pop-up prison cells and early release for a wide range of offences.

So packed are our 14 jails that for the past two years many offenders have already been released early – a drastic move that’s gone almost unnoticed.

But the problem keeps getting bigger as Conor Gallagher, Irish Times crime and security correspondent, explains as he outlines the challenges and possible solutions, including building a new prison.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has finally presented his long-awaited victory plan to the world. It’s his blueprint on how to end the war with Russia and achieve a just peace for Ukraine, but as he outlines in this five-step plan, Ukraine cannot do it alone.  

Will Zelenskiy be able to sell his proposal to Western allies, and what would really happen if it gets off the ground? Could it mean an end to the war?  

Bernice Harrison talks to Irish Times journalist Dan McLaughlin in Kyiv.

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Pop star Liam Payne was just 31 when he died but he had been famous for half his life.

As a member of One Direction – the mega successful boy band that emerged from the X-factor TV show – he experienced the sort of high-octane, global fame that’s packaged and controlled in a way only the pop industry can create. He grew from his One Direction persona as a cheeky chappie boy next door into a complicated adult.

After One Direction broke up, he became a solo artist maintaining his connection with One Direction fans – many felt that they had grown up with the Wolverhampton-born singer – and winning new ones.

Payne, a father of a little boy with former partner Cheryl Tweedy, was active on social media where he had a huge following; he posted a happy photo on Snapchat just an hour before his death.

Payne died instantly following a fall from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires; he had been in the Argentinian city to see his former bandmate Niall Horan in concert.

Fionnuala Jones, cultural commentator and podcaster, explains the scale of One Direction’s success; Payne’s impact on pop culture, and why his tragic death made world headlines.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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Gardaí suspect a missing child – now believed to have been murdered – may have died months before his disappearance was reported in August.

Kyran Durnin (8) from Drogheda, Co Louth, is missing presumed dead and a formal murder investigation has now begun.

The boy was reported missing in August along with his mother Dayla Durnin (24).

She has since been located in the UK. To date there has been no trace of Kyran.

Crime and security editor Conor Gallagher explains why this is such an unusual case.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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Even when Interpol slapped a “Red Notice” on Sean McGovern, the Irish career criminal hiding out in Dubai was probably not too concerned.

That Red Notice came about because the DPP in Ireland directed that McGovern, Daniel Kinahan’s closest and most trusted lieutenant, should face charges relating to the 2016 murder of Noel Kirwan (62) as part of the Kinahan-Hutch feud and the notice requested police authorities around the world to find and arrest the Dubliner.

McGovern would likely have considered the UAE a safe haven, far from the reaches of US and European law enforcement agencies. But he was wrong. Last Thursday morning he was finally arrested at his home in Dubai.

So what has changed in the UAE, where authorities have proven to be notoriously reluctant to co-operate with extradition requests from western law enforcement agencies.

What will happen to McGovern now? And what does it mean for the Kinahan cartel leadership who consider themselves safe in Dubai – father Christy and his sons Daniel, Christy jnr? Could they also be on their way back to Dublin to face justice in the near future?

Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains the background.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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It’s nearly four weeks since Israel detonated explosions in the pagers belonging to members of Hizbullah, the Iran backed Lebanese-based militia. Since then the conflict in the Middle East has escalated. Israel has been striking inside Lebanon with missiles and has now sent ground troops into the country and Hizbullah has been striking back at targets in Israel.

The death toll is mounting. A key day was September 23rd when 550 people were killed in Lebanon by Israeli air strikes.

Since then Beirut has been bombed: last Thursday two Israeli missile attacks hit the centre of the densely populated city, killing 22 people and injuring over 170.

Irish Times journalist Sally Hayden lives in Beirut, 1km from where the bombs fell and she reports, that there was no warning from the Israel Defense Forces.

She tells In the News what life is like in the city now, describes the escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hizbullah and why Lebanese people who see what Gaza has endured in the past year, fear the same could happen to them.

International journalists have been prohibited by Israel from documenting events in Gaza which is why Hayden says it is important that journalists like herself report from on the ground in Lebanon.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan.

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From GAA superstar Jack Lynch who became taoiseach to RTÉ journalist George Lee whose political career was brief – for decades Irish voters have been presented at the polls with a range of well-known names.

If the recent celebrity-filled European elections are anything to go by, the candidate list for the next general election will include a sprinkle of high profile names which the parties hope will break through the noise because of their name recognition among with voters.

Well-known TV presenters Grainne Seoige and Alison Comyn have already been signed up by Fianna Fáil to go before the electorate, while others, particularly sporting names will likely emerge as the weeks go on as all parties hunt out candidates with strong name recognition.

But why does that matter? And just because someone is glowing on the red carpet or the pitch, does it mean they’ll be good on policy?

Irish Times political correspondent Harry McGee explains why familiar names are so appealing to political parties and the electorate.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan.

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Anti-female genital mutilation advocates expected high-profile speakers at a packed Dublin conference – they found a small room in a hotel with 25 people and were left with large bills.

Last February, the Cycle of Life Global Forum was billed as an international conference to help eradicate FGM. In exchange for large sums of money, attendees from as far away as Kenya and the US were expecting to hear from high-profile speakers such as Richard Branson, Denis O’Brien and Auma Obama.

But what greeted them was far more underwhelming.

The event was organised by Sean Collins-McCarthy, a self-described “Social Entrepreneur, Strategy Advisor, Filmmaker and Media Pioneer”.

Irish Times journalist Olivia Kelly investigated and tells In the News what went on behind the scenes at Cycle of Life.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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With the appointment this week of Cork-born Morgan McSweeney as his chief of staff, British prime minister Keir Starmer must be hoping for some calm after a turbulent first 100 days in office.

As the brains behind Starmer’s leadership campaign, McSweeney (47) is credited with having brought the prime minister to power.

After a landslide win in July, Starmer’s first three months should have been spent consolidating that popularity and delivering on the pre-election promises of a selfless, calm and steady government with none of the drama of the previous administration.

Instead there has been a stream of bad news stories and self-inflicted wounds.

It’s not the image he projected when in opposition while bashing the Tory government for similar behaviour.

Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul looks back at Starmer’s difficult first three months, explains why McSweeney, a master strategist, is now in the top job and what banana skins await the new Labour leader in the coming months.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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Sinn Féin would likely be taking every opportunity this week to lambast the government in the wake of the budget and with a general election on the cards. Instead, it's being hounded for answers about a child sex abuse controversy in the north. It centres around former press officer, Michael McMonagle, who last month pleaded guilty to 14 counts in a Derry court, and who was given employment references by two party press officers while still being investigated by the PSNI. Now questions are being raised about who knew what, when, and why the information wasn't shared in line with child safeguarding best practice? Northern editor, Freya McClements, untangles the complicated timeline and explains why the controversy isn't going away.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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Last weekend, The Sunday Times reported that an unnamed Irish politician had been working for Russian intelligence as "an agent of influence” within the Oireachtas. Although the news “came as no surprise” to Taoiseach Simon Harris, it is one of the most serious national security issues in recent history.

Gardaí have now compiled a list of members of the Oireachtas and other people, including those in academia, that they believe have been targeted by Russians in Ireland seeking to exploit them for information gathering and destabilising the State.

But how are they approached? And how is their co-operation encouraged by local Russian operatives? Also, why would the Kremlin consider an Irish politician a valuable asset?

Jack Horgan-Jones tells In the News how such approaches are made and how politicians have reacted to reports that one of their own has allegedly been influenced by Russia.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. 

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Last year, nearly 5,000 cars were stolen across Ireland – making it the worst year for car thefts in more than a decade.

Opportunists and joyriders have always stolen cars but what is new, according to Conor Lally, is the gangs now operating across the country. They typically steal high-value cars, bring them to remote chop shops, break up the cars and export the parts.

Lally explains how the gangs operate and how owners can keep their cars safe.

This episode was originally published in July 2024.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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October 7th is a date seared into the memory of Israelis. It was the day last year that they awoke to an attack by militant group Hamas, on a scale never before seen in the decades-long conflict.

When In the News first reported on the febrile situation, interviewing Mark Weiss in Jerusalem who assessed the likely Israeli response, the scale of the Hamas massacre was unknown. Today, we know that about 1,200 Israelis were killed by Hamas in the attacks and 251 were taken hostage.

Israel’s onslaught on Gaza in retaliation has been merciless and sustained. As the year has gone on, In the News has reported on many aspects of this relentless war, including on the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza with Unicef’s James Elder; the escape from Gaza by the Alagha family from Blanchardstown who were visiting family when the war broke out; the case brought by South Africa at the International Criminal Courts of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide, with powerful testimony from Irish barrister Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh; the hopes in May of a ceasefire; and an eyewitness report from Irish Times journalist Sally Hayden on life in the Occupied West Bank.

All episodes of In the News covering the Israel-Hamas war – including those mentioned here – are available wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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Whether you’re eight or 18, homework is part of your school day. But should it be? And how much should children be tasked to do? And what is the point?

Irish Times parenting columnist Jen Hogan is clear: primary-school children should not be given homework, ever. She tells In the News that years of parenting and research informs her firm view.

Irish Times education editor Carl O’Brien says that while homework is a heavily researched area in other countries, Ireland is lagging behind when it comes to understanding how much homework Irish children are doing and in measuring the benefit – or the harm.

Now, says O’Brien, Maynooth University has produced a study that shows that 15 minutes is the optimum time for homework – in each subject – for secondary-school pupils.

Produced by Aideen Finnegan and John Casey. Presented by Bernice Harrison.

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Chinese premier Xi Jinping has a plan to reshape the global security order. His diplomatic initiative is a challenge to the United States-led “rules-based international order” that has dominated since the end of the second World War.

Xi’s Global Security Initiative (GSI) has been gathering support from the Global South. Last month, 53 African leaders met in Beijing and supported the doctrine.

The GSI is built on six commitments which include “abiding by the UN charter” and “resolving disputes through dialogue”. But the implications of the doctrine are more significant than these phrases suggest.

Beijing correspondent Denis Staunton tells In the News how the West lost its influence with the Global South, what China’s “multipolar world” will look like and where Ireland fits in.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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Prospective home purchasers are losing out to cash buyers – mostly overseas investors – on apartments with defects, ranging from minor issues to hazardous faults, because banks will not risk lending to people so they can buy them.

Irish Times journalist Jade Wilson tells In the News about her investigation which found that mortgage-approved buyers are unable to buy second-hand apartments that require remediation works as banks are unwilling to lend on them due to uncertainty around a Government scheme to fix them.

The Government has promised to introduce a €2.5 billion remediation scheme to fix up to 100,000 defective Celtic Tiger-era apartment blocks - many of the developers who built these projects are no longer in business - so that ultimately, the taxpayer is on the hook for the cost.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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What did we learn from the budget speeches of Ministers Jack Chambers and Paschal Donohoe? Irish Times reporters fill us in on bonus payments, tax adjustments, welfare increases and a surprise measure. Finally we ask: Is it wise to spend so much money in the way the Government plans?

With Conor Pope, Niamh Towey, Jennifer Bray, Ian Curran, Jack Horgan-Jones and Cliff Taylor.

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In the summer of 2022, journalists Matt Shea and Jamie Tahsin were in Romania filming a documentary about Andrew Tate and his social media influence. 

Tate, who had made a name for himself spouting misogynistic content online appeared invincible, but his empire was about to crumble. 

As concern about his content began to mount, the controversial influencer was banned from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for violating community guidelines on dangerous individuals and hate speech. 

But a social media ban was the least of his problems. Back home in London, as Shea and Tahsin continued their investigation into Tate and his business operations, the sinister truth about his webcam industry and his ‘War Room’ began to reveal itself. 

In June 2023, Tate and his brother Tristan, along with two Romanian women were formally charged with rape, sex trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. He is currently under house arrest in his compound in Bucharest. 

In this episode, (part two), Shea tells Bernice Harrison about the women from Tate’s past who decided to speak out against him and how his fans have reacted to his latest string of charges. 

Clown World: Four Years Inside Andrew Tate’s Manosphere is out now.

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In 2019, before Andrew Tate became the household name he is today, documentary makers Matt Shea and Jamie Tahsin decided to tell Tate's story and investigate his social media influence and cultural impact. Much to their surprise, the 'king of toxic masculinity' allowed them into his world. But as they delved deeper into his empire and uncovered the sources of his income, their investigation soon turned into a criminal one and something much bigger than Shea and Tahsin could ever have imagined.

In their new book, Clown World: Four Years Inside Andrew Tate’s Manosphere, they recount their investigation into the former kickboxer, the shocking allegations made against him, and the backlash they faced from Tate and his followers when their documentaries aired.

In the first of two episodes on Andrew Tate’s toxic world, co-author Matt Shea talks to Bernice Harrison about Tate’s background and the influence of his narcissistic father, American chess player Emory Tate. He also examines Tate’s mass appeal and the space he occupies within the ‘manosphere’. 

Shea details his visit to Tate’s compound in Romania and explains what happened inside the private ‘War Room’ event, which followers of Tate paid five thousand pounds to attend. Though they were granted access to film the exclusive gathering, their relationship with Tate didn’t last long. 

Episode two can be found here

Clown World: Four Years Inside Andrew Tate’s Manosphere is out now.

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Since 2007 the Press Up hospitality group has been a key and highly visible player in Dublin’s social scene with super-stylish restaurants, popular nightclubs and bars and a cinema.

Founded by old schoolfriends Matt Ryan and Paddy McKillen jnr it changed the face of dining out in the capital, growing fast by developing its own restaurants and buying existing, successful operations including Wagamama, Elephant and Castle and Wowburger. The group also built a large property portfolio.

But its borrowings were onerous and in a debt-for-equity restructuring, Cheyne Capital, a London-based finance house that was owed €45 million took control of the business. Cheyne is injecting €20 million in fresh capital into the group.

For 18 venues, it’s business as usual. But three high-profile brands that operate several venues – Wowburger, Elephant and Castle and Wagamama were quickly placed in receivership with the announcement this week that the long-established and hugely popular Wagamama chain is to close with immediate effect.

So what happened? And what will happen now to the rest of the group’s venues and its 935 employees? Irish Times business editor Ciarán Hancock explains.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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This week has been the deadliest for Lebanon in decades after sustained air strikes by Israel. Fears are growing for an all-out war between the two sides as the Israeli Defence Forces prepare for a possible ground incursion. It says its targeting Iran-backed Hizbullah and its arsenal of weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists the militant group has hidden missiles and rocket launchers in ordinary homes and has warned Lebanese civilians to leave if they want to save their lives. But who or what exactly is Hizbullah, why is Israel attacking its northern neighbour and where does this fit into the broader geopolitical tensions of the region? Sky News' Middle East correspondent, Alistair Bunkall, joins Bernice Harrison to explain the origin story of the Lebanese militia and political movement.

Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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The Government was forced to admit that it is dropping its controversial plans to introduce hate speech laws after the move was revealed by Irish Times political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones at the weekend.

But why? The long talked-about new Bill passed easily through the Dáil in 2023 and was expected to be rubberstamped by the Seanad.

However fissures began appearing early in the Bill’s gestation and disquiet became loud enough for the Government to take notice.

Looking at the long history to replace the 1989 hate crime legislation, Horgan-Jones says the family and care referendums this year were the tipping point: the moment when the Government got nervous.

He also explains what comes next for the Government’s plans to legislate against hate.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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This week Alexander McCartney from Newry, Co Armagh, will be sentenced in Belfast for what has been described as one of the “worst cases of catfishing” to ever come before the courts.

Earlier this year, McCartney pleaded guilty to over 50 charges of blackmail and multiple offenses of possessing indecent images of children. The former student also pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a 12 year old child, who he had blackmailed online but had never met.

In this episode from March 2024, Bernice Harrison speaks to Irish Time Northern Correspondent Seanín Graham about the charges against McCartney and how the global 'catfishing' investigation led police to his house in rural Armagh.

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Attending the UN Assembly in New York on Sunday, President Michael D Higgins accused the Israeli embassy in Dublin of “circulating” a congratulatory letter he wrote to the newly elected president of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian in July.

His comments were interpreted as an accusation Israel deliberately leaked the letter.

The Israeli embassy issued a statement, calling it a “baseless accusation” and “potentially slanderous”, marking a new low in relations between the Israeli ambassador and President Higgins.

On Monday evening President Higgins met the press again in New York and denied he meant Israel leaked anything, while doubling down on other criticism.

Irish Times political correspondent Jennifer Bray was there. She explains how events unfolded that overshadowed the Irish Government's presence at the UN.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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“Scans rarely show the cause of low back pain,” says Prof Kieran O’Sullivan, chartered physiotherapist and head of the school of physiotherapy at the University of Limerick. He points out that so-called “abnormal findings” on scans such disc bulges, disc degeneration and arthritis are common and normal for most people without pain, especially as they get older.

So why do some people experience back pain when others don’t? O’Sullivan says 90 per cent of lower back pain is caused by a combination of physical and non-physical factors including poor sleep, relationship or family stress, job dissatisfaction or financial pressures.

It’s finding ways first to understand the cause of the pain and then ways to treat it that’s the key to successful management.

O’Sullivan talks to In the News about how to understand your lower back pain and what to do about it.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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What links an Australian app designer, a global police sting and this week's drugs bust in Wexford? A Dublin gang known as 'The Family.' Gardai say the group is now the primary drug trafficking cartel in Ireland after the Kinahan's network was dismantled. It's alleged to be involved in the multi million euro seizure of guns and cash in Dublin and Wexford earlier this week. The tip off came via Australian authorities which had infiltrated the Ghost messaging app. The encrypted software created by 32 year old Sydney man, Jay Je Yoon Jung, was the platform of choice for much of the Irish criminal fraternity. Security and Crime Editor Conor Lally explains how the Australians hacked into the app, how it was used in Ireland and analyses how gangs here might react.

Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan

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At least 26 people are dead and thousands injured following the simultaneous detonating of pagers and walkie talkies in Lebanon. Israel is believed to be behind the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday, which were designed as much to cause a macabre spectacle as they were to kill Hizbullah fighters. Hannah McCarthy reports from Beirut for The Irish Times. Security analyst Colin P. Clark of New York’s Soufan Center looks at why Israel made this move.

Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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A record 10,600 Irish people emigrated to Australia last year, according to the Central Statistics Office; the highest number since 2013. With its year-round sunshine, high wages and laid back lifestyle, it’s not hard to understand the attraction. Push factors in Ireland include the diminishing hopes of home ownership for many young people. But Australia’s economy is slowing down and property prices in Sydney are even higher than in Dublin. Irish Times columnist and returning emigrant, Brianna Parkins, outlines the Instagram V Reality of moving down under.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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Washington correspondent Keith Duggan reports on what we know about the second attempt on the life of former US president Donald Trump in a matter of months. Who is Ryan Routh, the man who has been arrested after fleeing the scene of the alleged assassination attempt and charged with gun offences? And will this incident make an impact on the election?

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The UK government has ordered a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane, the Belfast solicitor shot dead in 1989 by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) in collusion with British forces.

But why now? His family, led by his widow, have for 35 years pressed Westminster for a public inquiry to get to the truth of why Finucane was killed and to reveal the true extent of the collusion of the British state in his murder.

For decades, successive UK governments had resisted a campaign by the family for a full public inquiry into the killing.

London correspondent Mark Paul explains the timing – and the reaction to the announcement.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan

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An Garda Siochana has a serious retention and recruitment problem.

The Commissioner knows it, so does the Minister for Justice but despite public commitments to reach enrolment targets, ongoing recruitment campaigns and changes to admission criteria, efforts to increase the size of the force to the Government benchmark of 15,000 continue to falter.

There are now fewer sworn Garda members than at the start of last year.

Why? It’s a well-paying public service job, it offers career variety and progression and it offers the possibility of retiring with a full pension at 60 or even earlier.

Crime and security editor Conor Lally tells In the News the many reasons why encouraging citizens to join up is an uphill battle and what it means for policing in the State.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey and Declan Conlon.

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Kamala Harris needed a win on Tuesday night's US presidential election debate. After an initial honeymoon period as Democratic nominee, her campaign on the ground was running out of steam. Now she and Donald Trump are neck and neck in the polls of key battleground states. All hehad to do on Tuesday night was keep his cool and stick the script provided by advisers. Instead, he made a string of rambling statements that ranged from the baseless to the downright absurd. But given how polarised the country now is, the victor of the debate depends on viewers' own political allegiances. So how much of a difference will the performances have in the minds of Americans? Can Harris' debate win do anything to change her trajectory? Irish Times Washington Corresondent, Keith Duggan, reports from Philadelphia where the debate was held.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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Is an award of €13 billion a big win or an embarrassing loss? The European Court of Justice (ECJ) court yesterday said that the European Commission was correct in 2016 when it ruled that Apple owed Ireland €13 billion in tax relating to underpayments during 2003-2014.

The ruling represents a heavy legal defeat for Apple and the Irish Government – and a major win for the EU.

But how did it get to the point that Ireland had to go to Europe to defend a tax arrangement with a multinational?

Irish Times columnist Cliff Taylor explains how a big pay-day for the Government is also a reputational hit, with the court’s clear and final verdict that Ireland broke the rules and offered illegal State aid to Apple. And he looks at how to spend it.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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Former British nurse, Lucy Letby, is serving 15 life sentences for the murder and attempted murder of 14 babies. All of the infants were under her care when they were killed between 2015 and 2016. This summer her case was thrown out of the Court of Appeal. And yet doubts remain amongst a cohort of people who believe she may have been wrongly convicted on circumstantial evidence. Bizarre interventions on her behalf include that of the former Brexit Secretary, David Davis, on Good Morning Britain last week. Families of the victims say they are dismayed certain elements of the 10 month trial have been taken out of context and fuelled with misinformation. So why exactly do Letby's supporters believe she should walk free? We speak to miscarriage of justice investigator, David James Smith, who sat on the UK's Criminal Cases Review Commission between 2013 and 2018.

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Last Wednesday, a 14 year-old American student walked through the doors of his highschool in Georgia and opened fire. Terrified students and teachers ran for shelter as Colt Gray took aim, killing four people and injuring many others. The teenager, who was apprehended at the scene, used a lightweight semi-automatic rifle, a type of gun that’s become associated with school shootings. 

Two days later, his father Colin Gray was arrested and charged with manslaughter and second-degree murder. This is not the first time that parents of a school shooter have been charged. Instead of addressing laws on gun ownership, US prosecutors are increasingly going after the parents of mass shooters – but will it make a difference? 

Guest: Emma Long, Associate Professor of American history and politics at University of East Anglia.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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Sinn Féin has published its plan to solve the housing crisis.

Party spokesman on housing Eoin Ó Broin says A Home of Your Own, is “comprehensive, detailed and fully costed”.

The headline figure is that 300,000 homes will be built in five years; a mix of social, affordable and private homes. The plan costs €39 billion.

The document is nearly 110 pages long so In the News asked Irish Times economics analyst Cliff Taylor to go through it and explain the details.

He also answers the key questions – is it visionary and could it work?

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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Hundreds of primary, secondary and special schools run by religious congregations have been named for the first time as having complaints of child sexual abuse. The scoping inquiry was set up in the wake of revelations in 2022 of historical cases at Spiritan-run schools. Its author has recommended a full Commission of Investigation be set up to provide accountability for survivors. The report recommended every school in Ireland should be covered by the inquiry's terms of reference. Irish Times contributor, Patsy McGarry, was the paper's Religious Affairs Correspondent for 25 years. He explains the latest developments, what will happen next and questions whether religious orders will pay redress to survivors, when so many have refused to compensate other victims.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Aideen Finnegan.

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If you don't have young children in your life, you may be completely unaware of one of the world's biggest game platforms. Roblox is a digital playground where children can create block-like avatars, pay to accessorise them, use them to take part in role-playing games and talk to others. Therein lies the inherent danger. While it's mostly harmless fun, several terrifying cases of grooming, abuse, blackmail and even kidnapping have been highlighted in the US. This week an Irish report found most primary school children who'd had upsetting experiences online had experienced them on YouTube or Roblox. Irish Times journalist Conor Capplis argues the platform is social media by stealth, and should be regulated as such to keep users safe.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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On Saturday morning, Irish Times consumer expert Conor Pope logged on to Ticketmaster, ready to take his own advice about navigating the sales platform to buy tickets for one of the Oasis gigs in Dublin next summer.

He found himself behind 138,692 people in the queue and hours later, when he was finally offered tickets, they were nearly four times what he had expected to pay.

Tickets had been advertised at €86.50 but they were no where to be seen and soon social media filled up with stories of people paying nearly €1,000 for two “in demand” standing tickets on the pitch in Croke Park.

Oasis fans in Ireland and the UK were quick to vent their frustration at the pricey tickets and the lack of transparency in the sales process.

But who is to blame – Ticketmaster, MCD, the promoters, or Oasis? And can the competition watchdog do anything?

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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Last week, an Australian man was sentenced to 17 years in prison for what has been described as one of “the worst sextortion cases” in history.  

Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed sexually blackmailed victims online in more than 20 countries across the world, including Ireland.

Rebecca Trigger from ABC news attended the 29 year old's trial earlier this year and details the global scale of his crimes and the devastating impact on his young victims.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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A key element of the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan kicked in on Monday and Olivia Kelly, Irish Times Dublin editor tells In the News that she was out on the streets early to see how it is working.

Under the plan, private motorists can no longer drive the length of the quays – both north and south – instead they must turn off at O’Connell Street and take a detour before returning to the quays.

The idea is to stop motorists using the city centre as a drive through, with the knock-on effect of reducing car traffic in the city centre.

That should free up space for public vehicles – particularly buses – and we hear from a Dublin Bus driver on how it is working.

And what about compliance – how can motorists be convinced to obey the new rules?

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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An Irish chef living in the US has been killed after being shot outside his own business in Kansas City.

Shaun Brady, originally from Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was the co-owner of Brady’s KC, a popular restaurant in the Brookside area of Kansas City, Missouri.

Brady was a popular and well-known figure in Kansas City's large and vibrant Irish community.

His friend and Kansas City resident Pat O'Neill talks to Bernice Harrison about how the violent loss of Shaun has shocked the community.

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US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy jnr has dropped out of the race in America's key swing states, but vows to remain as an alternative choice for voters in red and blue states. Washington Correspondent for The Irish Times, Keith Duggan, analyses whether getting out of Trump's way in places like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania will help the former president get re-elected. Or whether RFK's would-be voters will opt for the Democrats' new nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris where she currently has a tight lead.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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Brasserie Sixty6, Rustic Stone and Ukiyo are just three of the high-profile restaurant closures in Dublin this month. 577 eateries across Ireland have announced their closure over the past year, according to the Restaurants Association of Ireland. But how can so many food businesses be going to the wall when they appear so busy. Restaurateurs Vanessa Murphy and Anna Cabrera explain the tide their businesses are swimming against and the daily battle to keep afloat. Irish Times restaurant critic, Corinna Hargrave, explores the changes in consumer behaviour and market demands that are driving the shuttering of so many of our favourite places to eat.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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In 2009 warring brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher fell out for the last time – their final argument broke up their band, Oasis.

At the time Oasis albums topped the charts, they sold out the biggest venues and audiences were word-perfect in their vast catalogue of catchy anthems from Wonderwall to Don’t Look Back in Anger.

In the intervening years both brothers have had solo careers and both took every opportunity to slag each other off, saying they’d never play together again.

But as music journalist Eamonn Sweeney tells In the News, the past year has seen a thawing of hostilities, with hints from Liam that Oasis just might get back together. There’s a lot of money at stake.

Then at the weekend, Liam tweeted a date for a big announcement – Tuesday, August 27th at the not very rock’n’roll time of 8am. Could Irish concerts be on the cards?

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon, Suzanne Brennan and John Casey.

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If elected president in November Donald Trump has promised to slash the US rate of corporate tax to 15 per cent.

Kamala Harris has said she would raise it to 28 per cent. So why the massive difference and what could either tax rate mean for Ireland?

And should we be less focused on corporation tax and more on trade policy? Trump’s promise of a 20 per cent import tax on all goods would hit hard globally – with exports from Ireland severely impacted.

And could Ireland get caught in the crossfire if Trump started a trade war with China?

Irish Times economics analyst Cliff Taylor looks at the different policy platforms of the two candidates and who would be better for Ireland?

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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Sales of EVs in Ireland collapsed in 2024 with the number of newly-licensed electric vehicles down by 24 per cent in the first seven months of the year.

But why? The push towards EVs is a key plank in the Government’s climate strategy and the choice of EVs has never been wider.

Early adopters worried about range anxiety but advances in technology has seen that replaced by charge anxiety – concerns about the availability of charging stations, whether that be at home or on the road. But that’s just one worry motorist have before considering an EV.

The Government’s Climate Action Plan aims to have almost one million EVs on Irish roads by 2030, comprising 845,000 cars and 100,000 vans, trucks and buses.

With just over six years to go before that target date, the falling sales figures raise further questions over what was already an ambitious target.

Motoring writer Neil Brisco explains why the shine has gone off EV cars for Irish motorists.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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This week, a 99-year-old German woman, who worked in a Nazi-era concentration camp office in her late teens, was confirmed guilty of being an accessory to murder on more than 10,000 counts.

Irmgard Furchner worked as a secretary in the Stutthof concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland between June 1943 to April 1945, when she was aged 18 and 19. Up to 65,000 people are estimated to have died in the camp.

80 years later, Furchner is still alive – and facing the consequences of her involvement in the camp.

But what is the point of prosecuting Furchner, who was a teenager with little agency in those crimes?

And, with at least five similar cases looming in the coming years, why are these convictions happening now?

Today, on In the News, Irish Times Berlin correspondent Derek Scally discusses why this 99-year-old woman was put on trial and the implications of Germany’s belated wave of Nazi-era prosecutions.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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Last June, Sophie Power has just done something extraordinary – she ran 563km from Malin Head to Mizen Head in record time.

It took her a record-breaking three days, 12 hours and eight minutes and she beat the existing record by an astonishing three hours. And it’s not even her most gruelling run – not by long way.

The 41 year-old mother to Donnacha, Cormac and Saoirse is an ultra runner and the morning after she finished running the length of Ireland she posted on social media: “My body had about 2 hrs sleep over 3 nights so is still in shock. Finally in a proper bed I still woke up last night every 30 minutes thinking it was time to go running again.”

She tells In the News how on the first two days she ran in driving rain, on the last day, heading into Cork she got heatstroke. She injured her knee less than half-way through but she kept running and outside Longford she started hallucinating.

An unsporty child she took up running at 26 and astonishingly her first race was the infamous Marathon des Sables, a seven-day, 250km run in the Sahara. She has run while pregnant and a photo of her breastfeeding mid-race went viral. She founded SheRaces, an organisation to encourage women of all ages and abilities to run.

This episode was originally broadcast in June 2024.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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Last April, Jonathan Creswell’s trial for the rape and murder of 21-year-old Katie Simpson opened in Derry’s Crown Court.   

But as we heard inyesterday’s episode, it only sat for one day. 

In today's episode, part 2, journalist Tanya Fowles explains how the prosecution's opening statements painted a terrifying picture of what really happened to Katie Simpson at the hands of her sister's long term boyfriend. And we also hear how Creswell, a manipulator and serial abuser, used the women in his life to help cover up his crimes.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. This episode was originally published in June 2024.

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In August 2020, in a small housing estate in Derry, 21-year-old Katie Simpson was found in a critical condition. According to the man who discovered her, her brother-in-law Jonathan Creswell, the young woman had attempted suicide.

Six days later, Katie died in hospital from her injuries. The community was shocked that this outgoing and talented showjumper had taken her own life. But all was not as it seemed. The publicly charismatic and well-connected Creswell, a jockey and former showjumper, had a dark and violent past.

Although the PSNI were quick to treat this case as suicide, news of Katie’s death raised suspicions within the community. Journalist Tanya Fowles tells In the News how she tried again and again to raise the alarm about Creswell – but it took until March 2024 for the violent abuser to appear in court in Derry to face charges of rape and murder.

Why did it take so long to bring him to justice and why did the trial end after just one day?

Presented by Bernice Harrison, produced by Suzanne Brennan.

This episode was originally published in June 2024.

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This episode was originally published in May 2024.

A pair of trainers for the price of a sandwich; a Dyson-dupe hair straightener for a fraction of the real thing – just about everything you can think of buying, and random, bizarre things you couldn’t even imagine exist, are for sale via Temu, the ecommerce app that is taking over the online shopping world. With millions of bargains, it promises buyers can “shop like a billionaire”.

In January 2024, the app recorded nearly 47.8 million downloads worldwide. Once you buy from Temu, the bombardment of emails begins, offering deals and discounts on already rock-bottom prices.

But authorities worldwide have been quick to investigate; to warn for example that some toys and electrical goods on the site do not meet safety standards. And the US State Department has cautioned that the labour conditions in some of the factories that make the goods for the third-party sellers on Boston-headquartered Temu could amount to forced labour.

So while the prices might be attractive, the quality of some of the products and relentless sales techniques are less so according to Irish Times consumer editor Conor Pope who explains Temu’s business model and why it has got such a hold so quickly.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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In the most recent murder case where cannabis use was judged to be a factor, the court ruled that Diego Costa Silva killed his wife while in a state of cannabis-induced psychosis at their home in Finglas, Dublin on November 4th, 2021. A jury found him not guilty of Fabiola De Campos Silva’s murder, by reason of insanity. His was one of a number of murder cases to come before Irish courts in the past year where cannabis-use was judged to be a factor.

Dr Colin O’Gara, head of addiction services at St John of God Hospital in Dublin, tells In the News about the dangers of new, more potent strains of cannabis, what is cannabis-induced psychosis and the link between use of the drug and existing mental health issues.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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Dublin’s office market is likely to get worse before it gets better with no relief in sight until 2027 amid a collapse in demand and a glut of new developments coming on stream. The Central Bank has aired its concerns over the situation. So will there by a crash in the office market sector and what might that mean for the economy?

John McCartney from BNP Paribas Real Estate explains why the fall in demand is part of a cycle and explores the forces – including troubles in the ICT sector and post-pandemic WFH – that have brought us to this tipping point.

Irish Times columnist Una Mullally is in no doubt that the crash has already begun and that poor planning has blighted Dublin with empty newly-built office blocks dotting the city while housing is so desperately needed.

Both explain where they are coming from and how we can move on.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. This episode was originally published in March 2024.

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This episode was originally published in April 2024.

In Libya, former members of the Irish Defence Forces, including men who served in the elite Army Rangers Wing have been providing training for a militia headed up Libyan strongman, Khalifa Haftar.

It’s a lucrative business for the company called Irish Training Solutions but the work is an apparent breach of a United Nations arms embargo imposed on the volatile African country.

Naomi O’Leary broke the story in the Irish Times on Wednesday and the official response was swift. Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin called the revelations “deeply shocking”, saying that they cause “reputational damage to Ireland and our Defence Forces”.

O’Leary tells In the News about the sort of military training being provided by these former Irish soldiers, who is behind Irish Training Solutions, how much money is involved and, with providing military training in Libya specifically prohibited by the UN, what it means for the reputation of the Irish Defence Forces.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.

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The global heroin supply is under threat. But observers of international narcotic trends warn that drugs addicts will replace heroin with - synthetic opioids including Fentanyl and nitazenes - are even worse. Crime Editor Conor Lally explains why these drugs may soon be making headlines in Ireland.

This episode was originally published in June 2024.

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A new process to strip citizenship from Irish citizens has been passed by the Oireachtas more than three years after the previous system was struck down by the Supreme Court.

The system will allow the State to revoke the citizenship of Islamic terrorist Ali Charaf Damache, something it has been trying to do since 2018. A convicted terrorist, Algerian-born Damache is in jail in the US where his Irish citizenship helped earn him a shorter sentence through a plea bargain.

About 40 other revocation cases are also pending for a range of other issues, for example where an applicant has been later found to have given false information. 

In this episode from January 2024, Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher explains how Irish citizenship can be revoked, on what grounds it might happen and how the planned new system will change the process.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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Malachy Browne heads up the New York Times’s visual investigations unit where he and his team investigate key events, from breaking news at home to war atrocities abroad, to piece together second-by-second what really happened.

The work exposes the truth of events, particularly ones that are shrouded in misinformation, conspiracy theories and official denials. He and his team have won two Pulitzer Prizes.

Investigations, presented on the New York Times website, range from uncovering the devastating sequence of events of the atrocity at Bucha in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine to plotting exactly happened in 2017 when a gunman opened fire at a concert in Las Vegas killing 60 people.

On In the News he talks about these projects and more while explaining just how his team works, from 3D modelling and AI to painstakingly exploring satellite images and mining phone records, and how the Limerick man who began his career in Dublin before moving to New York works to stay one step ahead in a media landscape flooded with fake news.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. This episode was originally published in May 2024.

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In May, Google launched AI Overviews – software which uses artificial intelligence to answer people’s questions quickly, skipping the step of scrolling through links.

The new search system has made headlines for generating hilariously incorrect answers, a glitch Google says it is taking swift action to remedy. But this bumpy start will quickly be ironed out, says Irish Times writer Hugh Linehan whowrote this week about the “Googlepocalypse” sweeping the United States.

The introduction of this pilot version of Google’s AI Overviews tool has already “significantly harmed” small businesses and content creators who have seen a collapse in web site traffic, and has been described as an extinction-level event for news media.

These “devastating effects” are heading quickly our way, says Linehan. So, what is the Googlepocalypse and how will it change how the average person searches the internet? And will a reliance on AI to answer our questions only further enhance the misinformation plaguing the online world?

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. This episode was originally published in May 2024.

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This episode was originally published in March 2024.

Health and family editor Damian Cullen had already ticked off a long list of diets before he hit on intermittent fasting and three years later, and 16kg lighter, he has stuck to the plan. He eats in an eight-hour window. At the more extreme end of intermittent fasting, former British prime minister Rishi Sunak follows the so called “monk fast” of eating nothing for a 36-hour period every week.

As a way of losing weight, timed eating is probably the weight loss method of the moment; it follows a long list of diets, some of which became wildly popular for a time and then slid off the menu.

Cullen explains how it works for him, while dietician Sarah Keogh gives the expert view. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan

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Were Irish colonisers too? A new book reveals our forgotten dark history

In discussions around empire and colonisation, including popular movements such as Black Lives Matter and Rhodes Must Fall, Ireland likes to think itself on the “right” side of history, as colonised victims of empire.

But as Trinity College Dublin historian Prof Jane Ohlmeyer explores in her new book, Making Empire: Ireland, Imperialism, and the Early Modern World, it’s not as simple as that.

On the island of Monsterrat in the West Indies, for example, St Patrick’s Day is a national holiday - the only country outside Ireland to mark the day officially. But the parades there are to celebrate an unsuccessful revolt by enslaved islanders against the European whites - mostly Irish - who colonised it in the 17th century.

There are stark examples too of the Irish in India - and other countries too - acting more like colonisers than colonised.

Irish Times reporter and historian Ronan McGreevy interviewed Ohlmeyer and talks here about a troubling aspect of Irish history.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. This episode was originally published in March 2024.

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Ireland has come from a place where movies were regularly censored out of puritanical panic, to classifying gay sex scenes as suitable for a 16 audience. The Irish Film Classification Office is now asking the public about “the suitability of existing classification guidelines” as it drafts new advisories for the modern era. Irish Times chief film correspondent, Donald Clarke, explains IFCO's latest report, takes a look at the movies that historically fell foul of the censors and reveals the most complained-about films of last year,

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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Content warning: This episode contains details of child sexual abuse and may cause some listeners distress.

"They called him God, and the room where he molested them the ‘chamber of horrors,’" says journalist Justine McCarthy, who has followed the trials of Derry O'Rourke since the 1990s. The former Irish international swimming coach preyed upon young girls he trained, and was only jailed for the first time in 1998. Ultimately he served just nine years for offences that spanned decades. But yesterday he was sentenced to another ten for the rape of a teenage girl 35 years ago. McCarthy recounts his crimes, their impact and the heroic efforts of his victims to ensure the modern-day Swim Ireland is a safe haven for today's swimming champions.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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Protesters across Venezuela have been met with a violent crackdown by security forces following the disputed re-election of Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro. Tallies show the real winner was the opposition, led by the popular and charismatic Maria Corina Machado. The economy has collapsed after years of mismanagement leading to 1 in 4 Venezuelan's emigrating, in what's one of the biggest migrant crises in the world right now. Tom Hennigan, who reports from South America for The Irish Times, says there's little doubt anymore that Maduro is a dictator who clings to power by force rather than the will of the people.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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For nearly ten months, the eyes of the world have remained fixed on the devastating war and human catastrophe unfolding on the Gaza Strip.

However, this war has not just destroyed the lives of people in Gaza – daily life for the three million Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank has also transformed since the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel.

The territory’s economy has collapsed, unemployment is soaring, Jewish settler violence is on the rise and Palestinians say they are trapped by mobility restrictions.

Earlier this month, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s settlement policies and occupation of the territories were in breach of international law. The court’s announcement is historic, but non-binding, so will it bring about change?

And what is daily life like for Palestinians living in these occupied territories?

Today, on In The News, Irish Times international reporter Sally Hayden discusses the week she spent reporting from the West Bank and the implications of the Gaza war on Palestinians in the region.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey.

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Chinese graduates are heading to the factory floor. During the first quarter of 2024, the number of people under 25 applying for blue-collar jobs rose by 165 per cent compared with the same period in 2019.

This is partly a response to increased demand for workers in the manufacturing and service sectors driven by the dramatic growth of ecommerce in China. There are now eight times more jobs in distribution than there were in 2019.

But what about white collar jobs – the ones these young people might have aspired to when they embarked on their expensive degrees? And what do their parents think about this new employment trend?

Irish Times correspondent Denis Staunton is based in Beijing and he talks to Bernice Harrison about changes in the Chinese workforce that are causing ripples throughout the entire society.

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After more than a year of crisis at RTE and handwringing about how to fund it into the future, the government has decided the license fee should stay and the model of funding continue as it always has. While the status quo remains for the consumer, media minister Catherine Martin revealed the state will pump €725 million euro into the broadcaster over the next three years. But will this golden envelope be enough to put RTE on a sustainable path and is the failure to address the impact of the digital age a missed opportunity? The Irish Times' Laura Slattery explains this week's long-awaited funding announcement.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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On Tuesday, Sinn Féin launched its new immigration policy document. The proposals, which come eight weeks after the party’s poor performance in the June local elections, call for a system where “fairness is paramount”, people are “treated with dignity” and where “local communities are treated with respect”.

The plan also proposes to “end private profiteering” by private landlords housing asylum seekers and a move to state-run accommodation.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said audits should take place beforehand, examining the housing, healthcare and transport facilities available in a community before any centres are established. She also made it clear centres should be located in more affluent parts of the country.

The proposal comes in the aftermath of more unrest at the site of a proposed accommodation centre, this time in the Dublin suburb of Coolock.

How would this plan work and might it change voters’ minds in the upcoming general election?

Jennifer Bray, political correspondent, discusses the key takeaways from Sinn Féin’s immigration plan.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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Ireland’s Olympic medal hopes have never been higher. Many of the athletes are already household names, including Rashidat Adeleke, Kellie Harrington and Paul O’Donovan, while others will be new names for those watching on the sofa, including Daniel Wiffen and Jack Woolley. According to Irish Times sports journalist Ian O’Riordan it’s not a question of if Ireland wins a medal, it’s when the first one will be claimed. And Paris is set to put on a show this Friday night: the opening ceremony kicks off on Friday with a flotilla down the Seine.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan and Suzanne Brennan.

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On Sunday evening, shortly before 7pm Irish Time, US president Joe Biden posted a letter on X confirming his intention to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election campaign.

With 21 of Biden’s fellow Democratic politicians publicly calling for him to step aside, the 81-year-old’s announcement was not unexpected – his candidacy had become untenable.

Shortly after his announcement, Biden formally endorsed Kamala Harris, his vice-president, to replace him on the ticket. However, other party voices are calling for an opening nomination process in advance of the Democratic national convention on August 19th.

What are the pros and cons of Harris taking over as Democratic candidate in the race to the White House? What does the former California senator stand for and could she beat Donald Trump?

Quite simply, are Americans ready to elect a black, Asian-American woman to the White House?

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by John Casey.

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Comhaltas na nGaedheal (CnG) is a newly-established group of right-wing extremists in Ireland. It focuses on physical confrontation and is part of a growing international network of so-called “active clubs”.

The Active Club movement mixes extreme right-wing positions with a focus on masculinity and physical fitness, particularly mixed martial arts. 

The CnG group frequently posts photographs of its members engaged in combat sports training. Great care is taken to blur faces and other identifying marks. In some cases, participants’ footwear is even blurred to conceal their identities.

Members of the group have shown up at several anti-immigrant protests, including in Coolock last March. 

CnG does not just want a dramatic reduction in immigration, it wants mass deportations, according to an associate of the group who spoke with The Irish Times.

In this episode, Irish Times Crime and Security correspondent Conor Gallagher assesses just how much of a threat these groups of self-styled “Irish patriots” are and how the Garda is handling this wave of far right groups.

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Belfast and Derry rappers Kneecap have been in the news for many things in the past year: they took a case against the previous UK government for intervening to block an arts grant; they led a boycott at South By Southwest in Texas over the festival sponsor's links to the Gaza bombardment; they played Glastonbury, released their debut album, Fine Art, and their debut feature film, Kneecap, is about to hit cinemas after an award-winning outing at the Sundance Film Festival. They arrived to that event in a jeep designed to look like a PSNI vehicle. Una Mullally has been following Kneecap since they were an underground act. She says their film “will be a landmark moment for the Irish language, Irish cinema, and Irish music”.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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In April, Simon Harris became Taoiseach - today he is 100 days in office. It’s a milestone beloved of political commentators as a yardstick to measure achievements, assess style and predict what might come.

The “first 100 days” political metric originated in the US but as Irish Times political reporter Jack Horgan Jones says, Harris, the media savvy, PR aware, “TikTok Taoiseach” will be all to aware of the date in his very busy calendar.

So what have been his achievements? What has he kicked to touch as a general election looms on the horizon? And has he changed the mood in Government?

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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Garda representatives say officers were left potentially exposed "to extremely volatile and dangerous conditions" in Coolock in north Dublin on Monday night. A long-running sit-in protest at a factory due to be converted to asylum seeker accommodation turned violent after a confrontation with up to 200 gardai. 21 people have since been charged in court. Irish Times security and crime editor, Conor Lally, was an eyewitness to the disturbances. He says 'fast gas' canisters and kerbing were among the missiles thrown at gardai, and there's mounting alarm within the force at a 'growing, complex and volatile' security threat posed by those exploiting immigration fears. This episode contains some brief strong language.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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On Saturday evening, in the small American town of Butlers in Pennsylvania, former president Donald Trump narrowly escaped death after a bullet grazed his head during a rally speech.

The horrifying assassination attempt, which Trump escaped with only superficial issues, sent shock waves across an already deeply divided United States. One Trump supporter lost his life in the attack, and several others were injured.

What do we know about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who tried to shoot the former president?

How will Saturday’s shooting impact the November presidential election and could it bolster support for the Trump campaign? And how much did the divisive and extreme rhetoric on both sides of the political divide contribute to Saturday’s shooting?

Today, on In The News, could the bullet that grazed the head of Donald Trump fire him back to the White House?

Irish Times Washington Correspondent Keith Duggan discusses the assassination attempt on Donald Trump’s life.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by John Casey.

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According to property website MyHome.ie, house asking prices rose by 7.3 per cent year on year in the second quarter, the fastest pace of growth recorded in two years.

And buyers report that the price they actually pay often way exceeds the original asking price as many buyers chase too few properties so that percentage rise is likely to be an underestimation.

This year the Government is spending more than €8 billion to address the housing crisis and inflation is running at 1.5 per cent – so why are prices not coming down?

Economics columnist Cliff Taylor explains.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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Ross O'Carroll Kelly creator, Paul Howard, decided to get a basset hound because Columbo - the iconic tv detective - had one. It's definitely not the soundest of decisions on which to embark on dog ownership, but Humphrey went on to become Howard's constant companion for the next 13 years. His death in May hit the writer hard. He's experienced bereavement many times but losing Humphrey was different, leaving him to wonder how long you're allowed to grieve an animal. Since publishing a tribute to his comical canine in The Irish Times, there's been an outpouring of sympathy with many owners sharing their experience of pet grief. In this episode, Paul Howard chats fondly about his stubborn, loveable, "bendy-bus of a dog."

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan

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After more than a year of civil war in Sudan, the situation is being described as the worst humanitarian crisis anywhere in the world. The death toll is unknown, ten million people have been displaced and 25 million are experiencing catastrophic food shortages or famine. For those trying to flee, women face being raped and men murdered by members of the Sudanese military or paramilitary RSF. And yet the conflict has failed to garner the same western media attention or diplomatic as Gaza or Ukraine. Sally Hayden reports from Africa for The Irish Times. She explains the background to the war, the level of suffering being endured by millions and why any international efforts to end the hostilities have so far come to nothing.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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