On Ireland's most cutting edge current affairs show, Matt and his guests provide a running stream of intelligent opinions and heated debates on the issues that matter most to Irish listeners. You might not always agree, but you'll never want to miss a Word.
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Two Desiring Machines
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David Carr - Essays on the Phenomenology of History
1:56:58
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1:56:58This week Cooper and Taylor host Professor David Carr, who is a professor emeritus of philosophy at Emory University and specializes in history and phenomenology. David is the translator of Edmund Husserl’s Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology and the author of six books, including Interpreting Husserl; Time, Narrative, and …
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Two Wins From Two Sees Ireland Sit Four Points Clear At The Top Of The Six Nations Table
9:59
9:59
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9:59Ireland recorded their second bonus point win of this year’s Guinness Six Nations when they defeated Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday. France also suffered a shock defeat to England on Saturday, meaning Ireland are the only side that can still win the Grand Slam. Matt spoke to Alan Quinlan & Will O’Callaghan about the weekend’s results. Hit the ‘P…
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European Commission Says EU Will React Against “Unlawful” US Tariffs
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6:54
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6:54US President Donald Trump has vowed to impose 25% tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium products coming to the US. On Monday afternoon, the European Commission said it sees “no justification” for the decision and that it will react “to protect the interests of European businesses, workers and consumers”. Shona Murray, Europe Correspondent with …
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TV & Streaming: Samantha Mumba Criticises RTE’s Judging Panel After Losing Out In Eurosong Contest
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11:52Samantha Mumba has questioned the credentials of members of RTE’s judging panel following The Late Late Show’s Eurosong special on Friday night. Mumba finished second with her song “My Way”, with Norwegian singer EMMY winning the contest after performing “Laika Party”. Joe O’Shea and Elaine Burke were back with Matt for Monday’s TV & Streaming slot…
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Is a visit to Nashville, Memphis or the Grand Canyon on your bucket list? With 27 routes from Ireland to the US available, Sarah Slattery, thetravelexpert.ie, had a rundown of the best road trips to take advantage of the connectivity. To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.…
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Ireland Head To Murrayfield For Round Two Of The Six Nations
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15:38Peter O'Mahony and Robbie Henshaw have been added to the Irish side that will take on Scotland in round two of the Guinness Six Nations. Liam Toland and Matt Williams join The Last Word to discuss what to expect as Ireland head to Murrayfield this Sunday. Catch all the analysis by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!…
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Week Trending: How To Boil An Egg, Thousands Still Without Power And Trump's Ethnic Cleansing
23:42
23:42
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23:42Scientists crack the perfect boiled egg, thousands still without power two weeks after Storm Éowyn and Donald Trump wants to turn Gaza into the 'Riviera of the Middle East'. Eoghan Tomas McDermott, managing director at the Communications Clinic, and Laura Byrne, voices editor and podcast producer with The Journal, join The Last Word to discuss the …
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New Speed Limits Come Into Effect On Irish Roads
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8:58
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8:58New lower speed limits come into effect this week and motorists will see major reductions on many rural and urban roads. Conor Faughnan, transport commentator and chief executive of the RIAC, joins The Last Word to discuss the new speed limits and Ireland's road safety issues. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!…
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The Latest In Fitness Tech For Every Price Range
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6:17Andy O’Donoghue has a run down of all the latest fitness technology from free Apps, to smart watches. To listen to the full conversation, press the ‘play’ button on this page.
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Last Month Was The Hottest January On Record
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8:05
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8:05The Copernicus Climate Change Service has said that last month was the warmest January on record. This continues a series of temperature records since the middle of 2023, with temperatures approximately 0.2C above what had been anticipated. Commentator John Gibbons joined Matt for this week’s Environment slot. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to …
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Family Of Joe Drennan Calls For Sentence For The Man Who Killed Him To Be Appealed
9:55
9:55
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9:55The family of Joe Drennan have expressed their anger at the prison sentence of the man who killed him in a hit and run in 2023. Kieran Fogarty from Co. Limerick received a six-and-a-half-year sentence for dangerous driving causing death & an eight-year sentence for a drive-by shooting earlier that year. Both sentences will run concurrently & have b…
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On this week's Culture Club, Doireann Ní Ghlacáin, presenter, musician and co-host of How to Gael podcast, joins The Last Word to discuss her favourite music, movies and more. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
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Is Trump Serious About Creating 'The Riviera Of The Middle East' In Gaza?
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18:52
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18:52US President Donald Trump's plan to 'take over' war torn Gaza and turn it into the 'Riviera of the Middle East' has been met with shock and global condemnation. Professor Aoife O’Donoghue from Queen's University Belfast and journalist Hannah McCarthy join The Last Word to discuss the proposal which flies in the face of international law and risks f…
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Daragh O'Brien, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, and Minister for Transport, outlined the plans for ESB to upgrade the electricity network and insure its resilience. As former minister for housing, he also spoke about the CSO figures released two weeks ago that suggested there was a shortfall in housing completions for 2024. To listen …
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Joseph O’Connor On His New Book “The Ghosts Of Rome”, And Its Similarities With Today’s Global Landscape
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18:10On Tuesday, Matt was joined by author Joseph O’Connor as he discussed the release of his latest book “The Ghosts of Rome”. The book is set in spring 1944 and follows a group of people who help others escape the Germans in Rome, which has been occupied by the Nazis for six months. They also discussed the current political landscape in both Ireland a…
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How Will US Trade Tensions Affect The Eurozone?
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5:54
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5:54Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss the impact of US President Donald Trump slapping tariffs on China and threatening Canada, Mexico and the European Union. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
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The Last Word On The US: Trump Fires First Shots In Global Trade War
21:48
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21:48China has slapped tariffs on a raft of goods coming from the United States in response to US tariffs on Chinese goods introduced by President Donald Trump. Marion McKeone and Cal Thomas join The Last Word to discuss the latest news from the US as Trump fires the first shots in what could become a global trade war. Catch the full chat by pressing th…
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Housing Output Could Be As Low As 32,000 This Year, Report Suggests
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11:39
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11:39The delivery of houses in Ireland could fall short of the government’s targets in 2025, according to a report by Mitchell McDermott. This prediction comes off the back of CSO figures which showed that only 30,330 houses were completed in 2024, almost 10,000 lower than the 40,000 target. Paul Mitchell, Director & Co-Founder of Mitchell McDermott and…
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Ireland kick off their 2025 Guinness Six Nations campaign against England this Saturday as they bid to win a historic 3-in-a-row. Under interim head coach Simon Easterby, how are Ireland’s chances looking, and which players will be putting their hands up ahead of the Lions tour in the summer? Matt was joined by Fiona Hayes to discuss the weekend’s …
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On Thursday, Matt was joined by Armando Iannucci, the creator of iconic TV shows like Alan Partride, Veep and The Thick of It. He discussed his stage adaptation of the Stanley Kubrick classic, 'Dr. Strangelove', which is coming to the Bórd Gáis Energy Theatre on the 5th of February, along with his storied career that spans decades. Hit the ‘Play’ b…
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Tech Thursday: What Is DeepSeek And How Is It Disrupting The AI Sector?
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11:46
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11:46DeepSeek, a Chinese owned startup, is disrupting the AI sector amid claims it performs better than other popular technology at a fraction of the price. Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to explain what DeepSeek does and why it is scaring the world's tech giants. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!…
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Trevor Birney, journalist, documentary maker and producer of the Kneecap movie, joins The Last Word for the the Culture Club. He discusses his favourite cultural choices as well as the success of Kneecap and working on the upcoming Saipan movie. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!…
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RFK Jr Says He Is Not Anti-Vaccine At Senate Hearing
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12:38Robert F Kennedy Jnr, Donald Trump's pick for health secretary, has said he is "not anti-vaccine" and has defended the President's anti-abortion policy during his confirmation hearing at the US Senate. Marion McKeone, US based journalist joins The Last Word to discuss RFK Jnr's appearance at the tense hearing. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'P…
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On Monday, Lady Gaga announced that her new album “Mayhem” will be released on March 7th. Meanwhile, Forbidden Fruit and Longitude have both revealed the first wave of artists that will play the festivals this summer. John Caddell & Dee Reddy joined Matt to run through the week's music news. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.…
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The Last Word On The US: Trump Administration Ramps Up Immigration Crackdown
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19:33The Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration has hit major cities across the US and led to mass arrests. Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and Marion McKeone, US correspondent with the Business Post, join The Last Word to discuss what US President Donald Trump has been doing in his first week back in office. Catch the f…
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Did The New Gaelic Football Rules Work In The Opening Round Of The League?
10:11
10:11
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10:11The Allianz National Football League returned this weekend, and it was the first time fans got to see the new rules created by the FRC in an attempt to improve the state of the game. Which rules were a success, and will teams become more attack-focused because of them? Matt spoke to former Mayo footballer David Brady and Will O’Callaghan from Off T…
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The Last Word On Business: Diageo Says Guinness Is Not For Sale
9:26
9:26
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9:26Diageo has said it has “no intention” of selling the Guinness brand, following reports last week that it was considering doing so. Bloomberg News first reported that Diageo was exploring options for Guinness and that its value could be more than $10m. Ian Guider, Columnist with the Business Post, joined Matt for Monday’s business slot. Hit the ‘Pla…
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DPP Considers Charges Against Gerry Hutch Over Alleged Garda Corruption
11:46
11:46
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11:46Conor Gallagher, Crime and Security Correspondent with the Irish Times, explained that an extensive file regarding alleged garda corruption has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Organised crime and corruption charges are being considered against a former garda superintendent, Mr Hutch and two serving gardaí. To listen to the full co…
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Sarah Slattery from travelexpert.ie joins The Last Word for her weekly travel slot and this time she's got all the best things to do and see when visiting Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
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The Week Trending: The Hat, The Bishop And The Salute - Takeaways From Trump's Inauguration
24:07
24:07
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24:07It's been a big week for politics on both sides of the Atlantic, Roe McDermot, advice columnist with The Irish Times, and Larry Donnelly, law lecturer at the University of Galway and political columnist with TheJournal.ie, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!…
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In the Last Word on Business, Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, outlined the latest figures on house completion from the Central Statistics Office, which showed a decrease of 6.7% on 2023. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.
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Micheál Martin Receives Seal Of Office Following yesterday’s historic Dáil row and suspension, Micheál Martin has been elected Taoiseach. Louise Burne, Political Correspondent of the Irish Mirror and Danny McConnell of the Business Post outlined the political landscape of the new Dail and the emerging picture of the Cabinet appointees. Matt Carthy,…
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Dáil Chaos: Government Formation Delayed By Row Over Speaking Rights
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35:03
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35:03The 34th Dáil met today for the first sitting since the general election but a massive row over opposition speaking time meant there was no vote to appoint a Taoiseach and form a new government. Tabitha Monahan, Irish Independent political reporter, Daniel McConnell, Business Post editor, and Sarah Carey, columnist with the Irish Independent join T…
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2025 is shaping up to be a great year for gigs in Ireland. John Caddell and Dee Reddy join The Last Word to take a look at the best concerts and festival lineups including Lana Del Rey, Charli XCX and many more. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
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Sinead Kennedy, host of wellness activity breaks & travel expert joined Matt for The Last Word on Travel to talk about her recent once in a lifetime trip to Antarctica. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear her recommendations.
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The Last Word On The US: What Has Trump Done In His First Hours In Office?
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24:16
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24:16US President Donald Trump wasted no time after his inauguration on Monday, as he issued a full pardon for January 6th rioters and withdrew the US from the World Health Organisation and the Paris climate agreement in a slew of executive orders. Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and Marion McKeone, US correspondent with the Business Pos…
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William Clare Roberts - Marx's Inferno
1:39:23
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1:39:23We speak with William Clare Roberts about his work on Marx in Marx's Inferno as well as an afterword to the latest translation of Capital. William is assistant professor of political science at McGill University, author of Marx’s Inferno as well as an afterword to a new translation of Marx’s Capital, Volume One, under contract with Princeton Univer…
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Nunez Rescues Liverpool As Amorim Says His Team Is The Worst In Man United’s History
16:44
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16:44Darwin Nunez scored two injury time goals against Brentford as Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League table. Meanwhile, Man United suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Brighton on Sunday, leaving Ruben Amorim’s side in 13th place and leading him to say that this side is possibly the worst in the club’s history. Miguel Delaney, Chi…
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The Last Word On The US: Donald Trump Sworn In As 47th President Of The United States
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22:02On Monday, Donald Trump became the 47th US President. In his speech, President Trump criticised Joe Biden’s presidency, declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border and said that as of Monday, it will be official policy of the US government that there are only two genders – male and female. Cal Thomas & Marion McKeone joined Matt on The La…
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The Week Trending: US TikTok Ban, Cherry Tomato Bridge & Who's Going To Trump's Inauguration?
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21:12
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21:12What's going to happen with the US TikTok ban, why did cherry tomatoes on a Dublin bridge send social media into a frenzy, and who's going (or more importantly, who isn't going) to Donald Trump's inauguration? Aoife Barry, journalist, and Russell Alford, 98FM producer and food critic for Sunday Times as one half of GastroGays, join The Last Word to…
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Schools Told Not To Accept Psychologists’ Reports For Irish Exemptions
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11:16
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11:16The Department of Education has contacted several schools In Ireland to say that they can’t award exemptions for studying Irish based on psychological reports alone. This decision comes as the number of students receiving exemptions issued by school principals has risen. Carl O’Brien, Education Editor at the Irish Times and Séaghan Ó Suilleabheán, …
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What’s In The Programme For Government For Climate Change?
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11:30The next government will consist of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Regional Independent Group and Independent TDs Michael and Danny Healy-Rae. How does their programme for government impact climate change? Environment commentator John Gibbons spoke to Matt on Thursday’s The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their chat.…
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The Last Word On The US: Biden’s Exit Speech Warns Of The Rise Of US Oligarchs
12:43
12:43
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12:43US President Joe Biden delivered his exit speech on Wednesday night, issuing a warning about a concentration of wealth in the United States. Matt spoke to Marion McKeone and Larry Donnelly, Law Lecturer at University of Galway & Columnist with TheJournal.ie, about his comments. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.…
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Conor McGregor Ordered Not To Publish CCTV Footage Shown During Civil Rape Trial
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9:46MM fighter Conor McGregor has been ordered by the High Court not to publish or share the CCTV footage shown during the recent civil action taken by Nikita Hand. Frank Greaney joins The Last Word to outline what was heard in court.
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Are Hospital Parking Charges A Toll On Ill Health
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8:13
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8:13Irish hospitals took in almost €16 million in car parking charges in 2023 according to a new report from Irish Country Living. Hospital parking remains a burden on sick people and their families despite Taoiseach Simon Harris promising in 2020 that the charges would be capped at €10 per day. Ciara Leahy, editor of Irish Country Living, joins The La…
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What’s In The New Programme For Government?
33:11
33:11
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33:11A deal for the next government was agreed between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Regional Independent Group and Independent TDs Michael & Danny Healy Rae. Micheál Martin will be Taoiseach until November 2027, with Simon Harris taking over for the remaining two years of the government’s term. Matt was joined by Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill, P…
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Roisín O’Donnell has just released her debut novel, Nesting, a tense exploration of one women’s attempts to get away from a coercive partner, and a portrait of life inside the housing system. In the culture club, she spoke to Matt about the books, movies, music and TV that have influenced her.
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January Is Divorce Month - How Can Couples Keep The Costs Down And Relationships Intact?
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12:23
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12:23January is often considered 'divorce month' as the new year see lots of couples take the first steps towards splitting up. Michelle Brown, divorce consultant, specialist family mediator and author of Scars of Divorce, joins The Last Word to discuss how to get a divorce in Ireland while keeping the costs down and relationships as amicable as possibl…
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The Last Word On The US: Six Days To Go To Second Trump Presidency
17:42
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17:42Marion McKeone, US correspondent with the Business Post, and Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, join The Last Word to discuss the devastating LA fires and preparations for President Donald Trump's upcoming inauguration. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
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