Newstalk Breakfast
Newstalk
Newstalk Breakfast brings you all the news you need to set you up for the day – from politics, business, sport, entertainment and everything in between. Shane Coleman and Ciara Kelly have all the stories that matter, every weekday from 7-9AM. CONVERSATION THAT COUNTS | Ireland’s national independent talk station for news, sport, analysis and entertainmentListen to Newstalk at http://newstalk.com/listenlive | Download the GoLoud app now, the new home for Newstalk
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 22, 2025 • 6min
Tech Check: Christmas tech gift tips!
Now it’s time for Tech Check! This week we are joined by Ciara O’Brien, Technology Journalist for the Irish Times, who is sharing her top tips for giving tech gifts...
Dec 22, 2025 • 4min
What might come from the peace talks in Florida?
Talks being held between US, European and Ukrainian officials in Florida aimed at ending Russia's war in Ukraine have “productive and constructive” so far, according to US special envoy Steve Witkoff. But as Russian officials renew criticism of European proposals, how far away is meaningful progress? Jenny Mathers of the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University joined us on Newstalk Breakfast to discuss...
Dec 22, 2025 • 10min
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill
Up to 1,100 people hit by the so-called superflu are predicted to be in hospital over Christmas week. Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister For Health, Fine Gael TD for Dún Laoghaire joined us on Newstalk Breakfast.
Dec 22, 2025 • 7min
Should we have tougher sentencing in Ireland?
John Whelan of the Sentencing and Victim Equality Group SAVE, has described how his family are being ‘retraumatized’ at the biennial parole hearing of his sister’s murderer. Sharon Whelan and her two daughters, Nadia and Zara, were murdered on Christmas Day 2008, and their murderer Brian Hennessy has applied for parole every two years since 2017. John Whelan joined Shane Coleman on the show to discuss.
Dec 22, 2025 • 5min
We find out how Irish soldiers in Lebanon will be spending their Christmas
360 Irish soldiers are set to spend their Christmas in South Lebanon, where they are stationed at Camp Shamrock. 134 members of the Defence Forces will be doing so for the first time. Our reporter Tom Douglas visited the camp over the weekend talk to soldiers serving there…
Dec 22, 2025 • 6min
Why we can’t get to grips with our expensive electricity?
The government has failed to adequately address the rising cost of electricity, and we “risk pricing ourselves out of prosperity”. That’s the view of Conor Skehan Sunday Independent Columnist, who joined Ciara Kelly on the show this morning to discuss.
Dec 22, 2025 • 4min
DAA board to hold crunch meeting
An extraordinary meeting of the board of the Dublin Airport Authority is to take place today to formally suspend its Chief Executive Kenny Jacobs with full pay, pending the outcome of an investigation. Daniel McConnell, Editor of the Business Post, joined Shane Coleman on the show.
Dec 19, 2025 • 4min
Riff: Are we far too quick to judge?
Woman at the center of the viral "kiss cam" moment at a Coldplay concert has spoken out in recent interviews. Ciara and Shane asked this morning. Are we all far too quick to judge?
Dec 19, 2025 • 7min
Central Bank’s final Quarterly Bulletin of 2025
Ireland’s economy has shown resilience in the last year, but the Government needs “prudent ambition” for long-term, sustainable growth. That’s according to the Central Bank’s final Quarterly Bulletin of 2025, which found Modified Domestic Demand is projected to grow by just below 4 per cent in 2025. We discuss this and more with Barra Roantree, Assistant Professor of Economics at Trinity College.
Dec 19, 2025 • 5min
More photographs released relating to Jeffrey Epstein
A new batch of 68 photographs related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been made public by Democratic US lawmakers. The photos include Epstein with director Woody Allen, and Bill Gates with an unknown woman. With more on this we spoke to David Smith, Washington Bureau Chief, The Guardian.
