Newstalk Breakfast

After days of intense anticipation throughout Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced overnight that the agreement for the return of hostages and implementation of a ceasefire has been officially signed  Shane discuss this and more with Sean Bell, Former Fighter Pilot, Military Analyst and Co-Host of the Red Matrix Podcast. 

More places in Ireland and abroad are becoming dog-friendly, welcoming four-legged friends into cafés, restaurants and much more.  But does it get to a point where you need to draw the line and are some dog owners barking up the wrong tree? We asked Roslyn Dee, Irish Independent columnist and proud dog owner.

Users accessing online pornography in the UK could soon be required to have their face scanned. This is under measures announced by Ofcom to stop children seeing the material.  Are these measures necessary? Ciara and Shane discussed this morning.

Today is "Ditch New Year's Resolution Day", when most people are thought to abandon their plans for self-improvement. Our reporter Hugh Keenan took to the streets to see whether the people of Dublin are sticking with their resolutions.Also to discuss this further was Dr Sabina Brennan, Health Psychologist, Neuroscientist and Author.

The draft programme for government commits to exploring restrictions on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks, including a ban on their sale to children.   Is it something we should be introducing? We asked Donal O’Shea, the HSE Lead for Obesity.

Gardaí caught 266 drivers on their phones yesterday as part of a national day of action targeting mobile use behind the wheel. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast on these stark figures was Jane Humphries, Chief Superintendent from the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau. 

Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and 400 others could be in line for "a pay day from the taxpayer" under plans to repeal the Legacy Act, to change legislation barring compensation to those who were interned without trial during the Troubles in the 1970.  We got reaction from Austin Stack, Son of murdered prison officer Brian Stack & Author of Justice for My Father, which will be released on the 13th of March.

Fianna Fáil Leader, Micheál Martin is to be Taoiseach until late 2027 as the programme for government pledges 300,000 homes to be built by the end of 2030, a cut in childcare costs and new transport police. We get reaction to the ambitious programme for government with Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil TD & outgoing Minister of State at Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts,  Sport Gaeltacht.

The Israeli Cabinet is set to officially on a ceasefire deal with Hamas later this morning after over a year of conflict. Phase one of the ceasefire is set to begin on January 19th, and will include the release of 33 Israeli hostages  To discuss what this means is Sean Bell, Former Fighter Pilot, Military Analyst and Co-Host of the Red Matrix Podcast. Also speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Israel’s Foreign Ministry Special Envoy and outgoing Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem.

Now, 900 million plastic bottles and cans have been brought back to machines and shops since the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme.  But as we approach the one-year anniversary of the scheme, many are asking whether it’s really a success or just a bit of a nuisance  Joining Shane to discuss this more is Larissa Nolan, Features Editor and Columnist with the Irish Mirror and John Gibbons Environmental journalist.