The Hard Shoulder

In today's economic climate many houses require two people are in the financial position where both need to work, but if both are out of the house, does that put a pressure on working parents to juggle home and professional life? To discuss it, Ciara was joined  by Niamh Maher, commercial creative director of The Journal.  Who is on maternity leave but is struggling to find childcare to facilitate going back to work and Barbra Scully, author and broadcaster

From March 1st, VHI will be increasing their health insurance prices by on average three per cent. This is the third time the company has hiked prices within the last year.  The health insurer says it’s down to the cost of delivering health care nowadays with an ageing population, the introduction of new drugs and other factors as well.But where does this leave people now and what should those who have taken out health insurance do ? Dermot Goode  Health Insurance Expert with Health Insurance Ireland dot i.e

This year, students with additional needs will get an extra 10 minutes in their Leaving and Junior Cert exams.  This impacts around 30,000 students in schools across the country and it’s part of an interim initiative to help those with visual or physical impairments such as dyslexia.  But is 10 minutes actually enough and does it seem fair?  Ciara Doherty spoke to student Sive O’Brien on her experience with having dyslexia and what it was like not getting any extra time in exams. And to Andrea, who’s son has dyslexia and what’s its been like for them.

 For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent joins Ciara Doherty to discussTech workers are striking…   Joint accounts on Revolut  Get on the rewatches… Ted Lasso, and Line of Duty.

The Taoiseach will make a formal apology in the Dail to survivors of industrial and reform schools, a move that follows decades of  campaigning by those who suffered abuse in state run institutions  The apology comes after a deal was reached between the Government and four hunger strikers who had been protesting outside Leinster House for over 50 days, having survived on coffee and water  That hunger strike ended after a promise that a package of supports would be delivered but one of those campaigners says the promises are already falling apart   Maurice Patton O’Connell is a survivor of Pembroke Arms industrial school and one of the hunger stokers he joined Ciara Doherty to discuss

Ciara Doherty was joined by Actor and Writer, Mark O’Halloran, who stars in RTE’s newest drama These Sacred Vows, which kicks off this Sunday night on RTE One at 9:30pm.

Last week we reported on Stillorgan Village Shopping Centre introducing paid parking. Which upset shoppers and tenants. So this week we decided to see how other cities and surrounding areas are coping with parking. So we sent Henry McKean to Cork to report.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has revealed Irelands tipping habits in a newly released survey. The findings showed that 2 in 3 people believe that tipping is becoming less voluntary, often prompted to tip on the machine when paying, with 3 in 4 saying that would like to see businesses make it easier to opt out of tipping.  Ciara Doherty was joined by business owners Gina Murphy, owner of Hugos restaurant and Sam Donnelly, co-owner of Sam’s Barbers and board member of Dublin Town to discuss the merits of tipping.

Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss the risks more rain could bring after the damage Storm Chandra caused was  Cathal Nolan, of The Weather Channel and Shane O’Connor, of Slaney Search and Rescue Team and Mary Bourke Professor In, Geography at Trinity College Dublin

Every week for The Ultimate Guide on The Hard Shoulder, Fionn Davenport takes a closer look at some of the fantastic destinations to visit around the world.This week, as part of his 12 best cities in the world, Fionn joined Ciara Doherty to give the ultimate guide to Berlin in Germany!