The Last Word with Matt Cooper

A new import tax on small packages sent to the United States has come into effect which means that people in the US who receive packages worth over €85 will now have to pay a 15% import tax.Garrett Bridgeman, managing director of An Post Commerce, joins The Last Word to discuss how they are facilitating the change and what Irish customers must do when sending parcels to the US.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Irish filmmaker and undersea cameraman Ken O'Sullivan has spent the last two decades documenting the lives of dolphins off the coast of Ireland.He joins The Last Word to discuss his new documentary 'Dolphins: Wonders of the Ocean' which will soon air on RTÉ. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Manchester United's woes continued on Wednesday night after League Two side Grimsby Town knocked Ruben Amorim's side out of the Carabao Cup.After a defeat and a draw in their opening Premier League fixtures against Arsenal and Fulham respectively, is the pressure already building on United to get a result against Burnley this weekend?Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer with the Independent, spoke to Matt on Thursday's The Last Word.Hit the 'Play' button on this page to hear the piece.

This week on The Last Word on the Environment Matt is joined by founder and editor of ClimateChange.ie John Gibbons to discuss the week's biggest environmental news.This week they discuss the presence of Asian Hornets in Ireland growing, how Climate Change is making Wild Fires 22% more intense and more.Press play on this page to listen now.

Joining the conversation is Andy O'Donoghue, a seasoned technology journalist, who shares his insights on Google's latest Pixel phones. He dives into the impressive AI features, highlighting the real-time voice translation demonstrated by Jimmy Fallon. Andy also discusses innovative tools like voicemail transcription and the Pixel Journal. He shares his thoughts on the hardware upgrades, including camera improvements and battery life, and recounts his transition from the Apple ecosystem to Pixel. This tech talk is packed with fascinating insights!

Róise Goan, CEO and Artistic Director of the Dublin Theatre Festival was the latest inductee into the Culture Club where she discussed her favourite music, film, TV, books and of course, theatre.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Chair of the Consultants’ Committee of the Irish Medical Council Professor Matthew Sadlier has warned that beauty influencers pushing products and unobtainable standards are becoming as dangerous for young women as Andrew Tate is for young men.Matt caught up with Professor Sadlier about these dangers and the impact he is seeing them have on young women presenting with eating disorders and other mental illnesses.Hit Play on this page to listen now.

College course points have increased once again across all the major universities. With the first round of CAO offers out today, just over 50% of students got their first choice on their CAO.After the most CAO applications ever, Matt was joined by the Union of Students in Ireland's Daniel Walsh and Eoin Houlihan, Guidance Counsellor with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors Ireland to discuss what this means for students and what are the biggest issues facing Higher Education now.Hit play on this page to listen now.

Charlie Weston, personal finance editor at the Irish Independent, shares his expertise in consumer finance, tackling pressing listener questions. He emphasizes the importance of challenging insurers on health premiums amid rising costs, offering practical tips for negotiation. Weston also discusses the upcoming November property revaluation, revealing potential local tax hikes that could significantly impact homeowners. His insights are invaluable for anyone looking to navigate the often complicated waters of personal finance.

Dee Reddy and Dave Hanratty had the latest music news including the engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.They had an extensive preview of the biggest ever Electric Picnic, taking place in Stradbally, Co Laois.