The Last Word with Matt Cooper
Today FM
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 10, 2025 • 13min
Concerns Over Nutritional Value Of Hot School Meals
How nutritional are hot school meals actually?Food policy consultant Ruth Hegarty joins Matt and Principal Regina Halpin to discuss the concerns around hot school meals and their impact on school children.
Jan 9, 2025 • 11min
'The Bank Of Mum And Dad' Helping First Time Buyers Onto The Property Ladder
The average mortgage loan is now over €300,000 according to a new survey from MyHome.ie, but many homes cost much more than that. So how are buyers making up the difference?Michael Dowling, managing director of Dowling Financial joins The Last Word to discuss the phenomenon of the 'bank of mum and dad' helping first time buyers to get on the property ladder.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Jan 9, 2025 • 9min
Tech Thursday: How To Upgrade And Downsize Your Tech
Tech journalist Andy O’Donoghue was back on The Last Word to explain how to get the best out of your tech and the most effective methods of starting a digital detox.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.
Jan 8, 2025 • 33min
Culture Club: Jerry Fish
Singer Jerry Fish joins The Last Word this week for the Culture Club!He talks about his favourite music, books, movies and more as well as discussing his new album 'Dreaming of Daniel' featuring MayKay. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Jan 8, 2025 • 12min
Has Remote Working Had Its Day?
Owen Reidy, General Secretary, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and Julie Galbraith, Head of Employment Law, Eversheds Sutherland discuss hybrid working in Ireland and the legislation around the right to request remote working.To listen to the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.
Jan 8, 2025 • 12min
Why Does Donald Trump Want Greenland And Could He Get It?
US President elect Donald Trump says he wants to make Greenland a part of the United States, threatening tariffs and refusing to rule out military action.But why does Trump want the island, which is territory of Denmark, and does he have a chance of getting it?Tom Carstensen, journalist in Copenhagen, and Larry Donnelly, law lecturer at University of Galway and political columnist with The Journal, join The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Jan 8, 2025 • 13min
Personal Finance: How To Claim A Tax Refund
If you’re looking to give yourself a financial boost in the new year, it may be worth preparing a tax return.Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with The Irish Independent, explained how it can be done on Wednesday’s personal finance slot.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.
Jan 7, 2025 • 8min
Meta Scraps Fact Checking Programme In The US
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced significant changes to its content moderation policies in the US which include replacing fact checking with a community notes system, similar to the one adopted by Elon Musk on X.Elaine Burke, host of the For Tech's Sake podcast, joins The Last Word to talk about the significant move which is seen as a further effort by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to cosy up to incoming US President Donald Trump.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!
Jan 7, 2025 • 17min
The Last Word On The US: Trump Won't Rule Out Using Military Force To Take Greenland
US President elect Donald Trump has refused to rule out using military force to take over Greenland. Trump said the US needs to purchase the Danish territory for "national security purposes".Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and Marion McKeone, US correspondent with the Business Post, join The Last Word to discuss this and more of the latest news from the United States.Catch the full chat by pressing the play button on this page!
Jan 7, 2025 • 10min
Dublin Is Europe’s Third Most Congested City, Survey Finds
Drivers in Dublin were delayed by an average of 81 hours in 2024 due to congestion in the city, according to a survey conducted by data company Inrix.Brian Caulfield, Professor in Transportation at the Department of Civil Engineering at TCD, spoke to Matt on The Last Word about the findings.Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the chat.
