Highlights From Newstalk Breakfast

September is childhood Cancer Awareness month. This morning on the show Ciara spoke to Roseanna Ruane, mother of Saoirse Ruane the little girl who fought cancer and warmed our hearts on the Late Late Toy Show back in 2020.

Almost three in five people in Ireland agree that EU countries should be allowed to delay meeting EU environmental targets in order to deal with the current energy crisis. This is according to the latest annual European Movement Ireland ‘Ireland and the EU’ poll. Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne spoke to Shane with more on this.

The Cabinet yesterday signed off on its major pension reform plan which will see the retirement age staying at 66, but allow people to continue to work if they choose. Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys made clear that PRSI increases "will be needed in the future" to pay for her pension plan. Chairperson at the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, Sebastian Barnes spoke to Ciara this morning on the show.

A new campaigning group to defend Ireland's Neutrality is launching today, on the UN International Day of Peace. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Jim Roache Irish Neutrality League and PRO Steering Committee, of the Irish Anti-War Movement.

The HSE’s new recommendation on home births - which excludes women who live within 30 minutes from their nearest hospital - would eradicate choice for mothers if implemented that's the view of Fianna Fail TD Christopher O’Sullivan who says he will do everything to ensure it doesn’t happen Krysia Lynch is the Chair of The Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services in Ireland (AIMS) spoke to Ciara this morning.

Education Minister Norma Foley will today go before the Oireachtas Education Committee answering questions on the major issues facing the school transport area. Aodhan O’Riordan Labour’s Education Spokesperson will be one of those putting the questions and spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

‘There are not enough Irish ports to deliver offshore wind energy target’– that's the warning in a new report from Wind Energy Ireland today CEO of Wind Energy Ireland Noel Cunliffe spoke to Shane this morning on the show.

The Oireachtas Housing Committee will today examine issues facing the rental housing sector in Ireland. Pat Davitt CEO of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers will be one of those before the committee and he spoke to Shane this morning on the show.

The choices we make in how we heat our homes and how we travel directly impacts the quality of the air we breathe. That’s according to the 2021 Air Quality Report from the Environmental Protection Agency, which found that there are approximately 1,300 premature deaths annually in Ireland due to poor air quality from fine particulate matter. Pat Kenny is an EPA Senior Scientific Officer and co-author of the report and joined Shane this morning on the show.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys is bringing proposals to Cabinet to ensure the State pension age remains at 66 - rather than 68 as recommended by the Pension Commission. The Minister is also expected to recommend a flexible pension age, in which people who choose to work beyond 66 years of age receive higher rates of pension payment. For more on this Shane spoke to Pension Commission Member John McGrane

An investigation been launched after a Garda car was rammed in Dublin last night. Footage of the incident which happened in Cherry Orchard just after 7:30pm has been widely shared on social media. Daithí Doolan Sinn Féin Councillor for Ballyfermot/Drimnagh and Chairman of the Joint policing Committee for Dublin South Central gave Newstalk Breakfast his reaction to last night's incident.

Ireland is a “hub for a tax avoidance” and its current tax policies are hurting the tax bases of other European countries. That's the view of Dutch MEP, Paul Tang. Why are Ireland’s fiscal policies raising concerns among our European partners? We asked Paul Tang, Dutch MEP and a member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group within the European Parliament, and chair of the subcommittee on tax matters.

The National Ploughing Championships are back the first time in three years. 300,000 visitors are set to converge on the event in Laois this morning, and they can expect to lap up the autumn sunshine with temperatures set to hit 19 degrees. Anna Marie McHugh Deputy Managing Director of the National Ploughing Championships and the General Secretary of World Ploughing Championships joined Shane this morning ahead of the first day of the events.

Gardaí have issued a list of red flags to look out for after a number of students fell victim to a rent scam Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent spoke to Newstalk Breakfast to advise what to look out for with these scams.

The biggest funeral since Nelson Mandela is taking place this morning in Westminster Abbey. The ten days of mourning are coming to an end. Queen Elizabeth II will be buried in Windsor by tonight. The 5 mile ‘Lying in State’ long queue where hundreds of thousands of people joined finished at 6.30 this morning. Henry McKean is there for us and joined us live from London.

Ireland should develop substantial gas storage facilities to reduce the risks posed by any future disruptions in supply. That’s according to a landmark report on Ireland’s energy security to be unveiled by Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan later today. To discuss further Shane spoke to Denis Naughten, Independent TD and John Gibbons, Environmental Journalist and Commentator.

The Climate Change Advisory Council is a “quango” full of flakes, and the ESRI conclusions on climate change are “ridiculous”. That’s according to David Horgan, Chief Executive of Petrel Resources who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast with more on his views.

Hollywood could be on its way to the Midlands today as Westmeath County Council votes to approve planning permission for Ireland’s largest film studio. Mayor of Mullingar Green Party Councillor Hazel Smyth spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning with more on this.

Following almost two weeks of mourning, Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will take place at Windsor Abbey today with 2,000 people and many heads of state from around the world set to attend the ceremony Stephen Bates, Former Royal Correspondent of the Guardian and Author of Royal Inc Britain’s Best-Known Brand spoke to Shane this morning.

The health service is bracing for tough winter with “significant risks” of a “twindemic” of coronavirus and flu, staff shortages, and “unprecedented” levels of unplanned hospital admissions, particularly among older people. That's according to HSE draft plan revealed by Irish Independent. Phil Ni Sheadhaga is the General Secretary at The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.