Highlights From The Pat Kenny Show

Joining Pat on this week's Friday Forum was Ivana Bacik, Leader of the Labour Party, Spokesperson on Environment and Climate; Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and TD for Dublin Bay South, Kathleen Funchion, Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Chair of the Oireachtas Children and Youth Affairs Committee and TD for Carlow-Kilkenny and Senator Shane Cassels, Senator based in Meath West, Spokesperson on Media, Arts, Sport, Tourism and the Gaeltacht and father of three young children.

Executive Chef at the Marker Hotel Gareth Mullins brought us some classic barbeque sides and sauces recipes for us.

Terry Sheridan, News Director of WSHU Public Radio joined Pat live from the US with the latest on the house select committee investigating the attack on the US capitol.

The President’s Letters: An Unexpected History of Ireland is a book written by author Flor McCarthy. Rory Montgomery, former Irish diplomat, former ambassador to the EU and France, and part of the Good Friday Agreement negotiating team. He was the lead official on Brexit in DFA until his retirement. Now he is an honorary professor at Queen’s University and recently appointed Chair of the Press Council of Ireland.

Michael Vaughan, Owner of Vaughan Lodge in Lahinch, and Shane O’Donoghoe, Editor of Completecar.ie discuss how tourists are renting cars north of the border to make a saving and the impact it is having on the tourism sector.

Professor Luke O’Neill, Professor of Biochemistry at the school of Immunology, Trinity College and Professor Peter Openshaw, Professor of Experimental Medicine at Imperial College London and vice-Chair or NERVTAG, a UK Department of Health committee horizon-scanning for emerging respiratory threats both joined Pat in studio to discuss the future of Covid-19.

Ireland Under-21s continue their march through the European Championships and the LIV golf controversy, Eoin Sheahan from Off the Ball previews all of the weekend's sporting action.

Conor Murphy an English Teacher at Skibbereen Community School who has raised concerns about Junior Cert English Paper joined Pat on the show to discuss the issues he found with the paper.

What constitutes a war crime and why are some nations seemingly immune from prosecution? Professor Ray Murphy, Professor at the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUIG joined Pat to discuss.

Parent –Sinead O’Moore, Host of Every Mum Podcast and the Stretchmarks Podcast, and Barry McLoughlin, Senior Consultant with the Communications Clinic joined Pat to discuss plans for paid sick leave for parents of sick children.

Dutchman Delano G, 22, is accused of fatally shooting de Vries, while Polish national Kamil E, 36, allegedly drove their getaway car and carried out surveillance prior to the shooting. It was a crime that shocked the Netherlands. Peter Vandermeersch, Irish Independent journalist and Mediahuis Ireland Publisher brought us the latest on the trial of two men accused of killing Peter de Vries.

Philip O’Connor, an Irish journalist based in Sweden joined Pat to discuss how one tweet caused a huge widespread cultural debate in Sweden.

Gavin McLoughlin Deputy Business Editor at Newstalk takes a look at the business of Bulmers.

The waiting time for first-time applications, which take the longest to process, has been cut from 40 to 25 working days, the Minister said, adding that the department has “effectively doubled” the number of passport office personnel. He said the office has a new arrangement with An Garda Síochána to fast-track the verification processes to cut delays, and more people have been assigned to take helpline calls. Eoghan Corry, travel and aviation journalist joined Pat to discuss VIPs who are no longer welcome at Dublin airport and if more manpower will solve the passport backlog?

We continue our look at the childcare crisis with more insight from parents and how creche and childminding costs may impact careers with a report from Emma Tyrell and analysis with Louisa Meehan, spokesperson for Network Ireland and owner of Woodview HRM – Who provides Human Resource solutions to the SME sector in Ireland.

Alastair Campbell, Writer, consultant, strategist and mental health campaigner joined Pat to discuss bluffer Boris and his attempts to reassert his leadership.

Cow and sheep burps to be taxed by New Zealand, costs are likely to lead to higher meat prices – but should we still be doing the same here? Peter Thorne, Climate Scientist and Paul O Brien, National Chair of the environmental committee in the IFA & Sheep Farmer based in Kilkenny both joined Pat on the show to discuss.

Cathal Mullaney from Off the ball finds out why some of the world’s top golfers are being questioned on their morality as the Saudi-funded LIV golf tournament gets underway today.

Some properties for rent in Dublin now mention that tenants cannot work from home or won’t have permission to do so from their landlords Karl Deeter, CEO of Onlineapplications.com, Richard Grogan, Employment and Personal Injury Law Solicitor and Neil McDonnell, CEO, ISME all joined Pat on the show.

Celebrity gardener Diarmuid Gavin gave us some gardening tips and advice and answered your gardening questions.