This Week - 30 August 2026

Budget 2027 is just weeks away, and Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Jack Chambers has indicated he wants to help ‘low middle-income’ earners by reducing childcare costs and having targeted child supports. He joined Paul for a detailed overview of his plans, including a warning for the HSE on potential spending curbs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The child agency Tusla is paying privately for criminal legal aid for children appearing before the courts. The unprecedented move flows from the dispute between the Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan and criminal defence solicitors over a new legal aid scheme. For details, Paul was joined by Holly Laher from Ferry Solicitors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist, author and environmental campaigner Frank McDonald has died after a brief illness at the age of 76. Frank was best known for his decades long career at the Irish Times where he focused on climate action, urban design and the planning process. Paul was joined by Frank's close friend and former colleague Mark Brennock. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools are back, which signals that the summer is over. So to find out how tourism went during that key part of the year, Paul was joined in studio by the Chief Executive of Fáilte Ireland Caroline Bocquel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most children who commit a criminal offence are 'diverted' into a community programme designed to help them not to offend again rather than detention. RTÉ reporter Eithne Dodd went to a Youth Diversion Project in Sligo to find out how they work and if they're fit for purpose See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A look at events making the news in the past week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ballots have been counted and the verdict is in: Iceland will not resume EU membership negotiations with Brussels. Paul was joined from Reykjavík by RTÉ Europe Editor Tony Connelly. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The death toll in Nepal and Tibet from last week's catastrophic floods has left 750 dead with 3,044 missing, authorities there have said. The monsoon weather continues to hamper rescue efforts. Paul was joined from Nepal by RTÉ reporter Kate Varley and in studio by Mahesh Kushwaha, a Nepalese PhD candidate in DCU, who has just returned to Dublin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's back to school time, but many Irish-medium post-primary schools are over-subscribed, and there are no independent Gaelcholáiste in Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Cavan, Leitrim, Louth and Roscommon. Paul was joined from Dundalk by Aidan Kinsella, a spokesperson for the campaign group IMEASC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On his first official visit to Northern Ireland since becoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham told journalists that a referendum on a united Ireland is "off the table." For an assessment of Mr Burnham comment, Paul was joined by Deirdre Heenan, Professor of Social Policy at the Ulster UniversitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.