#558 Councils vs. Kids: The Bonfire Bust-Up

On today’s show, Niall Boylan talks Halloween — and asks the big question: should bonfires be allowed, just for one night of the year?We read an email from a mother furious that her 12-year-old son and his friends had their Halloween bonfire wood confiscated by the council after a neighbour complained. She says the Gardaí and local authorities are ruining Halloween for kids — but are they just keeping people safe?Niall throws it open to listeners:🔥 The pros: It’s tradition, community fun, and harmless once a year.🚒 The cons: Fire hazards, pollution, injuries,

Host Niall Boylan sits down with John McGuirk (Gript) to untangle Ireland’s chaotic bottle return scheme. They dig into why the rollout has been such a mess, who’s actually making money, and what it means for ordinary people — from full recycling machines to piles of unclaimed deposits. Expect sharp takes, hard questions, and plenty of pushback.In this episode Niall and John cover:A quick explainer of how the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is supposed to work and why it hit trouble on launch day.The numbers: how many containers have been returned so far, the system’s capture and overall recycling rates, and milestones reached since launch. The money question: what happened to unredeemed deposits (tens of millions left unclaimed), what Re-turn reported in its 2024 accounts, and how those sums were handled. Who’s benefitting — and who isn’t: clarifying the difference between the scheme operator (Deposit Return Scheme Ireland / Re-turn, a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee) and allegations that a private firm “made over €60m.” We unpack the facts and the accounting. What needs to change: fixes for logistics, better public communication, and the political fallout.Short teaser line to use on socials: “The bottle scheme is working — but who’s getting the cash? Niall Boylan asks John McGuirk to follow the money.”Quick facts for the episodeOver 1.6 billion containers have been returned since the scheme launched. The DRS directly captures about 76% of containers with an overall recycling rate around 91%. Reports show €66.7m in deposits went unclaimed in the first year; Re-turn’s accounts note related VAT and financial flows linked to unredeemed deposits and operating costs. Re-turn (Deposit Return Scheme Ireland) is incorporated as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and published a detailed 2024 annual report.

Niall sits down with social commentator Karl Deeter to unpack one of the most striking moments from the recent presidential debate — when both candidates revealed their biggest regret was how Covid restrictions were handled.Catherine Connolly admitted she lost trust in the government’s approach and regretted not challenging the extension of restrictions, while Heather Humphreys reflected on the tragedy of allowing the elderly to die alone due to hospital and nursing home rules.Together, Niall and Karl explore what lessons Ireland has — or hasn’t — learned from that time. They also open the phone lines to listeners sharing their own stories and regrets, from missed final goodbyes to small businesses that never reopened.👉 What do you think were the biggest mistakes made during Covid

There’s been plenty of talk about Catherine Connolly representing financial institutions in eviction cases — with some saying she was just doing her job, and others calling it a betrayal of principle. But where’s the line between professional duty and personal conscience?Niall opens the phone lines to ask: Would you do something at work that goes against your moral beliefs — or would you risk your job instead?From radio presenters forced to argue a side they don’t believe in, to Gardaí ordered to stand against residents they quietly support, or doctors treating patients whose actions led to their illness — today’s conversation digs into the grey areas of ethics, loyalty, and responsibility.Callers share the real-life dilemmas they’ve faced — moments when saying “no” came with a cost.

Niall is joined by journalist and author Dr. Eoin Lenihan to discuss his provocative new book, Vandalising Ireland, which explores how Ireland has changed dramatically over the past 25 years — from the Celtic Tiger years to the political landscape of today.In the book, Lenihan argues that a mix of mass immigration, foreign dependence, and weakened democracy has reshaped the country in ways few could have imagined. He claims that government-funded NGOs, academics, and media institutions have played a major role in driving this transformation, often against the wishes of local communities.Niall and Eoin unpack these controversial ideas, the evidence behind them, and what Lenihan believes is Ireland’s “make-or-break” moment — as well as his vision for reconnecting Irish people with their cultural and economic roots.📚 Vandalising Ireland is out now.

Today on The Niall Boylan Show , Niall sits down with Laura Perrins from Gript Media to tackle one of Ireland’s most divisive and painful historical debates — the legacy of the Mother and Baby Homes, and in particular, the controversy surrounding Tuam.Laura joins the show to defend the reputation of the Bon Secours nuns, arguing that much of what has been reported about Tuam — including claims of a “mass grave” and “atrocities” — has been distorted or exaggerated by the media. Drawing on the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes (2021), Laura makes the case that the scandal at Tuam was the result of poverty, disease, and State neglect, not deliberate cruelty.Niall presses Laura on these claims — asking whether the nuns and the Church can truly be absolved, and where moral responsibility lies for the suffering of unmarried mothers and their children in mid-20th-century Ireland.Then, Niall opens the phone lines and asks listeners:📞 “Who is to blame for what happened in the Irish Mother and Baby Homes?”Was it the nuns, the Church, the State — or Irish society itself?Expect a heated, emotional, and deeply human conversation about history, truth, and the power of media narratives.

On today’s show, Niall looks at the Government’s latest move to combat domestic violence — “Jennie’s Law.”Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan is set to bring the proposal before Cabinet, which would create a Domestic Violence Register — publicly naming those convicted of domestic abuse against a partner or former partner.The law is named after Jennifer Poole, who was brutally murdered by her ex-partner Gavin Murphy in 2021. Her brother Jason Poole has campaigned tirelessly for greater transparency and protection for victims, and today, that fight has reached the Cabinet table.But is the law strong enough?Some campaigners say it doesn’t go far enough — arguing the register should also include people who have had protection orders taken out against them, or those accused but not convicted, since so many abusers never face trial.Niall wants to hear from you:📞 Should Jennie’s Law go further?📞 Or does public naming risk punishing the innocent?Join the debate — your call could shape the conversation on one of Ireland’s most emotional and urgent justice issues.

In this episode, host Niall takes a closer look at a recent tweet by David Quinn of the Iona Institute, who argued that Gen Z would be better off if they followed religion and God. As Catholicism continues to decline in Ireland, Niall asks: are young people really missing out on something deeper — a sense of meaning, morality, or community — that religion once provided?Join the discussion as Niall explores the cultural shift away from faith, the rise of secular values, and what this means for Ireland’s future identity. Is the slow fading of Catholicism a liberation, a loss, or a bit of both?Tune in for thoughtful commentary, social insight, and a conversation that gets to the heart of Ireland’s changing soul.

In this episode, Niall reads an email from a listener — a father of four — who says his car insurance has skyrocketed to over €2,000 after a small accident last year. He explains that, on his modest income, he simply can’t afford it, but still needs to drive to work to support his family. Feeling trapped, he admits he’s considering driving without insurance — something he says he “hates doing,” but feels he has no choice.Niall asks the hard questions:🚗 Should driving without insurance mean an automatic jail sentence?💔 Do you have sympathy for this listener’s situation — or does the risk to others outweigh his struggles?💶 And why are insurance costs in Ireland still pushing ordinary people to the brink?Join the conversation as Niall explores the human side of tough laws, the fairness of insurance pricing, and the moral dilemma faced by thousands in similar situations.

In this episode, Niall opens up the phone lines for one of the country’s most divisive debates — should cannabis be legalised in Ireland?As public opinion shifts and other countries move toward regulation, Ireland still wrestles with the question: is it time to change the law, or would legalisation do more harm than good?Callers join Niall with mixed and passionate views — some arguing for personal freedom, medical use, and tax benefits, while others warn about mental health risks, addiction, and the message it sends to young people.Expect strong opinions, honest stories, and a lively national conversation on a topic that’s lighting up debate across Ireland.