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Early Edition

The Irish Times

A morning news update from The Irish Times. Our top stories five days a week.


Produced in association with MSD.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 27 episodes
  • daily
  • Avg 9 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • Tuesday · 10 min

    Rise in child poverty; Ireland’s most prosperous town; and the Irish unity debate

    There has been a sharp rise in children living in households below the poverty line, according to new figures for 2024 from the Economic and Social Research Institute. Carrigaline, County Cork, has the lowest rate of commercial rental vacancies in Ireland showing a busy local economy and strong competition for consumers. Ireland’s most senior civil servant has criticised Government departments for delaying work on bring EU rules into Irish law, opening the government to legal action in Brussels. Fine Gael’s Neale Richmond has told The Irish Times that older generations need to tell young people about the Troubles in Northern Ireland in order for a “practical conversation” on Irish unity to take place. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Monday · 8 min

    Germany’s AfD win regional elections; data centre energy use; the fall of rural Irish pubs

    Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has claimed the largest share of the vote in elections in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. New data centres could be offered lower gas connections if they agree to have their supply interrupted during periods of extreme demand. A special cost recovery team has been deployed to Naas General Hospital amid concerns it could go over budget by as much as 41 million euro this year. The Irish Times speaks to the rural pub landlords fighting for survival. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Friday · 9 min

    Foreign aid spending; HSE over budget; and invasive skunks in Co. Kildare

    Ireland was one of only two European countries to increase spending on foreign aid last year, with €1.9 billion spent on official development assistance. The government has defended public transport fares rises, coming in January, saying it will help fund new services. The HSE remains significantly over budget, despite efforts to tighten spending controls across the health service. An investigation has begun into the release of seven invasive skunks in Co. Kildare, which were later captured. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • September 3 · 9 min

    Public transport increases; Creche overcharging; Patrick Freyne's Kardashian analysis

    Bus and train fares are to increase by an average of 15% under new measures to be announced on Thursday. There has been a steady increase in the number of childcare providers under investigation for possible overcharging of parents since 2024. Make no mistake, last week’s 18 billion dollar settlement in the US was really a win for Meta, writes Emmet Ryan in his column today. Ireland can expect an unusually mild and wet autumn as a “supersized” El Nino develops, disrupting weather patterns worldwide. As “The Girls” begins streaming on Disney plus, Patrick Freyne takes aim at the latest absurdity from the Kardashian family. “None of these people are frightened at the thought of flaunting their wealth before a troubled, impoverished nation,” he writes. Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • September 2 · 9 min

    1.5 degree 'battle has been lost'; School refusal; Cuban Belfast man V Deliveroo

    The battle to keep global heating from passing the agreed 1.5 degree threshold has been lost, United Nations (UN) environment chiefs have conceded. More than half of primary school pupils and two-thirds of secondary students refused to go to school at least once last year for reasons including anxiety, difficulties engaging with lessons and problems with friendships, according to a new study. Of all covid’s victims, writes Kathy Sheridan today, we rarely consider the families of conspiracy theorists who’s relationships were irreparably damaged. One of Europe’s leading consumer watchdogs, Which? magazine, was able to list 10 Downing Street as a holiday rental on booking.com and accept payments from people keen to stay in the UK prime minister’s home. The Cuban owner of a Belfast sandwich shop has suspended Deliveroo orders following the company’s failure to pay him due to US economic sanctions on what he describes as “anyone associated with Cuba”. Presented by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • September 1 · 11 min

    Cancer ‘more survivable’ with advancements; Bloomfield Hospital patient mistreatment; and storm names unveiled

    Cancer survival rates have improved substantially over the past 20 years, with many more people now living with and beyond cancer, according to the National Cancer Registry Ireland. Several staff at Bloomfield Hospital in Rathfarnham were either dismissed or resigned following an investigation into the treatment of residents at the mental health facility. Rescuers in Nepal are trying to reach hundreds of workers who have been trapped in tunnels since Wednesday’s massive flash flood. A British warship was deployed off the coast of Co. Wicklow on Monday amid heightened security during this week’s meeting of foreign ministers at Druid’s Glen. Met Éireann has just unveiled its new list of storm names for the next year which include Austen, Evelyn, Kilian and Miriam. Heather, Laoise and Phelim were suggested by the Public. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • August 14 · 8 min

    Ireland to approve Israeli bonds for the EU; and the Monk to get reimbursed for election expenses

    Tánaiste Simon Harris has been trying to stop Ireland from once again becoming the EU country responsible for approving Israeli state bonds. Former independent election candidate Gerry “The Monk” Hutch is set to receive a reimbursement of almost all of his campaigning expenses. A controversial housing development near the Dublin-Wicklow border is to be torn down over a breach of planning permission. It’s expected to be the last day of high temperatures on Friday, but there is no sign of drought conditions easing. Presented by Andrew McNair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • August 13 · 8 min

    Gambling with crypto; deer in Phoenix Park; and what scientists learn from the eclipse

    The government is planning a crackdown on money laundering including stricter rules on using cryptocurrency on gambling sites. National roll out of one-to-one counselling for school children is threatened by a shortage of qualified mental health professionals. Irish Times science and climate correspondent Caroline O’Doherty looks at Phoenix Park’s herd of fallow deer, and their having on biodiversity. What can scientists learn from the data collected during Wednesday’s eclipse? Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • August 11 · 8 min

    What next for the Kinahan cartel; a shortage of creche places; and issues with the ReTurn scheme

    An international money laundering investigation has been launched into the Kinahan cartel following the extradition of Daniel from the United Arab Emirates. The Department of Children has intervened to stop the planned closure of a creche in Limerick amid growing concerns over a shortage of childcare places. Dozens of people are known to have died in a powerful earthquake in Colombia, causing widespread destruction. Irish Times readers tell of full and often broken machines as part of the Deposit Return Scheme for recycling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • August 7 · 10 min

    Rough sleepers removed from Belfast City Centre; and demolition of a bunker under Hitler’s Reich Chancellery

    Dozens of people rough sleeping on the streets of Belfast have been moved from the city centre, according to a homeless charity. Donald Trump has dismissed reports that the United States is running low on key military munitions. Residents are mounting a growing campaign against Fingal County Council’s proposed Dunsink City Quarter, a massive housing development that could become Ireland’s largest town. A dispute is growing in Berlin over the proposed demolition of an underground bunker in Adolf Hitler’s Reich Chancellery. The Irish Times reports from the Dublin Horse Show where one woman won €10,000 for best dressed on Ladies Day. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • August 4 · 9 min

    Negotiations with Iran; breast cancer referrals; and raw sewage dumped in Co. Clare

    Iran has said it’s in negotiations with Oman to reach an arrangement that would allow commercial ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Breast cancer clinics are missing their target for urgent referrals, with only three out of every four patients seen within two weeks this year. The story of a young woman at UCD who alleged she was raped and accused the university of failing to support her. In The Irish Times series looking at the challenges faced by coastal communities, Andrew Hamilton writes from Kilkee, Co. Clare, where locals say raw sewage dumped in the Atlantic is washing up on the beach. Presented by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • July 30 · 10 min

    Tributes to Glen Hansard; sex abuse case against Christian Brothers; and guidance on AI in healthcare

    Tributes have been paid to the Irish music and film legend Glen Hansard who died in a road crash. He was 56. A claimant fighting for damages against the Christian Brothers over historic sex abuse can file notice to former members in a national newspaper advert, the High Court has ruled. The health and safety watchdog, Hiqa, has issued Ireland’s first ever guidance on the use of AI in healthcare including the need for human oversight, and safeguarding of patient data. Security gates and fencing has been beefed up at the Vico baths in Dalkey, County Dublin, over break ins and abuse of construction workers carrying out repairs. Presented by Andrew McNair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showing 1–20 of 27 episodes