In The News

The four-month dispute between criminal defence solicitors in the free legal aid system and Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan took a turn for the worse this week, with an escalation in both action and rhetoric.

Solicitors have now withdrawn their services to include people held in custody and cases involving children.

As the backlog in the courts grows, the Minister accused protesting solicitors of deliberately targeting rape trials. When that was indignantly denied, O’Callaghan doubled-down on his accusation.

The cost to the State of the free criminal legal aid system has risen from under €50 million in 2014 to a projected €120 million last year; the new flat fee payment structure aims to keep costs in check. Solicitors say it is not enough to cover lengthy and complex cases and will reduce the number of solicitors making themselves available for the free scheme.

With acrimony intensifying, the Minister has written to the Law Society asking for a meeting.

But according to Irish Times political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones it’s too early to see that as the beginning of the end to this apparently intractable row.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent months, a disturbing social media trend has emerged online in Ireland. Groups of masked teenage boys are stealing cars, taunting Gardaí, driving at high speeds and in some cases, against oncoming traffic.

Recently Irish Times social affairs correspondent Kitty Holland spoke to the father of a young teenage boy, who has become part of a group stealing cars and sharing the footage online. His father is calling on the state to step in and detain his son or place him in special care, before he harms himself or anyone else.

In today’s episode, Kitty explores how this case is representative of the wider crisis in the state care system.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Paris and beyond last weekend, half a million people took to the streets in protest.

Those highlighting the cost-of-living crisis joined the ongoing student protest over the state of the French public education system.

But the anti-Government sentiment turned violent on Saturday, with historic public buildings set alight, shops destroyed and looted, and over two thousand arrests being made. With police on streets quickly overwhelmed as events escalated, the blame game and political points scoring began in earnest.

What sparked Saturday’s violence and will French President Emmanuel Macron be able to restore some order with more protests planned?

Irish Times Paris-based Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary has been following the protests closely and she joined host Aideen Finnegan to explain the backdrop to last Saturday’s eruption of violence.

Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Produced by John Casey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Texas last week, Elon Musk told an invited audience they were about to “see some crazy stuff tonight”.

It turned out to be a new version of Tesla’s Roadster sports car, this one equipped with thrusters to make the electric car fly.

As the audience gasped, the Roadster sped up a steep ramp, took off, did a spin and then fell to the ground aided by air jets. There was no driver at the wheel. His SpaceX company helped develop the model.

China already has several flying car models at advanced test stage. However a key difference is that they look like a cross between a large drone and a helicopter, while the Roadster looks like a car.

But will his vision of a car flying over highways come to fruition, and when?

Motoring journalist Neil Briscoe explains.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Aideen Finnegan.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A man once regarded as one of the most feared loyalist paramilitary commanders of the Troubles now lives a largely quiet life in Scotland. But the legacy of Johnny Adair remains one of violence and intimidation.

At the height of his power in the 1990s, Adair was blamed for dozens of killings and viewed by both the British and Irish governments as a serious threat to peace. Feared by republicans, nationalists and even rivals within loyalism, he cultivated a reputation that made him one of the most notorious figures of the conflict.

Yet his influence collapsed as bitter feuds engulfed loyalism in the early 2000s, forcing him to flee Northern Ireland and begin a new life in Britain.

So who was, and who is, Johnny Adair? What shaped him, and how should his role in the Troubles be understood today? On this episode, we hear from historian and author Aaron Edwards about his new book, Enemies Within: The Explosive True Story of Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair.

Presented by Mark Hennessy. Produced by Andrew McNair and Declan Conlon.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.