The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)

Niall Boylan
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Niall Boylan is online, and nobody can hold him back. Subscribe to The Niall Boylan Show and access premium content by visiting https://niallboylan.com

  1. 1d ago

    #901 Pet Friendly Ireland or Hygiene Nightmare?

    Niall is joined by Karl Deeter to discuss two very different stories that have sparked plenty of reaction. First, they look at the controversy surrounding the naked Donald Trump statue displayed at the euopean parliment and ask whether political protest and satire have now crossed into cheap provocation. Then the conversation turns to a growing debate about animals in public spaces. The National Transport Authority has proposed a more consistent policy allowing pets on Transport for Ireland services. Under the proposals, small dogs, cats and other small animals could travel in suitable carriers, while larger dogs could travel on a lead and muzzled. More than 2,500 people responded to the consultation, with the vast majority supporting greater access for pets, although concerns were also raised about hygiene, allergies, safety and passenger comfort. But should that approach extend beyond buses, trains and the Luas? Should dogs and other pets be welcomed into cafés, shops and supermarkets, or are there some places where animals simply do not belong? Supporters say Ireland needs to become more pet friendly and that responsible owners should not be excluded from everyday life. Critics argue that public spaces have to work for everyone, including people with allergies, fears of dogs and concerns about hygiene. Niall and Karl ask where the line should be drawn between being pet friendly and respecting everyone else sharing the same space.

    #901 Pet Friendly Ireland or Hygiene Nightmare?

  2. 1d ago

    #900 €20 for a Packet: Has the War on Smokers Gone Too Far?

    Niall is joined by Eric Nelligan to break down Budget 2027, looking at the winners, the losers and whether the Government has actually done enough to tackle the rising cost of living. They examine the changes to income tax, welfare, childcare, housing supports and energy costs, and ask whether the measures announced will make a noticeable difference to households once rising everyday expenses are taken into account. But there is one group that has once again been hit particularly hard: smokers. Budget 2027 increased the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes by another €1, bringing a typical packet to around €20.15, with almost 80% of the retail price now accounted for by tax. Duty on e-liquid products has also increased by 20 cent per millilitre. The Government says higher prices discourage smoking and particularly help prevent younger people from taking up the habit. But Niall asks whether smokers have simply become an easy target at Budget time. Plenty of products and habits can damage our health, yet smokers appear to face substantial tax increases year after year. Alcohol excise, for example, was left unchanged in this Budget. And while increasing the price may encourage some people to quit, what about heavily addicted smokers on lower incomes who simply continue buying cigarettes? Are they giving up food, heating or other household spending instead? Is tobacco taxation really about public health, or has the Government discovered a politically convenient group it can repeatedly tax without much opposition? Niall discusses Budget 2027 with Eric Nelligan and asks: when does encouraging somebody to quit smoking become financially punishing them for an addiction?

    #900 €20 for a Packet: Has the War on Smokers Gone Too Far?

  3. 2d ago

    #899 A Living Wage or a Death Sentence for Small Business?

    Niall talks to business owner and podcaster Paul Treyvaud about the Government’s expected decision to increase the minimum wage by 79 cent to €14.94 an hour from January, and the continuing debate over plans for a €16 living wage. For workers struggling with rent, food, energy and other everyday costs, higher wages may seem essential just to keep up. Supporters of a living wage argue that anyone working full time should earn enough to have a reasonable standard of living. But many small business owners say they are being squeezed from every direction. Energy, insurance, rates, stock, VAT and labour costs have all increased, and another compulsory wage rise could mean higher prices, reduced opening hours, fewer employees or, in some cases, businesses closing completely. On the other side of the argument is a simple question: if a business cannot afford to pay its workers a decent wage, should that business be operating in the first place? Niall asks Paul who should ultimately take priority, the worker struggling to pay the bills or the employer struggling to keep the doors open? And should Ireland move towards a €16 an hour living wage, even if some businesses say they simply cannot afford it?

    #899 A Living Wage or a Death Sentence for Small Business?

  4. 2d ago

    #898 Ireland’s Budget Illusion: More Supports, Less Money in Your Pocket

    Niall talks to journalist Laura Perrins about Budget 2027 and asks whether it will actually make any meaningful difference to households struggling with the relentless rise in the cost of living. Every year we hear about tax cuts, credits, welfare increases and new Government supports, yet for many people the bills keep rising faster than the help arriving. Electricity, heating, groceries, rent, mortgages, insurance and childcare continue to swallow more of our income. Budget 2027 promises tax relief for workers, increased welfare payments, childcare supports and measures to reduce energy costs. But will people genuinely feel better off, or are we simply getting a little more from the Government while paying far more everywhere else? Niall asks Laura whether Government policy is really tackling the cost of living or merely trying to soften the impact of continually rising prices. And if there was just one thing the Government could do to make your life financially easier, what would it be?

    #898 Ireland’s Budget Illusion: More Supports, Less Money in Your Pocket

  5. 3d ago

    #897 Emigration Out, Immigration In, Is This Ireland’s New Normal?

    Niall talks to Cormac Lucey, economics commentator with The Sunday Times Ireland, about growing concern that Ireland is becoming increasingly unaffordable for its own young people. New figures from the National Youth Council make for stark reading. Some 68% of young adults say they are considering leaving Ireland in search of a better quality of life, while 90% believe secure, well-paid work is becoming harder to find and 89% say the housing crisis is hitting young people disproportionately hard. With rents, house prices and the general cost of living continuing to put pressure on younger generations, many are now asking whether Ireland risks exporting its own skilled and educated young people while relying increasingly on inward migration to fill jobs and support economic growth. Niall and Cormac examine what is driving the problem, whether current housing and economic policy is failing younger people, and what practical changes could help persuade another generation that their future is in Ireland rather than abroad. Are we losing our best young talent, and if so, what can be done to stop it?

    #897 Emigration Out, Immigration In, Is This Ireland’s New Normal?

  6. 3d ago

    #896 Christa Pike Committed a Horrific Murder, But Should We Kill Her?

    Niall talks to callers about the death penalty following the disturbing case of Christa Pike, who is reportedly critically ill in hospital after an attempt by the state of Tennessee to execute her went badly wrong. Pike was just 18 when she brutally tortured and murdered 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995. She was sentenced to death and has spent almost three decades awaiting execution. Last week, she was given lethal injection drugs, but the execution failed, reportedly leaving her with severe swelling and chemical burns and requiring ventilation in hospital. Nobody disputes the horrific nature of Pike’s crime, but does that justify the state deliberately taking another human life? Supporters of capital punishment argue that some crimes are so brutal that death is the only appropriate punishment and that victims’ families deserve justice. Opponents say the death penalty is an outdated and barbaric practice that gives governments a power they should never possess. After an execution attempt that has already caused Pike enormous suffering, should the state be allowed to try again? Has she already been punished enough, or should the sentence still be carried out? Niall opens the phone lines and asks callers a simple but deeply divisive question: do you agree with the death penalty?

    #896 Christa Pike Committed a Horrific Murder, But Should We Kill Her?

  7. Oct 1

    #895 Artificial Intelligence: Our Greatest Invention or Biggest Mistake?

    #895 Artificial Intelligence: Our Greatest Invention or Biggest Mistake? Niall talks to Podcaster Nick Delahanty about the growing debate surrounding artificial intelligence and whether the technology is advancing faster than society can safely handle. AI promises enormous benefits, from breakthroughs in medicine and education to major changes in business, productivity and everyday life. But with that progress come serious questions. Could artificial intelligence replace millions of jobs? Could it become powerful enough to shape the information people see, influence public opinion and decide which ideas or conversations are promoted or suppressed? There are also concerns about who ultimately controls the technology. If the most powerful AI systems are owned by a small number of governments and multinational companies, how much influence could they have over society, politics, the media and even our understanding of reality? Niall and Peter discuss the opportunities, the risks and whether regulation can realistically keep pace with a technology developing at extraordinary speed. Should we embrace artificial intelligence and everything it could offer, or should we be genuinely worried about where it is taking us?

    #895 Artificial Intelligence: Our Greatest Invention or Biggest Mistake?

  8. Oct 1

    #894 The Right to Housing: Protection or Pandora’s Box?

    Niall talks to housing campaigner Peter Dooley about a proposal from Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne to put a constitutional right to housing before the Irish people. Hearne is bringing forward a Bill using wording proposed by the Housing Commission, arguing that putting a right to housing into the Constitution would place a legal responsibility on the State to ensure people have access to adequate housing. He has said this could require stronger measures to prevent homelessness and evictions. Supporters believe a secure and affordable home should be recognised as a basic right and that constitutional protection would force successive governments to take the housing crisis more seriously. Critics question exactly what such a right would mean in practice, how far the State’s legal obligations could extend and whether the Constitution should guarantee housing rather than access to shelter and support. The Housing Commission itself did not reach unanimous agreement on the issue, with the Government previously describing it as complex. Niall and Peter debate what a constitutional right to housing could actually mean for homeowners, renters, landlords and taxpayers. Would you vote Yes to put a right to housing into the Constitution?

    #894 The Right to Housing: Protection or Pandora’s Box?
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About

Niall Boylan is online, and nobody can hold him back. Subscribe to The Niall Boylan Show and access premium content by visiting https://niallboylan.com

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  • Creator
    Niall Boylan
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1K
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright The Niall Boylan Podcast

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