Ireland has become an epicentre for organised crime and the drug trade. It is a constant struggle for law enforcement to not alone battle the drug trade but also eliminate the gangland wars that inevitably ensue. Assistant Editor and Crime Correspondent with the Irish Daily Star, Michael O’Toole, delves into the main drivers of organised crime in Ireland.
Addiction of all types have been a scourge on society for as long as we can remember. Addictions are only treated once they have become problematic to the addict and those people closest to them. Addiction counsellor, Oisín McConville, who has openly discussed his own struggles with gambling addiction looks at the causes and potential remedies to this social problem.
In 2005 the GAA voted to open Croke Park to Rugby and Soccer. It has proven to be a historic and inspired decision. But it was not without controversy and involved a complicated political process within the GAA. Former president of the GAA, Sean Kelly MEP, is regarded as the key driver in opening Croke Park. He joins me to give us the inside story on the process.
Physical Education had been embedded in the secondary school curriculum for over 40 years. But the general health of the nation has never been worse. In the not too distant future, the Irish health system will be bankrupted by the cost of obesity related diseases. Prof. Niall Moyna, Head of the School of Health & Human Performance and a member of the Centre of Preventive Medicine at Dublin City University joins me to explore if it is possible to rescue the health of the nation.
In recent times Ireland has been gripped by the continued escalation of crime and exacerbated by the rates at which recidivism plays a large part in the problem. Currently the Irish Prison System seems to be having little impact on curbing crime. The former Governor of Mountjoy Prison, John Lonergan, joins me to examine the issues. His 50 years of experience delivers some intriguing insights.
On the face of it, Rugby Union seems to be in a good place, but in reality, there are inherent problems in the game. Brain injuries, drug issues and financial challenges are all storms looming on rugby’s horizon. Shane Horgan joins me to unpack rugby’s problems and discusses if there are any potential solutions.
The Good Friday Agreement came into being in 1998. It collapsed in 2016 for 3 years before the institutions got up and running again. Tommie Gorman joins me to give a unique insight into the twists and turns around Devolution in Norther Ireland over the past 20 years and the challenges it faces in the future.