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• Monday, 16 January 2012

  Mental Health, Depression and Suicide

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• Monday, 17 October 2011

  Where's the Justice?

  Tonight – a legal special. Relations between the various branches of the legal profession and the Government are, shall we say, somewhat strained at present. Mostly that’s because of the Legal Services bill published last week which promises reform and regulation of the sector. Minister for Justice Alan Shatter is with us to explain how his legislation will mean lower legal bills. And then barristers and solicitors will explain how it will mean higher legal bills. So who is right?

  

  And it’s not just lawyers at odds with the Minister – but judges too. Next week when you decide who will be the ninth president of Ireland you’ll also be asked if we should make two changes to the constitution. Do you know what you’re voting for? Tonight former Chief Justice Ronan Keane is with us to talk about the referendum on judicial pay. And we’ll be debating if that and the so-called Abbeylara referendum on Oireachtas inquiries gives too much power to our politicians.
  

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• Monday, 10 October 2011

  The Price of Property

  We were obsessed with house prices during the boom and are now even more so. Of the 790,000 residential mortgages in the state 1 in 8 can be classed as ‘in trouble’ and a massive 300,000 are in negative equity. If prices were to rise again it might help solve our mortgage time-bomb. If they don’t rise what then? Well that’s something that the cabinet will be deciding on tomorrow when they discuss a report on how to ease the burden of debt. What will they recommend – more forebearance, interest only repayments, negative-equity mortgages? Will any proposals falling short of debt forgiveness be enough?

  

  Do join us, on The Frontline on RTÉ 1 at 10.35pm.
  

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• Friday, 30 September 2011

  Principles and Principals

  Principles and Principals.

  Did you know that this year and every year the State give private fee-paying schools a 100 million euro subsidy?In this age of austerity could that money be better better spent elsewhere in the education system? Should those who opt for private education be asked to pay the full economic cost of that education with all the advantages, not only academic but social, that it brings? Or would the withdrawal of the subvention simply bankrupt many of those schools and lead then to unbearable demands on the public school system? Is it a matter of choice or a matter of principle?

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• Monday, 26 September 2011

  Working on Welfare

  Earlier this summer Minister Joan Burton said she wanted us all to have a debate about social welfare. So tonight we’re having it on The Frontline.

  Her department of Social Protection is the biggest spending department in Government. €20 billion a year and not just on jobseekers’ allowance but also child benefit, the state pension, rent allowance, lone parent’s allowance and many more. It is accepted by the Government there has to be a reduction in that €20 billion, but where?

  The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste have both decreed there will no cuts in social welfare rates (for this year anyway) – so what are the other options for reducing the department’s spending?

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• Monday, 19 September 2011

  The Race For The Park

  To think that only a short few weeks ago some people were bemoaning a dull presidential campaign, well no more. Each day seems to bring fresh news and some not so fresh candidates. Certainly though the entry of Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness into the race has totally transformed the contest and begs questions of the Fianna Fáil strategy and Michéal Martin’s leadership. And what does it mean for the other candidates and for the chances of Senator Norris? We will be hearing from a very interesting guest on all of this - find out more at 22.35.

  Also tonight, next month new limits and penalties on drink-driving come into force. Just as hard-hitting campaigns have slowly but surely changed the cultural attitude on drink-driving do the new penalties send a mixed message on road safety? Minister Leo Varadkar is with us.
  

  So do join us, The Frontline, 22.35, RTÉ One.

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