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Yesterday we reported that Justice Paul Carney reversed his decision in the case of rapist Patrick O Brien, revoking the bail granted to O’Brien and giving him a custodial sentence of three years. Judge Carney said it had been insensitive and not appropriate to release the 72 year old on bail.

Fiona Doyle had been raped by her father continually from 1973 to 1982 beginning the day before her First Holy Communion.

Pat was joined on the line by Kristel O’Brien the daughter of Fiona Doyle.

According to a new cross-border report the rate of death from suicide among young people on the island of Ireland is one of the highest in Europe and is five times higher in males than in females. In 2011 an estimated 165 teenagers and young men took their own lives here and in the North a total of 72. With me now are two men who want Government action to reduce the rate of suicide in Ireland – over 500 people died by suicide last year.

Joining Pat in studio were Noel Smyth, Chairman 3T’s (Turn the Tide of Suicide) and Dan Neville FG TD and President Irish Association of Suicidology.

As a litany of rural crime continues at least one District Court Judge seems to have decided “thus far and no further”.

Judge Geoffrey Browne of Tuam District Court has told rural dwellers they should use “maximum force” against burglars whilst jailing two men who had raided the same pub on three occasions.

Pat was joined on the line by local Fine Gael Councillor Peter Roche

Father Tony Flannery has been a Redemptorist priest since 1974...he joined the congregation ten years earlier...a time he says of “great openness in the Catholic Church”.

But his views on the priesthood, and the teachings of the church have put him in direct conflict with the Vatican and specifically the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). Now he says he is forbidden to minister as a priest, with a threat of excommunication and dismissal is hanging over him.

Father Flannery joined Pat this morning.

If the healthy eating habits you have tried to put in place are beginning to wane, you may be encouraged to hear that there’s a difference between eating healthily and eating less. You don’t have to go hungry or destroy yourself daily in the gym to have healthy lifestyle. Simple changes in the food you like - changing the type of oil you use for example, can make a big difference.

What else? Well Catherine Fulvio was here to tell us more.

Banana, Walnut and Cinnamon Muffins

Makes 12 large or 24 mini muffins

This is our treat. By adding the cinnamon which lows blood sugar, using rapeseed oil and adding more banana and a little honey we achieve a low fat, moist, tasty, healthy muffin. I like to serve mini muffins as this gives everyone a choice should they want less calories!

280g plain flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

4 large ripe bananas, mashed

2 large eggs, beaten

150ml low fat milk

4 tbsp honey

4 tbsp rapeseed oil

10 walnut halves, chopped

Extra crunch topping (optional)

3 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

8 walnut halves, roughly chopped

Creme fraiche, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a small muffin tray with small paper muffin cases.Sieve the flour, cinnamon, baking powder into a large bowl.Add the bananas and eggs into the flour. Whisk the milk, honey, rapeseed oil together in a smaller bowl and carefully add to the banana mix using a spatula until a soft batter is form.Fold in the chopped walnuts.Spoon the batter into the muffin cases. If you are using the topping, combine in a small bowl and sprinkle a little over each muffin.Bake in the oven for about 15 to 18 minutes (this could be slightly longer) depending on the size and until cooked.Serve warm with crème fraiche

Tip: Omit the walnuts and add grated apple.

Fennel Chicken Meatballs with Lentils

Serves 4

I have substituted the noodles or mash potatoes for lentils and added the vegetables for extra vitamins. The fennel seeds and lemon zest add a great freshnessto the dish.

For the meatballs

200g chicken mince

½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed

3 shallots, finely chopped

½ lemon, zest only

Black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 onion. thinly sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chopped thyme

3 carrots, diced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

150g green lentils

700ml chicken stock

50g baby spinach, washed and trimmed

2 tbsp chopped parsley, to serve

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix together the minced chicken, fennel seeds, shallots and lemon zest. Add a twiss of black pepper.Heat the oil to medium heat in a large frying pan.Using wet hands, form a small ball of chicken mix and fry to test for seasoning. Add a little more lemon zest or pepper if needed.Continue to form 16 small meatballs. Set aside on a piece of parchment on a plate.Heat the oil until medium heat, fry the meatballs in batches until golden and check that they are completely cooked through.In the meantime, in a large casserole, heat the oil to medium heat, add the sweetpotato, onion and thyme, sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the carrots and cook for a further 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the lentils and pour over the stock. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils are tender. Stir in the chicken meatballs and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Check the seasoning, you may require a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.Sprinkle the chopped parsley over and serve immediately.

Tip: Add a chopped tinned tomatoes instead of all the stock for a yummy mid week supper.

A busy newsweek both at home and abroad. Even as a US President was sworn in and Irish hostages were escaping the clutches of Al Qaeda in Algeria, you couldn’t keep Burgergate out of the headlines. Also in the headlines, controversy surrounded the sentencing of the paedophile, Patrick O’Brien, by Justice Paul Carney. In court too, this time in Boston, was Irish nanny, Aisling McCarthy Brady, who stands accused of assault and battery on the 1 year old child she was minding, causing substantial bodily injury.

Meanwhile in another part of the world, Kerry County Council backed permits allowing people to drink and drive, a move that has been criticised for dragging the country back to the dark ages.

In Europe, while Ireland was trying to wrangle a better deal on the terms of our loans, David Cameron was telling the British people that he would hold a referendum on their membership of the EU during next term of the Tory Party, if they get in again.

I’m joined in studio by Brigid Laffan of the UCD College of Human Sciences; barrister Paul Anthony McDermott; Mary Minihan of the Irish Times and by economist, Colm McCarthy.