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The Government is to outline plans later today to set targets for banks to deal with mortgage arrears on their books. Yesterday details were given in the Mercer report of top bankers pay, with some senior executives said to be earning more than €600,000.
Shane Ross joined Pat in studio.
As we know Independent TD Luke 'Ming' Flanagan admitted in the Dail last night that he has had penalty points quashed - twice - for using a mobile phone while driving. Earlier on Morning Ireland Deputy Mick Wallace had a heated exchange on the issue with Presenter Cathal Mac Coille and Last night on Tonight With Vincent Browne Deputy Flanagan tried to explain his position.
Joining Pat on the line, RTE Midlands Correspondent, Ciaran Mullooly and Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor of The Irish Independent.
James Blackston ,the friend of a man accused of the Nicola Furlong murder, has been handed a three -year sentence for sexual assault by a court in Tokyo.
Pat was joined on the line from Tokyo Paul Murphy ,who is reporting on the case for the Irish Independent.
The Conclave continues and to talk to Pat about it was Fr Michael Paul Gallagher lecturer in Fundamental Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome and Fr. Michael Collins. Fergal Keane was on smoke watch in the Vatican.
by Julia O’Faolain (Faber & Faber)
Julia O’Faolain is a Booker nominated novelist and a woman with a long history with her native Ireland. Her parents were both writers too, her mother Eileen Gould wrote children’s fiction and her father, Sean O’Faolain was a short story author aswell as being Director of Publicity for the IRA during the Civil War and the lover of the Anglo-Irish novelist, Elizabeth Bowen.
The O’Faolains were a family at odds with the ultra conservative Catholic culture in Ireland at the time of which Julia was sharply aware growing up as a child. She joins us today to discuss this and many more in her new memoir called Trespassers – A Memoir.
On Friday 15 March, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra will perform two major works by the award-winning Irish composer Shaun Davey at the National Concert Hall. Thirty years after its Irish premiere, a chance to hear The Brendan Voyage, a ground-breaking musical narrative for uilleann pipes and symphony orchestra based on Tim Severin’s Atlantic crossing in a medieval leather-skinned boat, retracing St Brendan’s sixth century journey from Ireland to the New World. Master uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn, for whom the piece was written will feature as soloist.
Pat places his bets for charity with Barry Orr, Betfair and John Hunt, BBC 5 Live Racing Commentator.
