Tragic Death of Emmett Connolly

On September 29, 2013, Emmett Connolly, a 32 year old qualified archaeologist who had just returned home from travelling in Australia was stabbed 17 times on a night out in Cootehill in County Cavan.

His killer, Kevin Moran was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.  Last week, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Emmett’s father, Frank and his sister, Leah joined Sean in studio.

Read More: Father of archaeologist Emmet Connolly: 'Gardai told us our son had died violently.... that was when our journey into hell began'  Alison O'Riordan, Irish Times, 9th March 2015

Read More: Man sentenced to 12 years over Cavan manslaughter, RTE.ie, 13th April 2015

Frank Connolly recommends Advic as a help service for advocates of victims of homicide.

EU Emergency Summit on Migration

The EU heads of state will gather today in Brussels for an emergency summit on migration. They are to address the humanitarian catastrophe happening in the Mediterranean. Hundreds of migrants have died trying to cross the sea from Africa to Europe.

Joining Sean on the line from Brussels was Suzanne Lynch, Irish Times European Correspondent with news on a confidential draft summit statement seen by the media, she shares what it said.

Read More: Migrants’ sea deaths focusing European minds, Suzanne Lynch, The Irish Times, 23rd April 2015

Read More: Most migrants crossing Mediterranean will be sent back, EU leaders to agree, Alan Travis, Ian Traynor and Patrick Kingsley, The Guardian, 22nd April 2015

Kilkenny District Court

Paddy O'Gorman has been to the Kilkenny District Court - he tells of those he met there and why they had come to be before the court.

Two Prison Officers Hospitalised

Gabriel Keaveny of the Prison Officers Association spoke to Sean with the breaking news that two prison officers have been hospitalised this morning following an attack at Mountjoy Prison. 

Comments made on Dangers of Drunkenness

Remarks made by a judge in Britain days after Karen Buckley was killed have caused outrage.  British Judge Nigel Cadbury was warning of the dangers of drunkenness when he was sentencing a young woman for assault. He went on to link the warning to Karen’s killing saying it was ‘very, very worrying how young girls put themselves in such very, very vulnerable positions’. Karen’s friends have told the police that she was not drunk on the night she disappeared.

Joining Sean was Ellen O’Malley Dunlop, CEO of the Rape Crisis Centre.

Read More: Karen Buckley killing: Judge suggests student 'put herself in vulnerable position' by drinking,  The Telegraph, 22nd April 2015

You can call the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on 1800 77 8888.

Banking Inquiry

Ciaran Hancock, Irish Times Finance Correspondent, joined Sean from our Dáil studio with the latest on what has been heard so far this morning, day two. 

Paternity Leave

Currently, Ireland is one of the few countries in Europe that does not offer some form of paternity leave. New fathers have to rely on the kindness of their employers or take annual leave to be able to spend time at home with their brand new offspring.

However, surprise-surprise, things are rather different for our Scandinavian brothers. In Sweden, companies actively encourage and support dads to take paid leave of two months.

There is a possibility of two weeks paternal leave to be included in the family leave bill… a move backed by ministers. So why should Dads take it and what are the benefits to us as a society with fathers learning the ropes and bonding their babies?

Joining Sean was David Robbins, a lecturer and PhD researcher in DCU – and father to Grace – and from Stockholm was journalist, father of two, Philip O’Connor.

Read More: Column: How to make parental leave work for dads in Ireland too, Philip O'Connor, The Journal, 28th Feb 2012