Highlights From The Pat Kenny Show

Searches are continuing this morning at a site in Donabate for a young boy who has been missing from Dublin for up to four years. . Emily Keegan is at the site of the search and gave us this update.

The European commission will adopt a proposal to ratify the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement. The Irish government is opposed to the agreement and will not support it unless there are assurances to protect Irish farmers and food standards.  The IFA said the deal could 'decimate' the Irish beef and poultry sector.  Pat discusses this further with Francie Gorman the IFA President and Jack Power, Europe Correspondent for The Irish Times.

 More than a quarter of primary school children and over a third of secondary school children have engaged with AI chatbots, according to figures published today in CyberSafeKids’ annual Trends and Usage Report. Pat discusses these findings with Jess along with a review of the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Who is Gavin Newsom and is he the new darling of the Democrats? To discuss further Pat was joined on the show by Brett Bruen, President of the Global Situation Room and Former Director of Global Engagement at the White House during the Obama Administration.

As immigration is one of the biggest issues engulfing UK politics. The Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage is hellbent on stopping the small boats and illegal immigration entering the UK. We ask will this plan upset the Good Friday Agreement? All to discuss with Colum Eastwood, MP for Foyle and Former SDLP Leader.

Secretaries and caretakers continue to strike over public service pensions and other entitlements. Is there any resolution in sight? Pat discusses this and more with Andy Pike, Head of Education at FOSRA.

There are growing concerns as powers preventing electoral disinformation are unlikely to be implemented by the presidential election. Stephen McDermott, Editor of FactCheck with TheJournal.ie and also Ciaran O’Connor, Institute for Strategic Dialogue Senior Analyst.

Gardaí are investigating the disappearance of a child who they suspect is dead. The boy has not been seen for at least three years. This morning Gardaí are searching an area of open ground in Donabate. Our reporter Stephanie Rohan, Newstalk Reporteris at the scene. Also talking to Pat was Tanya Ward, CEO of Children’s Right Alliance.

There is growing demand for workplaces to offer employee assistance programmes. These programmes help tackle issues surrounding mental health and hence improve working environments.  But how do companies go about implementing these programmes, and how can employees open up about their mental health? All to discuss with Peter Cosgrove, Managing Director of Futurewise and Chairman of the mental heath charity Aware and Enda Murphy, Psychotherapist and author. 

‘High’ or ‘added’ protein foods are popping up everywhere from ice cream to pizza and even coffee. The nutrient’s newfound popularity has a lot to do with the fact that it helps our bodies repair and build up muscle. But could these new snacks come with hidden health risks? And are there other nutrients we should be paying more attention to? Pat discusses this and more with Ciara McNulty, Senior Dietitian at The Rotunda and owner of Happy Feet Run Club.

A flotilla of boats destined for Gaza carrying Greta Thunberg has departed from Barcelona. While the world's leading association of genocide scholars has declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. All to discuss with Paul Rogers is Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University.

Keith Walsh, Family Law and Divorce Solicitor   answering the questions you may have over managing the legalities of your divorce.

Thousands of children are set to be left without a hot lunch from today because suppliers claim changes to the Government’s school meals programme make providing to small schools financially unviable. We discuss this situation further with Ray Nangle, CEO of The Lunch Bag  and also Bríd Hanrahan, Deputy Principal of Kilbaha National School.

Hairdressers are joining the calls for the government to reduce the vat rate back to 9 percent to deal with the rising business costs. To discuss this further Pat was joined on the show by Lisa Eccles Dublin, President of the Irish hairdressers Federation and Owner of Zinc hair and beauty in Kilmainham Dublin. 

It's time to think about autumn and winter and to plan for yourself and your own well-being. Planning for winter is about aligning your environment, your habits and your mindset with the season that is ahead instead of just enduring it- you can thrive  on it. There are three components you need to consider when picking a hobby:  Physical, Mental and emotional as well as social connection. Clinical psychotherapist Stephanie Regan provides all the tips you need ahead of the winter.  

The Tenant-in-Setu scheme has headlined the papers recently as many tenants are being evicted because more councils are pausing the scheme  But what is this scheme, who is affected, and why is it being paused? Karl Deeter from Karl Deeter of Irish Mortgage Brokers explains all.

Sean Defoe, Newstalk's Political Correspondent and the Host of Let Me Explain Podcast brings us all an update on what happening in Irish politics.

Ireland’s women’s rugby is through to the World Cup quarter final after beating Spain over the weekend. They will face the black ferns in a challenging match next.  There was also plenty of premier league action as Liverpool beat the Gunners on their home turf, taking them to top of the Premier League table.  The Red Devils also scraped a narrow win over Burnley on Saturday, gaining their first win of the season. All to chat with Cathal Mullaney, Broadcaster with Off the Ball.

Earlier in the year, the CSO reported a 30% decline in visitor numbers for February, Economists warned that Ireland's tourism industry was at a tipping point, while others said Ireland had become too expensive for holiday makers to handle.  So, as the Summer of Tourism 2025 comes to a close, Newstalk reporter Sarah Madden finds out if the high season really did end on a low: 

Aid agencies issue urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered Enclave. Which begs the question, can Gaza survive famine amid total collapse? Pat discusses this and more with Alastair Campbell, Former Downing Street Director of communications and strategy. Host of the rest is politics podcast.