Behind the Story

At the weekend, President Trump announced that a 30% tariff would come into effect for EU goods going into the US from August 1st. David and Katie are joined by Lorcan Roche Kelly, Agri Business Editor with the Irish Farmers Journal to examine what the impact might be on dairy and whiskey exports. 

Later, David and Katie discuss Chelsea winning the FIFA Club World Cup and whether it's 'football' or 'soccer'! 

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The online journalism and entertainment sectors - from news websites to music streaming services - are facing new challenges with the rise of Artificial Intelligence. How can media companies finance high quality journalism and fight off the threat of AI at a time when digital advertising is becoming more fragmented?

David and Katie discuss what all this means with Dr Eileen Culloty, the Deputy Director of Dublin City University's In...

As the public is urged to conserve water in several counties, David and Katie speak to Public Affairs Editor, David Murphy about the shortage of water and why it is having a serioius impact on future housing developments. They also discuss the demands on the electricity grid and how more energy is needed to power our homes and businesses. 

Later, David is delighted to discuss 'constitutional' matters that are arising in the Cou...

When she was a small child, Sinn Féin Senator Nicole Ryan lived in a home where domestic abuse was commonplace. On one particular night, her mother's former partner threatened to kill them and her mother risked her life to save the children.

Recently, Nicole spoke in the Seanad and was sucessful in getting an amendment added to the revised domestic abuse laws, if the amendment suceeds, the presence of children will be considered an...

In an unexpected turn of events at the Court of Appeal, Conor McGregor withdrew the so called new evidence.  McGregor is appealing the finding of a civil case where a jury found he had raped Nikita Hand in a hotel in 2018.

Orla O’Donnell, RTÉ's Legal Affairs Correspondent, was in the appeal court this week and she joins Fran and Katie to tease out the details of the appeal and where the case might go now.   

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David, Katie and Fran take a look at the politics behind the row over college fees. Earlier this week, Minister for Higher Education James Lawless confirmed there are no cost of living measures to support the continued reduction in fees but that Budget 26 negotiations were ongoing. The opposition isn't happy with that position and wants clarity. 

The trio also discuss UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves tough time during Prime Minister...

Labour's win over the Tories last summer was described as a 'loveless landslide' and as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer marks one year in office, David, Katie and Fran discuss his short lived political honeymoon. Recent polls suggest he has some of the lowest approval ratings of any recently elected PM. 

The trio are joined by George Parker, Political Editor of the Financial Times to examine Starmer's political wins and losses. ...

A school beating that lingered: Paul Cunningham reveals his personal story of what happened to him as a ten year old child and how recent changes to child protection guidelines are helping to address some of the issues victims were experiencing when contacting their former schools. 

Katie and Paul also discuss Ireland's defence spend and why government are getting involved in an EU procurement scheme. 

And 27 dresses - the ...

The race to become the next Mayor of New York took a surprising turn when a relative unknown candidate topped the Democratic primary - David, Katie and Fran discuss what that might mean for the Democratic Party. Later, the trio discuss the report in the decline of the nightclubs and the cost of gigs this summer. 

David and Fran also talk to Katie about the cancellation of the TV show Upfront and what might happen next. 

As the trailer drops for Saipan the movie, Fran and Katie discuss who they supported in the Roy Keane v Mick McCarthy row from World Cup 2002. 

The team also discuss the impact of new requirements to provide US authorities with info on social media accounts for student study visas. And later, Graham Finlay, Assistant Professor in UCD discusses the possibility of regime change in Iran. 

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As some well known names rule themselves out,  while others express interest in running for the Presidency, Fran, David and Katie discuss the most brutal race of all, a run for Áras. 

With just four months to go, who are the possible candidates that might emerge? The trio discuss previous Presidential campaigns including the infamous 1990 campaign that saw Mary Robinson elected. David surprises Katie and Fran with a quick ...

Westminister Magistrates Court had never seen a scene like it – tunes were blaring, chants were sung, hundreds turned up to support Kneecap’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh as he appeared charged under the UK's anti-terror legislation.

In the latest episode of Behind the Story, RTÉ’s man in London Tommy Meskill helped Fran McNulty, Katie Hannon, and David McCullagh unpack it all.

The trio also took a look at Iran, as Donald Trump has proclaimed...

Following a report today by Consumer Affairs Correspondent Aengus Cox, Katie, Fran and David talk about why people may be avoiding Greece and Spain and opting for northern Europe instead for their summer holidays. 

Norway is seeing a 50% rise in visitors year-on-year while traditional sunny destinations are seeing a spike in Spring and Autumn months. 

The team also take a look at the online forum Tattle Life, after a landma...

Kenneth Strange is a former FBI agent who is friends with the family of Annie McCarrick who went missing from her Dublin home in 1993. 

A suspect who was this week arrested in connection with her murder was later released without charge.

Fran and Katie talk to Kenneth about the case, and later they are joined by Dr Eugenio Lilli of UCD to talk about how Iran may react to Israel's strikes.

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There have been calls for calm following two nights of riots that saw 32 PSNI officers injured. The riots started out as a protest on Monday night linked to an alleged sexual assault.

Two teenagers have since appeared in court charged with attempted rape, while on the streets cars have been set on fire, houses have been targeted, and water cannons have been deployed.

Many of those targeted are migrants living in the area, and the po...

One of the country’s biggest teaching unions voted against Leaving Cert reform at the weekend citing resources and capacity.

But another concern is a lack of guidance on the use of AI by students. While the Department of Education is working on guidelines here, Estonia is putting AI into the classrooms for 16 years from September.

Fran and David speak to Estonia’s Education Minister Kristina Kallas and she explains how teachers and...

A documentary by RTÉ Investigates revealed multiple examples of care failings at one of Ireland’s leading nursing home providers.  

Fran and Katie discuss the programme and the questions raised about how older people are cared for.

Meanwhile, in the US, the bromance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk came to an abrupt end on social media after the tech boss criticised the President’s “big, beautiful” tax and spending bill....

Operation Spider’s Web was a Ukrainian attack that saw more than 100 drones target strategic bomber aircraft at sites deep inside Russia.

The country’s domestic intelligence service claimed that it caused €6 billion worth of damage to Russia’s military in an attack that it had been working on it for 18 months.

Fran and David talk to Dr Patrick Bury, Senior Associate Professor in Security at the University of Bath, about the logisti...