In the build up to the General Election, questions are swirling around accountability in public spending, with projects like the €1.4 million Dáil bike shed and the delayed Greystones cliff walk facing costly, bureaucratic hold-ups.

Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump has tapped Elon Musk to lead a new ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ to cut through red tape and drive results. So, do we need a similar approach here to ensure taxpayer money is spent wisely?

Joining Seán to discuss this is Cormac Lucey, Economics Columnist with the  Sunday Times.

Image: Reuters

Ireland and India may seem far apart in terms of culture, language and tradition, but Seán’s guest says otherwise. There are, in fact, remarkable similarities between the cultures that, once noticed, are impossible to ignore.

Author Manchán Magan joins Seán to discuss his latest book: ‘Brehons and Brahmins: Resonances between Irish and Indian Cultures’.

Image: Mayo Books

This weekend at Dublin’s Art Source fair, Astrophotographer Tom O’Donoghue brings the wonders of deep space to Earth. After a career change in 2008, Tom began capturing stunning images of galaxies, nebulae, and solar eclipses from around the world. One highlight is ‘The Rho Ophiuchi Nebula,’ photographed over 25 nights in Spain.

Tom joins Seán to discuss more.

Hospitals are famously wasteful places, with many things necessarily being thrown out. In fact, 20% of medical care is waste, from plastic biohazard buckets to glass vials. So, how can this change in order to help the climate crisis?

Joining Seán to discuss is Professor Seamus O'Reilly, Consultant Medical Oncologist in Cork University Hospital, who has been carrying out research in this area…

According to a new survey carried out in the southeast of the country, evidence has now been produced that one of Ireland’s most elusive birds, the nocturnal nightjar, is indeed still present in Ireland. 

Joining Seán to discuss is John Lusby, Conservation Officer with BirdWatch Ireland…

Image: BirdWatch Ireland

David Keohan, also known as ‘Indiana Stones’, is reviving the ancient tradition of stone lifting in Ireland. A hobby he got into during lockdown has now encouraged people across the country to put themselves to the test of lifting some of Ireland’s ancient stones to win the glory and honour historically attached to them. 

David joins Seán to discuss.

Image: Nick Bradshaw

We live in a society where the term ‘high value man’ is flung around.

But, what is a high value man? And what happens to men when they can’t live up to this standard? And, ultimately, are young men these days unhappy?  

Joining Seán to discuss is Joe Humphreys, author of The Irish Times Unthinkable philosophy column...

Ticker tape synesthesia is a cognitive state in which those who experience it can actually see the words being spoken to them. But, how does it work?

Joining Seán to discuss is Mark Price, Professor in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Bergen…

Over the last couple of decades, it has become increasingly difficult to get basic household appliances fixed, with the old adage ‘it would be cheaper to buy a new one’ being said more and more. A new proposal aims to make repairing a viable option again. 

Joining Seán to discuss is Ossian Smyth, Green Party TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Circular Economy…

National Science Week, and in that spirit, what are the world’s most weird and wonderful inventions?

Joining Seán to discuss her top picks is Director of Research for Society at Research Ireland, Ruth Freeman.

For more information on events across Science Week, check out scienceweek.ie. With thanks to Research Ireland.

Image: Ostrichpillow

On Friday, the Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was called out to Ballymun to carry out a controlled explosion. But,how exactly does this unit operate, and what danger are these men and women putting themselves in?

Joining Seán to discuss is Ray Lane, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Ordnance Corps in the Irish Army and author of ‘Only a Soldier Knows’...