The Last Word with Matt Cooper

Russell Brand is charged with rape and sexual assault, Chappell Roan says all her friends who have children are 'in hell' and the rarely used Farmleigh House is costing the taxpayer almost €3.25 million a year. Fionnuala Jones and Dave Hanratty join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories. But first, Nick Ferrari, presenter of Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC, explains the charges against the comedian and actor Russell Brand. Catch the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Trauma surgeon Dr Morgan McMonagle recently spent six weeks on a humanitarian mission in Gaza. On The Last Word he recounts the challenges faced by healthcare professionals in Gaza and the grim reality of treating patients in an active war zone. Hear the full conversation by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

New research from the ESRI has shown that only half of fathers are using paternity leave, with issues around levels of income a common reason for not doing so. Claire Keane – Associate Research Professor in Taxation, Welfare & Pensions at the ESRI and co-author of the report and Frances Byrne, Director of Policy, Advocacy & Campaigning with Early Childhood Ireland spoke to Matt on The Last Word about this. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

On Thursday, the death was announced of former intercounty manager and legendary figure, Mick O’Dwyer. Micko was arguably the most influential manager in the GAA’s history, guiding his native Kerry to 8 All-Ireland titles with some of the game’s most prolific players like Páidí O’Sé, Jack O’Shea, Eoin “Bomber” Liston and Pat Spillane. He also managed Kildare, where they won two Leinster titles under his guidance and also reached the 1998 All-Ireland final. Following that, he had spells with Laois, Wicklow and Clare. Former All-Ireland winner with Kerry, Marc O’Sé and former Kildare footballer Johnny Doyle, who played under Micko, spoke to The Last Word to remember him. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

IDA Ireland chairman Feargal O’Rourke considers next steps to guarantee continued inward investment into Ireland following Trump’s 20% tariffs. Kate English, Chief Economist with Deloitte, Paul Colgan economics journalist and Robert Armstrong, US Financial Commentator with the Financial Times, discuss the implications in Ireland, EU and in the US of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs and whether a trade war will ensue. To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

From keeping track of passwords to clearing old email accounts, Andy O'Donoghue joins The Last Word to discuss the measures you can take to protect your information and keep your online life running smoothly. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Legendary singer-songwriter Roisin Murphy was the latest inductee into the Culture Club on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear all her music, film, TV & literature choices.

Ryanair flew 200.2 million passengers in its fiscal year to the end of March, making it the first European airline to carry 200 million passengers in one year. Ian Guider, columnist with the Business Post, joins The Last Word to discuss this and more of the day's business news. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

United Cancer Advocates Network is a newly formed group of cancer advocates who are pushing for better access to cutting edge drugs in Ireland. Chairperson Miriam Staunton joins The Last Word to discuss the challenges Irish cancer patients can face in getting access to new treatments. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Independent, says there has been a huge fall in personal injury claims, with the value of payouts also down, that has yet to be passed to consumers. To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

Ahead of World Autism Day, author Niamh Garvey talked about her late diagnosis and editing a book of essay from neurodiverse people. To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated US columnist, and journalist Marion McKeone join Matt for a bumper edition of the The Last Word on the US. They discuss how US President Donald Trump's tariffs will impact the US; the Trump administration's threats to Greenland; and news that US prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has confirmed the Local Property Tax will rise next year. Most property owners will see it increase by between €5 and €25, with homes being reevaluated from November 2025. Minister Donohoe joined Matt to explain this decision and they also discussed how the introduction of tariffs on European goods by US President Donald Trump will impact Ireland. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear their conversation.

Sam Scriven, senior statistician with the Central Statistics Office, and Eoghan O'Mara Walsh, chief executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, join The Last Word to discuss the latest inbound tourism figures which indicate a collapse in foreign visitors to Ireland. Matt is also joined by Kenny Jacobs, chief executive of the Dublin Airport Authority, to discuss the Dublin airport passenger cap following reports that the government is considering a major intervention. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Kerry won the Division One National Football League on Sunday after a dominant win over Mayo at Croke Park. Elsewhere, Monaghan were crowned winners of Division 2, Offaly were winners in Division 3 and Limerick took the Division 4 title after beating Wexford on Saturday. But after approximately 30,000 people attended the games over the weekend, have the league finals lost their spark? Former Monaghan footballer Dick Clerkin spoke to Matt and Will O’Callaghan about the results. Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.

Stuart McNamara, spokesperson for The Irish Craft and Artisan Distilleries Association and director of Portmagee Whiskey in Kerry, and Barry Cowen, Fianna Fáil MEP discuss the exposure of the Irish Whiskey Industry to US tariffs and what can be done to insure the future of jobs. To catch the full conversation, press the play button on this page.

The European Union urges every household to put together a 72-hour emergency kit, a Conservative MP calls on Ireland to join the Commonwealth and spicebag and morto are added to the Oxford English Dictionary. Journalist Lise Hand and Dion Fanning, co-host of the Free State podcast, join The Last Word to discuss the week's trending stories. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button page!

Conor Gallagher, Security and Crime Correspondent, Irish Times and Prof Colin O’Gara, Head of Addiction Services, St John of God Hospital discuss the findings of an EU-wide study that found Ireland was second only to the Netherlands in terms of ecstasy use among young people. Press play on this page to catch the full conversation.

In 1972, American boxing champion Muhammad Ali, the most famous athlete in the world, came to Ireland to fight in Croke Park. Dave Hannigan, author of 'The Big Fight : When Ali Conquered Ireland', joins The Last Word to discuss how he pieced together the details of one of the most unique events in Irish sporting history. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!

Fianna Fáil Senator Teresa Costello has said that radical reform is needed for women under the age of 50 who present with breast cancer symptoms, having previously been diagnosed with the disease at the age of 36. Ahead of Daffodil Day 2025, she is calling on the Minister for Health to discuss the matter in the Seanad. Hit the ‘Play’ button to hear her chat with Matt.