The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)

In this episode, Niall Boylan is joined by Independent Councillor Noel Thomas and Dr Cathal Berry, former Independent TD and retired Army officer, to debate one of the most contentious issues surrounding Ireland's foreign policy, the Triple Lock and the Government's plans to reform it.
Under the current system, deploying more than 12 Irish Defence Forces personnel on overseas missions requires approval from the Government, Dáil Éireann and a UN mandate. The Government wants to remove the requirement for UN authorisation, but could this fundamentally change Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality?
Critics argue that removing the Triple Lock risks undermining Irish neutrality and could open the door to greater military involvement in international conflicts. Supporters insist that the current system gives permanent members of the UN Security Council, including Russia and China, an effective veto over Ireland's participation in certain peacekeeping missions.
But is Ireland genuinely neutral in the first place, or is Irish neutrality more complicated than many people realise?
Niall hears from both guests and invites listeners to have their say. Should Ireland retain the Triple Lock, or is it time to remove the UN approval requirement and give the Irish Government greater freedom to decide where our troops serve?
**If the decision were put to a referendum, how would you vote? Would you retain the Triple Lock or support its removal?

In this episode, Niall Boylan takes calls from listeners about a relationship dilemma that raises an interesting question. Can you have a happy, committed relationship without ever living together?
A woman who has been dating a man for several months says they're both divorced, get on brilliantly and genuinely enjoy each other's company. But there's a problem. He's beginning to hint that they should move in together, and she's not sure she wants that.
Having already been married, she's built a comfortable, independent life and has no desire to go back to cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, organising appointments and effectively becoming a housekeeper for another grown man.
She loves the companionship, the romance and the freedom of having her own space. But is it fair to expect a committed relationship while refusing to share a home?
Niall asks whether women, particularly those who have already raised families and been through divorce, are becoming less willing to sacrifice their independence for a relationship. Or is this woman unfairly assuming that moving in with a man automatically means taking responsibility for looking after him?
Is she protecting her independence, or does she simply want all the benefits of a relationship without the compromises?
And what about the man? Is he entitled to expect that a serious relationship will eventually lead to living together?
Niall hears from callers on both sides of the debate, including those who believe couples are happier living apart and others who argue that sharing a home is an important part of building a future together.
Would you move in with a new partner later in life, or have you reached an age where you simply couldn't be bothered living with someone else?
Is living apart the secret to a happy relationship, or is it just being single with benefits?

SHOULD GRANDPARENTS ASK PERMISSION BEFORE HUGGING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN?
In this episode, Niall talks to Eddie Punch about the latest government funded campaign, “We Consent,” which has sparked a heated debate about affection, personal boundaries and whether we're taking things a little too far.
The advert features grandparents arriving to visit their grandchildren. While their grandson happily welcomes them with a hug, their granddaughter refuses, appearing almost uncomfortable when they reach out to embrace her.
The message? Even grandparents should respect a child's right to say no to a hug.
Some people are applauding the campaign for teaching children about consent and bodily autonomy. Others think it's another example of political correctness gone mad, with one online commentator declaring, “She won't hug her lovely grandparents because she's woke.”
Niall and Eddie ask whether we're turning perfectly innocent displays of family affection into something unnecessarily complicated. Is this an important lesson about children's boundaries, or another questionable use of taxpayers' money?
Should grandparents really have to ask permission to hug their own grandchildren? And have we become so obsessed with consent that we're taking the warmth out of family relationships?
Niall and Eddie debate the issue and ask whether this campaign is money well spent or simply over the top.

ARE SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS BEING PUNISHED FOR WORKING HARDER AND EARNING MORE?
Residents in Leitrim are up in arms over rent increases under a new council scheme, with some arguing that they're being penalised simply for working hard and earning a better wage.
In this episode, Niall speaks to Councillor Gavin Pepper and a local Leitrim resident about the protests and the growing anger over how social housing rents are calculated.
The principle sounds fair enough. If you earn more, you pay more. But what happens when working extra hours, getting a pay rise or improving your circumstances means handing over more of your hard-earned money in rent? Are we creating a system that actually discourages people from getting ahead?
On the other hand, why shouldn't social housing tenants who earn a decent income contribute more towards their homes, particularly when private renters are paying enormous rents with little or no support?
Is this a fair system based on people's ability to pay, or another example of people being punished for working hard?
Niall asks whether councils have got the balance right, or whether these rent increases are simply going too far.
Have your say!

Imagine working for the same company for over ten years without a single pay rise, while the cost of living keeps going up and your wages stay exactly the same!
In this episode, Niall talks to callers about a listener's dilemma involving her husband, a man in his 50s who feels trapped in a job where he's overworked, underpaid and too frightened to ask his boss for more money.
He earns almost €50,000 a year, but he's the sole breadwinner supporting his wife and young children. With childcare costs so high, it simply doesn't make financial sense for his wife to return to work.
His boss has a reputation for being ruthless, and he's terrified that asking for a pay rise could cost him his job. To make matters worse, his skills are no longer in great demand, and he fears finding another job at his age could be extremely difficult.
He's miserable, stressed and feels completely taken advantage of. But is he allowing fear to dictate his future?
Should he stand up to his boss and demand a pay rise after ten years, or is €50,000 a decent salary that he should be grateful for?
And are some employers taking advantage of older workers who are too frightened to rock the boat?
Niall asks callers whether loyalty to an employer is worth anything anymore, if workers should be more assertive about their wages and whether sometimes it's better to put up with a bad boss than risk losing everything.
Have you ever been afraid to ask for a pay rise? Are you underpaid and overworked, or should employees stop complaining and be grateful they have a job?