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

Yesterday’s national public sector strike brought widespread disruption, with thousands of workers walking off the job in one of the biggest industrial actions in decades. But while some praised the workers for standing up for better pay and conditions, others accused them of greed and holding the public to ransom.
In this episode, Niall speaks to protest fuel organiser and agricultural representative John Dallon, as well as election candidate Eddie Punch, about the strike, the growing frustration over the cost of living and whether ordinary workers have finally had enough.
With household bills soaring, wages struggling to keep pace and many families feeling financially squeezed, is it time for something much bigger?
Would you support a full national strike involving both public and private sector workers, effectively shutting down the entire country for 24 hours?
Could such drastic action finally force the Government to listen and deliver meaningful change? Or would it simply punish ordinary people, cost businesses millions, disrupt essential services and put vulnerable people at risk?
Niall, John and Eddie examine the arguments for and against nationwide industrial action, the pressures facing workers, farmers and businesses, and whether a national shutdown could achieve meaningful change or ultimately do more harm than good.
Is a national shutdown exactly what Ireland needs, or has the right to strike gone too far?

25 Years Married and She Catches Him Sex Chatting With Other Women! Is It Cheating?**
In this episode, Niall speaks to callers about a marriage in crisis after a listener makes a devastating discovery about her husband of 25 years.
At 1am, she finds him fast asleep at his laptop with sexually explicit conversations with other women still open on the screen. She's horrified, heartbroken and feels completely betrayed.
But her husband insists he hasn't cheated. He claims he's been lonely, misses intimacy and has been using online sex chats to satisfy needs that haven't been met in their marriage for some time. He argues that because he's never physically touched another woman, he hasn't actually been unfaithful.
His wife admits her sex drive has been low for years and their marriage has lacked physical intimacy. She even wonders whether she's partly to blame for pushing him towards other women online.
Her sister, however, has absolutely no sympathy for him. She says he's a cheat, has betrayed his wife's trust and should be shown the door.
But is it really that simple?
Is sexually explicit chatting with strangers online just harmless fantasy, or is it every bit as much cheating as having a physical affair?
Should this woman throw away 25 years of marriage over conversations on a computer screen? Does a lack of intimacy explain his behaviour, or is he simply making excuses for betraying his wife?
And here's another question. If your partner stopped wanting sex, would you consider online sexual conversations with other people an acceptable alternative?
Niall hears some very different opinions from callers as they debate fidelity, loneliness, sexual frustration, trust and whether a marriage can survive this kind of betrayal.
**Would YOU forgive your husband or wife, or would catching them sex chatting with strangers be the end of your marriage?

Should Ireland Decriminalise All Drugs for Personal Use?
In this episode, Niall speaks to Dublin City Councillor Gavin Pepper about the growing controversy surrounding Ireland’s drug laws and the Government’s refusal to decriminalise drugs for personal possession, despite repeated recommendations from Oireachtas committees.
Three separate cross-party committee reports, published in 2022, 2024 and 2026, have recommended removing criminal penalties for possessing small quantities of drugs for personal use, including cocaine, heroin, cannabis and other illegal substances.
However, under the Government’s new National Drugs Strategy 2026–2030, drugs will remain illegal. Instead, Gardaí will have discretion to refer people caught with small quantities to health services rather than prosecute them.
Minister Jennifer Murnane O’Connor insists this represents a compassionate, health-led approach, while Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has accused the Government of ignoring years of expert advice and cross-party recommendations.
Adding to the controversy, current Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill previously supported decriminalisation when she served as vice-chair of the Justice Committee.
Niall asks Councillor Gavin Pepper whether decriminalisation would be a sensible move towards treating addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal offence, or whether removing criminal penalties would simply normalise drug taking and send a dangerous message, particularly to young people.
Should someone caught with cocaine or heroin for personal use face criminal prosecution, or should the Gardaí simply refer them to health services? Would decriminalisation reduce the harm caused by drugs, or make Ireland's already serious drug problem even worse?
Niall and Gavin debate the consequences, the contradictions in Government policy and whether Ireland is heading in the wrong direction when it comes to tackling illegal drugs.

Is Her Daughter Dating Beneath Her, or Is Mum Just a Snob?
In this episode, Niall speaks to callers about a controversial listener's dilemma that raises questions about class, snobbery, parental expectations and whether love really conquers all.
A concerned mother has contacted the show about her 21-year-old daughter, a law student with a promising future, who has fallen head over heels for a man she met just three months ago.
But when her parents finally met the new boyfriend, they were far from impressed.
According to the mother, he has a thick Dublin accent, is currently unemployed and previously worked stacking shelves in a supermarket. She describes him as a heavy drinker who is brash, vulgar and lacking ambition. When questioned about his family background, he revealed little beyond the fact that his father abandoned him when he was just ten years old.
The mother fears her ambitious daughter could end up financially supporting a man who has little interest in building a career. She believes her daughter is throwing away her potential and says she couldn't have picked a worse partner.
But is there something more uncomfortable going on here?
Are these parents genuinely worried about their daughter's future, or are they simply looking down their noses at a working-class man who doesn't fit their idea of a suitable boyfriend?
Does a Dublin accent, a supermarket job or a difficult family background make someone less worthy of love? Or are his drinking, behaviour and apparent lack of ambition legitimate warning signs?
And at 21, should their daughter be free to make her own mistakes, even if her parents believe she's heading for disaster?
Niall opens the phone lines to ask callers whether these parents are being protective or prejudiced, and whether there's anything wrong with wanting your children to choose a partner with similar ambitions and prospects.
Is this a case of a mother knowing best, or an outrageous example of old-fashioned Irish snobbery?
Have your say on WhatsApp 085 100 22 55.

Niall Boylan is joined by journalist and commentator Laura Perrins to discuss Nigel Farage’s controversial proposal to suspend the UK asylum system for up to five years if Reform UK wins the next general election.
Under the plan, around 90,000 outstanding asylum cases and appeals could be rejected, new applications would be refused, and thousands of asylum seekers could face deportation.
Farage argues that Britain has lost control of its borders and that drastic measures are needed to restore order. Supporters believe it is long overdue, while critics have condemned the proposal as inhumane, discriminatory and a betrayal of vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution.
But could Ireland ever follow Britain's lead? With growing public debate over immigration, asylum accommodation and the cost of the system, should an Irish political party consider a similar five-year suspension?
Or would such a proposal be legally impossible, morally unacceptable and politically unthinkable in Ireland?
Niall asks Laura whether Ireland needs a radically different approach to asylum and whether any Irish political party would even contemplate introducing measures as sweeping as those proposed by Farage.