Niall Boylan & AJ Walsh, give out about the weeks news, so you dont have to.

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-31

[00:00:04][music] [music] [music] All right. Welcome along. Welcome along.

[00:00:30]Something a little bit different. Yeah.

[00:00:31]Well, you know, we talk about lots of stuff during the week, but at the weekend, myself and AJ, who joins me as well. AJ, say hello.

[00:00:38]>> There's AJ there. Hi.

[00:00:40]>> Yeah. We're going to have a kind of weekly roundup of all the kind of stuff that we talked about during the week and one or two other things as well, both from here in Ireland and some of the stuff from that's happening in the UK that's kind of directly related to us as well. So, um, if you want to join in, you can't. I was see you were expecting me to say text 5354 or whatever the hell it was but no you can't join in. So look it's just a free-for-all. We can just say what we want and you can't even challenge it. And by the way I don't even have to be radio friendly. So I say things like [ __ ] and it doesn't really matter. You know what I mean? [laughter] >> Wow.

[00:01:12]>> We She's thinking to herself. I didn't think we were going there. [laughter] Anyway, >> we're here already.

[00:01:18]>> Yeah. I mean Jesus I melted here. Should I have not worn the jacket? AJ. I was trying to look all professional. You know what I mean?

[00:01:25]>> I know. I've literally got a t-shirt on.

[00:01:27]I'm like, what are you doing?

[00:01:28]>> You know what you should have said there because it goes out in audio and video.

[00:01:31]So, the ones that are listening on audio, you should have said, I'm literally naked here. And that would have made them go to the website and watch the video. That would have been better.

[00:01:38]>> Yeah, of course. They might want to see my white t-shirt.

[00:01:41]>> I hope. Maybe. Maybe. So, AJ, as you know, in case you don't know AJ, and some of you may not know her, AJ worked with me as a producer on radio going back about a year and a half ago. and we've had a great relationship ever since. So, we decided we'd kind of do this together h at the weekends. So, and hopefully, look, we want you to listen to it and continue to listen to it every week and support us like you do the the midweek show. Now, so I suppose the first thing we have to talk about is the weather because we just mentioned how warm it is. And I'm in a studio here and it's absolutely stifling even though I've got two fans behind me here.

[00:02:12]There's no air conditioning and everyone keeps saying to me, "But you said you'd like to live in Florida. Surely you love the heat." And I go, "Yeah, well, they have air conditioning in the houses in Florida." You're in the UK, so it's even worse there.

[00:02:23]>> Yeah. So, it's 26° here right now, and that's cooling down. I think it got to 34 degrees today. It's been 35, 36°.

[00:02:31]It's absolutely boiling. And that's the thing. I used to live in Spain where you had air conditioning in the house. You had air conditioning in all the stores, all of that. Here, it's there's no break from it. And that's the thing. And it's so humid as well. H So, it's close. It's that sticky kind of feel.

[00:02:45]>> Me mother used to use that term. I don't even know what it means. It's very close today, isn't it? What I mean, what what does that even mean? Close.

[00:02:54]>> It's very close. I don't know. But it's close. I tell you it's close.

[00:02:58]>> Good day for drying the clothes. That you say >> it's great. I'm getting all me washing done. It's fantastic.

[00:03:04]>> Right. But see, here's what happened. So we three day Well, we've had about three days, four days maybe at this stage is about that of decent weather, right? RTE on the first day, they just couldn't resist it. They couldn't help themselves. The one with the the straight fringe haircut, what's her name on the news? 61 News. What's her name?

[00:03:21]She kind of has a straight >> Sharon. Sharon Tobin.

[00:03:24]>> Yeah. I always She reminds me kind of Mystic Meg or something like that.

[00:03:27]Anyway, so she's out there and she's standing at some estry and she has George with her, George Lee. He's like the the prophet of doom, right? Because he was the one during co who was telling us every day many people were dying and sick, right? So he's there standing beside her and she goes, "Lovely day.

[00:03:40]You can hear all the people having a great time behind me here on this beautiful day and beautiful weather. But George, it's not all good, is it? This is what climate change is all about. And I went, "Oh, for [ __ ] sake." It's like, you know, just give it a rest for one day and just have ice cream. I mean, what's their obsession?

[00:03:57][laughter and gasps] >> No, it is. It is an obsession. And even when they they've shown pictures of the weather reports from back in the early 90s and the temperatures are higher than they are now, and we've got they're completely different colors. So their their weather forecast was orange and green and blue and now it's like red [laughter] and redder even redder again to show how like it's actually on fire and it's not even as hot as it has been. You know, I understand that it's hotter as as May goes. It's [clears throat] hotter. We've broken records, but I mean I don't even believe this we're broken records thing, right? Because I was reading up I went into this kind of down the rabbit hole last night, right? And if you go back in time back to the 1975 where you know that was one record 1995 was another record for May right but like and it's only one degree in the difference what it is now they use different equipment so they use equipment with mercury thermometers mercury barometers nowadays they're all digital and also they would have been you know when you build up cities and they become denser you've more concrete which contains the heat so that increases the heat or the humidity in an area as well. So all those things have to be taken into consideration and they're not. And they're measuring ground temperature, you know, at airports. We don't know what size the airport was back in 1975 or was there more wind? So like it's just not comparing like with like anymore.

[00:05:14]>> Yeah. It's not actually scientific at all. It's not it's not a proper scientific experiment. And that is a really good point that you've just made.

[00:05:21]We're breaking records comparing it, but you're not comparing it properly. So are we actually breaking records? Um it's all I've always found that we can have really hot weather in the UK at this sort of time of year. Um I've there's been um Patty's days that I've had over here before where I've been absolutely sweating. We've been out in vests, you know, and that's year.

[00:05:43]>> Yeah, in March. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.

[00:05:45]Yeah. They absolutely roast.

[00:05:46]>> Okay. You're down near London somewhere.

[00:05:48]So I don't want to say where exactly where you are, but you're down near London somewhere. You've moved back to the UK for people who aren't interested in where you are. You've moved back to the UK and you're working over there. So I, by the way, I'm delighted to see that you're working over there. You're getting on well. You're far better off.

[00:05:59]Yeah, far better off, let me tell you, than being over here and listen to the Irish politics constantly all the time, but I'm I'm assuming you're still following all the stories. But in relation in relation to the weather, I mean, look, I have no doubt the weather is changing and the climate is changing and, you know, it may get warmer. We're allegedly coming out of an ice age for the last god knows how many hundred thousand years. But like I'm thinking to myself, they're saying like if this continues and we continue burning fossil fuels like this, it could go up another degree in the next 10 years. I'm going out me 3 liter diesel now because if we can push that temperature up another degree for the rest of the year. I'm I'm all I'm all for that. [laughter] >> I'm all for that.

[00:06:37]>> I mean I do think though that we have to take into account that weather has changed all of the time. Like the temperatures have changed. Every things have shifted um across the world. We have to take that into account. It's just that we're putting everything down now to climate change. Absolutely everything that so and and it's not actually factual, I don't think, personally.

[00:06:55]>> No, I know. I I don't think anybody's willing to listen to the other arguments. And there is other arguments, but they don't get funded. They don't get airtime because they're considered to be naysayers. People, some people listening to this right now are going to go, "Boland's a climate denier. I'm not a climate."

[00:07:10]>> No, I know the climate's changing.

[00:07:12]>> Yeah. But I don't know if we're responsible for it or not. That's the only thing. Anyway, um now here was an interesting story that we kind of covered on the show, right? And it was in relation to the census have released new figures and and what they do with the census is as you know over the four or five year period they release little snippets every now and again, right? So this particular snippet was 22% of Irish people um identify as disabled. Now I looked up when I saw here went that's like nearly one in four are disabled. I said, I'm thinking of four people I know now. They're not disabled. I'm thinking of another four. They're not disabled.

[00:07:48]This couldn't be true. Couldn't be true.

[00:07:50]And I looked up the world population according to the WHO and it's like 16%.

[00:07:54]America is 13%. So where are all these disabled people? I do think there's loads of people just scamming the system pretending to be disabled.

[00:08:02]>> But what is actually what how do they classify themselves as actually disables? Like what is it? Is it, you know, is it is it something that's going to be very visible? Is it something that people are going to talk about? Is it something that you know if someone has a disability do you necessarily know about it? There's you know there's there's disabilities that you can't see.

[00:08:20]>> No. No. I know that. And by the way I'm not I don't want to denigrate those people who genuinely have a real disability and deserve all the supports and help they get they probably should get more actually in fairness. But I remember many years ago George Osborne in the UK who was a kind of secretary of finance or minister for finance or whatever they call them over there the treasurer what do they call them? What's the what's the person called over there looks after all the finances? Oh, the uh the uh Oh my god. [laughter] >> There you go. You should know this. But anyway, you should never think she was a news raider in the UK, would you?

[00:08:48]Anyway, so him anyway, George Osborne many, many years ago decided to do a whole, you know, review of people on disabilities because there was too many people claiming disabilities. So, he called them all in and said, "Right, you all have to go to an independent doctor and check." And something like half them, I think, if I remember right, he don't quote me, but half them, you know, were actually weren't actually disabled at all and quite capable of working. And they were just basically saying, "I have a bad back for the last 20 years," you know? Well, then sit down and get a job in a telly center or something like that. So, I I just think like I have a bad back, you know what I mean? I was really sick last year. Actually worked.

[00:09:20]You actually witnessed it. [laughter] I was working with 40° temperatures, sweating while I [snorts] had mad purple spots all over me legs while they were swelling. As Do you remember that? As according to I was >> I remember Well, I remember. Yeah. As the card I was doing the show, I was I was sending AJ photographs of me legs [laughter] and they were getting bigger and bigger and uh and I had fans >> literally. Oh, and you were having to do you remember you were having to keep them up raised up with fans around.

[00:09:48]>> I know.

[00:09:49]>> Jesus.

[00:09:49]>> So, I mean, but that was >> Yeah.

[00:09:52]>> The point I'm making is like I was I'm technically I was illness. I was going through an illness. I should be getting ill benefits or something like that, but I still have a disability as such with my back and everything. I get sciatica, but I'm still working. I don't claim disability. I just think too many people are claiming for something and just get out and get a job. You know what I mean?

[00:10:12]Maybe I'm wrong.

[00:10:13]>> Yeah, I it is it is easy to say that, but I mean there's a lot of people there who who find it difficult to go out and get a job for whatever reason. I just I don't know what uh what is actual actually classifies you as disabled. Is it, you know, if you've got agrophobia or you've got high anxiety, is that what's classifying you as being disabled as well? Because often times now these kind of things aren't taboo subjects anymore. People are talking about them and people understand that they do maybe have some sort form of disability that does stop them from going and getting a job because it's something that is being diagnosed now. People are being diagnosed with different things whereas they weren't before and it wasn't something that was spoken about before.

[00:10:50]So I think that that's where the difference is. It's not that we have more disabled people now. It's that there's more people that are aware of it and >> but why particularly Ireland? Why particularly Ireland? I mean, the rest of the world seems to be happy with the Yeah. Well, the rest of the world seems to be happy enough at 16% of the people disabled. We're at 22. That's one in four. I mean, you must know at least, I don't know, 200 people. Can you honestly tell me that one in four of them is disabled?

[00:11:14]>> No, definitely. No, I wouldn't have said so. I wouldn't have said so. Is it a case I just don't know about it or is it a case where people are the figures are skewed because people are lying? I don't know. And >> I don't I don't know. I don't know what the answer is, but you know, >> there's genuinely disabled people, but there I think some people are just going to scam the system. Now, >> the return bottle thing, what's that?

[00:11:36]Oh, the scheme called. Oh, yes. Yes. The Ireland's deposit return scheme.

[00:11:40]>> Now, I don't know if you have this in in England. I know they have it in Scotland, >> but I don't know if you have Okay. But you experienced it here for a very brief time.

[00:11:48]>> I certainly did. And from from when it came in, Yeah. And it was honestly a nightmare. I actually did it on your show when I was covering for you when you were really sick. Okay. You did it.

[00:11:58]We did it.

[00:11:58]>> Yeah. Trying to rob me. Trying to rob me job, but go on anyway. Yeah. Go.

[00:12:01]>> I was trying to steal your job.

[00:12:03][laughter] >> Sick of a sick man. Trying to steal the job of a sick man and no conscience whatsoever.

[00:12:09]>> You out.

[00:12:10]>> Yeah, that's what you said at the time.

[00:12:12]I understand that's what you said at the time, but you were kind of hoping against hope that maybe he'll be too sick to return and I'll get a job fulltime doing a talk show.

[00:12:19]>> Jesus, Nile, you're so cynical. Um, no.

[00:12:22]But [laughter] >> I heard you. I was listening to when I was in hospital and we die in bed. I was listening to I was listening to AJ Wal here filling in for N boy. That was the first night. N is very sick. And then by the time it got to kind of night four or five AJ Wal here, there was no mention of Nile Boland anymore. [laughter] >> That's not true. That is so not true.

[00:12:43]>> I know it's not. I'm just making it up.

[00:12:44]But that was funny. But come on. So yeah. So yeah. So getting getting back to this return scheme. Yeah.

[00:12:50]>> Yeah.

[00:12:51]And so we had at we we went out to Mr. Price and we bought our recycling bags and we had them in the utility room and we had literally every time you lift it up it was dripping. It stunk of beer. It had flies around it. It had wasps around it. And there we are going down to Tesco's. And every time I'm down in in Tesco's or little or any of the supermarkets, you can shop anywhere. Of course, we're not advertising any of them. Um I'd be going down and >> Hold on. Hold on. Just stop. You're not on radio now. It doesn't matter. You went to Tesco's. It's grand or little.

[00:13:22]The cheap [ __ ] too little go up. So, >> so yeah, every time you're there, then you've got this like sticky stinky hand when Oh, it's it was honestly it was absolutely ridiculous. And you get down there as well and the machines wouldn't be working. Um, the whole thing was just an absolute joke. The broken machines everywhere, people dumping cans everywhere, and we've got recycling bins at home. We're paying for somebody to collect our recycling at home. Like, what is the issue here? So, no, we it's not here in the UK, but there has been talks about them bringing it in. So, I mean, I'm hoping they don't. Um, so I haven't heard that.

[00:13:54]>> You know, they will. You just know Star's looking for money. You know, they'll bring it in.

[00:13:58]>> Now, the 66.9 million in uncollected money, by the way, returned the company who are running it. We're a nonprofit company. Now, when I say they're a nonprofit company, they have a CEO and they have a board of executives. You can be damn sure they're not on the average industrial wage. And so they're making, you know, a few quid for themselves for their wages and salaries, but it's a nonprofit company. But here's the thing.

[00:14:20]So the whole idea was it was to the stuff was meant to be recycled. And yet most of it's not being recycled in Ireland. I believe it's been shipped off somewhere else to be recycled.

[00:14:28]>> Yeah.

[00:14:28]>> I mean, what was So what's the difference in us just flinging it into the old green bin that we pardon me, we used to just fling it into, >> you know? I can hands Red Bull.

[00:14:37]>> I've actually there's a bit if you can see the bin over there.

[00:14:40]>> I've seen your bin before. oil.

[00:14:43]>> There's about 15 cans on the top of it empty, >> guzzled in the last two or three days.

[00:14:47]Yeah. So, I just I wouldn't be asked like why would you be but and what they did was instead of rewarding you like when I was a kid, we used to get money back on the TK bottles, you know, the old the TK bottles or lemonade bottles, whatever it was, right? So, my mom would keep a few of them. She'd give me four bottles and say, "Bring them over to Pats." That was the local shop. Bring them over to Pats and buy yourself something. So, I go over to Pats. You get two pins back on each bottle. you'd have 10 p. You'd buy a packet of crisps and an ice cream or something, right?

[00:15:13]You'd be delighted with what you >> reward. So, >> that was the reward. But the Green Party didn't give people a reward. They actually punished you. They said, "We're actually going to charge you more for it and we're not giving you money back unless you bring back the bottle." So, it was like instead instead of the carrot and the stick, it was the stick and the carrot.

[00:15:27]>> Oh, 100% done completely backwards. And you'd be looking at your shopping at your receipt and I mean, it's expensive anyway. Um, and you're like, "How much am I paying extra for these cans or bottles or anything like that?" It did get to a point where I was like avoiding buying anything like that that I'd have to then return. Um and then yeah, I did just get the kids to bring it back then and just they could keep the money. That was that was the way I did it. Uh cuz I just got sick and tired of it.

[00:15:50]>> And then you have the scavengers in town. I witnessed them in Delare Street last week going through the bins, pulling all the stuff out onto the road and you know taking the bottles and bringing them into the spar shop and getting a few quid so they can buy some food. God bless them and they're buying a bit of food. Maybe homeless people.

[00:16:02]But there's professionals out there doing it too. professional gangs who were sending women out to search these bins, >> primarily women.

[00:16:09]>> And then the do you remember in um in the city center they designed those bins with the with the shelves underneath them?

[00:16:14]>> That was the mayor. The mayor come up with that idea. Like a little teeny shelf that what's that going to do?

[00:16:20]>> I know. I know. And I mean the cost and the the amount of work that went into designing these bins and making them and setting them up and it's just what are we doing? And then if there's a gust of wind in the road blowing across the street.

[00:16:33]>> Yeah. I saw a picture one the other day and it had that little tray thing around it. It's like only the width of the bottle around it. Right. And it was like four bottles lying down on it where the wind had blown them over and loads them all over the ground beside it. It's a stupid idea. I some consultant probably got 200,000 to come up with the plan for it and then it went down to tender and they probably paid ridiculous price for somebody to come out and weld all these things.

[00:16:54]>> To actually see those figures I reckon you'd be you'd be gobsmacked. But that we we did that as well. We covered that.

[00:17:00]I think I think actually maybe you covered it or anyway maybe you or I covered.

[00:17:04]>> Maybe it was another time you were trying to rob me job. When when was that? [laughter] >> That was a different occasion.

[00:17:09]>> He's gone on holidays. He might not come back. He could get killed over there. I could get his job. [laughter] >> I mean, with a bit of luck.

[00:17:17]>> It was It was a pleasure having you fill it in for me, AJ. Okay. So the other thing as well is you probably don't remember because you're a bit younger than me, but most people would remember.

[00:17:28]>> Young people of Ireland, I love you.

[00:17:32]>> It's not an episode of all the terrorists. Do you remember? Do you remember that?

[00:17:36]>> No.

[00:17:37]>> Ah, I give you a clue. See? Oh, this is only good for people who can see it on the video. Okay. So, if they're watching on YouTube or whatever. Okay. Young people of Ireland, I love you.

[00:17:49][laughter] >> I know what this is. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:17:51]Yeah. It's the Pope.

[00:17:52]>> Yeah. Pope on a rope. So, so the Pope was here in 1979, John Paul. We all thought he was the bell of the ball at the time, but then stuff came out afterwards we didn't kind of know about.

[00:18:02]Anyway, that he kind of knew about stuff that he should have said. So, there was a million people, still the biggest single crowd at an event ever in Irish history, right? It'll never be repeated.

[00:18:12]A million people in the Phoenix park, not including what was lining the streets and everything else, right? I was there in the FCA with me gun standing in Dame Street, 16 years of age, sweating. Anyway, so Leon was Yeah.

[00:18:22]Yeah. Yeah. So me >> So put that in the book.

[00:18:26]>> Yeah. Yeah. That's going into the book.

[00:18:27]There's a lot going into the book. By the way, there's a few people [ __ ] themselves over this book. By the way, can I just point out there's few I hope he doesn't mention me and what I said to him four or five years ago. Yeah. I will be mentioning you. Yeah. So there I was on Dame Street with me gun 16 years of age because I joined the FCA.

[00:18:42]>> Were you?

[00:18:43]>> Huh?

[00:18:45]Did you were you why were you never in like the girl guides or something like that when you were younger? No. No.

[00:18:51]Right. They're kind of most of these organizations are quite a bit dodgy anyway, aren't they? But I was 16. I was You're meant to be 18, but I lied about my age like all the class and we all got in and we got paid kind of, you know, this kind of substance amount of money.

[00:19:04]So anyway, I was there. So Me Martin was over during the week with Pope Leo the 9th. Is he the 10th? The 9th something?

[00:19:11]>> The 14th.

[00:19:12]>> 14th is he right. Okay. Well, he's a he's a Leo anyway, right? So, and he's invited him over to Ireland. Now, to be fair, he's probably not going to come for a few years, right? Because I know this year alone, we have the king and there's a good chance Donald Trump will come in September for the golf. So, like we're going to be out the door with official visitors this year. So, even if he comes next year, the year after, right? We were kind of asking the question, is he welcome on a [clears throat] very serious note after all the [ __ ] you know, the Catholic Church has put Ireland through over the years. Do you reckon he's welcome? Do you reckon do you reckon he'll pull a crowd even?

[00:19:44]>> I do reckon he's welcome and I do reckon he will pull a crowd. Um I think that there's obviously there's mixed mixed reactions to the Catholic Church now, but I definitely think there's a very much an underlying feeling of forgiveness now. Now I could be completely wrong. Um but I do especially with PO the way Pope Francis brought the church um and he very much recognized the wrongdoings um and he addressed them you know they weren't swept under the carpet and I think that that I think that he did great things for the Catholic Church. Now it's not going to pull crowds like a million in the Phoenix Park or anything like that but I definitely think he's welcome and I definitely think that there's still a strong sense of faith in Ireland. Um, and I do think there there is respect and I think there's respect for this pope as well.

[00:20:33]Um, so yeah, I could be I could be naive, but I think that there is. And I mean, I for one would be happy to see him visit Ireland. Sure.

[00:20:39]>> Would you?

[00:20:40]>> No. Yeah, I would. I would. And you know, I'm not religious. Um, but I do have I just have a respect for different religions and I have a respect for the Catholic.

[00:20:48]>> Surprises me. I mean, you ran an event last week which was Arman Vanvan or whatever his name was, Van Burren. And this week you want to go and see the pope. There's kind of a bit of a stark contrast between the two. I think you can you can go to a you can go to a rave one week and you can go and see the pope the next. You know, we're living in modern times now. [laughter] >> I know, but but if you're not religious, what's in it for you?

[00:21:09]>> It's not that there's anything in it. It It's also a a case of I'm not religious, but I do see there is something quite sort of nostalgic and, you know, comforting about still about the church for me. Um, having grown up in Ireland, a lot of people wouldn't agree with me.

[00:21:26]A lot of people would have, you know, the the complete opposite thoughts about the Catholic Church if they've, you know, suffered abuse or they know somebody that has or, you know, I know certainly members of my family are very ant against the church. They're very anti- Catholicism. H but I'm not and I don't know. I just I have a I have a a strong sense of it. But religious do you bring your kids up religious like believing in God or >> No, I definitely I definitely encourage them to to make their own decisions but I don't bring them up uh religious but I do bring them up with the values uh that with Christian values but it's not not in a religious sense. Um and I suppose that you could argue that that's just you know human values really. It's like kindness and, you know, thoughtfulness and to be caring and, you know, to do your best and treat others the way you want to be treated. Um, and they're all things that I learned growing up from the Catholic Church, but as I've grown up, I'm like feel that it is more just they're just human values. Um, but yeah, no, I I think there's a place and I think that >> um I don't know. I just think that the popes now recognize what happened and they do try and address it and I I don't think that it's been swept under the carpet anymore.

[00:22:41]>> Oh. So you think you think there's genuinely a kind of change because there was you know almost like an epidemic at one stage of it wasn't it really and it wasn't so much about let's be be fair it was like it was only one and a half% of priests that did this right but that wasn't the real problem the real problem was the culture of hiding it wasn't it >> the culture of hiding it sweeping things under the carpet and also sort of people in positions of power um and and having you know thinking that they're prophets or they're gods you know almost uh because they're representing God. Um and I think that that has a lot to do with it. And I think that's why I don't that's why I'm not religious. I think because I don't think that people anybody should be um above somebody else in that respect and have a sense of power over somebody else. Um so yeah. So that's that's why I wouldn't prescribe to the Catholic religion, but I do I do respect it.

[00:23:33]>> So you don't you don't agree with people having power over other people?

[00:23:37]>> Well, not in that not in that way. No.

[00:23:38]Oh, I was going to say, is that why you know you don't stay jobs too long?

[00:23:42][laughter] No, I'm I'm joking.

[00:23:46]Don't tell me what to do. I'll do my own thing. [laughter] >> I'm joking. I'm joking.

[00:23:52]>> Okay. Now, you you're obviously, you know, working in media now in the UK. So you've been part of the whole voting experience over the last 3 or 4 weeks, you know, with the local elections over there where reform of course swept the board essentially and put Garm in a huge amount of trouble.

[00:24:10]>> We've had kind of similar situation here with the bi-elections and it seemed I mean according to Ben Scallum when I was talking to him last week there was a kind of apathy towards voting now which is that I and some of the quotes that he gave me was I couldn't be ared. That's what people in the streets were saying like are you going to vote who you going to vote for? I couldn't be urs and there is a kind of apathy towards voting. Now I don't know if it's same in the UK or not but and when they did vote what surprised me was particularly in the city center they voted left. Now the left are brilliant at marketing you know vote left stay left all this kind of stuff whereas the right just fight against each other so that's probably how they do better you know. Um, so but they did vote left. I mean, you had three leftwing in the one, two, and three in the city center, which kind of was and the Green Party came in third. I mean, that blew my mind. I mean, I thought they >> I'm surprised. Yeah, I'm really surprised with the Green Party. Yeah.

[00:25:02]>> Yeah. So, is it the same in the UK? Is there a kind of vote left situation? And is there an apathy towards voting? are people not bothered anymore or >> there's definitely an apathy towards voting and with the last few votes that happened in Ireland. You could see it with the with the uh the turnout at the polls. Um there was I think in the last in the one here in the UK so it wasn't every area it was only some of the areas and there was a 40% turnout sort of a 37 to 40% turnout. So there's definitely an aathy an apathy towards towards voting.

[00:25:34]Um the majority of areas though I mean the amount of seats that Labor lost was it was off the charts. I was covering the news that night actually and it was just like oh you know another Labor seat gone another Labor seat gone another Labor seat gone. It was reform reform reform um all over literally all over the country um from places where Labor had had their seats for historically for hundreds of years and they're gone.

[00:26:00]Their seats are gone. Um, and then that's what that's what led to then everybody saying, "Well, we want Starmer out," which I personally don't think is the answer. Um, and I don't think >> Do you like him? What do you like?

[00:26:12]>> I don't I don't like or dislike him. I just don't think that that's the answer.

[00:26:16]I just think it's going to cause more instability. Um, and especially within the party and >> how could you how could you have more instability than they actually have at the moment? It's a mess.

[00:26:24]>> That's it is an it is a mess. I think things are well so there's the bi-election happening in Makerfield in at the start of June. Um and that's going to hopefully well what they're hoping is that Andy Burnham then will win that bi-election and then he will contest um the leadership armor.

[00:26:42]>> Yeah. And look look at you giving him his full title. Cirmer.

[00:26:48]I'm used to what I have to in [laughter] work.

[00:26:51]>> Do by the way, is that a thing by the way? When somebody when somebody has a period or a title, do you have to actually give it to them all the time?

[00:26:57]>> Well, no, not all the time. Um, it's just the first reference to him, you would say Cir Starmer and then after that you could say the prime minister or you could >> but the first reference is always Sir.

[00:27:09][laughter] Um, so yeah, so that that's what they're hoping to happen right now.

[00:27:12]Um, but I don't know. I just I just can't see it making any any massive changes. I mean, Wes Streeting now is saying about, "Oh, I'll we'll talk about Brexit again if if I was to become the leader." Um, I don't know. Are they just saying these things just so people are like, "Oo, that would be interesting.

[00:27:27]Let's let's let's give him a try."

[00:27:29]>> Do you think if there was another Brexit a Brexit vote tomorrow? I don't know if they've done any polls over there in relation to it. I I'm assuming once he said that, somebody started doing a poll on it.

[00:27:38]>> I haven't seen any polls. I would be really interested to see. Um I I would be really interested. I don't I don't know what would happen because anybody on the street that I've spoken to like anybody, you know, friends, family, that kind of thing, they're all, "Oh god, wish wish we never left. Wish wish Brexit never never went ahead." Um, so I don't I don't know. I don't know. And I >> They need to give it time. I mean, Brexit was I mean, they were told that Brexit would take 20 years before the economy would stabilize and and everybody I knew everybody would go into a panic and want it back again. But I mean I just think that countries if they can they're far better off out of the European Union if they can do it and if they can use their own resources etc etc which Britain can they have so many resources just not doing a good job of getting those resources out for example you know there's plenty of oil and gas >> but they're not drilling >> they're not drilling they're not using they're not no they're not um and that's it's it's it's mindboggling really um you know you're you you've you've got Brexit now so why aren't you trying to do do that. I don't know why. I don't know why.

[00:28:42]>> I I I would have a bad feeling if they had another referendum. Now, it would take years to organize that again, but if there was another referendum, I have a feeling they would go back to the EU because it it wasn't a landslide the last time. From what I remember, it was only like 54% or 55% or something, it wasn't really a landslide. So, I think those five or 6% of those inbetweeners because of what's been happening over the last few years to the other side. I think they would sway to go back again, you know, and that would be an awful shame because I would like to see that experiment >> complete itself and that would, as I said, would take 20 years, >> you know, because it would be a good barometer for us to see if that works out. You know what I mean?

[00:29:20][clears throat] It was never going to work in five or six years. I mean, that was never the plan. I don't know who if people thought that was going to happen, they were delusional anyway.

[00:29:26]>> I think people were delusional. I think people were naive and I think people didn't think about it economically at the time. um the majority of people who voted for it. And I think that if they had, I don't think they would have voted for it. Uh because it's a long time.

[00:29:39]It's a long time because especially the the voting age, you know, if you vote for that when you're 40, you're not going to see the changes, the positive changes until you're 60. You like, oh >> yeah, >> you know, that's a long time to wait, you know, >> could I be could I be ared? Anyway, on a more on a more serious note, there was a story of course that you had mentioned to me, but we had actually talked about it as well during the week because we were talking about the age of criminal responsibility >> and this is in relation to these teenagers who arranged to meet girls, uh, teenage girls and then raped them.

[00:30:07]Um, and they went to court and the judge said it wasn't in their best interest to give them a custodial sentence and gave them a community order instead, which basically just like community service.

[00:30:17]>> Yeah, behavioral order. Yeah. JLO, isn't it really like I suppose in some degree?

[00:30:21]Yeah.

[00:30:21]>> Yeah. For raping two girls and not only raping them, but videoing it and putting it up online. Like it's just now I know the uh director of public prosecutions or the crown prosecutions or whatever they call it in the UK has sent it back for appeal h on you for the severity of the sentence.

[00:30:38]>> The attorney general has sent it back to the court of appeal.

[00:30:42]>> Yeah.

[00:30:42]>> What I mean that is outrageous. I mean why would a judge do that?

[00:30:49]So the the judge said that he didn't want to criminalize children and his reasoning behind that is that if children who perhaps wouldn't be committing other crimes, you know, if it was just a single offense and they go into the the prison system, although it won't be just a regular prison, it would be like a youth a youth thing. It would be >> like town. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:31:14]>> Yeah. So it would it would be so then they they spend their life not able to get out of that system and they're back in and they're back in and they reaffend and they reaffend and there's no actual chance for rehabilitation. So his reasoning behind it was that he had to think of them as children not small adults um and that he wanted them to have the opportunity to actually rehabilitate. And also on top of that as well, um I know that there was a combination of um uh special needs like uh learning disabilities with a couple of these boys and he took all of that into account as well. Now, I do understand where he's coming from and I do understand the reasoning behind it because when you do have offenders go into the system like that, it is very difficult for them to get out and they will reaffend and reaffend for the rest of their lives. And that and that is just >> But where do you draw I mean, I understand the point you're making. I understand the point he's making.

[00:32:06]>> Yeah. Where where do you draw the line on that? I mean, this is serious. This is next this is next up or next down to murder. So, like where do you draw the line? I mean, that's okay if you're talking about somebody stealing a jacket out of Tesco's, you know what I mean?

[00:32:18]>> Yeah.

[00:32:19]>> Or little or I'll mention all the other shops too like you did earlier [laughter] or Aldi or D. Yeah, >> I mean that's okay if it's just, you know, shoplifting or theft or burglary maybe, but rape I how does he even think I mean it might be the first time somebody's committed a crime, but it should be the last time and they have to be punished for it because the victim said it was like getting a brick in the face when she heard, you know, what happened and the sentence.

[00:32:43]>> And you think about those two girls, those two girls as well have had to go into the court and had have had to relive it and relive it and relive it.

[00:32:51]And this is why the attorney general said, you know, the the only I I can't quote him directly, but it was it was something along the lines of the only punishment for a crime as as bad as rape should be jail and that and that's it.

[00:33:04]Um and that's why he basically said that he wanted the case to be looked at uh by the court of appeal and um the >> this kind of soft touch justice, you know what I mean? this kind of nicy nicy justice that you know this progressive type justice and oh god love them and they'll end up in a life of crime and they'll learn more in there than they will outside and but I mean if you keep thinking like that should nobody be ever sent to jail you know what I'm saying >> yeah and and there's definitely a line and I definitely think with this as well that it's not only that it was premeditated it was it was premeditated >> yeah they arranged to read them yeah online >> a lot yeah it wasn't on a whim um and there was one of them one of definitely was more the instigator and had put pressure on one of the other ones and you know there there is a lot to it and this is why like I do trust judges I'm not thank god not a judge you know and I do have to trust >> I'd love to be a judge I'd love to [laughter] >> we'd be screwed if you were a judge maker >> you'd never want to come before me you're going down [laughter] >> I just say to him at the very start before the case even start you do realize you're going down at the end of this and we just let you know like doesn't matter what you say >> by how which I don't know yet.

[00:34:14]>> But you're going down.

[00:34:15]>> Yeah. But but but in saying that, I mean to to even think or consider not putting in somebody in jail, I don't care if they're How old are they now? 16 now. Is it 16? 17 now. They were 15 at the time it happened. Was it?

[00:34:27]>> Yeah. Something like that. Yeah. One of them was 14. So one of them is 15 now.

[00:34:30]And then Yeah, two of them are 16 maybe.

[00:34:32]Although actually, no, I think they're actually both 15 now because the I think the crime only happened. It wasn't that long ago. H I mean when you look when you look back the age of criminal responsibility in the UK I think it's pretty much same as Ireland I think it's 12 or 13 years of age and I I mentioned during the week the Jamie Bulier case where um John Ven Robert Thompson and John Venibles and they were treated as adults from the moment they were arrested. None of this protecting children and not giving out their names.

[00:34:59]Their names and their pictures were published in the front of a newspaper the following day. Both of them because they were treated like adults because they committed a crime that's considered to be an adult crime. You know, it's not stealing or it's not something silly.

[00:35:11]It's considered to be an adult crime.

[00:35:12]They murdered a young child, >> you know, and like it's the it's the right thing to do. You you I I don't care if they're only children. I mean, look at those two now. I mean, John Venibals has been in and out of jail ever since he was arrested again, given a whole new identity when he got out of jail. He was arrested again for downloading, you know, indecent pornographic images of children or whatever it was was he was up to put back in jail again. I think he's been in in and out jail four or five times again since the other fella hasn't shown his face. We don't know where he Well, nobody would know, of course, because he's changed his identity, but he could be in trouble again. We don't know. Um, but these people don't change. I mean, psychos don't change. Rapists don't change. It's the most real offense rate of any crime. Pedophilia and rape. So, I mean, these people don't change.

[00:35:57]>> Yeah.

[00:35:59]I agree and I and I do think that this is where you draw the line. you said where do you draw the line and I think you know you you draw the line before rape and murder because that's I think that's a fundamental problem if if you feel like you can commit a crime like that or if you do commit a crime like that um stealing something you know hot wiring a car that sort of thing that that's when you can kind of draw this line and be like right let's try and re rehabilitate and >> yeah I understand >> in environment and yeah and it was like remember we discussed before uh when we had the riots in Dublin Um, and >> was this when you were filling in with me another time or something like that, was it?

[00:36:36]>> No, it wasn't. No, you >> when I was sick or ill or something like that or dying or something? No.

[00:36:42]>> No, you covered this one. You covered this one. Okay. But at the time, um, there was quite a few young lads who had it was their first crime. Um, and they were they were they were being, you know, getting the the worst kind of punishment for it. And I was saying to you at the time, like, I think that that's not really the right way to go.

[00:36:59]And you were like, nah, put them in jail. They're scallywags. Well, you said something else, but >> yeah, I probably did use other words.

[00:37:06]I've never used the word scallywag in me life. My mother used My mother used to call me a scallywag, but [laughter] I don't think I've ever used I know. I don't think I've ever used the term scattywag. Yeah, I probably call them >> Yeah. word beginning with C. Anyway, so yeah, they I I wouldn't I don't have a huge amount of sympathy for people who commit serious crimes, particularly when there's, you know, when there's a onetoone victim. you know, when we talk about say crimes that involve fraud or fines or whatever, I think we can deal with those with community service and fines and and other ways.

[00:37:38]>> But when you're talking about people who are an actual physical danger to society, you know, and who are going to I mean, there's I have no doubt people who somebody who rapes a woman will do it again because it's it's it's within them. The idea that they can go and violate another person without their permission is clearly within them. It's a power thing that doesn't change.

[00:37:58]I don't think it does anyway. Do you do you think do you think someone with a behavioral order?

[00:38:05]>> I mean like would you even associate with somebody who was a rapist?

[00:38:10]>> Absolutely not. No. And I No, I wouldn't at all.

[00:38:14]>> Yeah.

[00:38:15]>> And then like you say that those two poor girls, one of them saying it was like a a rock to her face or her chest, you know, after everything she had gone through for the boys to walk away.

[00:38:25]>> And I mean that that's her life now.

[00:38:27]both of the girls, that's their lives affected forever, you know. Um, they need rehabilitation now. They're the ones who need who need the input, who need the the money spent to try and help them to navigate the rest of their lives after that trauma.

[00:38:42]>> What blows my mind as well, parents who stand by their kids >> sometimes, okay, I can understand for certain types of crimes, right? And I don't buy this blood is thicker than water, right? But like if your son was 16 years of age, let's say, and raped a woman or killed a woman or whatever, something serious, could you really go into court every day with him and stand by them and that's my son. He didn't mean it. He'll never do it again. Could you >> I know what you mean. I know exactly what you mean. It's And it's it's something very difficult to try and even think about. I can't even try and comprehend it. But no, I don't think I could.

[00:39:18]>> No, you're No, you're on your You're on your own. I I did the best I could. But I raised you as best I can. You went out and did something like that. Sorry, you're on your own.

[00:39:26]>> Yeah. Yeah, I agree.

[00:39:28]>> I couldn't couldn't stand by some. If they robbed in a shop or something like that, of course you would. You know, you try your best to help them out and then just make sure that they never do it again.

[00:39:36]>> Which shop model? Tesco.

[00:39:38]>> Tesco stones. Little Aldi. Mention them all if you want. Um the the other thing as well, finally, um obviously immigration is a huge problem. We couldn't do it without it. We couldn't talk to each other today without mentioning immigration. H and the EU migration pact comes in on the 12th which is not something that's going to affect the UK but it certainly will affect Ireland and essentially it's meant to streamline um dealing with asylum seekers and people who come into Ireland to claim asylum.

[00:40:08]Currently at the moment we have I think it's 26,000 people awaiting approval. We have another I think 15 or 20,000 people who are waiting appeals. We've got God knows how many people other people gone into the judicial system like there is tens of thousands of people in the system for years and years and somehow the government is trying to sell us this idea of the EU migration pact that it will speed up the process. So when we've had independence to deal with ourel and Europe are not involved we haven't been able to speed up the process. So why do they think we're going to be able to speed it up as and from next month?

[00:40:41]That's just not it's just not going to happen. Nothing's going to change.

[00:40:45]Nothing. No.

[00:40:46]>> And and the latest is now if we don't take them, you know, at this moment in time, we do have a level of independence under the Dublin Convention or I think it was the Dublin Convention, we are allowed to send them back to the the nearest safe port or the first safe port. So if they come into the UK, we can send them back to the UK. Not that Kier Star Tour wants them back, but we can send them back. We don't do that, but we should be able to, but that will be removed then because the EU will be able to put an obligation on us that we have to take them. And if we don't take them, we have to pay the EU a fine, an annual fine. I think it's like 27 or 28,000 a year per person that we refuse to take. I mean, this is just mindblowing stuff. So now the government are going to build six super centers for immigrants to come in. And but what I can't understand is right, and I know you're a bit of a lefty, right? Kind of in your heart, right? I don't think you kind of show it outwardly, but you're there's a little smidgen of lefty inside you, right? But what I can understand is why we let immigrants come into Ireland to claim asylum and then go, "Okay, we've signed you up there now. It'll take a few weeks, a couple of months probably actually before we get back to you. Have you got an address?" Well, actually, no. We'll give you an address here. Go to this hostel or this hotel or this iPass center. Stay there and we'll write you and let you know what the story is in a few months [clears throat] time. In the meantime, there's a few quid for you and some clothes and you can get your food. Here's some vouchers for food and you can wander all over Dublin. We don't even know who you are.

[00:42:13]We have no idea. You could be anybody.

[00:42:14]You could be a criminal. You could be a murderer, a rapist. We don't know who you are. We don't even know what country you're from. You had no identification, no passport. But you're off you go there now and wander around town. I mean, why don't we why aren't we locking people up like they do in other countries in a big detention center? I'm not saying treat them inhumanely, by the way. Treat them humanely. you know, three hot meals a day, all the rest, a nice bed, and put them in a detention center. Speed up the process. You can stay. Fair play to you.

[00:42:38]You're coming from wartorrn. Off you go there. Get yourself a house in a job.

[00:42:41]See you. We don't believe you. You're one of the 80% who's an economic migrant. You're going back to where you came from. Why can't we do that?

[00:42:48]Well, I it it is obviously it would be nice that if we did not have to do that and if you know you could trust people coming in, but it has just gotten to a point where there are people that are being dishonest and they're coming in under false pretenses. And so, yeah, I don't know why we can't just do that because but the the thing that we are doing is really nice if everybody's being honest and if we we are trying to help people that are coming from persecution or war. Um, and yeah, we should be able to do that, but it's not it's not a fairy tale. But 80 80% of them are not coming from persecution and war. They're just coming for a better life. And by the way, who can blame somebody wanting a better life. But in saying that, I can't go into America for a better life. Do you know what I mean?

[00:43:27]Because I have to have a visa. You know, I have to have a reason to go there.

[00:43:30]>> Yeah. There's tight there's tight rules there that have to be stuck to. And it's and it's not just America either, you know. Same with if we wanted to go to Australia or >> Canada or anywhere. Yeah.

[00:43:40]>> Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. So I I don't understand why there's such a taboo over wanting stronger, tighter systems for people coming into the country. I don't understand. But you say something like that, you're being >> racist.

[00:43:55]>> Yeah.

[00:43:56]>> Yeah. Yeah. But we don't even need tighter regulation. We have really good robust immigration laws in Ireland. We just don't enforce them. Somebody at some point Yeah. At somewhere about 10 years ago, somebody at some point said, "Don't enforce the law. If somebody comes into this country, they have no passport, which is illegal by the way, under Irish law under the illegal alien act. If they come into this country with no passport, notification, you're meant to be taken straight to a courtroom and straight to jail. But that doesn't happen. It has happened once or twice, I think, in the last couple of years, oddly enough, >> it's very lax, the the enforcement. It's very lax altogether >> because because like you said, it is against the law. And what would happen if we arrived we went on our holidays and arrived without a passport? it. I guarantee we wouldn't be getting into wherever it is we're going.

[00:44:40]>> Yeah. I No, I would be putting them all in a detention center. I wouldn't be letting them out. I make sure there's a high wall around us so they can't get out. And I said, "You're staying here until we sort you out and process you."

[00:44:49]I would speed up that process. I would, if you can hire thousands of staff, by the way, for CO 19 to give out vaccines and do all that sort of stuff. You could very surely call this an emergency and hire our loads of people to do this temporarily until we get the numbers down. And because that in itself will be a deterrent for people to come here. And then in the meantime, while they're waiting, I would say to them, by the way, if you want to go home, you're welcome. We'll give you the money for the plane fair while you're here. By the way, while you're waiting, if you want to go home and get out of the country, you don't want to bother waiting, we'll give you the money. Off you go. Off you, pop. We'll even bring you to the airport and make sure you get on the plane. Do I sound like a right racist now?

[00:45:26]>> A little bit. I mean, a little bit.

[00:45:28]>> See, I I knew you had that face. And you you had the kind of slightly worried face, but is Nile kind of a bit mad there now? No, I'm just being honest.

[00:45:37]>> No, I know. And I do see what you're saying, but it's somewhere in between what you're saying and what's actually happening. I think we might we could find a happy middle ground there.

[00:45:46]>> Really?

[00:45:48]Would you would you lock them up? Like, >> no. No.

[00:45:52]>> Why?

[00:45:53]>> No.

[00:45:53]>> Why would you? No. But >> why would you let somebody hold for a second? You have a responsibility and duty as an elected representative to protect the people of the country. The first thing you do is protect your borders, right? That's the main everybody does. That's just the thing, right? So why would you let somebody with no identification, no idea where they're from, they're lying. There was one fell in Cork. He had 19 different aliases, right? He was in jail in Cork for committing a crime. 19. They don't. And still, by the way, the judge still didn't know if that was his real name he was using while sending him to jail. So they've numerous aliases. We don't know where they're from and they have no passport and no identification, no paperwork and we can't even check because they haven't been in any other part of Europe through Interpol at any or whatever it is. Eurodak I think it's called. So we have no way of identifying them through fingerprints or anything.

[00:46:38]>> And you're you're saying to me that's grand. You should let them wander around the streets.

[00:46:43]>> Oh, I'm not saying that. No. And >> you said don't lock them up.

[00:46:46]>> No, no, no, no. I wouldn't lock them up.

[00:46:48]It's just the way you're saying it. It's like there should be some sort of, you know, center that they can go to until their identification.

[00:46:55]>> With a locked door. Yeah. With a door.

[00:46:56]With a lock on it. Is that >> I would put a door on it. Yeah.

[00:47:00]>> With a lock. [laughter] >> Yeah. No, I mean Yeah. Okay. Lock the door. I mean, just at least that that way you can make sure that they're they're going to be there until you can you can prove who they are.

[00:47:10]>> Okay. Okay. But anyway, look, I I think we got to nearly everything there anyway. Is there anything in particular that was floating in your boat by the way this week? Anything else that was floating in your boat?

[00:47:18]>> Yeah. Yeah. No, I I just really wanted to talk about just that uh the case um with the with the three teenage boys. Um it just stuck out for me during the week. It was just it was just one of those where you're like, "What what has gone on? What how how has that happened?" Because a behavioral order, how far is that going to go? They're just chilling at home. They're, you know, they're just chilling. There's there's nothing nothing's going to happen. Um and just to think about the poor girls. Um and then yeah, the deposit return scheme. I don't want to I don't want to.

[00:47:48]>> By the way, they don't do they have ankle bracelets in in uh the UK. I mean, I say ankle bracelets, what tagging?

[00:47:54]>> Yeah.

[00:47:54]>> The tagging. Yes.

[00:47:56]>> So, why why didn't they even tag these young?

[00:47:59]>> I don't know. I mean, that could have been part of the behavioral order. I don't know. Um one of them was for 18 months. The other one was for three. The other two, I think, had it for three years. So, it could be a case where they had to wear them. I don't know.

[00:48:10]>> Yeah. So, the lad the 18mon lad, he wasn't the wor well, I wasn't the worst.

[00:48:14]He was involved obviously and golden them on and he was the one who videoed it.

[00:48:19]>> Yeah, I think so.

[00:48:20]>> And uploaded. So I think his charges were uploading indecent imagery yada yada yada.

[00:48:26]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:48:27]>> So that's why he got a lesser sentence.

[00:48:29]He still should go to jail, mind, mind you.

[00:48:31]>> Mhm.

[00:48:31]>> You know, AJ, it's been a pleasure as always. I'm going off now down to Tesco's or Dun or Aldi or Little or whichever shop that we haven't meant. Do we me as spar super value >> whatever we haven't mentioned >> cuz AJ thinks it's a radio that's a kind of radio thing you know that if somebody comes down the air they go I was in Tesco's yeah well you were in Tesco but you could have been in Duns you could have been n you're little yeah or >> any supermarket [laughter] >> for that matter. [gasps] >> Yeah yeah >> so listen thank you very much indeed and and we shall talk again next week I hope.

[00:49:03]>> Yes. Thank you to