Protecting children from alcohol advertising online [March 27, 2024, 37 minutes]
Online safety for children is a huge issue in our digital society and here at Alcohol Action Ireland we want to shine a light on how damaging digital advertising of harmful commodities, such as alcohol, can be. Currently in Ireland, through a new body called Coimisiún na Meán, we are developing new online safety rules for video sharing platform services, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok and others. Today, we hear how we should protect children and their rights in this digital era. Our expert guests are human rights lawyer and Online Safety Coordinator for the Children's Rights Alliance, Noeline Blackwell, and director of the Center for Digital cultures and Societies at the University of Queensland, Associate Professor in the School of Communication and arts, Nicholas Carah. 

Alcohol availability amplifies abuse [February 6, 2024, 36 minutes]
New studies have shown a strong connection between alcohol and a rise in domestic abuse reports. With new legislation in Ireland seeking to liberalise alcohol opening hours and density of licensed premises, who is looking out for those impacted by domestic abuse? Today we take a look at the dangers of increased trading hours and alcohol availability and ask are policy makers really staying true to their zero tolerance policy for domestic abuse, or are commercial influences winning over? Our experts today are working tirelessly in research and policy to show the detrimental effects of alcohol availability, they are Dr. Frank Houghton of Technological University of Shannon, Limerick and Michala Kowalski, a PhD candidate at the Social Policy Research Centre studying the night-time alcohol policy ecosystem in New South Wales, Australia. Things we spoke about:

• The risks of the sale of alcohol bill
• Research on the night time economy and domestic violence report rates
• Does profit trump people when it comes to alcohol policies?
• Pushing for better recording of data and research
• How domestic violence can be fueled by alcohol

Commercial influence on alcohol consumption [November 29, 2023, 35 minutes] 
We are exposed to alcohol advertising everyday, and unfortunately the main target audience is often those most vulnerable to alcohol harm. Today we shed light on an important but overlooked issue - how the alcohol industry shapes our culture, policies and even our health. You'll gain a new understanding of how marketing imbeds harmful norms and the shocking power that the industry has at policy making level. Our guests today are Dr. Norah Campbell, lecturer in critical marketing at Trinity Business School, and Dr Nason Maani, lecturer in Inequalities and Global Health Policy at The University of Edinburgh, and co-author of The Commercial Determinants of Health. Things we spoke about: 

• What are the commercial determinants of health
• The mythmaking of alcohol advertising
• How we can overcome regulation challenges
• Industries use regulation as an opportunity for innovation
• Mythmaking and manipulation of data
• Media responsibility to prevent alcohol harm
• olitical influence of the alcohol industry 

End the silence - children of parental problem alcohol use [October 23, 2023, 35 minutes] 
End the Silence is an initiative to raise awareness of issues arising from growing up with parental problem alcohol use. In Ireland, an estimated 271,000 children under 15 years of age are living with parents who are regular risky drinkers. This can lead to social and emotional issues for vulnerable children. Today we hear the importance of giving these young people a voice, and what kind of support they actually want when they’re struggling.  Our experts are Research Associate at the Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Dr Cassey Muir, who’s recent doctoral research explored these support needs of children and young people. We also have Chartered Clinical Psychologist with Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health in Ireland, Dr. Cian Aherne who works with young people through the Power Threat Meaning Framework. Things we spoke about:

• Lived experiences of young people affected by parental problem substances
• What help young people actually want 
• Working with young people using the Power Threat Meaning Framework 
• The importance of the young person’s voice 
• Helping young people understand their own story 
• Removing stigma and isolation 
• The power of One Good Adult 
• Tools and training to support young people 

Voices of Recovery (VoR) is an initiative of Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI). The initiative aims to bring together people with lived experience of problem alcohol use to champion recovery and spread the message that change is possible. In this voices of recovery episode, we speak to three long-term recovery advocates and members of Voices of Recovery, board member of Alcohol Action Ireland, Paddy Creedon, recovery centre worker, Val Ward and olympic medalist, psychotherapist and politician, Kenneth Egan. [September 29, 2023, 32 minutes]