Kev Collins

PODCAST · society

Kev Collins

From the roots of our natural world to the challenges of modern society, this is a show about Ireland’s past, present, and future. 

  1. 14

    The Price Of Power: Ireland's Energy Crisis

    What’s driving Ireland’s energy crisis isn’t bad luck… it’s design.The Price Of Power is a ground-level investigation into how Ireland became one of the most expensive places in Europe to keep the lights on. From wind curtailment to gas dependency, from battery rollouts to broken planning, this is a system under strain and few seem willing to confront it.Through on-site reporting, expert voices, public records, and first-hand accounts, this film traces the threads behind rising costs, fragile infrastructure, and decisions that are reshaping the country’s future.We investigate:– Over €100 million paid for wind energy the grid could not use– Why more renewables hasn’t meant cheaper electricity– Battery storage systems being deployed ahead of regulation– Ireland’s growing dependence on gas as Corrib Gas Field nears depletion– The absence of gas storage after the closure of Kinsale Head Gas Field– A planning system where legal challenges are fought between citizens and the state– Data centres driving demand while building their own power supply– The shift toward offshore wind under the state’s long-term strategyThis isn’t just about energy.It’s about control who has it, who doesn’t, and who pays the price.Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  2. 13

    Cork: The Provincial City

    A deep dive into Cork city; its trees, its parks, its streets, and the systems that shape it. From Bishop Lucey Park to North Main Street, from painting schemes and urban neglect to culture, governance, and who really holds power. This film looks at how Cork is managed, why ambition keeps getting suppressed, and what a small European city could be if it was allowed to reimagine itself. Cork city is endlessly rich in architecture, character and ambition, if only if was given a chance to realise its potential. Through continued awareness, Corkonians must talk openly about the problems, the solutions and the systems holding it back. #cork #corkcity #ireland #documentaryJoin in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  3. 12

    The Irish Justice Loop

    Why does Ireland feel more unsafe than it used to?Let's look at the growing sense of insecurity across Ireland, from rising violent crime and repeat offenders, to a justice system that struggles to intervene early or enforce consequences. Headlines tell one story, lived experience tells another, and somewhere in between sits a broken system that isn’t working for victims, communities, or even Gardaí.We examine how weak sentencing, lack of early social intervention, addiction services gaps, and a revolving-door justice system have created a situation where serious offenders face little deterrent and ordinary people feel the effects every day.We explore crime in Ireland, law and order, policing, sentencing, youth crime, addiction, and why so many violent offenders remain free despite long conviction histories. If you’ve ever wondered why antisocial behaviour feels more normalised, why trust in institutions is eroding, or why Ireland’s justice system feels out of step with public expectations, this episode is for you.Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  4. 11

    The Aughinish Incident

    What’s happening on the Shannon Estuary is not an accident… it’s a system.The Aughinish Incident is a hard-hitting investigative documentary uncovering the hidden risks, missing oversight, and decades of unanswered questions surrounding Aughinish Island.Through Freedom of Information files, groundwater data, on-site investigation, and first-hand testimony, this film reveals a story of pollution, cover-ups, regulatory blindspots, and the growing fear of a tailings dam disaster on Ireland’s west coast.We investigate:– Toxic groundwater contamination travelling far beyond the BRDA– Missing animal health samples and gaps in state investigations– The expanding red-mud dam and its risks– Failures by regulatory bodies tasked with safety– Local communities fighting for accountability– The global supply chain behind Ireland’s quietest environmental crisisJoin in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  5. 10

    Food For Thought

    Ireland looks green, but the truth is far darker.We export 90% of our beef and dairy, yet import the calories to feed half our own population. Our rivers are collapsing under nitrate pollution. Farmers are leaving the land. And the taxpayer is set to pay billions in EU fines for agricultural emissions.This episode dives into the paradox of Irish farming: how a nation with fertile land and just 5 million people became a net food importer, dependent on fragile global supply chains. It’s a story of political inaction, agribusiness control, and an environment pushed beyond its limits.We can grow food to feed ourselves. We can protect our rivers. We can build a farming system that sustains both people and land. But only if we stop pretending the illusion is enough.Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  6. 9

    The Great Indoors

    Ireland is a country of breathtaking landscapes; mountains, rivers, forests, and seas. And yet, for all its beauty, we barely step into it. Unlike almost every other country, Ireland has no camping culture, no BBQ areas, no right to roam, and hardly any public facilities that make the outdoors accessible. Instead, generations have been told, directly and indirectly, that we can’t be trusted outside. In this episode, we explore why Ireland became a nation of “The Great Indoors,” how this disconnection affects our mental health and culture, and what we could gain by rebuilding a true relationship with the land. From saunas on our beaches to the absence of bins in our parks, this is a story about trust, freedom, and the need to step outside before it’s too late.Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  7. 8

    Inside Cork City Hall

    Cork is Ireland’s fastest-growing city, but you wouldn’t know it from how it’s run. The basics, the functional, everyday parts of a city, aren’t being looked after.Green spaces? Neglected. Paving? Patchwork. Maintenance? Slowed down by layers of bureaucracy. Even simple fixes, like painting poles or upgrading lighting, get lost in risk assessments and endless meetings.We don’t lack opportunity, we lack the will to act. And until that changes, Cork will keep growing without ever truly improving.Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  8. 7

    The News Of The World

    In this special report, we step inside the noise machine.From cancelled singers to algorithm-fed outrage, from war headlines to your friend’s Instagram story — what even is news anymore? And more importantly… what is it doing to us?Filmed in the style of a surreal newsroom broadcast, The News of the World is a satirical deep dive into the modern mind’s addiction to catastrophe. We explore:The Róisín Murphy controversy — and what it reveals about public reactionAntisocial media and the illusion of informationEmotional fragility in the age of infinite opinionWhy outrage spreads faster than truthAnd whether tuning out makes you heartless… or humanThis isn’t about ignoring the world — it’s about surviving it.Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  9. 6

    A Very Civil Service

    Why is Ireland spending more than ever, but delivering less?From €1 million bike sheds to €14 billion windfalls, this episode uncovers how bloated middle management, broken systems, and toothless accountability are dragging the country into a slow-motion collapse.We follow the money, trace the dysfunction, and propose a radical reboot: a leaner, smarter civil sector where local government is empowered, technology drives transparency, and frontline workers are finally respected.👉 Featuring real-world scandals, sharp satire, and a vision for the future.Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  10. 5

    The Coillte Effect

    The Coillte Effect is a deep dive into the hidden truth behind Ireland’s forestry policy — and the semi-state body tasked with managing it.This episode exposes how Coillte, a for-profit logging company, has shaped Ireland’s forests into silent monocultures, prioritising short-term profits over long-term ecological health.We explore how native woodlands were replaced with fast-growing Sitka spruce plantations, how public land was quietly sold to an English investment fund, and why Ireland now has the lowest native forest cover in Europe.This is not just a story about trees — it’s a story about land, ownership, accountability, and the quiet erosion of our national resources.Ireland was once a rainforest. It can be again. But only if we take back control.Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  11. 4

    Built From Nothing

    Ireland’s housing crisis didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of policy failures, political inertia, and a refusal to use the solutions already growing under our feet.In Built From Nothing, we explore why timber and hemp — abundant, sustainable, and proven building materials — remain overlooked while thousands of homes lie vacant, rents soar, and homelessness rises.Why do we export 90% of our timber? Why do we ban low-cost housing without alternatives? Why are we holding 200-year-old buildings to 21st-century rules that keep them empty?This isn’t a crisis of resources. It’s a crisis of will.👉 Watch, share, and ask: what are we waiting for?Join in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

  12. 3

    The City On The Edge Of Forever

    Cork is facing an irreversible transformation — and it’s not progress. This episode dives deep into the OPW’s controversial flood defence plan, the rejection of tidal barriers, and the institutional inertia that’s driving it all.We explore how Cork was sidelined in its own future — and what that says about Irish democracy today.From the role of the ESB in the 2009 floods to the OPW’s dismissal of global best practice, this is more than a planning disaster — it’s a wake-up call.Featuring insights from Dr. Aodh Quinlivan, who has written extensively on Ireland’s centralised system of governance, we ask why local authorities in Ireland have fewer powers than almost anywhere in Europe — and what that means for towns and cities trying to shape their own destiny.🔍 Inside:• The truth behind the OPW’s quay wall scheme• Why a tidal barrier makes more sense• The role of the ESB in Cork’s 2009 flood• How a century-old governance model is still running Ireland• What Switzerland, Denmark and Germany get right — and Ireland gets wrong📍 This isn’t just about Cork. It’s about who gets to decide the future of Irish cities.👇 Watch, share, and join the conversation.#SaveCorkCity #TidalBarrier #CorkFloods #OPW #IrishPolitics #Localism #UrbanPlanning #CityOnTheEdgeOfForever #AodhQuinlivanJoin in the conversation @LastStandIRL or watch along on Youtube & Rumble. Be part of the discussion. The time for change is upon us.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

From the roots of our natural world to the challenges of modern society, this is a show about Ireland’s past, present, and future.

HOSTED BY

Kevin Collins

CATEGORIES

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