Can Kamala Harris win against Donald Trump? Former Irish Times Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch covered Harris's unsuccessful 2020 primary and the early part of her vice-presidency. She joins Hugh Linehan and Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole to look at who Harris is and how her White House experience has changed her, and at the shape of the race for the presidency after an extraordinary period in US politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Republican National Convention is taking place this week in Milwaukee, just days after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.Irish Times Washington Correspondent Keith Duggan is attending the four-day event and talks to Hugh Linehan about the “celebratory spirit” among Republicans who believe “the election is over in many ways”.The pair also discuss the appointment of Trump’s new running mate J.D Vance, who was once one of the former president’s fiercest critics. Later on, Hugh is joined by Irish Times Europe Correspondent Jack Power who reports ahead of tomorrow’s vote on the EU Commission President. Ursula von der Leyen will be hoping for a second term, but will she secure the European Parliament's vote? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn to look back on the week in politics. They discuss the end of the Dáil term, the timing of the next general election (of course) and the Government's outstanding legislative agenda. In part two we hear some of Harry's conversation with newly-elected leader of the Green party Roderic O'Gorman. He talks about his attitude to electoral pact with parties like Labour and the Social Democrats, the use of focus groups to hone his party's message to voters and the abuse he has sometimes experienced in politics. They also talk about the release of Tori Towey, the Irish woman detained in Dubai, and George Clooney's intervention in the debate over Joe Biden's fitness to run for reelection. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After depicting the musical culture of Dublin's northside in his acclaimed documentary North Circular, director Luke McManus is now looking at the area's politics. His new documentary The Locals follows a range of candidates in the run-up to the June 2024 local elections, painting a picture of a diverse area and an equally diverse group of politicians. Luke talks to Hugh Linehan about making the documentary, the people it portrays and the issues they care about. The Locals is on RTÉ One on Monday, July 15th at 9:35pm and will also be available on the RTÉ player. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour has won the 2024 UK general election with a massive landslide. Beyond that, huge shifts have taken place across the political map of Britain and Northern Ireland. To take a look at what has happened and what comes next, Hugh talks to London correspondent Mark Paul, Northern editor Freya McClements and Denis Staunton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political commentator with The Guardian Rafael Behr returns to the podcast to talk about the UK general election. By Friday we will know if the widely-expected Tory implosion and Labour majority have materialised. But what comes next? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Washington correspondent Keith Duggan joins this week's wrap to discuss what could turn out to be one of the year's most consequential political developments: US president Joe Biden's disastrous performance at Thursday's debate with former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump. In a debate format that accentuated Biden's weaknesses, he handed the momentum to his rival and prompted intense debate about whether he should remain the Democratic candidate. After that Jennifer Bray looks at the big Irish political stories of the week, including the outcome of a mini Fianna Fáil reshuffle that saw junior ministries assigned, the latest from the Green party leadership contest and the fallout from the Cathal Crotty sentencing controversy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Irish Times columnist Gerard Howlin and political editor Pat Leahy to discuss the appointment of Jack Chambers as Minister of Finance and other political news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy is joined by Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn to look back at the week in politics:The latest in the race to succeed Eamon Ryan as Green party leader.What is behind Micheal Martin's decision to name Jack Chambers deputy leader of Fianna Fail?Industrial action at Aer Lingus means holidaymakers face a summer of discontent. Will it bounce back on the Government?Plus the panel pick their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:Jack Power's profile of the young leader of France's far-rightWhat should be an unnecessary warning: do not feed fizzy drinks to deerA piece by Diane Ihirwe highlighting the importance of inclusion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First we focus on political upheaval following the announcement that Eamon Ryan is stepping down as leader of the Greens. Political correspondent Cormac McQuinn provides updates on the frontrunners to succeed him, including Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Pippa Hackett. Then we turn to Northern Ireland, where voters will select their 18 Westminster MPs next month. Can the DUP hold onto its seats in the aftermath of the crisis surrounding Jeffrey Donaldson? Mark Hennessy and Freya McClements look at what really matters to voters in these elections and whether the issue of Irish unity is on the radar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to look back at the week in politics. With our recent obsession on the local and European elections winding down, today we take a look at the week's Dáil debates and at the "guillotining through" of the huge piece of legislation that is the Planning Bill into its final stage. The panel also discuss whether Dáil vacancies arising as a result of TDs becoming MEPs will ever be filled in the lifetime of this Government. The panel also pick their Irish Times articles of the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With some European seats still to be filled but the overall picture of these elections now fairly clear, Pat Leahy joins Hugh for a final episode of Election Daily to answer some outstanding questions. How did small parties including the Greens, the Social Democrats and Labour do in the end? And with counts dragging on, is it too easy for unserious candidates to get on the European ballot? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Citizens of the EU used their votes in last week's elections to maintain centre-right control of the European Parliament, while shifting the overall makeup of the legislature a little further to the right. Brussels correspondent Jack Power joins Hugh to explore how the EU parliament has just changed, whether the new right will be able to form a voting bloc, and what the new Parliament means for EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen's hope's of a second term. And Berlin correspondent Derek Scally looks at the success of formerly fringe parties like the far-right AfD in Germany's European election. Could the taboo of far-right involvement in German national governance be nearing an end? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn on day four of the count.Only a handful of seats remain unfilled in the local elections with Fianna Fáil slightly ahead of Fine Gael for the majority of seats. Sinn Féin now has 100 seats which is an improvement on its disastrous 2019 election, however Jennifer Bray has reported on the growing unease within the party over Mary Lou McDonald’s leadership after their poor election results. The Dublin count is nearing its moment of truth with Barry Andrews and Regina Doherty looking comfortably in, and the final two seats still to play for. The team discuss the latest results, the possibility of an autumn election and they answer some listener questions. Minutes after recording the podcast, it was announced that outgoing MEP Clare Daly was eliminated following the 17th count of votes in the Dublin constituency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn to discuss the latest developments:It is day three of the local and European election count and seats in all four MEP constituencies are still in play. In Dublin, much will depend on where votes from soon-to-be-eliminated candidates end up. Will Independent Ireland's Niall Boylan be able to capitalise, or will Sinn Féin's Lynn Boylan fare better?There is no shortage of analysis of Sinn Féin's disappointing election and what it means. Fintan O'Toole thinks the era of the party acting as a buffer against right wing politics is over.Meanwhile many other EU member states are experiencing a surge in support for far-right parties and candidates, but not enough to displace the centrist coalition from control of the European Parliament. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the count continues on this busy election weekend, it is delight for Taoiseach Simon Harris and Fine Gael as the local election picture becomes clearer, but the final results, particularly in the European contest, won’t be known for several more days.The Taoiseach had a pep in his step as he entered the count centre at the RDS today. Speaking to Inside Politics podcast host Hugh Linehan, he explained that while there is no “transfer pact” among government parties, he thinks voters believe “Government is doing an okay job, and are transferring amongst parties”, something which will inform the election results.“That the Government will do its full term is important and I look forward to continuing that,” he said.Meanwhile, the volatility of the Sinn Féin vote caught Mary Lou McDonald by surprise. While there is no denying that the going has not been great for them so far, could total disaster be averted if the party make modest gains in some local election constituencies?And what of the Green Party? It will be a real challenge for them to hold on to their MEPs, and it also looks as though there have been significant losses at local level.Hugh Linehan is joined by Jack-Horgan Jones, Harry McGee and Taoiseach Simon Harris (briefly) on the Inside Politics Election Daily podcast as we get a clearer picture from count centres around the country.Sign up for Politics push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phoneFind The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is Saturday afternoon of a busy election weekend and while it is still far too early to draw conclusions about many aspects of the local and European contests, some trends are beginning to emerge. One of those trends is that Sinn Féin’s recent drop in opinion polls is being confirmed at the ballot box, the party’s support at these elections lower now than six months ago. Meanwhile the Coalition parties are cautiously optimistic that losses will be less than feared, while independent candidates look set to make gains. Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to assess what we are learning from tallies and the first results from count centres around the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As voters go to the polls, Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, and Jack Horgan-Jones make some final predictions about how the weekend will play out. Which European candidates should be safe in their constituencies, and who is at risk of being sucked into a days-long transfer battle to seize a third, fourth or fifth seat? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Jennifer Bray and Sarah Burns to discuss Thursday on the campaign trail:With polling day almost upon us, some running in the European elections have been engaging in a ‘war of words’, with members of Fine Gael and the Green Party butting heads on the campaign trail. Is all this ‘clawing at each other’ simply a final bid for cut through before votes are cast, or a taste of what a general election could look like?And is the broadcasting moratorium relevant or wise anymore given the amount of stories that seem to break right before polls open? Even the Minister for Housing is sceptical.Plus: Jen’s how-to guide will arm you with all the necessary knowledge as you set off with your polling card on Friday.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy to discuss Wednesday on the campaign trail:Independent candidates are “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, warned People Before Profit at a campaign event today. What does that mean, and why are the small parties so worried about the impact of this rag-tag category of opponent on election day?The Nitrates Derogation is something that matters hugely to rural Ireland, so in election week you don’t want to wade into controversy over whether it should be retained, as Fianna Fáil’s Chris Andrews discovered today.Plus: An element of Pat’s analysis of the Dublin European election came in for sharp criticism from Social Democrats candidate Sinéad Gibney when she was asked about it by RTE’s Sarah McInerney during a televised debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The run-in to Friday's local, European and Limerick mayoral elections is now underway and so is the daily elections podcast from The Irish Times. Hugh Linehan is joined by Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee to look at the stories from the campaign trail:As Aontú launches its campaign, party leader Peader Toibin is bullish about the party's prospects in local elections.More polls showing disappointing levels of support for Sinn Féin. Can the party pick up momentum in the final days?The same polls show surging support for independent candidates. Some of them will be fighting for the final European seat in Dublin.But with many voters yet to make up their minds, the panel agree there is a lot left to fight for in these elections. To help you keep up with the latest from the campaign, new episodes of Election Daily from Inside Politics will be in your feed every day this week after 5pm. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn to look back on the week in politics:The conviction of former US president Donald Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to an alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels is unprecedented in American political history. But will it make any difference on election day?More evidence emerged this week that Ireland is failing to meet legally-binding climate change targets.Will a scandal that engulfed Fine Gael local election candidate Marian Agrios dent the party outside of Louth, or even her Drogheda constituency?Plus, the panelists pick their favourite IT reads of the week:Our new columnist Mark O’Connell on why students keep schtum when asked why they are protesting.Revelations that the Irish State is in the pocket of Big Smoky Bacon.Ireland’s Chief Rabbi Yoni Wieder criticises President Higgins.Sign up for Politics push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phoneFind The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Harry McGee, Cormac McQuinn and Jennifer Bray who, after weeks travelling the highways and byways of Ireland in the company of hopeful local and European election candidates, are here to answer questions about what is happening on the ground. Do rural voters really blame the Greens for everything? Are Sinn Féin really struggling? Will the migration issue really help candidates like Niall Boylan? And what is the incredible new technique for reaching voters who aren't at home? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn to discuss the week in politics: ·     Rishi Sunak’s decision on Wednesday to announce a snap election for July 4th, four months earlier than predicted, caught everyone off guard. Will it prove to be a gamble worth taking? ·     Cormac was present at Fianna Fáil’s European election launch this morning where tensions boiled over as Senator Niall Blaney got into a public disagreement with Fianna Fáil leader, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, over the level of support he was getting from the party amid their three-candidate strategy in the Midlands North-West constituency. ·     And on Friday, June 7th – the same day voters across the country will elect representatives to local councils and the European Parliament – the people of Limerick will decide who will be the country’s first directly elected mayor. But what powers will the successful candidate have to go with their €154,000 salary? And the panel pick their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:·     Laura Slattery writes about “king of the airwaves” Pat Kenny. ·     The passing of Ireland’s first business superstar, Tony O’Reilly. ·     Pedestrians best be on their guard against the quiet threat of electric vehicles as outlined by Shauna Bowers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a busy 24 hours on the domestic political scene, with the leaking of a report that is highly critical of Government housing policy and the news that Ireland is to recognise Palestine as a state. Political Editor Pat Leahy is here to analyse the significance of these developments. After that, Jack Power reports from Brussels where a slate of newly-elected far-right and nationalist MEPs are expected to arrive after next month's election. What will it mean for the balance of power within the European Parliament? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The upcoming US election will see a presidential rematch for the first time since Eisenhower and Stevenson in 1956. That contest is between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the two most unpopular candidates in living memory. But who is likely to prevail once the votes are finally counted?In a special live event last week, Head of Polling at Ipsos US, Cliff Young, joined Hugh Linehan to dig into some of the big questions that have defined the presidential race thus far.Why is Joe Biden performing so poorly in the polls? Why have so many minority voters who would traditionally have voted Democrat, decided to make the move towards the Republican party? And despite his legal woes, does Trump’s anti-establishment stance still retain its potency?And in terms of what issues are front and centre for US voters, Cliff explains why it’s the economy, more specifically inflation, that is having a ‘nasty effect on the political calculus’. But can that be changed in any significant way before election day?Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Cormac McQuinn and Jennifer Bray to discuss the week in politics: ·     The last fortnight has seen several incidents of councillors being verbally and physically attacked while out canvassing for the forthcoming local elections. A disturbing trend that hasn’t been a feature of previous elections.·     The panel dig into what the Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll results say about the volatility of public opinion right now.·     And neither current First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill, or former First Minister of Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster, came away from the UK Covid-19 inquiry unscathed. And the panel pick their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week: ·     Ronan McGreevey writing 50 years on from the Dublin-Monaghan bombings.·     Laura Kennedy does the arithmetic of emigration.·     Stephen Collins writes of Micheál Martin’s political enemies  postponing their big move. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll shows Sinn Féin support has slumped again while there has been a recovery for Fine Gael. The poll also shows that Micheál Martin is the most popular party leader, while support for independents remains at a high level. But what lies behind these trends? Hugh was joined by Cliff Young from Ipsos as well as podcast regulars Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to discuss the poll results before a live audience in Dublin city centre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disinformation is a concern in the run-up to the local and European elections. And the combination of new AI technology and complex social media networks make it easier than ever to spread misleading information to a global audience. But who polices disinformation, and is the term sometimes misused or abused for political ends? To debate this, Hugh talks to Eileen Culloty of DCU, Freddie Sayers, editor of UK news and opinion website Unherd, and Jack Horgan-Jones from The Irish Times politics team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray to discuss the week in politics:This week saw a rare and notable victory for student politics at Trinity College Dublin, where protestors secured a victory in their campaign for the college to divest from companies linked to Israel.Meanwhile the Government’s moves towards recognising Palestinian statehood are still underway.The asylum seeker accommodation crisis trundles on.It is a month out from the European elections and Jennifer and Harry have their ear to the ground. Could high-profile first-timers like Ciaran Mullooly and Niall Boylan claim seats in Strasbourg at the expense of more established politicians?And the panel pick their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:Patrick Freyne reviewing Jennifer’s favourite TV show.Laura Slattery’s excellent live coverage of Bambi Thug’s quest for Eurovision glory.Barry Roche on the many outstanding mysteries surrounding American passport fraudster Randolph Kirk Parker, who was arrested in Cork last year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin is in studio to talk with Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy about his party's apparent decline in support in the past year, his views on housing and how to handle high numbers of asylum seekers, and the political landscape ahead of forthcoming local and European elections. Eoin also denies the suggestion, recently made by Davy Stockbrokers, that Sinn Féin has more in common with the New Labour of Tony Blair than the socialism of Jeremy Corbyn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Pat Leahy and political correspondents Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee discuss the week in politics:The critical shortage of accommodation for people arriving in Ireland to apply for International Protection was everywhere in the news this week, as was the row between the UK and Ireland over returning migrants. The Government desperately needs to build a system that can process asylum seekers quickly and efficiently, and provide accommodation in the meantime.The outcome of local elections in the UK points to a potentially catastrophic general election for the ToriesIn Scotland, the SNP's diminished status means independence seems further away than any point since before the 2015 referendumThey also pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political Editor Pat Leahy sits in Hugh Linehan’s chair as podcast host this week for an Inside Politics election special as our politics team analyses the upcoming local and European elections. Jennifer Bray reminds us of the political landscape influencing the 2019 local elections which led to the ‘Green wave’ and Sinn Féin’s running aground. Jack Horgan-Jones analyses the impact a pandemic, a cost of living crisis and the war in Europe have had on voters and the resulting trends that have become embedded. Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn take a deep dive into the issues, candidates and political groupings in the sprawling European election constituencies. There is also an intriguing electoral race taking part on the 7th of June when voters in Limerick city and county will go to the polls to choose Ireland’s first directly-elected mayor. If the elections haven’t yet been top of mind for you, don’t miss this thorough look at the forthcoming ballots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to look back on the week in politics:Taoiseach Simon Harris’s sure-footed performance as he delivered an apology to the Stardust tragedy victims.Less good was Minister for Justice Helen McEntee’s appearance at an Oireachtas committee, where she struggled to answer a question about the State’s handling of international protection applicants.Discussions about budget spending are starting early this year, a sign of the auction politics to come in the run-up to the general election.Plus the panel pick their Irish Times articles of the week:Justine McCarthy on the growing number of journalists becoming Government advisors.Finn McRedmond in defence of snobbery.And coverage of the dysfunction in University Hospital Limerick, as revealed by a coroner’s report on the tragic death of teenager Aoife Johnston.Sign up for Politics push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phoneFind The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London Correspondent Mark Paul joins Hugh Linehan to talk about the issues making an impact on British politics right now. The issues include upcoming local elections, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's drive to pass his Rwanda Bill, which will allow Britain to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda while their claims are processed, and the contrasting fortunes of the Conservative and Labour parties. In part two they look north to Scotland, where the Scottish National Party is showing signs of fatigue after a prolonged period in power. It is a weariness that shows in party leader Humza Yousaf's struggle to handle a wide range of controversies, from green policies to corruption, rape trial reforms and trans rights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Hugh Linehan, Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray look back on the week in politics:Two weeks in, Simon Harris has already experienced some minor controversies as Taoiseach. But how is he doing overall?As the Greens head into their National Conference this weekend, will the party be happy with their standing as an election draws near? The EU Migration pact has the potential to be a significant political flashpoint and raises the question: Do European matters receive enough scrutiny in the Oireachtas? Plus the panel pick their Irish Times articles of the week: Derek Scally on a German Luthern priest’s successful ploy to attract a younger congregation with help from Taylor Swift. Patrick Freyne’s unflattering review of a new RTE comedy sketch show.And Conor Pope’s reporting on the egregiousness of Eir. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With its fast-growing economy and increasing significance as a player in European security, Poland’s political direction will have a major bearing on the future of Europe. But the centrist coalition led by Donald Tusk is grappling with how to unwind some of the oppressive legacy of its predecessors, the right nationalist Law and Justice party. Meanwhile, Poland’s neighbour to the West faces a different set of problems. An unpopular government, an economic recession and growing divisions over wars in Ukraine and Israel mean Germany is experiencing a crisis of confidence. Hugh Linehan explores these political and social pressures in Poland and Germany with Irish Times Berlin Correspondent Derek Scally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Kane, Lisa Whitten, Freya McClements and Pat Leahy joined Hugh Linehan in Northern Ireland for a live show at the MAC in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter. The panel discussed the shocking departure of Jeffrey Donaldson from the pinnacle of NI politics, how the political system has responded since, and what it all means for the future of unionism and the power-sharing institutions. They also discuss the importance of the "neither" voters, the price of reunification and the economic benefits of Northern Ireland's post-Brexit position. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about Simon Harris's appointment as Taoiseach and the details of his minimal Cabinet reshuffle. Did he go far enough to satisfy Fine Gaelers, or voters looking for change? They also talk about the new Taoiseach's speech delivery and Mary Lou McDonald's forceful criticism of his track record. But first they discuss the news that the reconstituted Government's first act will be to recognise the statehood of Palestine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of Simon Harris’s first Fine Gael Ard Fheis as party leader, Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to discuss the potential quick wins and policy departures Harris can look to implement when his expected tenure as taoiseach begins next Tuesday. And while we were denied the excitement of hustings and voting, there is still much speculation as to the potential make-up of Simon Harris’s Cabinet. How does he find the balance between merit and geography? And will some Fine Gael party departees have their arms twisted to stay?Also on the podcast: the other recent earthquake in Irish politics was the unexpected resignation of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, following his charging for historical sexual offences. Just a few short weeks after the Assembly was reconstituted, the revelation has been received with a certain level of calm by the political establishment, with interim DUP leader Gavin Robinson coming from the more moderate tradition within the party. But could the deal struck for power-sharing be tested in the months ahead? And will the looming Westminster election give rise to turmoil within a deeply divided DUP party? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Hugh is joined by David Rieff. David is the author of many books, including In Praise of Forgetting. He reported on war in Bosnia in the 1990s, and has written on everything from the political and ethical complexities of humanitarian aid and international intervention in sub-Saharan Africa to political developments in Central and south America. He also has a Substack newsletter in which he reflects on the progress of the current culture wars and their implications for intellectual life. He currently spends half his time in Kyiv where he is observing and reflecting on the ongoing war against Russian aggression.  He talks to Hugh about the idea of a just war and its relevance to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the remilitarisation of Europe and the decline of Pax Americana, as well as the rise of anti-establishment populism and why he believes contemporary trends in technology, capitalism and politics will inevitably lead to the end of high culture and the triumph of kitsch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What sort of a politician is Simon Harris? What can we learn from his record? And what sort of a Taoiseach is he going to be? Columnist Fintan O'Toole joins Hugh Linehan and Jennifer Bray to dig into the presumptive taoiseach's record and the state of the Fine Gael party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to talk about the swift emergence of Simon Harris as Fine Gael leader and taoiseach-in-waiting. They look back at his career to date and identify a potential strategy to lead Fine Gael out of its current predicament. But first, more on the unexpected resignation of Leo Varadkar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to discuss today's unexpected announcement by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that he is stepping down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British political pundit, broadcaster and podcaster Ian Dale joins Hugh to discuss the upcoming UK general election and the state of British politics. A Conservative supporter, Iain explains why he may not be able to vote for the party for the first time in his life. Iain and his co-host, the former Labour Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, are bringing their politics podcast For the Many to Dublin for a live show on Sunday, March 24th. Find out more here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics, including the annual migration of Ministers to foreign lands for St Patrick's Day. But with the crisis in Gaza on many Irish voters' minds, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has a balancing act in how he raises the issue with President Joe Biden. Also on the agenda: More fallout from the recent referendums, and how housing asylum seekers will be an issue in local election campaigns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last weekend's referendum defeats have jolted the political establishment. How could all major parties and many other players have got it so badly wrong - and does the failure reveal something deeper going on?To discuss this, Hugh is joined by Jack Horgan Jones, Theresa Reidy and Jane Suiter. They discuss the the impact of the results on Irish politics, the role and effectiveness of citizens assemblies, and whether opposition to 'wokeness' is a genuine force in Irish politics. Dr Theresa Reidy is a senior lecturer and head of department at the Department of Government and Politics, University College Cork.Jane Suiter is Professor in DCU's School of Communications and director of DCU's Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Although counting is still underway in the family and care referendums, the Government has already admitted defeat, with a No-No result looking like the only outcome. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the result as two wallops for Government, while Tánaiste Micheál Martin, said there is “no single reason” why the proposals were rejected, and a time for reflection will ensue. As the political blame game now begins, what will be the fallout from the defeat? Hugh Linehan talks to Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:There were some interesting developments during the European People's Party (EPP) congress in Bucharest this week – Ursula von der Leyen was roundly endorsed for another five years as European Commission President, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told delegates that Europe was no longer in a ‘post-war epoch’ and that borders had to be defended. The panel discussed whether Ireland’s military spending will soon reflect this new sense of urgency.Also on the podcast: Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe’s refusal to meet demands on how to spend the continuing surge in corporate tax receipts has left some Cabinet members less than happy after a call to significantly boost the National Development Plan fell on deaf ears.And the panel compare the approaches of the Government and Sinn Féin when it comes to improving the lot of Northern Ireland. During his speech at the Alliance Party conference this week, Tánaiste Micheál Martin pushed the positives to be gained from the Shared Island initiative, whereas Sinn Féin’s line has consistently been improvement through a united Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Farmer protest movements are becoming an increasingly important part of the political landscape across Europe, from Poland, where they have been spurred by the lifting of tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural produce, to the Netherlands, where Government plans to cut nitrogen emissions have led to the rise of a significant new party, and most recently to Germany, where a threat to cut agricultural fuel subsidies has caused a furious reaction.It appears that European farmers believe they are being ignored, their needs set aside. The ripples of all this are being felt at across the EU in advance of June's Parliament elections. So what is exactly happening and how likely is it that farmers unhappiness could lead to new political parties in Ireland as well as in Europe? Hugh Linehan talks to Naomi O'Leary and Jack Horgan-Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:One week out from the care and family referendums taking place on March 8th and campaigning on both sides is finally in full swing, the panel debates whether the Government will be hurt by a failure to get both proposed constitutional amendments over the line considering how muddled their Yes message has been thus far.Also on the podcast: Sinn Féin’s unclear position on climate change was evident again this week after their sole MEP Chris McManus voted against the Nature Restoration Law, a landmark piece of EU environmental legislation, while Sinn Féin senator Lynn Boylan wholeheartedly welcomed it. And with her three-hour Oireachtas Committee grilling over the resignation of former chair of the RTÉ board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, now behind her the panel discuss whether Minister for Media Catherine Martin, and indeed the wider public, can now move on from the RTÉ saga.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political scientist Theresa Reidy and political correspondent Harry McGee join Hugh to look ahead to June's European elections, when voters in Ireland and across the EU will pick their Members of the European Parliament. Since the last election in 2019, the electoral map has changed, as has much else in Irish and European politics. There are a plethora of independent and small party candidates, but do the circumstances favour those put forward by the big parties, this time around? The panel pick over the candidates, constituencies, EU political dynamics, and more. Dr Theresa Reidy is a senior lecturer and head of department at the Department of Government and Politics, University College Cork. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest scandal engulfing RTÉ and Minister for Media Catherine Martin may be more cock-up than conspiracy, but it is no less damaging for that. The fallout from the dispute over who knew what, when about retirement payments to outgoing executives has already resulted in the departure of RTÉ board chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh. Just how much damage the affair will do to the Minister remains to be seen. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has complained that €19 million of funding allocated to reduce waiting times for children in need of spinal surgery may not have been used as intended. Delays in the treatment of childhood Spina Bifida and scoliosis have been one of the worst features of our healthcare system, resulting in much pain and suffering. And we remember our colleague, former political correspondent and regular Inside Politics panelist Michael O’Regan, who died last week.  Plus the panel pick their Irish Times pieces of the week: Finn McRedmond on the drinking habits of the youngAn expert weighs in on whether a snail could outpace the development of Dublin’s Metro And Miriam Lord ’s dissection of a frustrating Dáil squabble Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the second anniversary of Russia's invasion approaches, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy is still a very popular figure among voters. But with no elections having been held since 2019, and with martial law applying in the country, is democracy being undermined? Dan McLaughlin talks to Hugh Linehan about Ukraine's politics, the recent progress of the war, how critics of Zelenskiy are growing louder and whether there are any mainstream voices calling for compromise or negotiations with Russia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent electoral commission, has taken over the functions previously held by the Referendum Commission in relation to referendums. That means it is responsible for explaining the forthcoming referendums on care and the family. Chair of An Coimisiún Ms Justice Marie Baker and Chief Executive Art O'Leary join Hugh to talk about about what exactly is being asked of voters and the legal implications of yes or no votes on March 8th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics:In another awful week for RTÉ before an Oireachtas committee, was it a mistake for Sinn Féin to raise the idea of an amnesty for those refusing to pay their licence fee? And is is sustainable for prominent ex-RTÉ figures like Dee Forbes, Rory Coveney and Breda O'Keeffe to avoid appearing at the committee? The spiralling cost of the National Children's Hospital means renewed analysis of the Government's ability to plan and deliver big projects.And as the Social Democrats get ready for their conference this weekend, the panel takes stock of the party's fortunes. Plus the panel pick their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:What's in and what's out of the new CSO consumer basket.Replacing Ireland's small embassy building in Washington And has Trump awoken Europe's sleeping beast? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At this point we are definitively into the campaign for the two referendums on family and care due to take place on March 8th. The data from the recent Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll showed substantial majorities in favour of both proposed amendments to the Constitution, but also showed a majority of voters that felt they knew very little about the issues that are involved, which might mean that the debates that take place over the course of the campaign itself could possibly change a lot of people’s minds. The opinion pages of the Irish Times have already played host to a range of differing views on the subject, but two weekly columnists have been particularly forthright – Justine McCarthy has argued strongly in favour of the changes and Michael McDowell has been equally forceful against them. They joined host Hugh Linehan to give their thoughts ahead of March 8th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:The latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll shows support for Sinn Féin took a significant dent, down six points – its lowest level in three years. As Pat explains, a lack of clarity around immigration and the misstep that was the ill-judged motion of no confidence in Justice Minister Helen McEntee last December are just two reasons why the party are losing ground to smaller parties and Independents.And data from the poll also threw up some interesting insights into what way voters will vote in both proposals in the upcoming referendums recognising non-marital families and care in the Constitution, and how much they know actually about what they are voting for.Former taoiseach John Bruton passed away this week, the panel discuss the profound consequences of his time leading government, not least the beginning of runaway economic success and the road to the Good Friday Agreement.Plus, they pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week, on diverse topics: Ukraine war updates, Dublin traffic transformation and Dee Forbes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Washington Correspondent Keith Duggan talks to Hugh Linehan about the seemingly inevitable rematch between US President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump. What issues will dominate the campaign? It's early days, but the flow of immigrants at the southern border seems certain to play to former president Trump's advantage. On the other hand, voters are not yet listening to President Biden's warnings of a threat to democracy should Trump win. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the past decade relationships between the different parts of the UK and Ireland have changed. The push for Scottish independence, growing support for Irish reunification and the Brexit process have all challenged the status quo. But what comes next? Common Ground is a new initiative by The Irish Times that will seek to elevate debate around the future of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. On today’s podcast Common Ground editor Mark Hennessy talks to Hugh about the big questions the residents of these islands will grapple with in the years ahead.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to look back on the week in politics:Pat is in Brussels where the EU has agreed on a €50 billion package for Kyiv. He reports on how Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán was finally cajoled into supporting the move. Ahead of the March referendums on care and the family, Jennifer has been looking at who's who in the Yes and No campaigns. And the panel discuss a significant shift in Government's tone on immigration which became apparent this week.Plus they look at their favourite Irish Times articles of the week on diverse topics: St Patrick's Day, The National Mood and kebabs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy, Freya McClements and Mark Paul join Hugh to discuss the DUP's acceptance of a historic deal that allows power-sharing in Northern Ireland to resume. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics: Gaza is proving a persistent issue in Irish politics, and today’s ruling at the International Court of Justice could place more pressure on the Government to support South Africa’s case and intensify its criticism of Israel. Meanwhile Sinn Féin has faced its own criticism for Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill’s decision to visit the White House on St Patrick’s Day, given the military support provided to Israel by the United States. Minister Catherine Martin struggled to satisfactorily answer questions in a radio interview about the Grant Thornton report that laid bare RTÉ’s failures in the planning and conception of Toy Show: The Musical. Will there ever be accountability for the board’s failures to control the loss-making project? In the US presidential election, the primary season seems to coming to a premature end, as opposition to Donald Trump dries up and Democrats show no sign of replacing President Biden on their ticket. But what will that re-run race look like? Plus the panel pick their Irish Times pieces of the week: My article of the week is this, which goes some way to (politely) calling out some of the terrible bullshit in the whole mental health discourse: Social media and mental health: The glorification of illness is becoming a real problemNaomi O'Leary on a strange and tragic story involving a restaurant, a review and an online backlash. Martin Wolf on the bitter lessons of Brexit for BritainGeraldine Walsh on the downsides to a growing openness around mental illness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman is the man at the centre of one of the most severe and contentious problems facing the State: how to handle the huge increase in people arriving to seek International Protection.The war in Ukraine exacerbated the trend and helped scupper the Green Minister’s plan to end the system of direct provision within the lifetime of this Government, instead leaving it in perpetual crisis-management mode as it struggles to accommodate tens of thousands of refugees.On today’s Inside Politics podcast Minister O’Gorman talks to Hugh Linehan and Jack Horgan-Jones about his handling of the crisis.Ireland should support Ukrainians to return home by rebuilding infrastructure and possibly paying for travel back there, he says.The European Union needs to soon decide whether to extend additional rights enjoyed by Ukrainian refugees beyond their expiry date of March 2025, he adds.The Minister also says he expects between 13,000 and 15,000 asylum seekers to arrive in the country annually from now on.They discuss the struggle to accommodate such unprecedented numbers of arrivals and why local communities have not always been informed in advance when International Protection Applicants are to be housed in their midst.Plus, Minister O’Gorman makes the arguments in favour of a Yes vote in the two upcoming referendums on care and the definition of the family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Hugh Linehan is joined Cormac McQuinn and Jennifer Bray on this week’s wrap with housing for refugees and asylum seekers, and the lack of alternative accommodation, now a perennial talking point, especially in this year of elections. But has a certain tension developed between Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s department of Children, Equality, Integration, Disability and Youth and the Department of Housing? And have asylum seeker protests gradually started to impact political decision-making here?A somewhat comical exchange in the Dáil on its first day back after the Christmas recess saw Roderic O’Gorman and Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara engage in a debate on the upcoming referendums and the proposal to amend the Constitutional definition of a family. The durability of ‘throuple’ relationships saw a complete breakdown in communication after the Clare TD misheard the minister.And are Government putting off big decisions with that general election creeping into view later in the year? Jennifer Bray describes a certain mania she witnessed firsthand at Leinster House as TDs can’t seem to think about anything other than the date for GE 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British broadcaster and author James O'Brien returns to Inside Politics to talk about his most recent book, How They Broke Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are two referendums around the corner on March 8th, but are they too complex and less immediately understandable than other referendums in recent times? Hugh is joined by Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray and on the podcast, with Jennifer spelling out exactly what changes we will be voting on. Protests against the influx of male asylum seekers have been a fixture on the front pages since the start of year, with Ballinrobe and Roscrea making headlines in recent days. But are the Government running out of road in terms of policy or are they simply responding to an unfolding humanitarian crisis?And with numbers in emergency accommodation at record levels, the panel teases out the political impact of ill health and death on the street and how the public expect more from those in power when it comes to protecting people forced to sleep rough. Plus, could Leo Varadkar or Micheál Martin be in line for a top job in Brussels after Charles Michel’s surprise decision to step down as European Council president? While both have distanced themselves from the role, Jennifer explains why Micheál is the more likely candidate of the two. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of 2024 highly consequential elections will take place in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, South Africa and Mexico among others. Things get closer to home later in the year with European parliament elections, local elections and possibly a general election in Ireland. And the UK and US both go to the polls in November.On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Irish Times China Correspondent Denis Staunton joins us from Taipei to discuss this week’s Taiwanese election with presenter Hugh Linehan and Political Editor Pat Leahy. Denis, who has reported for The Irish Times on the election victories of Angela Merkel, Barack Obama and Boris Johnson, gives his perspective on what’s at stake in elections across the Global South, as well as in Europe and the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Still less than a year in existence, the Electoral Commission is set for a packed 2024 with local and European elections in June, a referendum in March and strong odds of a general election too before the year is out. Art O’Leary is Chief executive of the Electoral Commission, and he sat down with Hugh Linehan to discuss the logistics and preparation for the year ahead, balancing geography versus maths for the boundary review and why E-voting is unlikely to make a comeback any time soon.Art also goes through a few items on his wish list – a revamp of the electoral register, getting more young people out voting, and developing a system where Irish people can vote from anywhere in the world. Plus, with so many upcoming elections, what can the Electoral Commission do to combat the likely deluge of online misinformation?Produced by Declan Conlon. JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's part two of the traditional Inside Politics end-of-year Ask Us Anything podcast. Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn are in celebratory mood as they answer your questions about elections, policies and politicians.Wishing a Happy New Year to all our listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's part one of the traditional Inside Politics end-of-year Ask Us Anything podcast. Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn hit play on a range of listener queries and even help one to settle a bet. Part two will be out on Friday December 29th. Thanks to all our listeners in 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North and South, how open are citizens to constitutional changes in order to make a United Ireland work? How much economic pain would they be willing to bear? What level of short-term pain would be felt worth any long-term gains?Understanding such attitudes is one of the goals of North and South, a collaboration between The The Irish Times and ARINS, itself a joint research project of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and the Keough-Naughton Centre for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame.The continuing collaboration also makes it possible to track changing attitudes to reunification over time - and there have already been some significant changes.To discuss the findings of the latest series of polls in the North and South project, Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy are joined by Professor Brendan O’Leary.Brendan O’Leary is a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania and chair of the Public Opinion Committee of ARINS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin party leader and Dublin Central TD Mary Lou McDonald sat down with Pat Leahy to talk about a range of policy areas, from housing to migration and reunification. They also discussed the practice of some Sinn Féin members to take legal proceedings against media outlets and journalists. Pat and Hugh Linehan listen back and analyse the potential taoiseach's answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan for the final weekly politics wrap of 2023.Jennifer Bray is dialling in from Brussels, where the EU Council summit has been taking place, with national leaders meeting to discuss difficult issues including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. And Pat fails miserably to tell the political story of 2023 in 60 seconds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An agreement has been reached at Cop 28 that includes a commitment to phasing out the use of fossil fuels, with some hailing it as an historic moment in the struggle to mitigate climate change. But an agreement is not a substitute for action and the actions required to achieve Net Zero by 2050 amount to one of the most fundamental changes in all human history. The effort is going to have repercussions for how we live, how states interact with each other and for domestic politics. To discuss all this Hugh is joined by Helen Thompson, professor of political economy at Cambridge and cohost of These Times podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:There’s been a lukewarm reception to Cabinet-approved plans for referendums to amend the Constitution when it comes to removing the reference to the role of women in the home; and expanding the concept of the family within the constitution. The wording is not inspiring Key civil society groups.With Paschal Donohoe not ruling himself out of the running for the top job at the International Monetary Fund, what could the potential impact be if he took the role with a general election looming next year?And following the recent Dublin riots, was Sinn Féin’s inevitable motion of no confidence in Justice Minister Helen McEntee a misstep?Plus, the ‘rap of the week’ on the wrap of the week comes from Conor McGregor. Has the UFC star developed political aspirations? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book, The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time, political scientist Yascha Mounk has written the most comprehensive and detailed account yet of how a new form of progressive thinking has taken over the politics of the left. Mounk chronicles the rise of a set of ideas which are “centrally concerned with the role that identity categories like race, gender, and sexual orientation play in the world.” This fixation on identity, rejecting “universal values and neutral rules like free speech and equal opportunity as mere distractions,” draws its strength, Mounk argues, from the way it took over cultural institutions, although it has not convinced more than a  small number of people. These ideas are not just frequently wrong but inimical to a functioning society, he tells Hugh Linhan in today’s Inside Politics podcast.Produced by Declan Conlon. JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan and podcast regulars Pat Leahy, Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray got together on Wednesday to look back on all the major (and some not-so-major) developments in Irish politics in 2023. And they did so in front of a live audience in Dublin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it time for the political system to grapple more explicitly with how immigration is changing Ireland and what sort of model - integration? multiculturalism? - we as a state wish to pursue?  Or is such a conversation only ever destined to be hijacked by hateful voices and to result in a normalisation of the sort of prejudice that was on display in Dublin last week? To discuss and debate this and other related issues, Hugh talks to Kevin Cunningham, Una Mullally and Ronan McCrea.Kevin Cunningham is a lecturer in politics at TU Dublin. Ronan McCrea is a professor of European and constitutional law at University College Dublin. Una Mullally is a writer, an Irish Times columnist and the author of In the Name of Love: The Movement for Marriage Equality in Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the Friday wrap panellists are joined by Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher to talk about how Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and the entire State apparatus will respond to unprecedented violence on Dublin's streets, encouraged by far-right activists, following the stabbing of several children outside a school on Thursday afternoon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"With economic signals flashing amber, the next Irish general election might be sooner than we thought", argues Cliff Taylor in an analysis piece for The Irish Times. But does Cliff's economic reasoning survive contact with political logic? Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy let him know.Plus: Senator Malcolm Byrne is warning about the role AI technology and deepfakes could play in the next general election. What are the issues and how could they be tackled? And Jennifer has the details of how an Oireachtas committee has agreed our abortion laws should be changed to remove barriers to women accessing abortions in certain circumstances. The ball is now in the Government's court. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined in studio by Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones. First up for discussion is Fine Gael’s special conference taking place in Kildare this weekend. The conference comes just before a year that may see the party contest three elections, a year that could come to define the trajectory of Fine Gael and its leadership. But are Fine Gael generating enough momentum to meet the challenges that await them in 2024? Also in part one, the latest twist in the RTÉ saga as director general Kevin Bakhurst unveiled his strategic plan for the future of the broadcaster this week. Separate to that came confirmation from the Government that an additional €56 million in funding would be made available, but as the panel points out, there is still the sticky issue of the license fee problem that has yet to be confronted. And in part two, the value of diplomacy as Micheál Martin tours the Middle East this week, during which he met with his Israeli counterpart in Jerusalem before meeting representatives of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. And also happening this week, opposition motions to remove the Israeli ambassador and ICC referral were defeated in the Dáil.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is almost four months now since Spain went to the polls to elect a new parliament. This week it looks as if Socialist Party leader Pedro Sánchez is finally about to be confirmed for a new term as Prime Minister. But the political road to that outcome has been complex and highly contentious, bringing to the fore all the divisions over ideology and identity which characterise the contemporary political scene in Spain, the EU's fourth largest country. On today's podcast Hugh Linehan digs into what is happening in Spain with author Paddy Woodworth, who wrote two books about the Basque region, and Madrid-based reporter Guy Hedgecoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Housing, housing, housing and Palestine. Anyone hoping to hear much about anything else at this weekend’s Sinn Féin Ard Fheis will have left Athlone disappointed. Pat Leahy was there and he joins Hugh Linehan to discuss what happened at the conference, including the warm welcome given to Palestinian ambassador to Ireland, Dr Jilan Abdalmajid.They also look at how party leader Mary Lou McDonald handled questions about members of her party taking legal action against journalists and media organisations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh to look back on the week in politics:The dire situation in Israel and Palestine continues to dominate Irish political discourse.UK home secretary Suella Braverman's controversial opinion piece may cost her her job. Sinn Féin's annual conference or Ard Fheis takes place this weekend. A new Irish political party was born this week - Harry McGee has the details.And the panel pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week:A brilliant piece about displacement of Bedouins in the West Bank by Hannah McCarthyMartin Wall's coverage of Donald Trump's legal woes contrasts with the former president's growing chances of winning a second termShould religion get out of the classroom? A debate in our pages set out both sides. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will they or won't they? DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson must soon decide whether to lead his party back into power-sharing or to let devolution die and direct rule return. The decision he makes will be defining for Northern Ireland, for Unionism and for Donaldson himself. To discuss the forces at play, unionist commentator Alex Kane and Northern Editor Freya McClements join Pat and Hugh. Alex Kane is a commentator based in Belfast. He was formerly director of communications for the Ulster Unionist Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Dail is in recess, and that means no Friday wrap today. Instead, we’re going to bring you a conversation that was originally published on the feed of our sister podcast In the News, hosted by Bernice Harrison, all about a story that gripped 1980s Ireland. You can subscribe to In the News for free here.On December 16th, 1983, after 23 days in captivity, kidnapped supermarket executive Don Tidey was rescued. He had been taken by members of the Provisional IRA posing as gardaí while driving his daughter to school in Dublin. With the whole country transfixed by the kidnapping, Garda intelligence tracked the culprits and their victim down to Derrada Wood outside Ballinamore in Co Leitrim. And while the release of Tidey safe and well was a success, the day was shrouded in tragedy because during the rescue his captors shot dead Private Patrick Kelly and recruit Garda Gary Sheehan.The murders shocked the country and no one has been brought to justice for them. Most of the kidnappers got clean away. While the event has been the subject of much media attention over the years, Tidey has never spoken about it until now. This year he talked to Tommy Conlon and Ronan McGreevy for their new book, The Kidnapping, A Hostage, a Desperate Manhunt and a Bloody Rescue. They talk to In the News about the events in 1983 and the aftermath. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The response to the Hamas terror attack on October 7th has been fierce. In the weeks since then, Israel has unleashed a war against Hamas but in which thousands of civilians in Gaza have lost their lives. Where will that war lead, and who will rule Gaza if Israel achieves its goal of eliminating Hamas? Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole talks to Hugh Linehan about why the only viable process is a peace process - and why Israel's current government is not able to envisage one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Linehan is joined in studio by Jennifer Bray, while Pat Leahy is on the line from Brussels where he is covering the EU leaders’ summit. As Pat explains in part one of today’s Inside Politics podcast, the Israel-Hamas conflict has been top of the agenda there, with hours of negotiation going into the European Union’s call for “pauses” in the conflict in Gaza.Also in part one, Jennifer highlights a Cabinet disagreement over future plans for housing Ukrainian refugees here, and the proposal for a 90-day time limit on State accommodation given our lack of capacity.And in part two, the pod discusses the novel suggestion by Minister of State for Northern Ireland and former Chair of the European Research Group, Steve Baker, that a united Ireland referendum should need a ‘super majority’ of 60 per cent in the North and the Republic to carry. Something he now feels the UK Brexit vote of 2016 should have required.Plus the panel pick their favourite articles of the week from irishtimes.com:·      Gerry Thornley celebrates Johnny Sexton’s remarkable rugby career·      Our corporation tax policies attracting unwanted international attention writes Cliff Taylor·      Karlin Lillington on the massive contradictions of Paddy Cosgrave and Web Summit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former MP, Tory leadership candidate, author and now host of the UK's biggest politics podcast The Rest is Politics, Rory Stewart is today's guest on Inside Politics. His gripping memoir Politics on the Edge (now available in paperback) is the jumping off point for a wide-ranging discussion: How the West blundered in Iraq and AfghanistanWhy answering a call for new blood in politics led him to become a Tory MPHis difficult relationship with David Cameron His disillusionment with the fundamental ‘unseriousness’ of UK politicsMinister of State for Northern Ireland Steve Baker’s statement that a border poll should need a supermajority to pass The nature of constitutional politics and referendums His disbelief and disappointment when Boris Johnson became his party’s leader and UK prime minister Liz Truss as a Margaret Thatcher tribute act Why Keir Starmer will be the next prime minister - and the two things he lacks for the job. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look at the week in Irish politics: Foreign policy came to Dáil Éireann as Government and opposition tried and failed to agree a motion on the crisis in Israel and Palestine.Dismay at the Department of Health and the HSE over a shortfall in funding for next year spills out into the open. The political response to devastating flooding in Cork and the reality that climate mitigation will be among the State's biggest problems for - at least - decades to come. Plus the panel pick their Irish Times stories of the week: Does President Michael D. Higgins see Russia as a colonial power - and why should we care? A weary response to Time Out's claim that Smithfield is the second-coolest place on on the planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Banbridge, County Down, Irish Times Books Editor Martin Doyle grew up in the heart of the 'Linen Triangle', home of Northern Ireland's biggest industry, and also within the 'Murder Triangle', a region blighted by sectarian violence during The Troubles. Martin has written a book, Dirty Linen, that explores that time through the stories of the people he grew up amongst. He talks to Hugh Linehan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having already amassed a $26 billion fortune at 28, cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was the world's richest person under 30. He was also the most prominent advocate of the 'effective altruism' movement, pledging to donate millions of dollars to charities he judged would make the greatest positive difference. Then, it all came crashing down. Bankman-Fried is currently on trial in New York for fraud, after the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange exposed the misuse of customer funds. But he is no ordinary greedy billionaire, says best-selling author Michael Lewis, who had already chosen Bankman-Fried as the subject of his next book before his fortunes changed. Lewis, whose previous books include Moneyball, The Big Short and Flash Boys, returns to the Inside Politics podcast to talk to Hugh Linehan about the highly unusual personality, methods and motivations of Sam Bankman-Fried. He also addresses the criticisms he himself has faced for his relatively favourable depiction of a man charged with conspiracy, money laundering and fraud. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The horrific events this week in Israel and the Gaza Strip are the subject of part one of today's podcast. Harry McGee has been watching the conflict, and Ireland's political response to it, unfold.In part two Jack Horgan-Jones talks about ongoing reaction to this week's Budget. With Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael working together in harmony as they control the State's finances, how can the parties differentiate themselves at the next election?Plus the panel pick their favourite articles of the week from irishtimes.com:Gordon Manning on the unlikely childhood GAA experience of a family of All Black rugby starsMark Paul on signs that next year's UK election could be nastyRemembering a legendary Irish philanthropist Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Budget 2024 was a missed opportunity to invest more in housing and tackle chronic problems in our health system, says Sinn Féin spokesperson for finance Pearse Doherty. Pearse joins Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Hugh to talk about Budget 2024 in detail and spell out what Sinn Féin would do differently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look at the week in politics:If past years are anything to go by, most of the Budget 2024 measures will have been leaked by next Tuesday. The fact they haven't yet been shows how difficult negotiations are this year, with Ministers competing for cash to spend on pet projects.Labour TD for Wexford Brendan Howlin announced he will retire at the next election. We look back on the former party leader and minister for public expenditure's long career.UK Labour leader Keir Starmer cast doubt on the prospect of a vote on reunification, should he succeed in becoming Prime Minister.Plus our panellists pick their favourite Irish Times journalism from this week:Finn McRedmond isn’t into a proposed National Women’s Museum.Martin Wall reports from Washington on the dramatic ouster of Kevin McCarthy.Mark Paul on Rishi Sunak’ attempt to portray himself as a change-maker after his party’s 13-year reign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's podcast:Jack Horgan-Jones on the darkening economic backdrop to next week's delivery of Budget 2024.Mark Paul reports from the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester where Prime Minister Rushi Sunak delivered some headline-grabbing 'common sense' pledges. But throughout the week he was overshadowed by those with an eye on replacing him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is Canadian academic and author Naomi Klein. Klein shot to fame with her first book, No Logo, which offered an acute critique of how powerful corporations in the 1990s had profited off exploitation in a globalizing world. Her later books have examined a range of subjects including crisis capitalism, militarism, and the climate crisis. In her new book Doppelganger Klein uses the fact that she is commonly confused online for a very different writer, Naomi Wolf, who has called Covid-19 vaccine programmes ‘mass murder’, as a device to explore modern themes including online identity, conspiracy theories and the 21st Century supremacy of the ‘personal brand’.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics:The latest Irish Times / Ipsos opinion poll shows Sinn Féin continuing to gain. Other poll results foreshadow the potential for difficult negotiations if the party needs to form a coalition with Fianna Fáil.Beyond the next election, the poll shows long term problems for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael when it comes to attracting young voters. Budget 2024 is just over a week away and for now the message is that this will not be a pre-election giveaway - but will that hold?Taoiseach Leo Varadkar dropped an unusual and somewhat controversial reference this week, prompting our panel to speculate about his TV viewing habits.Plus the panel select their favourite reads of the week:Without even mentioning the song, Diarmaid Ferriter has (hopefully) the last work on Zombiegate.Michael McDowell calls for a new agency to reverse Dublin's declineAnd Pat commends our reporters' wide coverage of this week's historic drugs bust. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A constitutional stopwatch is now ticking for the way in which some senators are elected. And it’s finally time for the Seanad reform which successive governments have promised but failed to deliver. That’s according to Tomás Heneghan, the University of Limerick graduate who won a landmark Supreme Court case earlier this year over being denied the right to vote for the upper houses’s university seats. On today's podcast he talks to Hugh and Pat about his historic case and how complying with it could cause problems for the coalition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Friday wrap of the week returns with the start of the new political season. Jennifer Bray, Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the week in politics: What should we call the ugly scenes outside Dáil Éireann this week - and what sort of response should there be? As politicians gear up for a period with lots of elections, is Taoiseach Leo Varadkar creating friction with his coalition partners? The concerns of farmers were in focus at the Ploughing Championships this week - as was their dislike of the Greens. Plus the panel nominate their favourite IT articles of the week, including: Justine McCarthy on a growing healthcare controversyNaomi O'Leary on Ireland's risky exposure to the Chinese economyand Roísín Ingle's paean to the joys of day-drinking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Foster tells today’s Irish Times Inside Politics podcast that, while polls show a majority of British voters now think it was a mistake to leave the European Union, it is unlikely any UK government in the foreseeable future will seek to rejoin. What is needed instead, the Financial Times journalist says, is greater honesty on the subject from political leaders, in particular from Keir Starmer’s Labour party, which currently looks set to win next year’s general election. In his new book What Went Wrong With Brexit and What To Do About It, Peter argues the UK is facing a future of stagnation and decline unless its political leaders start to confront the challenges posed by Brexit.What Went Wrong With Brexit and What To Do About It is published by Canongate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How hard it is it to write a tell-all book about Sinn Féin, a political party known among journalists for its secrecy and its on-message discipline? Aoife Moore, author of The Long Game, a new book on the party, was expecting at least some cooperation - but it didn't really work out that way. Of those few who were willing to talk, she says, many had their own motives. In the Mindfield area at this year's Electric Picnic festival, Aoife sat down with Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to talk about the book, the party and its leaders, past and present. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 10th is Budget Day, so it is the time of the year for politicians and lobbyists to make their cases for extra spending and tax cuts in 2024.It will be a year when Ireland is forecast to run a surplus of over €10 billion, leaving lots of room to manoeuvre, and plenty of decisions in the hands of Minister for Finance Michael McGrath and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe.On today's podcast Mr Donohoe joins Hugh and Pat to talk about Budget 2024. Of specific measures, the Minister gives little away. But he does provide an insight into his thinking about the balancing act that must be struck. They also discuss the risk posed to stability by unpredictable corporate tax receipts, the future for RTÉ and whether Fine Gael still has something to offer in government beyond the next election.And Mr Donohoe takes the opportunity to criticise Pat's argument that the Government is short on ideas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Pat Leahy to talk about the big political stories of the week:News that RTÉ licence fee receipts have continued to plummet will be of concern when the Cabinet meets this weekA spike in road deaths is another issue for the coalition to grapple withPolitical party think-in season is about to commence, but the annual events are not what they used to be, lament our correspondents.Plus: Northern Editor Freya McClements on the waning prospects of a restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the attrition a lack of leadership is causing to day-to-day lives of citizens. What is in the mind of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, in whose hands powersharing lies? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Electoral Commission has published its highly anticipated constituency review which, as expected, recommends an increase in the number of Dáil seats to let representation keep pace with population growth. The review, which is expected to be approved by the Dáil, also recommends the creation of new constituencies and the adjustment of others. But what does it all mean for voters and politicians? Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee join Pat Leahy to dig into the review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to discuss the big stories of the past few weeks: Is Minister for Media Catherine Martin at risk of seeming too passive in her handling of the RTÉ payments controversy? The Electoral Commission will shortly reveal new constituency boundaries, amounting to a new political landscape for voters and politicians to get to grips with. And politicians are extremely keen to see what it will mean for them. The issue of crime on city streets is a difficult one for politicians like Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to handle - especially when there is little agreement on what exactly, or how severe, the problem really is. An Irish Times report revealed that Ireland will provide weapons training to Ukrainian soldiers. The news has prompted questions about whether the plan violates military neutrality. Could the policy cause strife between the coalition partners? Thanks to everyone who got in touch about The Bertie Years. Tell us what political history you would like Inside Politics to cover next by emailing us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The final episode of the series ends with a bang, or rather a crash, as Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy detail how Bertie’s own finances are under the microscope as he faces into his last general election as leader of Fianna Fáil, while the global financial earthquake comes into view.This is part four of The Ahern Years. Parts one, two and three are also available. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy pore over what comes after Fianna Fáil's successful 2002 general election amid the ongoing boom. The defeats in local and European elections in 2004, the twin debacles of e-voting and decentralisation, and Charlie McCreevy exiting stage right, all raise questions about Bertie's decision-making.  This is part three of The Ahern Years. Parts one and two are also available. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy delve into Bertie Ahern's first government as Taoiseach, a government which oversees unprecedented economic growth as the Celtic Tiger years begin. And Bertie writes his name into the history books for his role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

His legacy is debated, but there's no denying that Bertie Ahern is one of the most significant figures in Irish political history. Over the next few episodes Pat Leahy tells the story of the life and political career of the former Taoiseach and assesses his impact on modern Ireland. In the first instalment Pat examines Ahern's rise to prominence within Fianna Fáil, how he first came close to power before having it snatched away by a political ally turned foe, and the smart general election campaign that saw him assume the office of Taoiseach on June 26th, 1997. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s never a dull moment when it comes to US politics, as proved again today with the announcement of fresh criminal charges against former president Donald Trump. In this episode, Staff writer at the New Yorker Clare Malone joins Hugh to take a look at the state of US politics through the lens of current media trends, what we can expect from the year ahead and how an election paralleled with multiple criminal trials might play out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who are Sinn Féin and what really makes the party different, if anything? Who holds real sway within the party? What role do activists play, and who are its up-and-coming stars? Freya McClements and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to talk about Ireland's most popular party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Dáil summer recess has arrived and our political experts Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn have convened to look back on the political season:The relative political fortunes of Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar.Do polls suggest Sinn Féin has hit a ceiling of support? Did the Government get a handle on the migrant accommodation crisis? Or can it claim real progress on broader issue of a lack of housing? How has the huge budget surplus perturbed politics?Plus, Jennifer reveals what the Leinster House gossip is saying about the timing of the next election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a summer heatwave gripping countries including Spain, Italy, France and Greece, Europeans are experiencing temperatures more commonly found in the Sahara desert. The consequences for human health, agriculture and the environment are expected to be severe. How are European political institutions responding to what seems to be a troubling new reality? Naomi O'Leary reports from Brussels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics including hopefully the final week of RTÉ Oireachtas committee mania and the spiralling cost of delivering the National Children's Hospital. Plus they select the finest Irish Times articles from throughout the week, including what happens when you send a grumpy sportswriter to report on politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the Twelfth and to mark Unionism and Loyalism's day of celebration, Hugh talks to Dr Aaron Edwards, author of A People Under Siege: The Unionists of Northern Ireland from Partition to Brexit and Beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Inside Politics podcast Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to discuss the week in politics:The crisis at RTÉ is entering its third week but, with appearances by Ryan Tubridy and Noel Kelly before an Oireachtas committee and the takeover by Kevin Bakhurst as Director General all happening next week, the story is not going away, much as weary RTÉ executives and politicians might want it to.The Summer Economic Statement prompted some criticism from economists opposed to excessive spending - but little from opposition politicians. Why?Opposition to hate speech legislation currently making its way through the Seanad is filling up the inboxes of politicians like Fianna Fail’s Lisa Chambers. But do people’s concerns have much to do with what’s actually in the bill?Plus the panel recommend their Irish Times articles of the week:Newton Emerson on the complexities of talking about how a United Ireland would actually workJohn Fitzgerald on whether the IDA’s current strategy is right for an Ireland of inflation, full employment and overstretched services.Patrick Freyne’s guide to the year’s best TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under the leadership of Holly Cairns, the Cork South-West TD who took over from Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall in March, the Social Democrats are riding high among the smaller political parties in Dail Eireann - according to opinion polls at least. But what is the party all about? How is it different from Sinn Fein, the biggest party on the left? And if the Soc Dems were to combine with other political parties in a coalition of compromise after the next election, where would its policy red lines be? Holly Cairns sat down with Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy to discuss leadership, politics and policy. But first, they talk about the latest revelations in the crisis at RTE over secret payments to Ryan Tubridy and the future of the national public service broadcaster. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a wide-ranging interview in today's Irish Times, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee talks about remarks critical of her taking maternity leave while in office, the stint by Cabinet colleague Simon Harris in her job and her future ambitions. And on today's podcast Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray listen back to excerpts from the interview and apply some political analysis.But first, Jack and Jen threaten to establish a new world order in the absence of Hugh Linehan and the rest of the politics team, before settling down into a discussion of RTE's terrible week, as the broadcaster's top brass endured grillings in front of two Oireachtas committees over secret payments to Ryan Tubridy. Has the management team been irreparably damaged by its association with the week's events? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosting Inside Politics in Hugh Linehan’s absence, Pat Leahy is joined by Current Affairs Editor of The Irish Times, Arthur Beesley and Professor Jane Suiter from DCU’s School of Communications to discuss where we are now after yesterday's statement from RTÉ on Ryan Tubridy’s controversial pay deal.Are we likely to get satisfactory answers from today’s Oireachtas committee or the Public Accounts committee on Thursday? And the panel tease out how those running RTÉ can possibly re-establish trust when its own employees are protesting, as well as where its often-complicated relationship with politics goes from here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:The fiasco unfolding at RTÉ over Ryan Tubridy's unusual pay deal and its potential ramificationsThe Labour Party's confidential review that examines where it all went wrong while they were in governmentPlus, they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:Séamas O’Reilly on not mentioning the war while living in DublinMiriam Lord's amusing take on the political reaction to the hate speech BillUna Mullally and Patrick Freyne look back on 40 years since Ireland's first Pride parade Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Columnist and former Fianna Fáil advisor Gerard Howlin joins Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to talk about two controversial topics: recent comments by President Michael D Higgins and the Hate Speech bill that is making its way through the Oireachtas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest Irish Times/ Ipsos opinion poll shows support for both Fine Gael and Sinn Féin has dropped, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also seeing a sharp decline in his personal rating. Fianna Fáil and the Social Democrats however, can breathe a sigh of relief after both experiencing an increase in support. Pat, Harry and Hugh analyse the results. Plus they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:Olivia Kelly follows in Bloom’s sticky footsteps around the capitalMark Paul on Boris Johnson’s adventures in parliamentSally Hayden on the normalisation of mass drownings in the Mediterranean Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conor Gallagher, Irish Times Crime and Security Correspondent, has a new book out Is Ireland Neutral? The Many Myths of Irish Neutrality. He sat down with Hugh Linehan to discuss what has been an accepted position since the foundation of the Free State but doesn’t actually stand up to scrutiny.Whether an attempt to form a military alliance with France at the end of the first world war through to the part Shannon Airport plays in US military operations, the definition of neutrality here is loose at best.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:Ifac cautions coalition on expenditure and its potential consequencesSinn Féin defend IRA commemoration in South ArmaghIs James O'Connor a Jekyll & Hyde figure within Fianna Fáil?Plus, they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:Kiss rocker Gene Simmons visits House of Commons as Ian Paisley's guestFAI request huge investment commitment from governmentGerard Howlin highlights parties on the wrong side of history for climate change Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast takes a look at the concept of ‘middle Ireland’, a concept that has been around for a long time in political discourse here, and one that has proved to be quite potent politically when comes to getting votes - but who exactly falls into the category of ‘middle Ireland’?Do Fine Gael alone speak for this cohort? Or perhaps each party, much like the CSO or Grant Thornton, has their own definition of who the ‘squeezed middle’ is.And could introducing some income tax reform lighten the load for middle earners here?Political Correspondent with The Irish Times, Jennifer Bray, and Political Economist Aidan Regan from UCD, join Hugh Linehan to give their thoughts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:Ireland is on course to miss its 2030 carbon emission targets by some distanceSome interesting takeaways from Census 2022, including lowering home ownership and fewer CatholicsHelen McEntee taking back the reigns as Minister for Justice Plus they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:Malachy Clerkin on why he misses the officeJustine McCarthy on new frontiers in the hatred warsDáil suspension over 'organic farmer' remark Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book Public Morality and The Culture Wars, academic Bryan Fanning analyses what he calls the ‘triple divide’ between conservative, liberal and progressive viewpoints, how the moral views of those three groups differ and how they clash with growing intensity in what we call the culture wars. He talks to Hugh Linehan about public morality, the debate over the limits of freedom of speech and why liberal and progressive thinking has diverged.Bryan Fanning is Professor of Migration and Social Policy at University College Dublin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coalition Government still has plenty of time to run but, if the past week is anything to go by, the remaining months could be characterised by less cooperation and more shaping up for the electoral battles to come.On today's podcast Pat Leahy and Hugh Linehan take a listen back to an interview Pat conducted with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Thursday in which a picture emerges of how Fine Gael will differentiate itself come election time.In the interview the Taoiseach talks about a controversy over three Fine Gael junior ministers' decision to publicly call for a tax cut in the next budget, why Fine Gael supports lowering taxes for those on middle and upper incomes, why boosting the numbers of homes available to purchase is Fine Gael's housing priority, and how a decision will be made on the timing of the next general election.Mr Varadkar spoke about other subjects - you can read the full article here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Electoral Commission is a newly established state body set up to oversee elections in Ireland. Taking on a range of existing electoral functions, it will also be responsible for deciding on the number of TDs in the Dáil and the boundaries and size of each constituency and local election area. The first report from the Commission on constituency boundaries is due out at the end of August. So what can we expect from it? To talk through the changes coming down the tracks for the electoral system and the wider impact on political parties, Hugh is joined by Cormac McQuinn, political scientist and lecturer with UCC Dr Theresa Reidy and Maynooth University lecturer Dr Adrian Kavanagh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:Government reaction to the agonising migrant accommodation shortage crisis. Will voters react too when they get a chance? Matt Barrett's apology for making jokes about King Charles III's coronation while there as the Taoiseach's +1At the time of recording, local elections in Northern Ireland are looking good for Sinn FéinPlus they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:Alex Kane on the need for Unionism to broaden its appealJustine McCarthy on the political motivations of news organisationsJoe Humphreys on the schism between liberalism and progressivism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ongoing crisis over a shortage of accommodation for International Protection applicants is an acute problem that risks becoming a chronic one for the State. After a week of violent clashes, arson and blockades taking place at accommodation sites, the podcast panel looks again at what's been happening, how bad the problem is and how the political system is reacting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the big political stories of the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political columnist and podcaster Rafael Behr returns to the podcast to talk about his new book Politics: A Survivor's Guide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After yet another ECB rates rise, could we see the reintroduction of mortgage interest relief to take some pressure off homeowners? That was the first point of discussion on the Inside Politics podcast round-up this week.The panel also gave their view on President Higgins’ recent speech at a reception for think tank Tasc, in which he condemned the "obsession” with achieving economic growth at the expense of "ecology and ethics".There was also a noted lack of enthusiasm at the prospect of sitting through live coverage of King Charles the III’s coronation.And the team talk about some of the best Irish Times content of the week, including:Fintan O’Toole’s piece on the fanatical racism of John MitchellJack Horgan-Jones’s account of Donald Trump’s Doonbeg visitPat Leahy writing about Ireland’s approach to relations with China Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiona Hill returns to the podcast to talk to Hugh Linehan about how global attitudes to the war in Ukraine have shifted in the year since Russia’s invasion, the roots of widespread global apathy towards the Ukrainian cause and whether the conflict has become in some sense a ‘proxy war’ between the West and the rest, as well as a fight for Ukrainian independence and sovereignty. They also discuss how politics in Washington, Moscow and Berlin might affect the course of the war.Fiona Hill is a former White House official who advised presidents Bush, Obama and Trump on European and Russian affairs, and who is perhaps best known for her testimony in President Trump's impeachment hearings.She has written a book, There Is Nothing For You Here, about her life, her path to the White House and the declining politics of the US, Britain and Russia.She is a Senior Fellow at Brookings, a Washington-based think-tank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin's rant in the Dáil was the first point of discussion on the podcast's round-up this week. The rant was aimed at the brand of investigative journalism being carried out by The Ditch, journalism that Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy agree, 'stands on its own'.  And while the Tánaiste's outburst was uncharacteristic, Pat felt it 'shouldn't distract from the questions' Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins had to be asked relating to the purchase of a vacant site in Co Limerick by his wife in 2008, even if the story isn't exactly 'Watergate'. Jennifer explains how the provision of abortion care in this country is 'not serving women as the law stipulated', and getting an opinion from senior politicians on barrister Marie O'Shea's independent report has proved to be challenging to say the least.Plus, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar played ‘one of his greatest hits’ this week when promising to cut taxes for those earners who are simply paying too much of it.And the team talk about some of the best Irish Times content of the week, including:Newton Emerson on how we could potentially contribute to the subvention scheme in Northern IrelandDiarmaid Ferriter gives a potted history of farmer parties in IrelandMiriam Lord explains the Kit-Kat apology and Niall Collins Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minister for Transport and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan talks to Hugh Linehan and Harry McGee about policies and politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics:How should the Government use this year's forecast €10 billion budget surplus?TDs are obsessed with what the new Electoral Commission will do to constituency boundaries. History shows they have good reason.Secretary general at the Department of Health Robert Watt's appearance at the Oireachtas finance committee did the opposite of putting the story about Dr Tony Holohan's botched appointment to bed.Plus the panel pick their IT stories of the week:Ciara O'Brien on a big week in the world of Elon MuskNaomi O'Leary writing about free public transport in Luxembourg. It is popular but are people in their cars less? Find out here.Harry McGee on Eamon Ryan's strong opposition to Dublin Port's development plans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Inside Politics podcast Hugh Linehan is joined by Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones from our political team to discuss this week’s stories, including:Focus on Sinn Féin’s link to discredited witness Jonathan Dowdall since the conclusion of the Regency trial this week. Will the connection harm the party at election time?Fine Gael TD John Paul Phelan’s intention to stand down at the next election is on the grounds of ill health. But there is also a broader trend of politicians leaving politics behind. A report into the botched appointment of Dr Tony Holohan to a state-funded position at Trinity College Dublin showed how surprisingly sloppy the process had been and revealed a major dispute among senior civil servants over who knew what, when.Will independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice really launch a new political party catering to farmers fed up with the Green agenda? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish Times Washington Correspondents past and present, Simon Carswell and Martin Wall, have both been covering US president Joe Biden's visit to Ireland this week.They join Pat Leahy to talk about what the visit has been like and how it has gone down at home in the US, here in Ireland and elsewhere.They look at Mr Biden's comments here and ask how well he's balanced the various diplomatic, political and emotional aspects of his presence.And they discuss some surprising comments Mr Biden made in Dáil Éireann that may give ammunition to those arguing the 81 year old is too old to run again in 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gerard Howlin and Freya McClements join Pat Leahy to talk about all the politics surrounding US President Joe Biden's visit to Ireland. The four-day tour gets going in earnest today with an address at Ulster University in Belfast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The whole world is a series of collective action problems, says Professor Ben Ansell. We want action taken to solve problems, but we want most of the benefits of those actions for ourselves while wanting others to bear the costs. These conflicts are at the heart of the failure of politics to solve many pressing problems, from housing to climate change.In his new book Why Politics Fails: The Five Traps of the Modern World & How to Escape Them, he looks in detail at these conflicts and why modern politics leaves us so disappointed.On today's podcast Ben talks to Hugh Linehan about how politics works on a human level, why trust in politics has declined, the importance of institutions, the evolution of political parties, and why housing is the defining issue of the age.Ben Ansell is Professor of Comparative Democratic Institutions at Oxford University. Why Politics Fails is his fourth book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh to look back at the week in politics:Bad-tempered Dáil debates on confidence motions this weekDefence Forces in crisis following the Women of Honour reportUS president Joe Biden's Ireland visit schedule confirmedAnd the team talk about some of the best Irish Times content of the week, including:Mark Paul on the outcome of the SNP leadership race and the opportunity for the Labour Party in Scotland.Are private cars a bad thing or a good thing? Both views appeared in the opinion pages of The Irish Times this week.Forbes magazine's ongoing failure to make amends with Limerick city Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April marks 25 years since the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement was reached, ending the Troubles and establishing a new political arrangement on the island of Ireland.But today the institutions that were set up back in 1998 are in crisis.Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole talks to Hugh Linehan about the significance of the Agreement:The events that led up to the deal and the role of John HumeThe impact of the Agreement on the evolution of Sinn FéinHow Brexit trampled on the ideas underpinning the AgreementThe future of the powersharing institutions and how Northern Ireland has moved on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite the government's comfortable defeat of a motion of no confidence this week, the fallout continues as it reacts to the forthcoming lifting of the eviction ban. "They've made a hames of it," according to Pat Leahy. Jack Horgan Jones analyses how Green support is slipping among young voters and the number of WhatsApp leaks is indicative of a very unhappy party. Plus, the attitude to the Windsor Framework in Brussels and is Leo Varadkar in the make-or-break phase of his political career?Hugh's article of the week is Finn McRedmond's opinion piece on whether this generation is worse off than its parents.Pat particularly enjoyed Fintan O'Toole' grudging admission that he's finally fallen in love with rugby.Jack Horgan Jones recommends Mark Paul's London Letter, after attending the annual Press and Political Reception at the Irish embassy in Belgravia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon has been heating up over the last number of weeks, as the three candidates vying for the position, have clashed over policy issues and the future of the party. The first leadership contest in 20 years; it’s generally believed to be a two-horse race between current Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, with former Minister for Community Safety Ash Regan, trailing behind in popularity.  So what can we expect from the final days of the contest, will the next leader unite or divide the SNP and how will the emerging cracks be covered over?To discuss all this and more, Hugh is joined by Scotland Editor of The Spectator Alex Massie and London Correspondent Mark Paul who is following the contest from Edinburgh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's St Patrick's Day week and ministers are flying off to press the flesh around the world. Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk about everything that's going on back home in politics including: Joe Biden will visit Ireland next month. How will he be received North and South? Tanaiste Micheal Martin says Ireland has 'turned a corner' on housing. Is he right?An errant tweet has landed the Green Party's communications director in hot water and put the spotlight on divisions within the party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One issue has dominated the agenda on what was an already busy week for politics. The decision to lift the eviction ban was a shock reversal of what was expected from Tuesday's cabinet meeting, according to Jack Horgan-Jones. The maelstrom of personal stories from worried renters gives the opposition an easily-understood attack line from now until the next election. Coalition tensions are also mounting over plans to reduce private car usage, with Green ambitions to introduce congestion charges. Cormac McQuinn also highlights the potential minefield for the government if it opts for holding three referendums relating to gender equality in November. Plus the panel choose their Irish Times article of the week:Kitty Holland's explainer on referendums relating to the constitution's article on 'women in the home' Fiona Reddan's deep dive into why Ireland has Europe's most expensive housing marketConor Capplis' passionate article in favour of Paul Mescal taking the Oscar for Best Actor at this weekend's Academy Awards Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People Before Profit TD for Dún Laoghaire Richard Boyd Barrett talks to Hugh and Jen about a pamphlet recently published by his party that set out its unashamedly radical politics and questioned how far the electorate could trust Sinn Fein to implement left-wing policies if in government.They also discuss Richard's views on the need to nationalise industries, how to tackle the housing crisis and when it is appropriate to object to housing in a politician's constituency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about the week in politics:Minister of state Niall Collins fails to put questions over a planning application to bedPeople Before Profit publish a remarkable documentWhere new Soc Dems leader Holly Cairns can find votes for her partyPlus the panel talk about their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:Matt Hancock's leaked Whatsapp messages Harry McGee talks to a Louth councillor who was targeted online for her stance on refugeesDenis Staunton paints a picture of springtime in Beijing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government and the European Union expect British prime minister Rishi Sunak to proceed with the new deal on the Northern Ireland protocol even if the DUP ultimately rejects it, according to sources in Dublin and Brussels.But where would that leave politics in Northern Ireland? To talk about the deal and how it is going down in Dublin, London and Belfast, Hugh talks to Pat Leahy, Mark Paul and Sarah Creighton.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holly Cairns is seen as the most likely contender to succeed Roisin Shorthall and Catherine Murphy, who announced they’re to step down as co-leaders of the Social Democrats this week. Harry McGee observes the party’s younger generation of TDs and councillors may better reflect the profile of the party’s membership. The first Irish Times poll of 2023 is reassuring for Fine Gael and Sinn Fein while perhaps offering a jolt for Fianna Fail, which has seen a slight drop in support since Micheál Martin departed the role of Taoiseach. Pat Leahy says the poll is also noteworthy for the number of undecideds, suggesting there’s a large group of voters still to be won over before the next election. We were expecting a deal on the NI Protocol this week but it appears the British PM’s biggest stumbling block may be overcoming the objections of his own backbenchers. And there was embarrassment for Fine Gael in the Dáil this week after Minister of State, Kieran O’Donnell, forgot to oppose a PBP bill which allowed it to pass to the next stage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the war in Ukraine is seen in Europe and around the world is complex and always changing, but there's no doubt that global perceptions. and motivations will play a role in how the conflict plays out and ultimately comes to an end. To discuss the global aspect of the war, Hugh is joined by China correspondent Denis Staunton, Brussels correspondent Naomi O'Leary and Berlin correspondent Derek Scally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk through some of the biggest political stories of the week including Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation and what it might mean for Scottish independence. They also discuss the latest Mick Wallace controversy which surfaced following a viral TikTok video. But first, progress continues on the protocol talks, but how close are we to a deal and what hurdles still remain? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The political debate around the impact of Brexit on the United Kingdom and its future economic relationship with Europe is 'just on hold at the moment' according to one of the UK's leading political scientists, Professor David Runciman.He talks to Hugh about UK politics today, including Keir Starmer's cautious leadership of the Labour Party, Rishi Sunak's unpopularity, and what he calls a 'phoney war' as populist and Brexit issues lie dormant - but haven't gone away. He also talks about his lecture at UCC last week, where he argued that it is states and corporations, not individuals, that must adapt to avert the existential crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.David Runciman is Professor of Politics at Cambridge University. He delivered the annual Philip Monahan lecture at University College Cork. Thanks to UCC for helping to facilitate this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to talk about the readmission to Fianna Fáil of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who led the party for 13 years before leaving under a shadow. How is Ahern's return being received within the party, and what are his ambitions?Then they discuss the imminent lapsing of various cost-of-living measures introduced by Government last year to help hard-hit citizens. But living in Ireland remains too expensive for many. Could payments like the energy credit be repeated? Could mortgage interest relief make a comeback? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we answer listener questions about the North and South project, with help from Professor Brendan O’Leary of the University of Pennsylvania and Professor John Garry of Queen’s University Belfast.The North and South research project – a collaboration between The Irish Times and ARINS [Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South], which is a joint research project of the Royal Irish Academy and the Keough-Naughton Centre for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame - sought to examine attitudes about the future of the island, and the likely outcomes of any Border polls.Listeners submitted questions about the nature of a border poll, reform of institutions in different jurisdictions and how much the Republic should be willing to change to make a United Ireland a reality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to talk about the week in politics:A letter from Minister Roderic O'Gorman to cabinet colleagues asking for help in securing “sports centres… conference facilities, arts centres, student leisure centres [and] any other large buildings that are deemed safe” in order to house refugees shows just how bad this crisis has become.The Government is increasingly worried about the protests against the housing of refugees and asylum seekers around the country.A report this week that a deal between the UK and the EU over the Northern Ireland protocol was done turned out to be premature - but a deal may be imminent.The story about a legal strategy to discourage claims against the state by citizens overcharged for nursing home care shows again how the system favours the well-resourced when disputes ariseWith any subscription you'll get unlimited access to the very best in unique quality journalism from The Irish Times. Subscribe today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik talks to Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy about her efforts to revive the party's fortunes since taking over early last year. In a political landscape where most parties are promising similar things, how can Labour cut through? And how much of Sinn Féin's agenda would Labour be willing to support if a coalition agreement were on the cards after the next election? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to look back on the week in politics.Claims of electoral expense irregularities expand to ensnare Sinn FeinFemale politicians speak out about threats and aggression Home building figures are not transformative enough to solve housing crisisWith any subscription you'll get unlimited access to the very best in unique quality journalism from The Irish Times. Subscribe today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No elections take place this year. But 2024 could see local, European and general elections all taking place in Ireland. And these looming political battles will shape what political parties do this yearUCC's Theresa Reidy joins Hugh, Pat and Jack to get ahead of the curve and discuss next year's elections. How important are next year's local elections in setting the scene for what's to come after?Will the "vote left transfer left" pact be repeated?How do the government parties compete with one another while fighting a surging Sinn Fein?Will the general election be called early? And will Micheal Martin still be Fianna Fail party leader heading into it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has cultivated a reputation for being a safe pair of political hands, so it has been surprising to watch him fumble his response to revelations over donations-in-kind made to his reelection efforts in 2016 by businessman Michael Stone. You can read about the details of what has been alleged and how Mr Donohoe has responded here. On the podcast Harry McGee and Pat Leahy look at just how bad this is for Mr Donohoe. Plus: The asylum seeker accommodation crisis is now verging on catastrophe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"If we push honest views below ground, we simply push those views into the hands of real racists". That statement, referring to the hot-button issue of migration, is typical of Meath West TD and Aontú party leader Peadar Tóibín, who likes to portray Aontú as neither left nor right but a party of "common sense". Will that approach win Aontú many votes? It's now exactly four years since the party's foundation and, while it has had few electoral successes so far, polling suggests it enjoys similar support to some of the longer-established small parties. Peadar Tóibín talks to Hugh Linehan and Jack Horgan-Jones about what electoral success looks like for his party, the importance of "culture war" versus "bread-and-butter" issues and some reflections on his former party Sinn Fein. This episode is the first in a series looking at small parties. We'll be back on Friday with a round-up of the week's political news. With any subscription you'll get unlimited access to the very best in unique quality journalism from The Irish Times. Subscribe today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Struggling in your job, your attitude, your relationships? There are a growing number of self-declared online experts who have all the answers.Author and journalist Helen Lewis returns to the podcast to talk about her new podcast series The New Gurus, which takes a close look at the phenomenon of these online sages who have a major impact on the outlook and often the political views of millions of people worldwide.They talk about magnetic online personalities, from Russel Brand to Jordan Peterson. How much of it is a grift? And how much influence do the new gurus really have? You can listen to The New Gurus on BBC Sounds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the fallout from a report on The Ditch news website that Meath West Fine Gael TD Damien English made a false claim on a planning application which allowed him to build a second house. The news forced Deputy English to resign his post as a junior minister. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's podcast:The crisis in Emergency Departments this winter reveals a lack of accountability in the upper echelons of the system, among other issues. Was an attack on TDs with bags of excrement at a public meeting indicative of “a creeping sinister aggression” against politicians, as Ciaran Cannon claimed? Pat explains what is going on behind the scenes in the negotiations over the Northern Ireland Protocol. How would the DUP react to a deal that left even a much-changed Protocol in place? With any subscription you'll get unlimited access to the very best in unique quality journalism from The Irish Times. Subscribe today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New year, new Taoiseach, but the same headwinds facing the Government in areas like housing, refugee accommodation and a struggling healthcare system. Jack Horgan-Jones and columnist Gerard Howlin join Pat to talk about political goings-on in the first week of 2023 and whether Leo Varadkar's second stint as Taoiseach will be any different than his first. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's part two of our annual Ask Us Anything, featuring questions on journalism, politics and a podcasting rivalry.Taking your questions in studio are Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones, with a cameo from Cormac McQuinn. Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You asked, we answered. It's part one of our annual Ask Us Anything, featuring questions on journalism, politics and a podcasting rivalry.Taking your questions in studio are Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones, with additional help from Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happened in the Cabinet reshuffle? Not a lot, is one reasonable answer - there were no surprises, most ministers stayed where there were and any moves had been well flagged in advance.But the day’s events still raised interesting questions for our politics team Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones to answer on this episode of the Inside Politics podcast.Is the unchanged Cabinet a sign of stability - or a sign of stagnation and a death of new talent? How did Stephen Donnelly win the right to retain his position in Health?Why was Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers, moved sideways from chief whip to super junior in the Department of Transport, denied a bigger promotion?How can Micheál Martin lead his party while travelling the world as Minister for Foreign Affairs? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naomi O'Leary is on the line from Brussels where a money-for-influence corruption scandal has rocked the European Parliament. But first, Jack Horgan-Jones and Cliff Taylor on the significance a proposal to overhaul planning laws and potential opposition to the bill from within government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Current affairs editor Arthur Beesley joins Hugh and Pat to talk about his report on what happened inside the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) when its members considered whether to proceed with an investigation into the leaking of a document to a friend by Tanaiste Leo Varadkar. The five Sipo commissioners were split 3:2 in favour of not investigating, the first time in the commission's history a decision was not unanimous. The documents reveal the dissenting views of the two members, who voted to proceed with a preliminary investigation of Varadkar's behaviour in the matter and who expressed dissatisfaction with his rationalisation of events. That the two votes were those of Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) Seamus McCarthy and Ombudsman Ger Deering, two of the most senior independent watchdogs in the State, is an uncomfortable fact for soon-to-be Taoiseach Varadkar and Fine Gael. Plus: Pat talks about today's instalment in the North and South series on attitudes to Irish reunification. The latest poll shows that voters in both Northern Ireland and the Republic would want the model of a future united Ireland to be clear before they voted on the issue in any referendum - but the two jurisdictions differ in which model they prefer. North and South is a collaboration between The Irish Times and ARINS, which is a joint research project of the Royal Irish Academy and the Keough-Naughton Centre for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Loser's consent" could be a critical concept in the event of a referendum on Irish reunification. Will the losing side accept the results? We got some idea of attitudes from new poll results published by The Irish Times this week as a part of our North and South series.Professor John Garry of Queens University Belfast and Northern Editor Freya McClements join Hugh and Pat to discuss the levels of willingness that exist on the island to compromise and accommodate the other side in the event of a united Ireland.Plus: How should we read the large number of "don't knows" in the poll on support for reunification? Could enough undecideds swing towards unity within the ten-year timeframe talked about by Sinn Féın?North and South is a collaboration between The Irish Times and ARINS, which is a joint research project of the Royal Irish Academy and the Keough-Naughton Centre for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame.John Garry is professor of political behaviour, and director of the Democracy Unit, at Queen’s University Belfast. He has published widely on public opinion, voting behaviour, and deliberation in Ireland, North and South. He wrote Consociation and Voting in Northern Ireland: Party Competition and Electoral Behaviour (University of Pennsylvania Press) and co-authored The Irish Voter (Manchester University Press). He is currently leading the Northern Ireland Assembly Election Study, 2022, funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When should a referendum on Irish unity be held, and how would citizens north and south vote? The answer to those questions are the subject of the first instalment of a series on Irish reunification, North and South, published today in The Irish Times.Professor Brendan O'Leary and Irish Times features editor Mary Minihan join Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy to discuss the findings of the poll.They also discuss what was learned from focus groups held north and south on the same issues, with factors including security, the economy and identity playing major roles in shaping attitudes.North and South is a collaboration between The Irish Times and ARINS, which is a joint research project of the Royal Irish Academy and the Keough-Naughton Centre for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame.Brendan O’Leary is Lauder professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, and honorary professor of political science at Queen’s University Belfast – and a member of its Democracy Unit. An honorary member of the Royal Irish Academy, his recent books include A Treatise on Northern Ireland (Oxford University Press) and Making Sense of a United Ireland (Penguin Ireland). He chairs the public opinion committee of ARINS, a joint initiative of the Royal Irish Academy and the University of Notre Dame. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next month Fianna Fáil's Micheal Martin will hand over the office of Taoiseach to Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar.The switch will necessitate a big reshuffle of cabinet positions. Or will it? Our political team has the latest Leinster House chat about how extensive the December reshuffle will be and which positions might be in the mix.Plus: Roderick O'Gorman struggles with migration challenges, a report from the Green Party convention and a decisive victory for Fine Gael in the battle to save Christmas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the podcast today:How much of the East Wall refugee protest story is really an outworking of the housing shortage? With Russia's targeting of energy infrastructure in Ukraine likely to accelerate the flow of migrants, the shortage of space for refugees this winter looks increasingly like a major crisis.Evidence heard at the trial of Gerard Hutch for the murder of David Byrne has been embarrassing for Sinn Féin and party leader Mary Lou McDonald.As the Green Party hold their conference this week Harry assesses their place and performance in the government coalition so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political correspondents Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray join Pat Leahy to discuss how the Government is grappling with some disquiet over immigration, as evidenced by protests against the arrival of refugees in the East Wall area of Dublin this week. Plus: Housing is never far from the agenda and this week a Private Members bill was introduced calling for the housing situation to be declared an emergency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Non-political stories have dominated the news agenda this week, but each has a political dimension. Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the week's events. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"After months of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing amid talk of economic decoupling and a new cold war, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping sought in Bali to turn down the heat" wrote Irish Times China Correspondent Denis Staunton about this week's G20 summit. Denis joins Hugh to talk about how the relationship between China and the West is evolving. But first Denis gives his early impressions of life in China, having taken up the role of China Correspondent this autumn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world’s most powerful media and technology companies use their market power to lock their customers into a relationship they can’t escape, while immiserating the creative people whose work the customers are paying for. Companies like Amazon, Google, Facebook, Spotify, Clear Channel, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have generated enormous revenues for their shareholders while slashing the incomes of writers, journalists and musicians.But it doesn’t have to be this way, say Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin, who argue, as they explain in their new book, Chokepoint Capitalism, that it’s time to fight back against the power of big tech and big media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to look at the week's politics:A Supreme Court ruling creates a headache for GovernmentHow a stricken tech sector could change the political landscapeStill searching for that Brexit / Protocol "landing spot" Do US midterm results spell the end for Trumpism? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the run up to the US midterm elections, polls and political spectators forecast a landslide for the Republicans, but as the results continue to pour in, a different picture is beginning to emerge. The red wave that was expected on the back of the cost of living crisis, failed to materialise, with the Democrats performing far better than anticipated. To go through the winners and losers so far and to discuss what the results will mean for the Biden administration, Hugh is joined by Washington Correspondent Martin Wall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New legislation will give extra protection to members of groups affected by crimes motivated by hatred. But critics say the law will be an unacceptable infringement on freedom of speech. To dig into a thorny subject Hugh talks to speech rights expert Eoin O'Dell, a Fellow and Associate Professor at Trinity College Dublin's School of Law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest Irish Times/Ipsos opinion poll shows that despite a strong desire to support Ukraine, 61 per cent of voters are concerned that “too many refugees” are coming here. And more than half of voters also disagree that Ireland should continue to accept refugees from Ukraine “no matter how many arrive”. To discuss this and more of the findings from the poll, including an unexpected rebound in support for the government and a slightly more optimistic outlook for the country in terms of the cost of living crisis, Hugh is joined by Political Editor Pat Leahy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Time to look at the big picture; what does it mean for me?”Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan on this week’s Inside Politics to discuss Rishi Sunak’s elevation to PM, his appointments to cabinet and what the changes might mean for relations with Ireland.This week saw another heated row between Sinn Fein’s Mary Lou McDonald and the Taoiseach in the Dáil; this time over the Ukrainian accommodation crisis.Plus, after McDonald’s husband, Martin Lanigan, threatened legal proceedings against Shane Ross over his new book, we ask how far should the scrutiny of politicians’ assets extend? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The debacle of Liz Truss's short premiership has cast the entire UK political system into crisis. Not least the system used by the Tory party leadership to select its leader, which is now being accelerated to wrap up within a week. Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk about an extraordinary week and what comes next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many Irish Times readers were talking this week about Fintan O'Toole's column on the subject of the IRA and the appropriateness of chanting "Up the 'Ra'.Hugh talks to Fintan about his column, the debate around the chant and how the history of the Troubles is understood today.Plus, a look at what's happening in Westminster following an extremely turbulent week for prime minister Liz Truss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"A grim agenda" of recession, UK bond crisis and global energy crisis awaits later in today's podcast, so first the team enjoy a relatively light topic: The mini-controversy over Shane Ross's axing from RTÉ radio. The former minister had been due on air to discuss his new biography of Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald. Censorship, or run-of-the-mill editorial decision?Plus: Is a u-turn on the controversial concrete block levy imminent? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The European Political Community, a new forum for European leaders including wannabe EU members and Brexit Britain, met for the first time yesterday at a summit in Prague. The brainchild of French president Emmanuel Macron, the EPC seems to be going well so far, says political editor Pat Leahy - but what is it actually doing? Plus, how far is the UK really willing to go to secure agreement with the EU on the Northern Ireland protocol? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gerard Howlin, Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk about this week's politics:Who is satisfied or dissatisfied with last week's budget Irish politics and the generational divideThe complications that will come with the imminent swapping of jobs between coalition partnersSteve Baker's unexpected apology Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Follow-up analysis of Budget 2023 including childcare measures and the concrete levy, plus a look at the difficult political choices facing UK prime minister Liz Truss after a week of turmoil on the markets. Pat Leahy talks to Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that the dust is beginning to settle on Budget 2023, it’s time to pick it all apart. With €11 billion to dish out, it was by all means “a budget day bonanza”, but will it go far enough? Will it work economically or politically and is there more to come? To discuss this and more, this week’s host Pat Leahy is joined by director of TASC Shana Cohen, economics columnist Cliff Taylor and political reporter Jack Horgan-Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For a quick catchup on the political news of the week, Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan. Topics include: Sinn Féin holds a pre-budget press conferenceCensus in Northern Ireland shows Catholics outnumber Protestants for the first timeGovernment announced its plan for pensions Our panel's favourite reads from the week Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary talks to Hugh about forthcoming elections in Italy that look likely to return a government led by the far-right. What will that mean for the rest of Europe? They also discuss the recent victory of the far-right Sweden Democrats and the EU's ongoing dispute with Hungarian PM Viktor Orban. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a new book Kevin Rafter explores how art and artists have been treated by our taoisigh, from W.T. Cosgrave to Micheál Martin, and how those men have been portrayed by artists in turn. The book is a history of the relationships between well-known artists and the taoisigh of their day, such as that between Brendan Behan and Sean Lemass.Kevin Rafter is a professor of political communications at DCU and currently serves as chair of the Arts Council. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Party think-ins have been happening, a cost of living crisis is raging and the Dáil is back today - so there is lots to discuss. Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about Sinn Féin's positioning, the cost of living package being prepared by the government, failing to meet climate commitments and the opportunity for Liz Truss to take control presented by the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London editor Denis Staunton and political editor Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the dawning UK premiership of Liz Truss. How will she govern, and what approach is will she take on the Northern Ireland protocol? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Brendan O'Leary returns to the show to talk about his new book Making Sense of a United Ireland, in which he explores the issues around a possible future reunification in an accessible way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This winter, thousands of Irish households will be pushed into energy poverty, as the price of oil and gas continues to skyrocket. So, what options do politicians have to protect consumers and what trade-offs will have to be made along the way?On today’s Inside Politics Podcast, Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to discuss how the government will mitigate the energy crisis over the coming months. They also tackle the other political stories making waves this week including the public sector pay talks, a new report by the State’s commission on tax and welfare which recommends an increase on wealth, property and inheritance taxes, plus Dara Calleary’s new gig. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy stepped down from his role as Minister of State after weeks of controversy over his failure to properly declare business interests, including rental properties and company directorships. To discuss the affair and what's been learned from it, Hugh is joined by Fintan O'Toole, Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Religious belief has declined in Europe, but the strength of people's political views is stronger than ever - or at least, it often seems so online.Has political identity replaced religion in people's lives? British journalist and Atlantic magazine staff writer Helen Lewis explores this question in The Church of Social Justice, a new radio documentary for the BBC.She talks to Hugh about where political identity and religion overlap, the value and limitations of each, and the influence of American culture wars on discourse this side of the Atlantic.You can listen to The Church of Social Justice by Helen Lewis here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray emerge from the misty miasma of August political coverage to tell Hugh what's going on in a number of stories: controversies over Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State Robert Troy's declaration of property interests, problems at An Bord Pleanála, early speculation about potential budget measures and coping with the growing number of Ukrainian refugees in need of accommodation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Radden Keefe is an American writer and investigative journalist. His book Empire of Pain is a detailed history of the Sackler dynasty and their role in the American opioid epidemic. Known for their dedication to cultural philanthropy, the family built their wealth on pharmaceuticals, starting with tranquillisers like Librium and Valium, before eventually moving on to the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. In this episode, the award-winning author talks to Hugh about the origins of the addiction crisis, the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy trial and the mark the family left on the world.First published in August 2021. Inside Politics will return with a new episode next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"It is not a question of whether, but when and how Ireland will be united", is the provocative opening argument made by author and journalist Frank Connolly in his recent book United Nation: The Case for Integrating Ireland. But he concedes it won't be easy.The book explores the steps that would be necessary in advance of a border poll and the changes that unity would bring, North and South. He talked to Hugh Linehan about his book recently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan Jones, Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan, back after a two-month absence, to talk about the week's politics including tension within the the Government coalition over climate measures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government this week moved swiftly to tighten Ireland's immigration and asylum regime, when it revoked automatic permission to enter Ireland for people granted asylum in other European countries. It comes as the system struggles to deal with the number of refugees arriving each week from Ukraine.Will it make a difference to a system that is in danger of toppling over? And, is it a sign of a greater shake up of Ireland’s immigration policy to come?Also in this episode of The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast, Pat Leahy is joined by Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones to discuss the political challenges facing the coalition as the Greens seek to secure the agreement of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael for deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions in the agriculture sector. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy talks to guest host Mary Minihan about the results of this week's series of Ipsos opinion poll results. Read about the poll here: https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/poll/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Pat Leahy to discuss the confidence debate and vote that the Government handily won yesterday. Plus, a look ahead to the autumn and beyond when Leo Vaaradkar's return to the Taoiseach's office will coincide with a winter of discontent over the cost of living. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crucial midterm elections for the US Congress will take place in the autumn, with the Democratic Party predicted to lose one or both houses to a resurgent Republican Party. But the recent overturning of the Roe v Wade case by the US Supreme Court, ending the constitutional right to abortion, has angered Democratic pro-choice activists and spurred them into action. Can that translate into a reversal of fortunes for Democrats at the ballot box? Washington correspondent Martin Wall reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Boris Johnson on his way, however slowly, out the door, the Conservatives face a challenge to find a leader who can unite the party and retain its electoral support. Who will it be? And how will that person handle the issue of most importance to Ireland: The Northern Ireland Protocol? Host Pat Leahy and London editor Denis Staunton are joined today by Patrick Maguire, a political journalist with The Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It seems to be a question of when, not if, for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose mishandling of sexual misconduct allegations against an MP has turned his party against him. But how can the party get rid of the stubborn PM? Denis Staunton reports. But first: To talk about this week's summer economic statement and the choices that Ministers Donohoe and McGrath must make to alleviate the pain of the cost of living crisis, Pat Leahy is joined by Labour Senator Marie Sherlock and political correspondent Cormac McQuinn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fine Gael under leader Leo Varadkar are hopelessly out of touch with young voters, says Irish Times columnist Una Mullally. Her criticisms are unfounded and unnecessarily personal, says Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown Neale Richmond. They talk to Pat Leahy about whether Fine Gael get it and what "it" is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray, Jack Horgan-Jones and Irish Times Economics Correspondent Eoin Burke-Kennedy join Pat Leahy to discuss the long wait until October's budget and the mounting pressure on political leaders to ease the cost of living for Irish households. The group also discuss the proposed pay rises for top earning public servants, which is expected to provoke a strong backlash from Opposition politicians and the public. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The rising cost of living is the most immediate issue facing governments all over the world. The Central Statistics Office reports Inflation at a 40-year high, but is the worst yet to come? UCC Economist Seamus Coffey and Irish Times Political Correspondent Jennifer Bray join Pat Leahy to discuss what to expect economically and politically over the coming months. But first, Pat is joined by London Editor Denis Staunton and David O’Sullivan, Director General of the International Institute of International and European affairs to talk about the Northern Ireland Protocol bill which was introduced by the UK government earlier this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones is one of many parents paying through the nose for childcare. The Government wants to take some of the financial pain out of early years education and care - will its plan work? Harry McGee plugs his new podcast GUBU, a seven-part thriller about a series of grisly murders in the 1980s and how they impacted the government of Charles Haughey. And Denis Staunton has the latest from London where PM Boris Johnson lives to fight another day after winning a confidence vote. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not without difficulty, EU member states reached an agreement on new sanctions against Russia, this time banning most oil imports. Pat Leahy and Naomi O'Leary were at the summit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Celebrated author and podcaster Jon Ronson talks to Hugh about his recent BBC podcast series Things Fell Apart which explores the origins of the culture wars through several unique stories. Jon Ronson will be bringing his live show about Things Fell Apart to Liberty Hall Theatre, on 10th June. You can buy tickets here.Jon will also be appearing at the Festival of Writing & Ideas, Borris House on the 11th & 12th of June. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If Sinn Féin fulfils its ambition to be the first party other than Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil to form a government in the Republic, what challenges will it face to implement its ambitious agenda? That question is the subject of this week’s opinion piece by former political advisor Gerard Howlin. He joins Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn on today’s Inside Politics podcast. Plus: a new study shows trust in politics here is at an all-time low. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part one: Following two weeks of intense debate and discussion on the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital, the plan has finally been approved by Cabinet. But at what political cost? Pat and Jen join Hugh to discuss.In part two, London Editor Denis Staunton and Northern Editor Freya McClements assess the Stormont stalemate and the latest on the Protocol. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pandemonium: Power, Politics and Ireland’s Pandemic, is the new book by Irish Times political reporter Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh O’Connell, political correspondent for the Irish Independent. It examines the government handling of the coronavirus pandemic, revealing the moves, power-plays and tactics of those in charge. The co-authors join Pat Leahy, to discuss the extensive work and research that went into the book, the pivotal moments along the way and what lessons can be learned by the state’s response. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freya McClements, Mary Minihan and Pat Leahy join Hugh to analyse the results of last week's Northern Ireland Assembly elections. The major talking point is Sinn Féin taking the largest number of seats for the first time, while the Alliance Party's unprecedented success signals the importance of the middle ground in Northern Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tomorrow Northern Ireland goes to the polls, in what’s been dubbed the most important vote in a generation. For the first time in more than a century, there is the prospect of a nationalist being elected to the top job in government. What could that mean for power sharing? In the rest of the United Kingdom, local elections are taking place. Will disgruntled Tory backbenchers use the results as an excuse to get rid of Boris Johnson? Hugh talks to our London Editor Denis Staunton and Mick Fealty, editor of the Slugger O’Toole political news and opinion website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat and Jen join Hugh to talk about all the political stories of the past week including tension within the coalition over a proposed ban on the sale of turf, the prospect of an increased number of TDs due to a growing population and what that will mean for politics, and an argument in the Seanad over remarks by one Senator during a debate on surrogacy legislation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next weekend, French voters decide whether Emmanuel Macron should remain president or Marine Le Pen should replace him. The latter result would transform France and Europe. Next month, Northern Irish voters elect their MLAs in a vote that could see a Sinn Féin First Minister appointed for the first time. Freya McClements and Lara Marlowe report on these two consequential campaigns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is overwhelming support for a retention of Ireland’s current model of military neutrality, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos poll. Two- thirds of voters do not want to see any change in neutrality, with less than a quarter (24 per cent) saying they wanted to see a change. Pat Leahy explains the poll results in detail. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part one: The political controversy over the appointment of Dr Tony Holohan to a position in Trinity College has raised some awkward questions for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and his departmental Secretary General extraordinaire Robert Watt. Part two: The Dáil is in recess this week - time to run the rule over the performance of the various political parties and the challenges that lie before them in the rest of 2022. Guests: Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neoliberalism means different things to different people. As a set of economic policies it is mainly associated with reducing state intervention in commerce and society. In the course of its late 20th century heyday, neoliberalism transformed the world - for better or worse. But now its dominance is challenged by different models, such as the authoritarian capitalism of China. In his new book The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order, Gary Gerstle looks at how neoliberalism took hold, how it shaped society in the United States and beyond, and what its decline means. Gary Gerstle is Paul Mellon Professor of American History Emeritus and Paul Mellon Director of Research at the University of Cambridge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee to discuss the big political stories of the week, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s historic address to a joint sitting of the Oireachtas earlier this morning, the debate surrounding the impending carbon tax increase and the result of the recent Seanad by-election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ivana Bacik’s uncontested election as Labour Party leader came after the swift removal of Alan Kelly from the role and her own relatively recent appointment as a TD in the Dublin Bay South by-election. She talks to Hugh and Pat about her recent elevation, her vision for the future of the Labour Party and the challenges it faces in re-establishing itself as a medium-sized force in national politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh catches up with Pat Leahy, fresh from his trip to Washington for Micheál Martin’s ill-fated St Patrick’s Day visit. They’re also joined by Jennifer Bray to discuss the future of the coalition and the big political challenges it faces, including the resurgence of Covid, the war in Ukraine and inflation.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine enters its fourth week, with little sign of an outcome, the question of what an endgame of this war might look like is increasingly the subject of international debate. Former editor of the Financial Times, Lionel Barber, is one of the few Western journalists to have conducted an in-depth interview with Vladimir Putin. He talks to Hugh about Putin’s motivations, how this war could end and what the geopolitical consequences of it may be.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In her new book Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century, Helen Thompson, a professor of political economy at Cambridge University, gets to grips with the overlapping geopolitical, economic, and political crises faced by Western democratic societies in the 2020s. She talks to Hugh about some of these moments and the disorder that emerged from them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty joins Hugh and Pat to discuss what his party's priorities and policies would be, if they were to lead the next government. They also discuss Ireland’s neutrality and security into the future, in light of the war in Ukraine, and whether cuts to excise duties on fuel, announced by the Government today, go far enough. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has brought about enormous changes in European policy in an incredibly short space of time. To discuss how it happened, what it means and what happens next, Hugh is joined by Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary and Berlin correspondent Derek Scally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Businessman-turned-campaigner Bill Browder returns to the podcast to talk to Hugh about Russian president Vladimir Putin's actions and motivations, the impact of sanctions and other measures on him and his inner circle as well as the outlook for Ukraine as it fights back against invasion.Browder has spearheaded a campaign against Putin and other Russian officials whom he blames for the death in 2009 of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow prison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Jane Suiter and political correspondent Harry McGee join Hugh to talk about the week's political stories. The National Women's Council of Ireland annoyed some government politicians by failing to invite them to an International Women's Day event. The row raised interesting questions about the role of civic bodies like the NCWI and their relationship with politics. Citizens' Assemblies were designed to help the political system digest divisive societal issues. But are they working as well as they could? Sinn Féin's opposition to carbon taxes sets it apart among the big parties. What's their alternative? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Academic and author Lea Ypi talks to Hugh about her unique and insightful memoir Free, in which she recalls her youth in Albania under communism, the regime's economic and political downfall and the disappointment of what came after.Lea Ypi is professor of political theory at the London School of Economics. Free is published by Penguin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about how a relaxation of the remaining Covid restrictions might play out, the merits of Ireland’s Defence Forces and the new statutory agency for domestic and gender-based violence. They also discuss Helen McEntee’s ministerial performance and how government policy is preventing local authorities from limiting Buy To Rent.www.irishtimes.com/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic is not over but the emergency phase of the State's response to it is. So, how did we do? What lessons can be learned from the state's response and what's the best way to find out what those lessons are? To discuss Hugh is joined by Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole and by political reporter Jack Horgan-Jones, who is the co-author with Hugh O'Connell of a new book, Pandemonium, about the pandemic in Ireland and the State's response. Pandemonium will be available in April and you can preorder it now at the link below. https://www.bookstation.ie/product/pandemonium/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiona Hill is a former White House official who advised presidents Bush, Obama and Trump on European and Russian affairs, and who is perhaps best known for her testimony in President Trump's impeachment hearings. Now she has written a book, There Is Nothing For You Here, about her life, her path to the White House and the declining politics of the US, Britain and Russia. She talks to Hugh Linehan about the book and the current tensions in Eastern Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government is still under pressure over the so-called “champagne party” in the Department of Foreign Affairs on the night Ireland was elected to the UN Security Council two years ago, but will the incident have any lasting political impact? One issue that is certain to trouble the coalition in the coming months is inflation, as more of us begin to feel the effects of an increase in the cost of living. So, when Covid begins to fade from the headlines, what else will creep up the political agenda? Hugh talks to Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee of The Irish Times political team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To understand the strategy and politics behind Russian president Vladimir Putin's buildup of military might on Ukraine's border and how Ukraine, the United States, Europe and Nato are responding, Hugh talks to foreign policy expert Tom Wright. Tom Wright is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, a Washington-based foreign policy think tank, and the director of its Centre on the United States and Europe. He’s the author of two books: Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order (with co-author Colin Kahl) and All Measures Short of War: The Contest For the 21st Century and the Future of American Power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pressure continues to build on UK prime minister Boris Johnson. Denis Staunton has the latest from London. But first Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray talk about Minister for Justice Helen McEntee's plan to tackle gender-based violence and the growing optimism that Covid-19 rules can be relaxed and ultimately dismantled. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee join Hugh to talk about the latest Covid-19 moves being considered by Government, an eye-catching ruling by the Standards in Public Office Commission and what we learned from the State papers released over Christmas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat is joined by Kevin Cunnimgham and Ed Brophy to talk about the major trends that could shape politics in 2022. Will the pandemic continue to dominate everything? How will the return of Leo Varadkar to the office of Taoiseach work in practice? If the cost of living continues its rise as a major issue of concern for voters, who will benefit politically?Dr Kevin Cunningham is a lecturer in Politics and Chair of the MA in Journalism course at TU Dublin.Ed Brophy is former chief advisor to Fine Gael minister for finance Paschal Donohoe and former chief of staff to Labour tánaiste Joan Burton. He is also senior associate with climate change think tank E3G. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once again you asked and once again we will answer. Jen, Pat and Jack join Hugh to respond to listener queries on everything from the possibility of a far-right swing in one major political party's future to the role of expert advisors in the age of Covid-19 and the festive magic of Seanad reform.Thanks to everyone who sent in questions and apologies to those whose question we didn't get to this time.From everyone on the Inside Politics team, thanks for listening in 2021. We wish you a happy and safe 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The resignation of Lord David Frost has introduced a new uncertainty to slowly-progressing talks on the Northern Ireland protocol. EU negotiators would be foolish to think Frost's departure is necessarily a good thing, says London editor Denis Staunton. But first, public affairs editor Simon Carswell on the uncertain situation faced by the country as we head into Christmas with the Omicron variant spreading. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A rebellion by Tory MPs against Boris Johnson's "Plan B" to suppress the Omicron variant left the PM in the embarrassing position of needing Labour support. Is Johnson on borrowed time? On the Brexit front, the UK government rowed back on its demand for European court supremacy over the Northern Ireland protocol, the Brexit agreement covering trade in Northern Ireland. Is the way now paved for a deal in the new year?In Northern Ireland, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is "a mouse dodging under the feet of two elephants" when it comes to the protocol negotiations. Where will a deal leave the DUP with some of its more anti-protocol supporters? Plus: recent polls have added some interesting data points to the ongoing debate about the Irish reunification. The fiery politics of recent years may have hardened positions on all three - yes, three - sides. Today's guests are Denis Staunton and Newton Emerson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to our latest Ipsos MRBI poll, there's a desire for a United Ireland. But when we asked what changes to their lives people would be willing to accept to get it, the picture became more complicated. Political editor Pat Leahy shares the poll results with Hugh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We assess the political fallout from the decisions taken over the past few weeks to introduce new Covid-19 restrictions covering international travel, masking children in primary school and the hospitality sector. Are more measures on the way before Christmas? Could school closures be back on the menu after Christmas? Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray from the politics team and Irish Times feature writer and columnist Jennifer O’Connell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Depending on who you ask, Charles J. Haughey is either the great villain of Irish political life or the benevolent and forward-thinking saviour of a benighted nation. Professor of politics at Dublin City University, Gary Murphy, has written a biography of the former Taoiseach based on Haughey’s personal archives, as well as extensive interviews with his peers, rivals, confidantes and relatives. He talks to Hugh about writing about the man whose presence still looms large over Irish politics today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Years of being on the opposite side of difficult Brexit negotiations have unarguably damaged Irish-British relations. But how bad is the damage? To find out, this week's host Pat Leahy talks to former Irish ambassador to the UK Bobby McDonagh and our London editor Denis Staunton. They also discuss the latest developments in the standoff over the Northern Ireland protocol. But first it's Covid-19 and the rising tide of the fourth wave that is scaring governments across Europe. Pat gets the latest from Derek Scally in Berlin, where a newly-formed coalition must grapple with Germany's worst stage of the pandemic so far, and Jack Horgan-Jones in Dublin, where we're not ready to talk about new restrictions just yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once again, too many people are getting sick, and there aren't enough hospital beds. The Government is struggling to come up with a convincing plan to turn the Covid-19 situation around. Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray tell Hugh what the thinking is about how to tackle the crisis and how the latest reimposition of restrictions on nightlife and extension of the use of vaccine certs came about. Plus: the Mother and baby homes redress scheme is facing sharp criticism from activists and survivors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For days now politicians in Ireland and the EU have been expecting UK Brexit negotiator David Frost to trigger Article 16, pausing the Northern Ireland protocol and creating a fresh crisis for EU-UK relations. But today Lord Frost made more diplomatic noises, saying negotiations had made some progress and still have longer to run. But if the threat was real, why the sudden reversal? Denis Staunton gives his analysis of UK government behaviour, and Pat Leahy explains how its being viewed here and in Brussels. Plus, the latest from Cop26 in Glasgow and Boris Johnson's sleaze crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At Sinn Féin’s ardfheis in Dublin last weekend, a motion in support of the non-jury Special Criminal Court was passed, representing a considerable shift in position and removing a significant hurdle to the party’s ambitions to lead the next government. Banners declaring it’s “time for change” adorned the walls of the Helix in Dublin City University, as party leader Mary Lou McDonald made clear her wishes to become the next Taoiseach. Hugh talks to Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray about how those ambitions might be realised.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary talks to Hugh about the rising Covid numbers in many EU member states, the rising energy prices that are dominating the news and the row between Brussels and Poland over the rule of law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed Brophy is a former chief of staff to finance minister Paschal Donohoe and to Labour’s Joan Burton when she was Tánaiste. Recently he stepped away from politics after ten years in the corridors of power. He talks to Hugh and Pat about the crises Ireland faced during his time as a government advisor, the challenges of governing under the watchful eyes of the Troika and what the future holds for Ireland’s economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author and academic Noam Chomksy talks to Hugh about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the morality of Ireland’s tax regime and whether the human race can avoid the twin catastrophes of global warming and nuclear war.With thanks to the Institute of International and European Affairs for facilitating this interview. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy talks to Seamus Coffey, Jack Horgan-Jones and Cliff Taylor about yesterday's budget and how the last-minute news that our economy has recovered more than expected played into spending decisions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government’s 10-year National Development Plan announced this week has been greeted with scepticism in some quarters and criticised by the opposition as more of a wish-list than a to-do list. The ambitious plan sets out to meet the needs of a growing population up to 2030. Can its goals be achieved? Hugh talks to The Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy and Dr Brian Caulfield of Trinity College Dublin’s Centre for Transport Research. Presenter: Hugh Linehanwww.irishtimes.com/podcasts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones from the Irish Times politics team join Hugh to discuss the major considerations for the government ahead of Budget day on October 12th. They also look at the divisive politics of the public service pandemic bonus and the latest on the Mica redress scheme. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Berlin correspondent Derek Scally joins Hugh for a deep dive into the most interesting German federal election in decades, which takes place on Sunday. How did Angela Merkel's centre-right CDU, now under the leadership of Armin Laschet, blow its lead in the election race? And who are the other leaders and parties in contention? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a turbulent summer break for the coalition, the country’s political parties hunkered down for their respective think-in meetings over the last two weeks, before the return of the Dáil. Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones of The Irish Times political team report back to Hugh on the dominant narratives to emerge from the Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin gatherings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin’s latest book, Defects: Living with the legacy of the Celtic Tiger, tells the stories of some of the thousands of people living in dangerous homes with serious fire safety and structural defects in different parts of Ireland. The book also explains how decades of light touch building regulation and the decisions of successive governments allowed this crisis to happen. Ó Broin talks to Hugh and Jack Horgan-Jones about the book in today’s episode.Plus: Jack has the latest in the ongoing saga of the UN envoy appointment of Katherine Zappone and Simon Coveney’s appearance before an Oireachtas committee on the issue on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn from the Irish Times politics team to discuss the Government's roadmap for the easing of pandemic restrictions, as revealed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday. They also look ahead to Minister Daragh O'Brien's much vaunted 'Housing for All' plan, the hurdles the Government is likely to face with October's budget and the welcome return of Leinster House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Radden Keefe is an American writer and investigative journalist. His new book, Empire of Pain is a detailed history of the Sackler dynasty and their role in the American opioid epidemic. Known for their dedication to cultural philanthropy, the family built their wealth on pharmaceuticals, starting with tranquillisers like Librium and Valium, before eventually moving on to the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. In this episode, the award winning author talks to Hugh about the origins of the addiction crisis, the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy trial and the mark the family left on the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As one of the world's most respected newspaper editors, Lionel Barber spent over a decade at the helm of The Financial Times. His tenure coincided with some of the biggest events to shape the early part of the 21st century including the rise of China, Brexit, the tech boom and the crisis of western liberal democracy. Barber has documented his time in charge of the FT in his book, The Powerful and the Damned. In this episode, he talks to Hugh about the book, about how he transformed the FT for the digital era, the media's role in the financial crisis, why he got Brexit wrong and lots more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to assess the damage done by the recent Zappone controversy. Now that the dust has settled, what will it mean for Coveney, Varadkar and the future of the government. The team also discuss the easing of Covid restrictions and the recent UN Climate Change report, which signals a ‘code red’ for humanity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suzanne Lynch arrived in the US to take up her new role as Irish Times Washington correspondent ten days after Donald Trump's inauguration. As she prepares to leave the US capital this week for a new role in Brussels, she talks to Hugh about what it was like to report on the most extraordinary presidency in US history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, London Editor Denis Staunton engaged in a brief, yet courteous Twitter exchange with former Downing Street advisor Dominic Cummings. Here he tells Hugh the details behind their interaction and about Cummings’ latest musings on Brexit and the Northern Ireland protocol. But first, Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones to discuss the last Cabinet meeting of the Summer, the next stage of the vaccine rollout, Katherine Zappone’s new gig and the recent stirrings within the Social Democrats. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Dáil term drawn to a close, Pat, Harry and Jen join Hugh to answer our listener's questions about politics. But first, Pat recalls the influential political career of former minister and founder of the Progressive Democrats Des O'Malley, who has died aged 82. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2020 election marked the end of an era in Irish politics, with Sinn Féin winning the most votes for the first time ever and the previously dominant parties reduced to a fraction of their former strengths. In today’s episode Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy and UCC’s Dr Theresa Reidy to look back at the last general election and how it broke the mould. You can read the full story of the 2020 election in the 9th edition of the ‘How Ireland Voted’ series of books, edited by Theresa Reidy, Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh, out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour’s Ivana Bacik looked on course to top the poll in the Dublin Bay South byelection since tally figures on Friday morning put her on 30%. She went on to top the first count more than 1,000 votes ahead of Fine Gael’s James Geoghegan. Bacik’s win gives her party its first moment of electoral good news in a decade and leaves the government parties licking their wounds.Hugh gets the analysis from The Irish Times political team at the count centre: Pat Leahy, Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government is coming under increasing pressure from all angles, as it wrestles with the toughest decisions for months on how to manage the pandemic. The hospitality sector desperately wants indoor dining to resume on July 19th, but there is growing concern among public health advisers at the prospect of a surge in cases driven by the Delta variant. Meanwhile, all eyes are on England as Boris Johnson ploughs ahead with his country's reopening. Hugh is joined by Paul Cullen, Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn to discuss the difficult decisions facing the Government in the coming days. Plus: The final analysis of the runners and riders in the Dublin Bay South byelection, before polls open on Thursday morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Thursday July 8th, voters in Dublin Bay South will cast their votes in a byelection, triggered by the resignation of former Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy. What might the results tell us about the wider political picture here in Ireland and will this be an early indicator for the next general election? To take a look back through some pivotal byelections and their impact over the years, Harry McGee is joined by Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at DCU and author of the forthcoming Charles Haughey biography. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The DUP will have its third leader in the space of two months when Jeffrey Donaldson is officially appointed on Saturday. Can he lead the party out of crisis? Pat Leahy talks to editor of the Slugger O’Toole website, Mick Fealty, about the challenges he faces. But first, Pat is joined by Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones to discuss the threat posed to the July 5th reopening by the rise in Delta variant cases here and the latest in the ongoing saga over who owns, and who governs, the National Maternity Hospital. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 years on from her book Northern Protestants: An Unsettled People, Susan McKay revisits the lives of that community in her new book Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground. She talks to Hugh about the strong forces now acting on northern Protestants, Unionists and Loyalists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Five months on from the final report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, controversy still surrounds the methodology used by the three inquiry members, the treatment of witness statements and the conclusions reached regarding the culpability of church and state. Members of the commission have not replied to calls to appear before an Oireachtas committee, despite the appearance of Prof Mary Daly at an online Oxford seminar last week. In today’s episode, Hugh is joined by Pat, Jen and archivist Catriona Crowe to talk about the shortcomings of the investigation and what needs to happen next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Niall Ferguson’s new book 'Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe' offers a sweeping compendium of the many appalling catastrophes that have befallen mankind, and how we have dealt with their aftermath. He talks to Hugh about his book, Covid and the possibility of a war between China and the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Dublin Bay South byelection looking likely to take place in early July, Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray join Hugh for a deep-dive on the competitive constituency, as parties vie for the seat left vacant by the former housing minister Eoghan Murphy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today the team take a look at what role Sinn Féin will play in forming the next government. Although there is a widespread assumption in political circles and elsewhere that Mary Lou McDonald’s party will take the majority, will their path to power be that straightforward? And if there is a Sinn Féin led government, what will it look like and how will they tackle issues on their change agenda? Joining Hugh to discuss this is Jen, Pat and Aidan Regan, Associate Professor of Political Economy at UCD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray, Pat Leahy and Kevin Cunningham join Hugh to talk about how the government is struggling to come up with a coherent response to the housing crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British broadcaster and writer James O’Brien has built a loyal listenership on his LBC radio programme, dissecting the opinions of callers live on air every day. In his 2018 book, How To Be Right... in a World gone Wrong, he set out his opinions on Islam, Brexit, political correctness, LGBT issues, feminism, Trump and other flash points. Now his latest book, How Not To Be Wrong, is a personal account about the importance of being able to change your mind. In today’s podcast, O’Brien talks to Hugh about some of the things he’s been wrong about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The political focus has shifted from the pandemic to the housing crisis, with Taoiseach Micheal Martin this week declaring it the Government’s “number one priority”. Jack Horgan Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the political decisions and policy failures that have led to the crisis and the resulting generational divide.But first, not escaping Covid entirely, the team take a look at the debate surrounding the role and reliability of antigen testing, the possibility of accelerating certain reopening plans and the progress of the vaccination rollout. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denis Staunton talks to Hugh about the results of last Friday's local and regional elections in England, Scotland and Wales. The results have thrown up many stories, including how Labour's leader Keir Starmer contrived to turn a setback into a leadership crisis, and how pro-independence politicians increase their dominance of the Scottish parliament. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, Ireland has used a low corporation tax rate to attract foreign direct investment. That is now threatened by a major tax reform plan announced by US president Joe Biden, which proposes to tax the overseas earnings of US corporations at 21 per cent. Talks are also taking place at the OECD on a global minimum level of corporate tax, which is expected to be higher than the 12.5 per cent rate defended by successive Irish governments. To discuss the changing face of global tax and what the implications will be for Ireland, Hugh is joined by Feargal O’Rourke, tax expert and managing partner at PwC Ireland, and John Christensen, a co-founder and director of the Tax Justice Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What led to Arlene Foster's ouster this week, who will succeed her and what will it mean for politics on the island? To find out we talk to Sam McBride of the Belfast Newsletter. Then Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray look at the other big political news of the week: the major moves towards reopening the country, and the surprise resignation of Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy. The former housing minister's departure means an intriguing byelection will happen later this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For much of the pandemic, the Independent Scientific Advocacy Group (ISAG) has recommended that Ireland should aggressively suppress virus transmission as part of a zero-Covid policy. That strategy has, however, failed to find favour with either the Government or health officials. As we prepare for the next phase of reopening in May, ISAG spokesperson, professor Aoife McLysaght, talks to Hugh about what the group would do differently, why one wrong step now could quickly lead to disaster again and why ISAG's zero-Covid campaign has been worth it, even if it fails. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To what extent can political beliefs and behaviour be understood through the science of psychology and the study of human cognition? In today’s episode, Hugh talks to award-winning political columnist and host of the excellent Politics on the Couch podcast, Rafael Behr, about the way our minds respond to politics and how psychology drives everyone’s political thought and behaviour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since coronavirus, governments around the globe have abandoned traditional concerns about deficits and enacted emergency measures in the interest of saving countries from the devastating effects of lockdowns. But in a post-pandemic Ireland, what should the role of the state be? Will the Covid crisis help bring to an end the old economic orthodoxies, or will there be return to a smaller state, balanced budgets and deficit reduction? Economist and The Irish Times columnist David McWilliams joins Hugh and political editor Pat Leahy to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CBS News political reporter, Slate Political Gabfest panelist and proud Irish-American John Dickerson talks to Hugh about the office of President of the United States, which is the subject of his book "The Hardest Job in the World". He explains how the role has evolved in complexity and now places impossible demands on whoever holds it. They also discuss how the Trump presidency warped political journalism, and the significance of President Biden's Irish-American identity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government's Covid-19 policy was dealt a double blow this week, as it was forced to pause the mandatory hotel quarantine system and issues with two vaccines threw the planned inoculation programme into doubt. Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones from The Irish Times political team to discuss the latest hurdles the coalition must overcome to keep its coronavirus plan on track. Also on today's show: what does the future hold for the Fianna Fáil party? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not just Brexit, or the Bobby Storey funeral, or the constant talk of a border poll. Many factors fed into this week's violence and rioting on the streets of Belfast. The violent clashes involved youths from loyalist and nationalist areas, but today's conversation with Newton Emerson focuses on the roots of the anger and disillusionment felt by the working-class loyalist community, and the role of criminal gangs in fomenting violence against the PSNI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The debate surrounding mandatory hotel quarantine rumbles on between government departments, but what are the logistical, legal and diplomatic issues at stake? Will the introduction of a vaccine passport or a digital green certificate be enough to smooth over the cracks? And with the long promised ramp up in vaccinations now on the horizon, will the government be able to keep up with their ambitious targets? Our political team made up of Jen, Pat and Cormac join Hugh to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behavioral economist Pete Lunn and political correspondent Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk about the government's major moves in the Covid-19 fight this week: the easing of some restrictions, particularly around outdoor activities, and the simplification of the vaccine rollout, favouring older people over particular groups such as teachers, Gardaí or carers.  Pete, who advises Nphet on how the population might respond to Covid-19 regulations, explains why the hope is the relaxing of particular rules could actually lead to a reduction in risky indoor behaviour, while Jennifer takes us inside the political discussions around these controversial changes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week was a very good one for the Green Party, but you could be forgiven for getting the opposite impression. Today, Hugh and guests spend a little time on the party's dangerous internal divisions (as demonstrated by the spat over party member and Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu's unsanctioned run for a Seanad seat) and more time on the significance of the Climate Action Bill, the piece of legislation published last week that is a major achievement for the party and its leader Eamon Ryan. Guests: political editor Pat Leahy and Sadhbh O'Neill, policy coordinator of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book Free Speech and Why it Matters, Andrew Doyle questions a new form of social justice activism, which as he puts it, casually disregards the principle of free speech for the sake of what is perceived to be a higher social priority. In today’s episode, the author and podcaster joins Hugh for a discussion on 'wokeness' and cancel culture, self-censorship and where the limitations of acceptable speech should be drawn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The EU is set to tighten export controls in a bid to prevent Covid-19 vaccines leaving the bloc. It comes as Europe looks destined for a showdown with the UK over a stockpile of AstraZeneca vaccines, said to number up to 30 million doses, and coveted by both sides to shore up inoculation campaigns. As shortfalls and supply issues hold back the rollout in many European countries, including Ireland, can we expect any relaxation of the rules here on April 5th? Hugh is joined by Jack Horgan-Jones from our political staff and Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode Irish Times Berlin correspondent Derek Scally joins Hugh to speak about his brand new book: The Best Catholics in the World. Having spent the last twenty years living and working in Germany, Scally has witnessed a nation engaging earnestly with their past, and asks why the same cannot be said for his native Ireland and the legacy left over by the Catholic Church. Speaking to campaigners, survivors, writers, and historians, Scally embarks on a quest to unravel the tight hold the Catholic Church has had on the Irish. In this conversation, they discuss the origins of the book, the intersection of church, state and people and the strands of religion still intertwined in Irish society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, Pat and Jen join Hugh for a special edition of “ask me anything”. From the zero Covid strategy to concerns around global vaccine supply, the team tackle your questions on the politics of the pandemic.Thanks to everyone who sent their questions in. Happy St Patrick's Day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan dominated the news headlines all this week. The most watched programme on RTE so far this year, it shone a light on the inner workings of the long standing British monarchy. Allegations of racism and maltreatment now lead to bigger questions surrounding the legitimacy of the monarchy in a diverse and multicultural Britain. Joining Hugh to take a look back at the history of the royals from an Irish perspective, the potential fallout from the interview and how monarchies adapt to modernity are Irish Times London Editor Denis Staunton and John Gibney, Assistant Editor with the Royal Irish Academy’s Documents on Irish Foreign Policy and the editor of Ireland and the Monarchy. Next week, we’ll be recording another Ask Me Anything episode, which will take a look back at a pandemic year in politics. If you would like to put your question to the team, send it in by voice note to [email protected] before Tuesday, March 16th. The episode will be released on St Patrick’s Day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's just over a week since the Central Bank fined Davy stockbrokers €4.1 million for breaching market rules. On today’s show, Hugh talks to Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn from the Irish Times politics team about the political impact of the scandal. Also on the agenda today: continued delays in vaccine deliveries, progress on mandatory hotel quarantine and another dark chapter in Irish history, in the shape of the review of historical illegal adoptions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Michael D Higgins sparked a debate recently with his sharp critique of British imperialism. In a piece for the Guardian, he accused some academics and journalists of a "feigned amnesia" and a failure to address Britain's imperialist legacy, especially when compared to Ireland's reflections on nationalism, the war of independence and partition a century ago. In today's podcast, Hugh talks to Erasmus Smyth professor of modern history at Trinity College Dublin, Jane Ohlmeyer, about what exactly imperialism is and what its contemporary legacy might be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In January, the Affordable Housing Bill was published by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien. The Bill introduces a shared equity scheme and a cost rental scheme, both designed to tackle the housing affordability crisis in Ireland. However, with the supply of houses under extreme pressure, due in part to the construction sector shutdown, will a shared equity scheme only lead to higher house prices? When can we expect to see any positive effects on the market and what are the risks involved? Joining Hugh to discuss the plan is Minister O’Brien and Irish Times business journalist Eoin Burke-Kennedy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political editor Pat Leahy joins Hugh to look at the results of this week's Irish Times / Ipsos MRBI poll on Irish people's attitudes to relaxing Covid-19 restrictions, as well as the level of support for parties and political leaders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Harry and Hugh talk to MEP Clare Daly, who since her election as an MEP for Dublin in 2019 has been an outspoken voice in Brussels on the issues she champions, such as her opposition to defence spending and the imprisonment of Julian Assange. They talk about Clare's controversial comments on jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Covid-19 restrictions and the challenge to get people back home to pay attention to what goes on in the parliament.But first Harry explains what went so badly wrong with the government's Covid-19 communications in the past week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following last week's podcast with professor Brendan O’Leary on the creation of Northern Ireland, today’s show looks at this year’s centenary in respect of the politics and culture of the region. Hugh is joined by unionist political commentator Sarah Creighton to discuss the future of Northern Ireland, its changing relationship with both the UK and the Republic, and her views on the prospect of a united Ireland. In the second part of the show, Hugh talks to Northern Irish writers Jan Carson and Rosemary Jenkinson about the centenary in terms of culture and identity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year marks the centenary of partition on the island of Ireland. The official commemoration takes place in May, but what were the key political and legislative events that led to the establishment of Northern Ireland? On today's podcast, Hugh speaks to Brendan O'Leary, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, who last appeared on this podcast to discuss his three-volume A Treatise on Northern Ireland. He talks to Hugh about the creation of Northern Ireland, how its structures have changed in the past 100 years and what preparations for a referendum on Irish unity should look like, if there is to be one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It may feel like a lifetime ago, but this week marks one year since the 2020 general election. And what an eventful twelve months it’s been. In today’s episode, we take a look back at the historic election result and the Sinn Féin surge which swept across the country. What important lessons have been learned by the political parties since then and how will their strategies change next time around? Joining Hugh to discuss this and more is Jennifer Bray, Pat Leahy and UCC political scientist and co-editor of How Ireland Voted, Theresa Reidy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The concept of universal basic income (UBI) - paying everyone a regular, fixed amount of money to ensure a basic standard of living - has moved to the mainstream in recent years, driven by concerns over economic inequality and the erosion of traditional employment bases. More recently, the vast level of state support for workers in Covid-19-hit industries has shown that mass payments are feasible, if only for a limited time period. The Green Party supports UBI and won a commitment for a pilot UBI scheme in the programme for government. Late last year it was announced this trial would be aimed at artists, a group often not rewarded for their work with sustainable incomes. So is UBI a good idea, and how will this pilot work? To find out Hugh talks to Neasa Hourigan, Green Party TD for Dublin Central and co-author of the party's policy on UBI, Angela Dorgan, chair of the National Campaign for the Arts, and Ian Goldin, professor of globalisation and development at Oxford University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naomi O'Leary on how the EU commission made its biggest blunder in years, combining two incredibly sensitive issues - the vaccine rollout and the Northern Ireland protocol - in one embarrassing and consequential controversy. Denis Staunton on how the commission's cock-up is being used in London and Belfast to leverage concessions on the operation of rules governing trade into Northern Ireland. And Jack Horgan-Jones on the domestic politics of our own vaccine rollout. Who will we blame if Ireland lags behind? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe is presiding over a massive expansion of national debt to meet society's needs during this pandemic. Prevailing economic wisdom says he's right to do so. But when the Covid-19 crisis passes, the old questions of how much to spend and how high to set taxes will return. To talk about the  political and economic choices ahead, Pat Leahy talks to Labour Senator and former trade union economist Marie Sherlock, and our economics columnist Cliff Taylor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What to do about the risk of international travel bringing the virus into the country has been a problem for the Irish government since the pandemic began, one we've never really got on top of. New measures aim to tighten things up, but do they go far enough? And how do we compare to our neighbours? Naomi O'Leary, Jennifer Bray and Jack-Horgan Jones join Harry McGee to discuss. Plus, what's going on with the Astrazeneca vaccine? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the spotlight has been well and truly on Tánaiste Leo Varadkar following the release of internal Department of Health emails, which provide fresh insight into the controversial leaking of a GP contract back in April 2019. Following immense political and media criticism last November, Varadkar apologised in the Dáil for his actions. Now once again, he finds himself in the eye of the storm. Political editor Pat Leahy joins Hugh to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With levels of Covid-19 infection still at an all-time high, the Government failed to get teaching unions on side for a return to school this week for students with additional needs. On today’s podcast Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee from The Irish Times politics team to discuss how this happened. We also look at the vaccine rollout, the controversy over how it has been handled by some hospitals and why the next phase is likely to be even more politically difficult. And, one week on from the publication of the report by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, what is the Government going to do about it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes published its long-anticipated report. It investigated decades of abuse at fourteen mother and baby homes and four county homes across Ireland between 1922 and 1998. In today’s episode, Hugh and Pat are joined by Caelainn Hogan, journalist and author of Republic of Shame and by mother and baby home survivor Elizabeth Coppin to discuss the findings within the report, the public apologies and what more needs to be done. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First, Simon Carswell on the wave of Covid-19 patients hitting our hospitals. When will the wave reach its peak, and will the system be able to handle it? And how are our nursing homes doing this time? Then Peter Foster, public policy editor at the Financial Times, joins Hugh and Simon to look at the difficulties bedevilling traders and hauliers since Brexit took effect on January 1st, and some of their surprising consequences. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our first podcast of the year, Hugh talks to The Irish Times health and political editors, Paul Cullen and Pat Leahy, and political analyst and statistician Kevin Cunningham about the social and political ramifications of the recent dramatic rise in Covid-19 cases. How has the government responded to the latest crisis and what level of public support is there for the restrictions? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the second and final instalment of our annual "ask me anything" podcast! Hugh puts your questions, mainly about politics and the media, to Harry, Pat, Jen and Jack.Thanks to everyone who submitted a question and sorry to those whose questions we didn't get around to this time.Wishing all our listeners a safe and happy 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the first instalment of our annual "ask me anything" podcast. Recorded on December 18th. Hugh puts your questions, mainly about politics and the media, to Harry, Pat, Jen and Jack.Part two will be published next week. Thanks to everyone who submitted a question and sorry if we didn't get around to yours this time. Wishing all our listeners a safe and happy Christmas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cabinet has agreed to reimpose Level 5 restrictions, with some modifications, due to the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases. Pat Leahy joins Hugh to take us through what that means. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the Irish Government announced details of their national Covid-19 vaccination plan. Vaccines will be rolled out in three phases: an initial roll out followed by a mass ramp-up and finally, open access. It’s an extraordinary undertaking, which is sure to throw up plenty of challenges for Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and his department. In today's episode, Jen and Harry join Hugh to talk through the key points of the plan. The team also discuss yet another political apology, this time delivered by Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley and they take a look at the CETA trade agreement diving the Greens. But first, with time running out for a Brexit trade agreement, tensions are running high in European Parliament. Joining us from Brussels to discuss the ‘narrow path’ which guides the final stretch of negotiations is Europe Correspondent Naomi O’Leary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following a meeting over dinner this week between Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, it’s clear that very large gaps still remain between the two sides. Negotiators have been given until this Sunday to figure out a path forward, but will this be yet another deadline ignored? The sticking points remain the same: fisheries; the level playing field; and governance, however the focus has narrowed onto a specific element of the level playing field – the so-called ratchet clause. Joining Hugh to discuss the likelihood of an agreement by Sunday and all the contentious issues at hand is London Editor Denis Staunton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With just four weeks until the official end of the Brexit transition period on December 31st, we still don’t know if an agreement will be reached. Fishing is one of the few issues still dividing EU and UK negotiators. Just how serious a matter is it? Are Irish companies prepared for trade with Britain on January 1st? And, if a deal is struck, will Boris Johnson get it past his party? To discuss what stands in the way of a Brexit deal before the end of the year, Hugh is joined by Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary, London editor Denis Staunton and Public Affairs editor Simon Carswell. Live event: Join Hugh, Jennifer Bray, Jennifer O’Connell, Fintan O'Toole and Pat Leahy as they look back on this remarkable year in a live Irish Times Inside Politics event at 7pm on Thursday, December 10th. Get tickets to ‘A Year Like No Other’ here: https://www.irishtimes.com/virtual-events/a-year-like-no-other Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The potential for a future referendum on Irish unity is explicit in the Good Friday Agreement, if certain circumstances are met. But how would an Irish unity referendum work in practice? A new report by a group of academics called "The Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland" says that planning by the Irish and British governments for a possible future referendum, or referendums, on Irish unification would be an essential condition of their legitimacy and stability. Hugh and Pat talk to Dr. Etain Tannam, one of the authors of the report and an Associate Professor of International Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin, and Mick Fealty, a political commentator and editor of the NI politics website Slugger O'Toole. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 221-plus group, which represents those affected by the CervicalCheck scandal, has walked away from talks with the Government on a tribunal aimed at providing the women affected with a quicker and less adversarial alternative to lengthy and confrontational court cases. Little over a year since then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar apologised on behalf of the state to the more than 1,000 women affected by the cervical cancer controversy, how has it come to this? Advocate Vicky Phelan talks to Hugh and our political correspondent Jennifer Bray, about what has led to the disintegration of relations between the sides.Later, Pat Leahy joins to discuss the Government’s highly-anticipated plans to re-open the economy for Christmas and the Dáil business committee row. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President-elect Joe Biden represents a traditional approach to US foreign policy that was rejected by a majority of American voters in 2016. Now Biden is back, but the world has changed: China has emerged as a genuine competitor to the US. Can Biden adapt and respond? Are we facing into a new Cold War?Professor John Mearsheimer is a political scientist and geopolitical analyst. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Hugh is joined by Pat, Harry and Jen to discuss another not-so-great week for the Government. We hear the latest on the Seamus Woulfe saga, the takeaway pints fiasco and get a look at the wrangling going on behind the scenes between cabinet and Nphet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Pfizer announced positive early results from its coronavirus vaccine trial, but how optimistic should we be about this breakthrough and how will it affect the decisions taken by government in the weeks and months ahead? Joining Hugh and Pat to discuss the latest developments is Irish Times health editor Paul Cullen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story of Supreme Court Justice Séamus Woulfe's attendance at the infamous Oireachtas Golf Society dinner has already taken many twists and turns. This week the crisis deepened with the release of an exchange of letters between Woulfe and Chief Justice Frank Clarke, in which Clarke calls on Woulfe to resign. Woulfe has refused, and the ball is now in the court of politicians who must consider whether to try to remove him.It's a complicated story so, with the help of actors portraying Woulfe and retired justice Susan Denham, who carried out a review of his actions, Ruadhán Mac Cormaic talks us through it from start to finish, and looks at where the story may be headed next. Plus, Pat Leahy on how the politics of impeaching a judge might play out in Leinster House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish Times columnist Stephen Collins and historian Ciara Meehan have written a book about the history of Fine Gael. "Saving the State" recounts the party's story, from the foundation of the state to this year's decision to go into coalition with its nemesis Fianna Fáil, and the party's periods in power as well as in the political wilderness. They talk to Hugh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O'Toole and Simon Carswell join Hugh to talk over the results - so far - of the US presidential election. Right now Donald Trump seems on course to lose the presidency to Joe Biden. But those who have seen his presidency as a dangerous aberration and hoped for a repudiation of Trumpism at the ballot box will be disappointed. Trump expanded his base and his party look to have held the Senate. Meanwhile, Democrats must face the fact that changing demographics alone will not deliver them power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded at 5.30 am. Hugh talks to Suzanne Lynch about the night's events in the US presidential election. The Democratic Party's hoped-for landslide has not materialised and their candidate Joe Biden's paths to victory are now fewer - but still clearer than those for President Donald Trump. . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray join Pat Leahy to talk about the day's events in the Dáil, where Taoisea... Tanaiste Leo Varadkar answered questions about his passing on of a confidential document to a friend of his back in 2019. For background information on the story go to irishtimes.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I made no bones about the fact I was going to write a book", says former Independent Alliance TD Shane Ross, whose previous job as a feisty newspaper columnist marked him for suspicion when he joined Enda Kenny's Cabinet as Minister for Transport. He has now written that book, an entertaining inside-the-room account of recent events in Irish politics. He talks to Pat about his transition from enemy within to Cabinet colleague, his difficult relationships with Enda Kenny, Francis Fitzgerald and Charlie Flanagan ("I like him..he's probably quite angry about stuff in the book") and the controversial policies he pursued in judicial reform, drink driving penalties and the reopening of his local Garda station in Stepaside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LIVE US ELECTION SHOW: New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd joins Hugh and our Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch for a special live online edition of Inside Politics, on Thursday October 29th at 7pm.If you're a subscriber, check your email to find out how to avail of a half-price ticket for just €10. Non-subscribers can buy a ticket for €20.To buy tickets, go here: www.irishtimes.com/inside-politics-liveThere's been a big political controversy over the government's legislation to deal with the archive created by the Commission of Investigation into mother and baby homes. Part one: Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray take turns to outline both sides of the controversy - what the government says it was trying to do, and what opposition politicians, angry survivors of the institutions and activists say they have done wrong. Part two: Much of the political pressure came down on the head of Green Minister for Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O'Gorman who introduced the legislation. In the wake of his botched handling of the crisis, Green Cork city councillor Lorna Bogue announced she would leave the party. Lorna talks to Pat about her reasons for leaving and why she thinks the Greens in government are failing to resist the influence of the powerful institutions of the state. Part three: Finally, Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary on the worsening Covid-19 situation across the continent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones, Suzanne Lynch and Denis Staunton join Pat to talk about an eventful week in Ireland's Covid-19 response, the Brexit process and Donald Trump and Joe Biden's race to the White House.LIVE US ELECTION SHOW: New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd joins Hugh and our Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch for a special live online edition of Inside Politics, on Thursday October 29th at 7pm.If you're a subscriber, check your email to find out how to avail of a half-price ticket for just €10. Non-subscribers can buy a ticket for €20.To buy tickets, go here: www.irishtimes.com/inside-politics-live Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So what is the national Covid-19 policy now? It seems to be: lockdown now, enjoy Christmas, lockdown again. But even that fairly bleak prospect is contingent on a lot of things going according to plan. To talk about the politics that led us to Level 5, the exclusively male composition of the Covid-19 decision makers and the rollercoaster we're facing over the winter months, today's host Harry McGee is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray. LIVE US ELECTION SHOW: New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd joins Hugh and our Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch for a special live online edition of Inside Politics, on Thursday October 29th at 7pm. If you're a subscriber, check your email to find out how to avail of a half-price ticket for just €10. Non-subscribers can buy a ticket for €20. To buy tickets, go here: https://www.irishtimes.com/inside-politics-live Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh talks to economist and Irish Times columnist David McWilliams about the massive increase in spending announced in yesterday's budget and why this approach, the correct one as David sees it, won out against more conservative voices, or "economic jihadis". But first: the budget is an annual set piece of political theatre, but the stage of the National Convention Centre proved a poor one. Political editor Pat Leahy has a sketch of yesterday's events and analysis of the budget measures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once both sides in a two-party system start playing hardball - as we see in the battle over the US Supreme Court, for example - it's very difficult for either to stop, with potentially dangerous consequences. So can America's hyper-partisan politics deescalate a notch or two? Not easily, according to Steven Levitsky, a Harvard professor and co-author of How Democracies Die, a book about how healthy political systems can be destroyed if voters become extremely polarised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A short episode with analysis of the latest Irish Times / IpsosMRBI poll, which shows that public approval of the coalition Government and its party leaders has fallen, but support has remained relatively steady for the big three parties of Fine Gael, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil. The biggest losers: Eamon Ryan and the Greens. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s roundup, the team look ahead to next week’s budget. What has Paschal planned for the next twelve months? How can we live with Covid and keep the economy going? Which sectors will be prioritised? One thing is certain, this will be a budget like no other. Also on the agenda is the Climate Action Bill which was launched today and the aftermath of the Covid controversy. Pat, Cliff and Jen join Hugh to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a significant few days in Ireland's Covid-19 response, with controversy erupting on Sunday over Nphet's recommendation that the country move to Level5 restrictions, much to the Government's annoyance. Pat tells Hugh how it all went down and what the deterioration in relations between our elected officials and health experts means. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump and his wife Melania have tested positive for coronavirus. This opens up a range of questions about how the next four weeks leading up to the election will unfold. If Covid-19 proves serious for Trump, what then? To discuss the latest developments from the US, Hugh is joined by Eric S. Heberlig, Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.But first, London Editor Denis Staunton is here to discuss the latest Brexit negotiations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following a disappointing election result and worrying trends in recent opinion polls, a huge challenge now lies ahead for Fianna Fail. Can this once all-powerful organisation ever hope to regain its popularity in a changed and newly fractured political landscape? Joining Hugh and Pat to discuss the past, present and future of the party is Professor of Modern Irish History at UCD Diarmaid Ferriter and Fianna Fail Senator Lisa Chambers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism" is the new book by Atlantic magazine journalist Anne Applebaum. In it she writes about the "unbridgeable political chasm" that has opened between her and her former liberal and centre-right friends as they embraced populism and authoritarianism, and the personal motivations that drive people to adopt extreme politics.If you enjoy the podcast, you can also hear Anne participating in an online discussion with Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe as a part of The Dublin Festival of History, on Saturday October 3rd. The festival is a Dublin City Council event and runs online until Sunday, 4th October. All events are free and booking is available at dublinfestivalofhistory.ie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been another eventful week in politics with the reduction of the pandemic unemployment payment coinciding with the announcement of ten new advisors for junior ministers. All the while, four ministers are under restricted measures after coming into contact with a positive case of Covid-19. How will they get past this very ill-timed decision? Pat and Jen join Hugh to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland has long been notable for its lack of a successful "far right" political movement. But the lack of political success has not been for the want of trying by a small number of activist groups. Now in the age of Covid-19, some such groups are exploiting divisions over the pandemic to reach a wider audience with their anti-establishment and anti-immigrant message, as well as racist conspiracy theories, such as "the great replacement" theory. Hugh talks to Conor Gallagher about the far right movement, its tactics and its leaders. Can they turn a growing online presence into electoral success? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Health editor Paul Cullen and columnist Una Mullally join Hugh and Harry this week to talk about a Tuesday of drama, and occasional slapstick, with the Government introducing its five-stage plan for society to live with Covid-19 in the months ahead. The messaging on the day was universally panned, but beyond that, does the plan make sense? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is Boris Johnson's game? As the House of Commons debates Prime Minister Johnson's controversial Internal Markets bill, Pat and Hugh are joined by The Spectator's James Forsyth to discuss the levels of opposition and support the bill now enjoys, the strategy behind it and the impact it will have on negotiations with the EU. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week in The Irish Times has featured a series of articles on the theme of "A Shared Island", with our journalists talking to people of different political persuasions north and south, looking at the future of the island and trying to answer questions, including: How advanced is the drive for border poll? What might a shared island actually look like? Is there any way to include Unionism in a discussion that usually alienates unionists? To talk about some of those points, Mary Minihan, editor of the series, talks to Pat Leahy, Freya McClements and Naomi O'Leary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK government will intentionally break international law with new legislation designed to let it off the hook for certain aspects of the Northern Ireland protocol, a part of last year's Brexit deal. It's a move that would have been unthinkable not long ago, but it shows just how much the Conservative party has changed under Boris Johnson, says Denis Staunton. From Brussels, it looks as though the UK abruptly decided to stop playing chess and begin wrestling, says Naomi O'Leary. Plus, the appointment of Mairead McGuinness as EU commissioner and the worsening Covid-19 news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's one of the defining relationships of the western world, but it is largely misunderstood - the special relationship between the UK and the US is not built on shared language, foreign policy goals, culture or ideals. It's built on money; specifically the global financial system that the two nations created together. So argues Jeremy Green, a political economist at Cambridge University, in his new book "The Political Economy of the Special Relationship". The book tells the story of the interaction of American economic power and British capitalism in the 20th Century, and how that interaction has damaged economies and weakened the foundation of healthy societies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Dáil returns today, earlier than scheduled due to the Golfgate scandal. Can the fractiousness of the Government's first few months be put behind it? It will need to be if ministers are to handle the challenges of reopening schools, agreeing a budget and forming a long-overdue plan of detail for living alongside Covid-19. Harry, Jennifer and Pat join Hugh to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist, women’s rights advocate and political theorist. In her new book, How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division, Shafak reflects on the anger and anxieties of contemporary society and the divisions of modern politics. In this episode, the author speaks to Hugh about the importance of listening to each side of the debate and her hopes for a more empathetic post-Covid world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will he stay or will he go? While we wait for EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to decide Phil Hogan's fate, Naomi O'Leary joins Pat and Hugh to discuss the factors at play in her decision. In part two: Carl O'Brien on the thorny problems faced by Education Minister Norma Foley, as schools reopen and the moment fo truth for 2020's Leaving Cert students draws near.Naomi O'Leary is Europe Correspondent.Carl O'Brien is Education Editor. Subscribe to The Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/subscribe/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan Jones discuss the latest, and so far the worst, scandal to hit the Government: the attendance of Minister for Agriculture Dara Calleary and other politicians at a golf society dinner that breached public health guidelines. A weary nation feels disrespected and anger is red hot. Is the Government's authority fatally undermined? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, Hugh talks to Pete Lunn, a behavioural economist with the Economic and Social Research Institute. Lunn is also part of the behavioural change sub group of NPHET, which provides vital insights and evidence to support their communications strategy and wider work. They discuss the role behavioural science plays in the official response to the pandemic, the notion of lockdown fatigue and how the public will react to the reintroduction of restrictions. But first, Pat is here to talk us through ‘the most fractious cabinet meeting of the current government” which took place last night. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Hugh speaks to Michael Brendan Dougherty, a senior writer with New York-based conservative magazine National Review. Dougherty is also the author of the 2019 memoir, My Father Left Me Ireland. In this episode, they discuss the ongoing realignment of the American electorate, the recent appointment of Kamala Harris as Joe Biden’s running mate and how the Republicans will contend with Trump’s legacy after the upcoming election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Health editor Paul Cullen joins Hugh, Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones to talk about an eventful week in Ireland's Covid-19 battle. Does the outbreak in the Midlands signal a major problem and a failure of governance, or is it a blip in an otherwise effective response?What is the thinking behind the proposed new colour-code system? And will the Leaving Cert blow up as a political issue, as adjusted exam results have in Scotland? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh talks to journalist Peter Geoghegan about the murky world of political think-tanks and pressure groups that he writes about in a new book, Democracy for Sale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SDLP MP for South Belfast Claire Hanna joins Hugh to look back on the life and legacy of John Hume, who died on Sunday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been another extraordinary week for the new government and a very uncomfortable one for Micheal Martin and some of his ministers, as stumbles over Pandemic Unemployment Payments and ministerial pay have undermined more positive messages on the reopening of schools and measures to stimulate the economy. Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee join Hugh to discuss the week in politics as we stumble toward the Dail's delayed summer recess. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Michael Lewis (Moneyball, The Big Short, The Undoing Project)talks to Hugh about his new book 'The Fifth Risk'. The book concerns the Trump Administration and what Lewis says are astounding levels of cronyism and corruption in the appointments it has made in key government organisations with responsibility for everything from nuclear weapons to weather forecasting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy and the newest member of the politics team, Jack Horgan-Jones to dissect the events of this week, including the mixed messages surrounding the newly published green list, the EU recovery deal and the eagerly awaited July stimulus package. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week The Irish Times ran its "Summer Nights" online festival, featuring conversations with guests like Samantha Power, Anne Enright, Imelda May, Paul O'Connell, Dermot Bannon and David McWilliams. As part of the festival, the politics team got together to discuss, well a lot of things really. They started with what's been another horrible week for new Taoiseach Micheál Martin. How much harm has the Barry Cowen controversy done to his leadership?The Irish Times Summer Nights festival is sponsored by Peugeot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump is clearly behind in the polls, but is it too late for him to claw it back? What kind of campaigns will he and his rival Joe Biden need to run to secure victory? To talk about the 2020 race Hugh is joined by columnist Fintan O'Toole and Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Micheál Martin took hist first leaders' questions as Taoiseach this week, however much of the focus was on Agriculture Minister Barry Cowen and his drink driving apology. Jen Bray has the latest developments from the Dáil. Economics columnist Cliff Taylor and Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary join Pat Leahy to discuss the EU’s path to economic recovery from the impact of Covid-19. Plus, a potential new position this week for Paschal Donohue? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brexit is still going and is still as infuriating as ever. With Britain now locked into a complete and final exit from the EU at the end of the year, London editor Denis Staunton updates us on the slow progress being made in negotiations on the future trade relationship, and helps us understand Boris Johnson's position. But first, Jennifer Bray recaps a fairly miserable week for the new leadership of both the Government and the opposition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Academic and political analyst Kevin Cunningham joins Pat and Fiach to talk about the first week of the new coalition, new analysis of the source of Sinn Féin's support in #GE2020 and the difficult next stage in dealing with Covid-19. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party have voted overwhelmingly to enter into government together . Pat Leahy is joined by Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Fiach Kelly to discuss this historic three-party coalition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Masha Gessen is a Russian-American author, activist and journalist. In their new book, Surviving Autocracy, Gessen provides a punchy and persuasive analysis of the destruction the Trump administration has waged on US institutions, culture and sense of identity. In this episode, the author speaks to Hugh Linehan about the parallels between the US and Russia under Putin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan joins Hugh Linehan and Irish Times political correspondent Harry McGee to discuss yesterday’s marathon Green Party convention, the divisions amongst party members and the outlook for the new programme for government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's in the FF-FG-Green programme for government, how is it going down with the grassroots, and what about that Irish Times / Ipsos-MRBI poll? Discussing it all are Pat, Fiach and Jen with host Hugh Linehan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First Harry McGee and Mary Minihan talk about the sticking points in negotiations between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party to form a government, and a bit of Green Party history that casts light on the awkward phase it is going through. In part two, academic Liam Thornton joins in to discuss the fate of Direct Provision. The ending of the controversial system for dealing with those applying for asylum now seems all but certain. How did it come to this, and what comes next? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland is about to enter the next phase of the roadmap out of lockdown. 'Phase two plus' as coined by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar earlier today. Pat Leahy and Fiach Kelly speak to Hugh Linehan about the accelerated lifting of restrictions and discuss where we stand on this long and winding road to government formation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The size of the #BlackLivesMatter demonstration in Dublin at the weekend took some by surprise, but it shouldn't have. Musician Sallay Garnett, also known as Loah, who has recently spoken out about her experience of racism in Ireland on social media, joins Irish Times journalists Fintan O'Toole and Sorcha Pollak to talk about the source of the energy behind the protest and whether Ireland is embarking on a reckoning with its own racism. After that: Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch on the political gamble Donald Trump is taking with his hardline approach to protests over the killing by police of unarmed black man George Floyd in Minneapolis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Reich is an economist, professor, author, and political commentator who served as Secretary of Labour in the Clinton administration. Hugh talks to Robert about American society today, his contention that the US has become an oligarchy serving a select few, and how Donald Trump is a symptom of this decline.His latest book "The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix" It is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London editor Denis Staunton joins Hugh, Fiach and Jennifer to talk about the gripping story that has dominated UK politics for many straight days: Dominic Cummings' road trip (20.34). But first on today's podcast the team look at our own lockdown etiquette mini-scandal involving Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, revelations at the Covid committee hearings on the state's assistance to nursing homes at the start of the outbreak and those slow-moving government formation talks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Once taboos are broken, it's quite hard to reinstate them".A German court ruling challenging the primacy of European Court of Justice in EU matters poses a threat to the EU that even it can't fudge. The case hinged on the right of the European Central Bank to engage in bond-buying to support the EU economy. The top German court has ruled that the ECB hasn't sufficiently explained why the measures are necessary. But more importantly, it also ruled that its view is supreme over the ruling of the top European court, the ECJ. Among other problems, this could undermine attempts to rein in member states like Poland and Hungary that are challenging the EU's political norms. To explain how the ruling does this and why it matters, Hugh talks to Ronan McCrea, professor of constitutional and European law at University College London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A move to challenge Eamon Ryan as Green leader is under way among a cohort within the party, with deputy leader Catherine Martin being urged to stand against him. That's the first topic on today's podcast with Irish Times politics team Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee which also takes in government formation talks, a strange spat between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, the first hearing of the Covid-19 committee and how politics will handle the pressure to return public life to normality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a difficult path for Eamon Ryan and the Green Party since the dark period following 2011, when the party lost all its seats and state funding. His stewardship of the party has earned him respect, particularly among the old guard. But do the fast-growing Greens' new recruits give him the same credit? Fiach Kelly writes about Ryan in this weekend's edition of The Irish Times and here he talks to Hugh about Ryan's leadership style and his party's difficult return to the government negotiating table. They also talk about how a relationship between the Greens, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael might work.This weekend's edition of The Irish Times features a series of articles about Green politics. You can read them all on irishtimes.com - or pick up a copy of the paper in your local newsagent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Different countries are taking different approaches at different speeds as they move to reopen their economies. London Editor Denis Staunton and Berlin Correspondent Derek Scally talk to Hugh Linehan about the politics of pandemic in the UK and Germany respectively. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Ireland moves into the next, more complex phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, how can we hold the authorities to account? Is the current government being transparent enough about the decisions it is making and the rationale which underpins them? What happens when a new government is finally formed? And how well is the media covering the crisis? Hugh Linehan talks to columnist Fintan O’Toole and political editor Pat Leahy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Green Party has demanded that any government it joins implements cuts of 7 per cent each year to our national carbon emissions. Where does that figure come from, and is it achievable? We ask climate researcher Hannah Daly. Then Fiach Kelly explains how the overtures from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are going down with the Greens, and what we know about plans to ease the Coronavirus lockdown.Dr Hannah Daly lectures in energy systems modelling at University College Cork. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phillipe Sands is a barrister, author and broadcaster. His new book The Ratline tells the story of Nazi war criminal and fugitive Otto Wachter, about whom Sands has already produced a popular podcast, also called The Ratline, for the BBC. Sands talks to Hugh about how he encountered Wachter's son, the nature of evil and the remembrance of the Holocaust. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the Government published the worst economic projections since the financial crisis of 2008-11. Finance minister, Paschal Donohue, issued a bleak warning that Ireland is now in “severe recession”. How will the next government deal with the economic and fiscal challenges that lie ahead? Is there anything in the joint framework from Fine Gael and Fine Fail that can weather the storm? Michael Taft, a researcher for SIPTU and the man behind the blog ‘Notes on the Front’ joins Hugh and Pat to discuss the structural reforms and measures needed to grow the economy and control the national debt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's historic agreement to form a government together didn't make much of a splash among the distracted public. There are difficult decisions ahead, but no sign of them in the joint framework document that accompanied the agreement. Will a smaller party bet on going into government with FF and FG in a time of unprecedented uncertainty? And can Sinn Féin be ignored for much longer? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Hugh talks to American journalist Clare Malone about the upending of US politics in an election year by the outbreak of Covid-19. Clare is senior political writer with FiveThirtyEight, a data-driven politics and sports website. She is also a regular on the popular FiveThirtyEight politics podcast. They talk about the response of the Trump administration to the outbreak, the potential impact of the virus on voting in November, rampant gerrymandering in some American states, and the strengths of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the EU response to the coronavirus crisis and how differing national memories of anther crisis, the financial crash of a decade ago, are driving dissonance among member states. Plus, Pat digs into the government formation talks once again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach a sunny bank holiday weekend, and with several weeks of social distancing already under our belts, Hugh talks to Jennifer O'Connell and Patrick Freyne about how we are collectively handling the deprivations of life in lockdown. And we wonder some more about what permanent changes might come about as a result of Covid-19. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Politics is still going on, so Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee talk to Hugh about the latest goings-on: government formation, Seanad elections and the Labour leadership. But first they reflect on the nature of work and politics in the age of isolation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach joins to Hugh to talk about the caretaker government's response to the Covid-19 outbreak, and how the intervention of a civil servant has brought focus back onto the creation of a new government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What will come in the wake of Covid-19? The end of the office and the transformation of cities? A new age of hedonism? A long-term increase of the role of the state in the economy? To talk about that and more, Hugh virtually sits down with Fintan O'Toole. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a week it has been since our last podcast. Hugh and Pat talk about Leo Varadkar's national address, what the Coronavirus outbreak means for politics now and in the future, and the dilemma facing our system of how to form a new government under such novel and trying circumstances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer and Pat join Hugh to talk about the Coronavirus outbreak. How ready is Ireland? They also discuss the accelerated government formation now taking place. As the situation worsens, all parties will come under even more pressure to bring a new government into existence. Like many of you, the Inside Politics team is making changes to how it does things in light of the Coronavirus outbreak. Today's episode was recorded remotely. You may notice a slight change in audio quality. Thanks for your continued support. irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar lambasted Sinn Féin this week for “burning a Tricolour before our eyes” by referring to the Republic of Ireland as "the Southern State". He's wasting his time if he expects Sinn Féin to change in this respect, but he's also missing a more important point, says Irish Times columnist Newton Emerson. Southern politicians should learn from the peace process in Northern Ireland that Sinn Féin can be encouraged to respect democratic and political norms when brought into the fold. Hugh and Newton also discuss the DUP's "evolving" position on the Northern Ireland protocol (the agreement between the UK and the EU that Northern Ireland will remain more closely aligned with the EU post-Brexit, requiring checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea). Having missed a chance to support Theresa May's "best of all worlds" deal, are they now getting ready to spin their satisfaction with Boris Johnson's "worst of all worlds" compromise, having no other choice? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As government formation talks rumble on behind the scenes, Fiach Kelly and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan in studio to discuss the first of the Labour hustings which took place in Cork on Monday night. Labour have struggled to win the youth vote and provide a clear party message, so how can they stay relevant to an electorate who are moving further away from them?Also, Irish Times parliamentary correspondent Marie O’Halloran joined Hugh and Fiach in studio to talk through the fundamentals of the 'bonkers' Seanad Election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Brexit negotiations due to take place on Monday between Britain and the European Union, each side is accusing the other of bad faith. Britain’s negotiating mandate is at odds with the European Union’s on a number of issues. So what are these key points of contention and will there also be issues surrounding the Northern Irish Protocol? London Editor Denis Staunton and Europe Correspondent Naomi O’Leary join Hugh and Pat to discuss each side’s differing perspectives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Fingal and party health spokesperson Louise O'Reilly joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the party's reasons for holding public events this week and its ambition to be a part of the next government. What would it take for Fianna Fáil's stance to shift in favour of a deal? They also discuss the governmental response to the global Coronavirus outbreak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who was Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin really speaking to when he attacked Sinn Féin last night in Leinster House? Fiach Kelly joins Hugh to discuss a fraught first meeting of the 33rd Dáil. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's podcast: Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are both spinning that Sinn Féin must step up and try to form a left-wing government - hoping that Mary Lou McDonald will fail, of course. Michéal Martin and Fianna Fáil arrive at a major inflection point: should they try to court younger working class voters or older middle class voters? The future of the party may be at stake. And the Labour Party faces its own dilemma. Which section of the party's traditional support base should its new leader represent? Hugh is joined by Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that the dust has finally settled on the Irish general election, Hugh is joined in studio by Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee to answer any of your lingering questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin is poised to take power in the next Dáil after winning a strong mandate in #GE2020, but for many people questions remain over its relationship to the Provisional IRA. Today we attempt to sort through what we know and what we don't know on this question. Does the IRA Army Council still remain at the top of the republican political movement? If so, does it pose a threat to security or has it become toothless? And to what extent does it influence modern Sinn Féin? Simon Carswell is here to help. Plus, Sam McBride on unionist reaction to Sinn Féin's political success down south. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Election 2020 is over and so is Election Daily. On this final episode, Fiach and Pat join Hugh to talk about what happens next. Leo Varadkar could remain as Taoiseach longer than people may realise, says Pat. There's a split in opinion as to whether Sinn Fein really wants to be in government, and agreement that Fianna Fail are in the most difficult position of all. Thanks to everyone who listened to Election Daily. Inside Politics will be back tomorrow. Email the podcast: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray joins Hugh Linehan from the RDS as the count rattles on into the evening there. Jennifer O'Connell was at the count centre in Waterford yesterday as Sinn Fein's David Cullinane won his seat with twice the required quota of first preference votes. It's been a dismal day for Fianna Fáil as the party continue to lose seats. Where are the transfers going & who is benefiting from the SF surge? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy is here to assess the results of #GE2020. How did Sinn Fein turn its fortunes at the ballot box around so spectacularly in a few short months? And can Micheal Martin really do a u-turn on governing with Sinn Fein? But first we relive the weekend as it played out in The Irish Times newsroom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sinn Fein surge is real and it's playing out in constituencies all across the country today. Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray are here to discuss the story of the election so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy are here with analysis of the Ipsos / MRBI poll that projects a tie between Sinn Fein, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and a new realignment of the Irish political landscape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat, Jennifer and Fiach join Hugh to look back on the campaign as it draws to a close. Plus, what happens if Met Eireann tell people to stay home? And we hear a clip of Paschal Donohoe's reflections earlier today on what made this campaign a different and difficult one.If you're enjoying the podcast, please take our survey: www.irishtimes.com/podcastsurvey it should only take a few minutes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Damian Cullen, The Irish Times's self-described "go-to guy" for general election numerology, joins Hugh and Harry to bravely call the results of a few of the more interesting constituencies in tomorrow's general election, from Dublin Central to Tipperary and from Galway West to Wicklow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we reach the final stages of the election campaign, how are the political parties holding up? Is there a sense of panic within Fine Gael & are the Greens failing to get their message through? Harry & Fiach are here to discuss. Plus if you're enjoying the podcast, please take our survey on https://www.irishtimes.com/podcastsurvey it should only take a few minutes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark Election 2020 last night we put on a live show in Trinity College, Dublin for subscribers to The Irish Times. Regulars Hugh, Jennifer and Pat were joined by Mary Minihan, Jennifer O'Connell and Fintan O'Toole to talk about the big picture of this campaign: Fine Gael's negative campaign, Sinn Fein's rise, and the effort to understand exactly what kind of change the people of Ireland want. The discussion went on for two hours; in this podcast you can hear some of the highlights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fianna Fail party leader Micheal Martin talked to Pat Leahy earlier today. On the agenda: the murder of Paul Quinn and why he thinks Sinn Fein is a party unfit for government, his justification for excluding Mary Lou McDonald from a future coalition, and what the potential path to power is for Fianna Fail in this election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What were the high and low points for Micheal Martin, Leo Varadkar and Mary Lou McDonald on tonight's RTE debate? And can it move the dial for voters? Jennifer Bray talks to Hugh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach Kelly chatted to Leo Varadkar at Fine Gael HQ earlier on, and he's here with the audio. The Taoiseach is asked about polls, says Micheál Martin can't be trusted not to break his pledge on partnership with Sinn Fein and gives some clear indications what his party's strategy will be over the final days of the campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a first for the long-running Ipsos MRBI / Irish Times politics poll. Sinn Féin have overtaken Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and now enjoy the most support of any political party. The result is certain to make waves in this election campaign. Pat Leahy is here with analysis. For more on the poll, go to www.irishtimes.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee are here to talk about Mary Lou McDonald's addition to tomorrow night's leaders debate on RTE and Fine Gael's tanking campaign. How bad could it get for them on a bad day? Harry crunches some numbers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was supposed to be the climate change election. It hasn't turned out that way so far, even if it is a sign of progress that all the parties have detailed climate proposals in their manifestos, says Joseph Curtin, a climate change expert working in the NGO sector and a member of the Climate Change Advisory Council. But that doesn't mean you should take the figures in the manifestos too seriously. Joe talks to Hugh and Harry McGee about some of those proposed policies, which parties are most ambitious, and the best way to implement carbon tax. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special, slightly extended episode of Election Daily, Denis Staunton joins us from London to talk about the momentous but strangely muted occasion of Brexit Day. But first Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy are here with news from the campaign including insights from an Irish Times / Ipsos MRBI focus group and some of the tactics allegedly used when constituency partnerships go bad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray is in Mayo following the campaign of Fianna Fail deputy leader Dara Calleary, who is confident local issues can deliver two seats again despite the Saoirse McHugh factor, while Simon Carswell is in Louth with Gerry Adams who is canvassing with Sinn Fein's candidates there. Can Councillor Ruairí Ó Murchú take the seat Adams is vacating? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're focusing on the Green Party today with Irish Times journalist Harry McGee who attended their briefing on transport earlier & Assistant News Editor Mary Minihan who has literally written the book on the Greens. Up for discussion is Saoirse McHugh's carbon tax comments and the perception of the party in rural Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin has carved out a space for itself as the main party of left-wing opposition, and its manifesto proposes radical change. Polls show it has gained support in recent months, and it is the most popular party among those under 35. It has made the housing issue its own. Will its strategy work on February 8th? To understand the party's appeal, with its unique characteristics in Irish and even European politics, and to examine some parts of its generous manifesto, Hugh and Pat are joined by Jane Suiter, Associate Professor at DCU's School of Communications, and Aidan Regan, Associate Professor of Political Economy at UCD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following on from the leaders debate in NUIG last night, Fiach Kelly was in Galway early this morning on the canvas trail with Leo Varadkar. But how did the Taoiseach respond to the controversial autism comments & subsequent apology made by Fine Gael's Catherine Noone? Plus Jennifer Bray attended the Labour manifesto launch earlier today and talks us through their promise of a living wage, a three year rent freeze and the potential for an 'omnibus referendum'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach joins Hugh to assess the second debate of #GE20, this time with seven party leaders. Who impressed, who failed to make their mark, which issues dominated, and which were ignored? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray are here with your daily update on the events of the general election campaign. It's a critical week for all the parties and candidates as the large block of undecided voters - over 20% according to polls - should begin to make up their minds. Which message is winning out? Plus, what to watch for in tonight's seven-way debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the political parties begin to launch their manifestos, and to coincide with a major series in The Irish Times on the causes and potential solutions to the housing crisis, we talk to three of our journalists:- Political reporter Jennifer Bray on the key policies being proposed by the political parties and the major differences between them;- Business reporter Eoin Burke-Kennedy on the problems with measures designed to help buyers, like the SSIA scheme proposed by Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael's expanded Help-To-Buy programme;- Dublin Editor Olivia Kelly on the role of the Land Development Agency, a key component in Fine Gael's Rebuilding Ireland strategy, and its uncertain future after GE20. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil both released their party manifestos today, but what are the real differences between them? As we reach the end of the first full week of GE2020, Pat Leahy and pollster Kevin Cunningham dissect the party promises and also take a look at what lies in store for the remainder of the campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry McGee and Mary Minihan join Hugh to dig into last night's debate some more, including the fallout from Leo Varadkar's awkward answer about his past use of drugs, and analyse what Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have been saying about potential coalition partners like the Greens. Plus Harry explains what is going on within the Solidarity / People Before Profit group, who risk splitting the left wing vote in Dublin South-West. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach, Jennifer and Hugh react to the first debate of the general election between Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last week, Irish Times journalist Jennifer O’Connell has been travelling across the country speaking to people and learning about their thoughts on #GE2020. From a book club in Míchael Martin’s constituency of Cork South Central, to a livestock mart in Ennis Co. Clare, Jennifer came across disillusioned voters who want for change, but feel nothing can be done. Pat Leahy takes a look at whether the latest Irish Times Poll reflects Jennifer’s findings amongst the electorate and why Irish people are choosing policy over personality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Sinn Féin perform well in the polls, Mary Lou McDonald continues to fight for her place in the televised leaders debate. Fiach Kelly spoke to the SF leader at the candidates launch in Dublin today about the possibility of becoming the next Taoiseach. Also Pat Leahy discusses the most important policy issues for voters according to the latest Irish Times poll. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest Irish Times / Ipsos MRBI poll, conducted in the days after the calling of the general election, shows Fianna Fáil edging ahead of Fine Gael and Sinn Fein gaining significant support. Pat Leahy is here with all the numbers and analysis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Fine Gael, week two of #GE2020 opens under the shadow of a poll in a Sunday newspaper that put them 12 points behind Fianna Fail. The Irish Times will publish our own poll soon. Meanwhile, Harry McGee and Mary Minihan join Hugh to talk about the eruption of pensions as an election issue, Sinn Fein's strength on the housing issue and the head to head debate between Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How has Fine Gael performed in government since 2016? We ask four of our specialist journalists - Paul Cullen on health, Kitty Holland on social housing and homelessness, Carl O'Brien on education and Cliff Taylor on the economy - to compare what was promised to what was delivered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar & Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan met with senior Garda in Drogheda today as gang wars escalate in the town. Simon Carswell was following the action and spoke to Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy about how locals reacted to the political presence. Plus Labour were also in Drogheda for the launch of their campaign 'Getting Ireland Moving'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On day three of the election campaign Jennifer Bray spent the afternoon aboard the Fine Gael 'battle bus' as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visited Longford, shook some hands and avoided some bolshy locals. Fiach Kelly attended the launch of Fianna Fail's economic strategy, an event light on detail but which confirmed that public spending would be a key part of its campaign. Plus, a mini-controversy over a Sinn Fein councillor's remarks about Leo Varadkar that put his party on the back foot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan in studio to dissect day two of #GE2020. As campaign launches took place across the country, the homeless crisis became the main issue facing the parties following an accident along the canal in Dublin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there potential for real change emerging from the results of this general election? Fintan O'Toole joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the politics of patronage, how politicians respond to what they perceive voters want and why we need to talk about Sinn Fein's legitimacy as a partner in government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Election Daily is our new podcast series covering #GE2020 in under 15 minutes. We'll publish a new episode every weekday evening. Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray run through the events of day one of the campaign including the big reveal of February 8th, a Saturday, as election day, the unveiling of campaign slogans and a slew of announcements by sitting TDs that they won't run this time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The election hasn't been called yet but the political attacks have already begun. What kind of election campaign is in store? With a real head-to-head clash between Varadkar and Martin for the job of Taoiseach, the political stakes are higher than in recent years. Pat Leahy is here to discuss the early manoeuvres in the campaign. Attention listeners: we will be publishing a short daily election podcast five days per week throughout the campaign . You don't need to do anything; "Election Daily" will show up in your Inside Politics feed every evening. And don't worry, we'll still publish our regular shows with the more in-depth stuff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claire Fox stands out in the UK political landscape as a Brexit Party MEP with a background in far-left politics. In Dublin to deliver a talk about the reasons behind Brexit at the pro-EU Institute of International and European Affairs, she visits the Irish Times to argue that the loss of national sovereignty that comes with EU membership is intrinsically harmful to democracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With its clout in Westminister dead and buried, the stakes couldn't be higher for unionism in the current negotiations to restore power-sharing in Stormont. Why then is the DUP unwilling to make some compromises? To explain what's happening up north, Newton Emerson joins Hugh and Fiach. But first they discuss the row over a centenary commemoration that has backfired on the Government down south, exposing the durability of the very divisions it was designed to help heal. And finally Fiach has the latest on the timing of a general election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy to answer some more of your questions on diverse topics, from the rough and tumble of political reporting to the success of the Tories in UK politics and their own podcast listening habits. Inside Politics will return on Wednesday, January 7th. Thanks for listening in 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Fiach Kelly, Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to answer some of your questions about politics, politicians, political reporting and more.This is part one of the 2019 edition of Ask Us Anything. We'll publish part two next week. Happy Christmas to all our listeners! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the 2010s dawned, it seemed the economic turmoil of the great recession would bring about social and political change. It did, but in unexpected ways, and increasingly under the warping influence of Big Tech. Hugh is joined by Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole to look back on a troubling decade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What lessons will political parties in Northern Ireland take from the results of last week's election? Hugh and Pat talk to Dr Katy Hayward, a political sociologist at Queens University Belfast and a senior fellow in the UK in a Changing Europe initiative, and a trusted voice on Brexit and its implications for Northern Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The results are in. Boris Johnson has secured a historic victory in the UK general election, with the Conservative Party winning a majority of 364 seats to Labour's measly 203. With Britain’s departure from the EU securely on the horizon for January 31st 2020, Boris has succeeded in his mission to ‘Get Brexit Done’. Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, is on the way out. In Northern Ireland, it was a bad night for the DUP. Up bright and early to discuss the results and ramifications with Hugh Linehan is London editor Denis Staunton, academic and former Uk Labour pollster Dr Kevin Cunningham and political editor Pat Leahy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The current Dáil is living on borrowed time, but how will its final act play out? To talk about confidence votes, party strategising and, yes, the timing of the next general election, Hugh is joined by podcast stalwarts Pat, Fiach and Jennifer. They also reflect on the closing days of a UK election campaign characterised by misinformation and mistrust. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At a Labour press conference this morning, Jeremy Corbyn revealed a confidential Northern Ireland Brexit report, which drives a ‘coach and horses’ through Boris Johnson’s promise of no border in the Irish Sea. London Editor Denis Staunton joins Hugh to discuss the implications, if any, this might have for the Conservatives. They also examine how the parties are shaping up as the election campaign enters the home stretch.Also, Finn McRedmond joins us from London to discuss how political parties are using micro-targeting, poor quality ‘boomer memes’ and celebrity endorsements to enhance their online election campaigns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent months Irish Times journalists Patrick Freyne and Jennifer O'Connell have spent time meeting people across the UK and learning about their thoughts on Brexit, their opinions of their political leaders and their fears about the direction of UK society. They've found a confused, disillusioned and, at times, hopeful electorate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to look at the results of four byelections in Wexford, Cork North-Central, Dublin Mid-West and Dublin Fingal. How good a day was Saturday for Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and the Greens? How bad for Fine Gael? And will the ugliness of some of the debate persist into the general election campaign to come? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes the DUP tick? The big beast of unionism has played an outside role in politics across Ireland and the UK over the past few years, yet understanding of the party south of the border or on the other side of the Irish sea is often lacking. To find out a bit more about the party and its view of the world, Hugh and Pat were joined by Sam McBride live on stage at the Dublin Podcast Festival last week. Sam is political editor with the Belfast Newsletter and author of Burned, a book about the "cash for ash" scandal that has plighted the party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four constituencies, four battles for four seats in Dáil Éireann. On Friday (which is the same day as the Toy Show, as Leo Varadkar pointed out while canvassing with Verona Murphy in Wexford) voters go to the polls in Dublin Mid West, Dublin Fingal, Wexford and Cork North Central. The team talks through the constituencies one by one, with a few digressions along the way, and finally make some predictions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First-past-the-post, tactical voting, Labour leavers, Tory remainers... it all ads up to a a formidable task for pollsters to call the outcome of GE19. But the numbers we have so far strongly suggest Boris Johnson is on course for a majority. Pollster and politics lecturer Dr Kevin Cunningham joins Hugh and Pat to look at those polls and ask is there any scope for Labour and other parties to stop Johnson, or is it too late? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dublin Editor, Olivia Kelly gives us the low down on what's happening with O'Devaney Gardens. Last week City Councillors approved a deal which would see more than 800 new homes developed on the site, so why is Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy questioning it's approval now?Fine Gael's Verona Murphy was forced to apologise this week for her comments concerning asylum seekers in Ireland. Political reporter Jennifer Bray was canvassing with the by-election candidate last week and joins us to discuss the disparaging remarks that were made on the canvas trail.Plus, Ros Taylor from Remainiacs Podcast gives her take on last night’s Leaders Debate on ITV and gives us a remainer’s perspective on the British General Election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh and Pat are joined by London editor Denis Staunton to talk about the first full week of the UK election campaign. Are the big two parties starting to squeeze the smaller groups out? Are tactical voting considerations having an impact? Is it a Brexit election so far? And could flooding and the government's slow response cost Boris Johnson the election? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Northern correspondent Freya McClements on the party plans and pacts that are turning Northern Ireland's Westminster election into one of the most interesting in years. Is it remain versus leave, green versus orange or a mixture of both? Plus Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy have an early look at the by-elections taking place in four constituencies in a few weeks' time. Derogatory social media posts about Travellers and others made by Fianna Fail's Senator Lorraine Clifford Lee are threatening her campaign in Dublin Fingal. Will the party stick by her? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin gave an interview to our deputy political editor Fiach Kelly last week, covering the veteran politician's approach to the next general election, rebuilding trust in his party, his plan for bringing to an end the confidence and supply deal that props up Leo Varadkar's government, and more. Fiach plays back some clips of the interview and discusses them with Hugh Linehan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday was a good day for the Democratic Party, winning control of the legislature in Virginia and the governorship of Kentucky, while President Trump's impeachment problems deepened again. But with one year until the presidential election, there are some worrying signs that the party could struggle to select a candidate who can compete with Trump in the places that matter. To look at the state of that campaign Hugh talks to our Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch. But first, deputy political editor Fiach Kelly is here to talk about last week's general election wobble, the row over "money messages" and the intricacies of Fobgate. Are the rules for TD's expenses being abused? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK general election campaign is, among other things, a battle for what kind of Brexit will ultimately happen. Our Europe editor Patrick Smyth sets out five possible election outcomes and the sort of Brexit the EU expects from each, from No Deal to a new deal - or no Brexit at all. But let's not get ahead of ourselves: the campaign is just beginning. To understand the dynamics and tactics at play in these early stages we talk first to Patrick Maguire, a political correspondent with New Statesman magazine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny's car was torched a few days after he spoke out against rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the Dáil. Kenny, who has supported the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers in the town of Ballinamore in his constituency, talks to Fiach Kelly and Harry McGee about his fears that real issues are being twisted to win support for extreme views. And Irish Times journalist Jennifer O'Connell talks about why two towns,  Borrisokane and Ballinamore, have reacted differently to the arrival of direct provision centres. How can the government better engage with communities?But first, London editor Denis Staunton on the forthcoming UK general election. Could this election throw up a worse Brexit than Boris Johnson's deal from an Irish point of view? And can Jeremy Corbyn repeat the trick of 2017 and outperform expectations? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leaving the European Union will have consequences for politics in the United Kingdom. What are they, and is the UK ready for them? To chat about that and other Brexit-related themse, Hugh is joined again by Helen Thompson, professor of political economy at Cambridge University, and by Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, assistant editor with The Irish Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Denis Staunton, Pat Leahy, Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray. What will UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson try to do first: win a general election, or pass his Withdrawal Agreement Bill through the House of Commons? Last night was the first time any Brexit deal was approved in a vote, but Johnson's joy was short-lived when a procedural vote denied him a rapid debate stage. This complicates things in various fiendish ways, as keen Brexit watchers won't be at all surprised to hear. Denis explains. After that, our political team discuss the tit-for-tat row over errant votes in Dáil Éireann. Is it significant or simply a pre-election proxy war? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London Editor Denis Staunton on where Boris Johnson might find - or lose - support in tomorrow's House of Commons vote on the Brexit deal. Fintan O'Toole on how the strategies of the different parties to Brexit played out in the extraordinary week that led to Johnson abandoning the DUP and striking a deal with Ireland and the EU. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Denis Staunton are on the line to discuss the Brexit deal agreed today and the reaction here, in Northern Ireland and in Westminster. Can Johnson's deal pass? And what are the implications of the consent mechanism for Northern Ireland? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At this moment in time there is still optimism that a deal may be struck in Brexit talks between the EU and the UK ahead of tomorrow’s European Council meeting, though the outstanding issues may see it go right down to the wire. The elements of the deal are set to be a customs border in the Irish Sea - rebranded and sweetened for the DUP - as well as a hefty financial package for Northern Ireland. Details of the other key issue - that of consent, and how Northern Ireland agrees to whatever special treatment it is given - have yet to emerge.Hugh is joined by Peter Foster, Europe Editor of the Daily Telegraph, and by our own Fiach Kelly and Denis Staunton to analyse the state of play. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political Editor Pat Leahy is here with the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll which shows Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are in pretty much a dead heat, while the Green Party is enjoying a steady upward trend in support. Significantly, there has been an 15 point increase in Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s personal satisfaction rating, ending an 18-month long period of decline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When remembering the Troubles, we tend to focus on the acts of perpetrators. But a new book focusses on the 186 children who died in the Troubles, some of whose deaths have, up to now, appeared nowhere on any list of victims. 'Children of the Troubles' is written by RTÉ's Joe Duffy and The Irish Times Northern correspondent Freya McClements. In this interview, Freya and Joe tell Hugh that, for many of the parents and loved ones left behind, time has not moved on - their losses are not "legacy issues". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our columnist, economist David McWilliams joins Hugh and Pat. Their discussion weaves together the significant events of the past 24 hours and the longer term economic and social impacts of Brexit on Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Spectator's political editor James Forsyth had the biggest Brexit scoop of the week on Monday when he reported that, per a Downing Street source,  Brexit negotiations were breaking down. The reason? As Downing Street sees it, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has gone back on a promise to soften his negotiating position if the UK made the first move, a promise he made to Boris Johnson when the latter visited Dublin last month. But is this all spin or a genuine belief? And what does it mean for next week's EU Council summit? Hugh and Pat talk to James about that first. Then they are joined by UCC's Dr. Theresa Reidy and economist John Fitzgerald about yesterday's budget. What political messages were Paschal Donohoe and Leo Varadkar trying to send? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In agreeing to regulatory checks in the Irish Sea, the DUP have made a major Brexit concession, a "massive shift", says the Belfast Newsletter's political editor Sam McBride, the importance of which has not yet been grasped outside Northern Ireland. Hugh and Pat talk to Sam about the thinking behind the move and the significance of the proposed Stormont veto. Then they talk to our Europe editor Patrick Smyth about the specific problems Brussels has with Boris Johnson's new Brexit proposals. Is there is any sign of negotiators reentering "the tunnel"? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It might not feel like it, but there is a small matter of a budget to think about next week. Hugh is joined by Harry McGee, Jennifer Bray and Fiach Kelly to discuss what Paschal Donohoe is likely to do with what should be a tight budget dominated by Brexit. Speaking of Brexit, Boris Johnson set out his ‘final’ Brexit offer to the EU at the Tory conference in Manchester today. We look at the leaks overnight about that offer and the political reaction to it in Dublin.Plus: Paul Murphy's new political grouping 'Rise' and Eamon Ryan's calls for the reintroduction of wolves to the Irish countryside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Brexit week began with Lady Hale delivering a famous judgement against Prime Minister Boris Johnson. That might have been expected to dominate the news for days, but Johnson, prematurely returned to Westminster, produced another 'dead cat', whipping his parliamentary opponents into a frenzy with his use of what they called dangerous language. Looking on from Brussels, the European negotiators believed they were watching hopes of any deal passing the Commons evaporate. To discuss the week that was, political editor Pat Leahy is joined by public affairs editor Simon Carswell and Nick Gutteridge, a Brussels-based journalist with The Sun,. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson faces an uncertain future and narrowing options after yesterday’s brutal supreme court ruling that his prorogation of parliament was unlawful. London editor Denis Staunton talks to Pat Leahy about the prospects facing the under-fire British prime minister.Also today: Green Party councillor Hazel Chu and our own Cliff Taylor join Pat to discuss the carbon tax, green washing and the Green Party’s ambitions for the next general election.Plus: In an op-ed on press freedom by New York Times publisher A G Sulzberger this week, we learned of the story of how the paper’s Cairo bureau chief, Irishman Declan Walsh, had to be spirited out of Egypt by Irish diplomats because of a threat of arrest after Trump administration officials refused to intervene. Declan talks to Pat about how that came about and what the episode says about the US government’s role in protecting journalists working abroad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canadian journalist and social activist Naomi Klein is best known for her 1999 book No Logo which exposed corporate malpractice. Two decades on, her focus has shifted towards climate change. In her new book On Fire she argues the case for a "Green New Deal" to stymie global warming and tackle climate injustice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The dawning political season in Leinster House is overshadowed by the prospect of a general election and still by the uncertainty over Brexit. Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about factors that will decide the timing of an election, and what the Taoiseach has been saying about a post-election deal with Fianna Fáil. They also discuss the "informal talks' that have been taking place between Tánaiste Simon Coveney and his UK counterparts about post-Brexit border arrangements. But there is little optimism in the studio that a deal before October 31st is looking more likely. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The DUP has publicly rejected proposals for a Northern Ireland-only backstop amid speculation at Westminster that Boris Johnson is considering an all-Ireland solution for the Border after Brexit. But with different shades of opinion within Arlene Foster’s party behind the scenes, is there room for manoeuvre? Could the DUP sell the idea of a ‘soft’ backstop to its supporters? Belfast-based political commentator and former UUP director of communications, Alex Kane, and Irish Times northern correspondent Freya McClements, join Hugh and political editor Pat Leahy to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has visited Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for a "positive, constructive" meeting. But has the Irish government's view of the Brexit stalemate changed at all? Pat Leahy is here to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O'Toole pops in to review the incredible week that has unfolded in Westminster and what we can expect from the election that seems inevitable now. Will it be the dirtiest political campaign we've ever seen? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a day of drama and political upheaval in Westminster, Hugh is joined by our own Pat Leahy and Denis Staunton, and by Katy Balls, deputy political editor with The Spectator magazine, to ask:- What have we learned from the past 24 hours?- For how long will Jeremy Corbyn withhold his support for an election?- What impact will the dramatic expulsion of Tory rebels from their party have on UK politics?- Does Boris Johnson have a plan?- Is a possible post-election path to an alternative deal emerging? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brendan O'Leary, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, has written a three-book treatise on the entity we call Northern Ireland that is both accessible and erudite. He talks to Hugh about the past, present and uncertain future of Northern Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The dust is beginning to settle after British prime minister Boris Johnson’s surprise announcement on Wednesday, that he is to prorogue parliament for five weeks in order to bring forward his Government’s new legislative agenda. The move has been attacked as anti-democratic, but what happens next? Is a general election now more likely to be called before the October 31st Brexit date that Johnson has long since promised to honour? Or, can opposition MPs manage to coalesce around an alternative PM to form a government of national unity and halt Johnson in his tracks? Hugh is joined by The Guardian’s Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll and Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy to discuss how this could all play out in the weeks ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it possible to run a capitalist economy and also address climate change? Or, is the greed-driven system destined to destroy itself? Hugh is joined by Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett to discuss what role socialism and left-wing green politics can play in helping to bring about real democratic change to fight climate change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd is the undisputed queen of the Washington commentariat. President George W Bush called her 'the Cobra' and in 1999 she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for a series of columns on the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the Clinton administration. In today's podcast, she tells Hugh that journalists in Washington are in a strange position because while Donald Trump's presidency is "the most incredible thing that’s ever happened in politics", it has seen journalism thrive. She also talks about the Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the party's prospects in 2020 and why President Obama must shoulder some of the blame for Trump's election.Maureen Dowd will take part in a public conversation at the Kennedy Summer School on Saturday, September 7th. kennedysummerschool.ie. Her column appears every Monday in The Irish Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost a month after becoming British prime minister, Boris Johnson has restated his opposition to the backstop in a four-page letter to European Council president Donald Tusk, in which he failed to put forward a single idea for replacing it. As the Brexit stalemate continues, there is a sense that we have reached the phoney war phase, with apathy growing among many EU nations who just want to bring the matter to a close, whatever that might mean. Is Johnson serious about finding a solution to the backstop? What happens when the House of Commons returns from its summer break? What role can Jeremy Corbyn play in preventing a 'no-deal' crash out on October 31st? And, where do the negotiations between the EU and Britain go from here?Guests: Professor of Constitutional and European law at University College London, Ronan McCrea, and Irish Times political editor, Pat Leahy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's podcast we look at issues around radicalisation, disinformation and the amplification, sometimes unwittingly, of extremism online. What role do the big tech companies play and what, if anything, can be done about it all?Guests: Director of FuJo and the PROVENANCE project at DCU, Jane Suiter, and Liz Carolan of Transparent Referendum and Digital Action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do independent politicians get their fair share of coverage in the Irish media? Independent TD and Minister of State for Disability Issues, Finian McGrath, talks to Hugh and Fiach about the place of independents in Irish politics, why he thinks they are ignored by the media and what impact Brexit is going to have on the government's budgetary decisions over the next few months.He also brought his guitar into studio, so listen right to the end to hear why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it time for the state to build much more social housing? Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin feels that it is and he has written a book about how that can be achieved. But first Eoin debates with Fintan O'Toole about Fintan's controversial column. In the column Fintan argued that Sinn Féin should give up its Westminster seats and allow for the election anti-Brexit replacements in time to thwart Boris Johnson's drive towards No Deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best known as a unique musician with a political edge in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and The Clash, Billy Bragg is a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn and an outspoken opponent of Brexit. He's written a book about how to fix the problems he sees in modern democracy, called "The Three Dimensions of Freedom". He talks to Hugh about Labour's approach to Brexit, Corbyn's leasdership, the diminished role of music in politics today, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain’s MPs are now on holidays but Boris Johnson and his cabinet are working away on their preparations for a No Deal Brexit in October. Will this have an effect on the political calculations in Dublin, in Brussels and across Europe, where EU member states' own domestic politics may soon add further complications into the mix? And if it does, will it be enough to force any workable compromise? To discuss this Hugh is joined by professor of political economy at the University of Cambridge Helen Thompson, London editor Denis Staunton and deputy political editor Fiach Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Brexit tensions hitting new highs, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar answers Pat Leahy's questions about how he views Prime Minister Boris Johnson's hardline approach, what No Deal could mean for Northern Ireland and what measures are being taken to protect the domestic economy. The interview was recorded live at the MacGill Summer School. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buckle up: it's going to be a bumpy ride between now and the end of October. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet purge and appointment of hard Brexiteers to key positions looks to be setting the UK up for a no-deal Brexit. To understand yesterday's unprecedented events in Westminster and what they mean for Ireland, Hugh talks to London editor Denis Staunton, The Guardian's Brexit correspondent Lisa O'Carroll in London and here in Dublin by Deputy Political Editor Fiach Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The front pages are dominated by two stories today: Boris Johnson’s Tory leadership and Fine Gael TD Maria Bailey’s punishment for her claim against Dublin’s Dean Hotel for falling off a swing. Pat Leahy is joined by Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray to discuss what the mood is like around Dublin as Boris Johnson prepares to assume the role of British prime minister and whether the Taoiseach bottled it by not removing the party whip from Bailey. Also in today’s show, the team run the rule over the highs and lows of the Dáil term, as Cabinet meets for the last time at Glenties on Thursday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Both contenders for the Tory leadership, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, mades news on the hustings the other day by stating that even a time-limit to the backstop would not be enough: the backstop simply must go. Assuming Boris Johnson becomes the next PM, as seems likely, how does he plan to get any kind of deal with the EU with such a hardline approach? What, in short, is his game? To find out, Hugh and Pat talk to political editor of The Spectator magazine, James Forsyth. Later on, Una Mullally is here to look back on the life, achievements and allyship of the late Noel Whelan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone at Inside Politics was shocked and saddened to learn of the death this week of our colleague and friend, Noel Whelan. Our condolences to his wife Sinéad, his son Séamus and the rest of his family at this difficult time. Inside Politics will pay tribute to Noel next week.Today's podcast is an interview with Ailbhe Smyth, recorded live at the Body and Soul music festival in Westmeath last month.Ailbhe was co-director of the Together for Yes campaign that helped secure the repeal of constitutional abortion restrictions in Ireland last year, talks to Hugh Linehan about her life, her politics and the origins of her activism."It is that way for so many women. Something happens in your life, it can be big or it can be small... the first thing is, this is hurting me, this is damaging me, and then there is that realisation: if this is hurting me, it's hurting others. That's the first step into the political arena". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is a no-deal Brexit inevitable? What will happen at the border if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal? And how will our own political system deal with such a crisis? To discuss, Pat Leahy is joined by Lisa Chambers, Fianna Fail Brexit spokesperson, columnist Fintan O'Toole, Katy Hayward of Queens University Belfast and our own Fiach Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Dáil term nears a close, the government is creaking a bit under the pressure of a growing number of fronts: agriculture, broadband, Brexit and hard budgetary choices to come. Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Gerard Howlin add up the problems and wonder if this government's race is run. Who is Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen and why is she the new EU Commission president? Her appointment is a natural expression of the power struggle at the heart of the European Union, while her skill set will come in handy for challenges to come, explains Derek Scally. Fianna Fáil MEP-in-waiting Barry Andrews says there is life in the Spitzencandidate approach yet, and criticises EU centre-right political group EPP (of which Fine Gael is a member) for allowing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban be kingmaker in the allocation of top jobs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After several years of turmoil in the UK over Brexit, there is a feeling that the union is under strain like never before. But are we really any closer to a united Ireland? To talk about this, Hugh was joined by Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, unionist writer Sophie Long and Simon Carswell from The Irish Times for a special live recording of the podcast at the Body & Soul festival last week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An investigation by the Digital Forensic Research Laboratory at Washington-based think tank, the Atlantic Council, found that Ireland was one of several Western countries targeted by a Russian-based information operation which used fake accounts and dozens of online platforms to spread fake news. Ben Nimmo, a senior fellow for information defence at the DFRLab, joins Hugh and Irish Times public affairs editor Simon Carswell to discuss what the investigation uncovered, how the disinformation war operates and whether it can be policed.But first - Tuesday saw the publication of the summer economic statement, with Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe saying a budget-day package of €2.8 billion - with €700 million for new spending - will be available to him on October 8th, deal or no-deal Brexit. Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray report on the ins and outs of it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American journalist Michael Wolff has written a follow up to 'Fire and Fury', his infamous bestseller detailing the chaos of the Trump White House. He talks to Hugh about his work, the decline of the Trump presidency, the deficiencies of Donald Trump and the starring role of Steve Bannon in Wolff's new book 'Siege: Trump Under Fire'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the Government published its much-anticipated plan to tackle climate change. It's an ambitious proposal, aiming to cut emissions and make Ireland carbon-neutral by 2050 through new climate legislation, budgets and targets which will ensure greater oversight. Sounds good on paper, but will it work in practice?Plus - The Government will publish the summer economic statement next week, laying out what resources will be available under two Brexit scenarios: a no-deal Brexit or an orderly withdrawal of the UK from the EU later this year. Which option will make it in to the budget-day package?Guests: UCD lecturer in environmental politics & green political theory, Sadhbh O'Neil, Harry McGee and Fiach Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bestselling author, geographer and historian Jared Diamond's latest book, Upheaval, is about how countries come through turmoil while adopting selective changes - a coping mechanism more commonly associated with individuals recovering from personal crises. In today's podcast, he talks to Hugh about the book and about his broader views on how societies develop, survive or fail to sustain themselves. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First: No sooner than it had begun, our new national rivalry with Scotland seems at an end as territorial tensions over Rockall abate. But why did the spat happen, and what does it tell us about Scotland's place in this period of political upheaval? Hugh talks to Glasgow-based journalist Peter Geoghegan about the political scene in Scotland as Brexit, the Tory leadership race and the SNP's ambition for another independence referendum intersect in interesting ways. Then: 'Fiscal' Cliff Taylor and 'Political' Pat Leahy bring their respective perspectives to bear on the Fiscal Advisory Council’s warnings this week over irresponsible government spending. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British broadcaster and outspoken Remainer James O'Brien has become widely known for the exasperated monologues and heated debates that feature on his daily LBC radio call-in show. He’ll be appearing next week at the Dalkey Book Festival to discuss his book, How to be Right... In a World Gone Wrong.He talks to Hugh about his unique broadcasting style, the British media landscape, the nature of disagreement and the prospects for Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Tory leadership hopefuls compete to succeed outgoing prime minister Theresa May, the party has tightened the rules for the contest amid concerns about the size of the field. Whoever wins, the task of delivering on Brexit remains and the stark choices facing the UK as it staggers towards the extension date of October 31st are unlikely to change. London editor Denis Staunton is on the line to discuss the various runners and riders with Hugh and Pat.Plus: The National Women’s Council of Ireland has welcomed the increased number of women elected as councillors in the recent local elections but says it is very disappointed about the missed opportunity to break the critical barrier of 30% of women’s representation in local government. NWCI director, Orla O’Connor, explains why a poor showing by the larger parties in particular highlights the need for gender quotas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalist Sophie Pedder is the Paris bureau chief of the Economist, writing about French politics and economics. The author of “Revolution Française: Emmanuel Macron and the Quest to Reinvent a Nation”, she talks to Hugh about who Macron really is and what it is that drives his politics. Sophie will be at the Dalkey Book Festival June 15th and 16th to discuss Macron and the role of modern media in the era of fake news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the dust begins to settle on the local and European elections, we look at why, not for the first time, an exit poll was wide of the mark and whether that’s a cause for concern. We also look at the state of the left and whether disappointing results for Sinn Féin and People Before Profit are an indication that the politics of protest has dried up post-austerity. Plus - Nobody has ever said an electoral commission is a bad idea. So, why hasn’t it happened yet?Guests: Fintan O’Toole joins Hugh, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach Kelly, Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk about all the results we have so far from the weekend's local and European elections. What is behind Sinn Féin's slump? Could good news for Fianna Fáil in Dublin foretell a return to power for the party? Will anything come from talk of a Green-left alliance at the next general election? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As voters go to the polls in 28 countries this weekend to select the new European Parliament, the expectation is of a significant surge in support for populist parties, from La Lega in Italy to Alternative für Deutschland in Germany. But what do we mean when we describe a political party as populist? Hugh talks to Jan-Werner Müller, professor of politics at Princeton University and author of the 2016 book, What is Populism? Jan-Werner was in Dublin to address the Institute of International and European Affairs on how modern democracies can combat what he sees as a threat to democratic norms and liberties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A 'climate emergency' has been declared in Dáil Éireann, and green issues are coming up on the doorsteps in this election campaign, putting pressure on our politicians from below to take the problem seriously. But even if they do, and even if the predicted 'Green wave' materialises, is our system really capable of tackling a problem the size of climate change? To discuss, Hugh and Fiach are joined by Gavin Daly of the European Spatial Planning Observatory Network and Sadhbh O'Neill, a former Green party councillor, PhD candidate in political philosophy and lecturer in environmental politics at the School of Politics and International Relations at UCD.But first Hugh and Fiach discuss the latest news from the local and European election campaigns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To talk about what has been a rather low-key EU election campaign so far, Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy, Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They are powerless, frustrated, underpaid and too often reviled by their constituents. Many local councillors have spoken out about how unattractive the role has become. Today we talk to two young, promising sitting councillors, Fianna Fáil's Frank Kennedy of Dublin City Council and Labour's Grace Tallon of Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown, about why they are not running for reelection in #LE2019. The Irish Times Dublin correspondent and council-watcher Olivia Kelly is also here with her analysis of what's going wrong in the DCC chamber. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the age of 76, Bob Woodward has now covered nine different American presidents. That's 20% of all presidents from George Washington to Donald Trump. Most famously he contributed to the downfall of one, Richard Nixon, with his reporting on the Watergate scandal. Fear: Trump in the White House is published by Simon and Schuster. A public conversation with Bob Woodward on the state of the US presidency, moderated by Fintan O’Toole, will take place in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin, on Monday, June 10th Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's Irish Times / Ipsos MRBI poll is actually three polls, with one conducted in each of our three European parliament constituencies: Dublin, Midlands-North-West and South. It gives us the first look on a candidate-by-candidate basis at who is winning the battle for European Parliament seats. If the numbers are right, we're in for some extremely close races.Political Editor Pat Leahy is here to explain the poll and its findings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the topic none of you has been asking us to cover: the forthcoming plebiscites in Limerick, Cork and Waterford to see if those cities should have a directly-elected mayor. On the ground, journalist Patrick Freyne has found a total lack of knowledge of or engagement with the issue among voters. Has this process been designed to fail? Hugh and Pat are also joined by DCU's Jane Suiter to discuss the presence of right-wing populist candidates on the European ballot papers. And finally the panel worries about the future take-up of budget-busting rural broadband in the mistiest corners of Ireland and questions the wisdom of deciding on €3bn project spends right before an election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is Irish-American writer Michael Brendan Dougherty, who is a journalist with the New York-based conservative magazine National Review. His new book 'My Father Left Me Ireland' examines his own relationship with his Irish roots, competing views of Irish history and Irish nationalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly a fortnight on from the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry, local elections take place in Northern Ireland tomorrow. Will those who come out to vote decide to make an appeal for compromise and moderation following her death, or hold to the polarised status quo? Belfast-based reporter Amanda Ferguson joins Hugh, Pat and Harry to discuss the New IRA and the political situation in the North, ahead of the planned resumption of talks on powersharing next week.In the second part of the show, Hugh, Pat and Harry also discuss the early rounds of campaigning in the local and European elections south of the border. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bret Easton Ellis, best known as a fiction writer of novels including American Psycho and Less Than Zero, has just published his first non-fiction book, White. The collection of eight essays responding to contemporary culture has caused a stir due to the writer's views on US politics, the overreaction - as he sees it - of middle class liberals to the presidency of Donald Trump, the shortcomings of movements like #MeToo and the moral and intellectual failings of millennials.Easton Ellis, who says he never votes, talks to Hugh about the book and about why the election of Trump has seen politics invade his otherwise apolitical life.Bret Easton Ellis will tonight - April 25th - be in conversation with Nadine O’Regan at the O’Reilly Theatre, Belvedere College, Great Demark St at 7pm as part of the International Literature Festival, Dublin. Tickets from www.ilfdublin.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political scientist and polling expert Dr Kevin Cunningham joins Hugh, Pat and Fiach to discuss a report he co-authored for the think tank, the European Council on Foreign Relations, on the shape of the next European Parliament. The study found that anti-EU parties are likely to form the second largest bloc in the parliament after next month’s elections. How will their opposition to EU initiatives impact on how the other pro-EU parties work together? They also talk about how the European elections will play out in Ireland, two wildly different opinion polls in Irish Sunday papers last weekend and what effect the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry will have on politics in the North. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Independents 4 Change TD Clare Daly joins Hugh and Fiach to discuss her decision to run for a seat in the European parliament. Why has the TD some see as one of our most accomplished parliamentarians decided to leave the Dáil? They also discuss Garda reform, Francis Fitzgerald's ouster, the rise of far right politics and her own criticism of the media. After that, there's time for Fiach's overview of the many runners and riders in the European parliament race. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new October Brexit deadline impacts British politics in myriad ways, obvious and subtle. But it also has implications for politics here in Ireland and across Europe. First Denis Staunton and then Fintan O'Toole join Hugh and Pat to talk it through and take stock, as one Brexit chapter ends and another begins. Warning: this podcast contains major spoilers for Flann O'Brien's 'The Third Policeman'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Theresa May waits to find out what Brexit extension EU leaders will offer her, we ask what, if anything, Irish society can gain from Brexit. To do that Hugh is joined by economist David McWilliams, Dr Shana Cohen, director of think-tank Tasc, and columnist Cliff Taylor. They also discuss property tax and the Irish obsession with property ownership. Is a unique Irish mindset or government policy chiefly to blame? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Theresa May sends a letter to Brussels seeking another extension, Hugh and London Editor Denis Staunton are joined again by Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge and co-host of the Talking Politics podcast, to assess the difficulties facing Prime Minister May and Jeremy Corbyn as they seek to strike a deal on Brexit that will pass muster with enough members of their own parties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg made a flying visit to Dublin this week, during which time he met with politicians including Green Party leader Eamon Ryan on the issue of fake news. On today’s podcast the Dublin Bay South TD joins Hugh and Pat to discuss what Zuckerberg said and what it really means. They also talk about why a greater focus on the issue of climate change hasn’t improved the Greens standing in the polls and how to prevent the carbon tax going the way of water charges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was meant to be the day when "church bells were rung, coins struck, stamps issued and bonfires lit to send beacons of freedom from hilltop to hilltop", to paraphrase Boris Johnson. Instead, UK PM Theresa May has suffered another defeat of her withdrawal agreement, albeit by a slimmer margin of only 58 votes. Our London Editor Denis Staunton and Ronan McCrea, Professor of Constitutional and European Law at University College London, talk about what comes next, and some longer term Brexit problems we haven't even begun to think about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First: Later today in the UK House of Commons, 'indicative votes' - designed to show how much support different Brexit options enjoy - will be held, upending the normal, natural state of government-led parliamentary procedure. The various votes will encompass a range of options from revoking Article 50 entirely to a straight-up No-Deal Brexit. Denis Staunton in London and Pat Leahy on what it all means and how different factions might vote. Then: Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray on the Fine Gael party conference, political ground clearance for a carbon tax in the next budget, and the efforts of Bill Browder to build support for a Magnitsky Act in Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taking a break from the chaos of Brexit, we turn to a rather chaotic and already crowded field of candidates for the Democratic Party nomination to take on President Trump in next year's US presidential election. There are many factors at play and to help us understand them we talk to Suzanne Lynch, The Irish Times's Washington correspondent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First: Patrick Smyth in Brussels joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the thinking behind the EU's stance on a potential Brexit delay. Then: Jennifer Bray on why councillors in Donegal, using one of their few regulatory powers, have voted to legalise gaming machines despite the risks of addiction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Western democracies are beset by a variety of problems: fractured legislative bodies, the rise of the far right, the erosion of norms and the dangers posed by technology. But we shouldn't confuse those with the problems of the past, according to David Runciman in his book How Democracy Ends. Ahead of his talk at the Mountains to Sea festival on Sunday March 31st, he talks to Hugh about his ideas. And about Brexit too, of course. David Runciman is Professor of Politics at Cambridge University and host of Talking Politics podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prime Minister Theresa May has failed spectacularly in her bid to pass a Brexit deal through the House of Commons. The Guardian's Brexit correspondent Lisa O'Carroll on the fallout in Westminster, the few paths forward and the 'atomisation' of conventional politics.Fintan O'Toole on the characteristics that have brought Theresa May and the nation she leads to this point of political breakdown. How much blame for Brexit is hers? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second set of results from the Irish Times / Ipsos MRBI poll reveals attitudes to Brexit and Irish unity across the island of Ireland, north and south. Among the most significant findings: respondents from all communities in Northern Ireland are heavily in favour of "the softest of soft Brexits". A majority of voters would choose to remain in the EU in a second referendum. And majorities of both Catholics and Protestants feel the DUP and its leader Arlene Foster are not representing Northern Ireland's interests well. Pat Leahy is back with more analysis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political Editor Pat Leahy is here with the latest Ipsos / MRBI poll which brings bad news for most political groups but especially for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, support for whom has dipped significantly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First: Fiach Kelly explains what we've learned from a cache of documents featuring exchanges between Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, his party colleagues and an international umbrella organisation for socialist politics, while Jennifer Bray has the latest on internal divisions within the Social Democrats. Then: Is there any version of the backstop that could be accepted by the EU, Ireland and Britain? In part two we're joined by Peter Foster, Europe Editor of British newspapers The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, who says the political realities of Brexit and the implications of the backstop mean the border issue still looks completely irreconcilable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finally it seems that meaningful moves are being made in Westminster toward some sort of conclusion to the Brexit saga. Denis Staunton and Pat Leahy analyse the public shifts in position made in recent days by Prime Minister Theresa May, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and hard Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, and the private strategising of the Irish government, the DUP and the European Union. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The EU-Arab League summit in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, today has been dominated by talk of Brexit. And it has turned out to be a more eventful day than promised, with expectations growing that UK Prime Minister Theresa May will take steps to avoid 'No Deal', reports our Deputy Political Editor Fiach Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the Fianna Fáil ardfheis in City West, everyone, from the regular delegates on up to the party leader Micheál Martin, wants to take the fight to Fine Gael in a general election. But not right now, of course. As all are at pains to point out, the party must hold off in the national interest. Harry McGee and Pat Leahy were there to assess the party mood. They were joined by the party's Brexit spokesperson Lisa Chambers and European candidate Barry Andrews to talk about the party's direction, the Brexit waiting game and working with the SDLP. After that, Pat and Harry analyse the speech delivered on Saturday evening by Micheál Martin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Bray and Fiach Kelly join presenter Harry McGee to discuss the big political stories this week: the continuing National Children’s Hospital controversy, the government's Brexit omnibus, UK Labour resignations and Fianna Fáil's Ard Fheis this weekend.Later: Historian Dr Marisa McGlinchey talks to Harry about her book, Unfinished Business - The Politics of 'Dissident' Republican Groups, for which she spoke to 90 members of paramilitary groups about their motives and ambitions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a professor of economic history at Oxford University, and an Irishman, Kevin O'Rourke is well placed to explain how the different economic experiences of the UK and Ireland have led both nations to very different views of the European Union. His book on the subject, A Short History of Brexit, holds plenty of surprises for Irish and British readers. And Professor O'Rourke has a message for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar when it comes to the issue of the border. A Short History of Brexit is published by Pelican. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amid apologies and ‘learnings’, the row over the massive overspend on the National Children’s Hospital rumbles on. Two big questions remain: What will the final bill be? And, which other projects will suffer as a result?Hugh is joined by Fianna Fáil deputy leader Dara Calleary, Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to discuss the controversy and how budgets on capital projects can be controlled better in the future.Later: the new SDLP-Fianna Fáil alliance, the nurses’ strike and Brexit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon Carswell has been investigating the potential impact of Brexit on people - their lives, their communities and their businesses. He talks to Hugh Linehan about what he has discovered, including the fear of the return of violence, the threat to trade and the concerns of children in border communities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First: A subtle but deliberate shift was noted in Theresa May's position on the Brexit backstop during a trip to Belfast yesterday. As the two-day Northern Ireland visit draws to a close today, is her strategy any clearer and what are its chances of survival?Plus: The blame game over the dramatic cost overrun on the proposed National Children's Hospital is lurching from controversy to full-blown crisis. What might it mean for the government?Guests: Denis Staunton, Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Theresa May has united Tory MPs behind her plan to go to Brussels to seek legally binding changes to the Brexit withdrawal agreement, exploring 'alternative options' to the Irish backstop. The trouble is, the EU won’t reopen the deal and they’ve said so time and again. The Guardian’s Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll, Irish Times Europe editor Patrick Smyth and Irish Times deputy political editor Fiach Kelly join Hugh to cut through the spin to explain what happened in Westminster last night and what it all means. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sunday is International Holocaust Remembrance Day and to mark it Hugh talks to academic and author Deborah Lipstadt about her new book Antisemitism Here and Now. They discuss the growth of antisemitism in Europe and the United State, what distinguishes antisemitism of the political left from the political right, and why she has a problem with an initiative in the Seanad to boycott goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Deborah Lipstadt is the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University. Her book Antisemitism Here and Now is available now from Scribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First: Pat Leahy on the comments yesterday by an EU Commission spokesperson suggesting that a hard border will appear in the case of a no deal Brexit, a suggestion flatly rejected by Simon Coveney. But what are our plans in the case of a no deal Brexit? Is a softening on the backstop being considered behind closed doors?Then: The Irish Times's Fintan O'Toole and Children's Rights Alliance CEO Tanya Ward join Hugh to talk about No Child 2020, an initiative of the two organisations to draw attention to the issues of child poverty and deprivation that still afflict Ireland 100 years after the first democratically elected Irish parliament promised to serve children as its "first duty". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public meetings to introduce pro-life TD Peadar Tóibín's new, as-yet unnamed political party have been drawing decent crowds around the country in recent weeks. Already 1,400 people have joined the party. Who are they, and what will the party stand for beyond opposition to abortion? Peadar sits down with Hugh and Pat to explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan joins Hugh and Pat to consider last night's historic House of Commons defeat for Theresa May's Brexit plan. Has the likelihood of a 'no deal' crash out increased? And, how prepared is the Irish government for such a scenario? Also on the agenda: Fine Gael's "old-fashioned environmentalism", the carbon tax and the Green Party's ambitions for the local and European elections. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As nurses prepare for days of strike action, our politics team consider the problem it poses for Minister Paschal Donohoe and how he is likely to respond. In part two the panel look ahead to the new political season and discuss the significance of upcoming European elections in an utterly changed European political landscape and the meagre legislative agenda. But as ever, it's all overshadowed by the B-word. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, for the benefit of those who recently discovered Inside Politics, we're reposting a podcast with one of our favourite interviewees: American author, historian and academic Timothy Snyder. In November 2017 Hugh interviewed Timothy Snyder about his book On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, in which he makes provocative and unsettling comparisons between today's politics and the rise of the Third Reich and suggests how we can avoid the terrible mistakes of the past.Timothy Snyder is a professor of history at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. He has spent ten years in Europe, and speaks five and reads ten European languages. He has also written for The New York Review of Books, Foreign Affairs, The Times Literary Supplement, The Nation, and The New Republic as well as for The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and other newspapers.He is the author of several award-winning books including The Red Prince: The Secret Lives of a Habsburg Archduke, Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin, and Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning. His latest book is called The Road to Unfreedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second of two AMA episodes of Inside Politics. Answering your questions about politics and more are Pat Leahy, Fiach Kelly, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee with host Hugh Linehan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We invited you to submit questions for our politics team and we received a lot of responses, so today is the first of two episodes dedicated to answering them. Thanks to everyone who sent in a question! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What did The Irish Times politics team expect to see happening in 2018 that failed to materialise? Which politicians impressed us? What disappointed us? Fiach Kelly, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee join Hugh to look back on the year in politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This day 100 years ago, citizens (including, for the first time, women) across the entire island of Ireland voted together for the final time for a national parliament. To look back at that vote and its historic consequences, Hugh is joined by Diarmaid Ferriter, Irish Times columnist and Professor of Modern Irish History at UCD, and Dr Mary McAuliffe, a lecturer in Gender Studies who specialises in Irish women's history, also in UCD. But first Hugh shares some family history of his own. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's podcast focusses on Brexit and the Sinn Fein party's fortunes. London Editor Denis Staunton explains why UK Prime Minister Theresa May is unlikely to lose a confidence vote called by her own backbenchers and what the process means for Brexit, for The Tories and parliamentary politics in Britain. Sinn Féin's finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty is here to discuss his party's showing in the presidential election, the loss of TDs Peadar Tóibín and Carol Nolan over the abortion issue and why Fine Gael's budget arithmetic is "batsh*t crazy". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Hugh to appraise all this week's political news (including high drama in Westminster, the personalised abortion legislation debate, Peadar Tóibín's new political movement and the Fiscal Advisory Council's reprimand of the Government's budgetary policies) are UCC political scientist Dr Theresa Reidy and Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray from our politics team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Putin and his regime are going to become more hostile, malicious and deadly to the rest fo the world, and we need to understand this".Since the murder in Russia of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, Bill Browder has been on a mission to highlight and punish corruption and crime in that country and beyond. He is in Dublin this week to push for the introduction here of a law to mirror the US Magnitsky Act that penalises Russian officials by targeting their assets. He talks to Hugh about Vladimir Putin, the Russian regime and the decade-long campaign that he believes has placed his life at real risk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we wait for UK parliament to vote on Theresa May's deal, Hugh talks to two people with thought-provoking and divergent ideas about what brought about Brexit in the first place: Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole and Professor Helen Thompson of Cambridge University. The conversation touches on everything from the Norman invasion to the nature of the EU single market, and even a fictional EU prohibition on prawn cocktail-flavour crisps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Concerns are growing that the Government’s proposed abortion legislation will not pass through the Oireachtas in time for its planned introduction date in January. Was Minister Simon Harris naive in setting the deadline? Irish Times politics team new recruit Jennifer Bray joins old timers Hugh, Pat and Harry to talk about this and other matters including Brexit, Leo's tax cuts promise, and the national broadband scheme. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the floor at the Fine Gael National Conference, the Inside Politics team interviews Tanaiste Simon Coveney about Brexit, what happens if the deal is not approved by UK parliamentarians and the role of the DUP. Plus: A major policy announcement has been made by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in his speech: a pledge to raise the threshold for the higher rate of income tax from €35,000 to €50,000 over five budgets. Huge if true. But is it wise? Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy analyse the news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a Brexit deal agreed between Britain and the EU, now all eyes turn to Westminster. Will Prime Minister Theresa May be able to bounce her cabinet, the Commons and the EU into a deal that nobody likes and many despise? And ultimately could the markets scare the Commons into accepting anything to avoid No Deal? Meanwhile in Dublin, all focus is on whether the wording of the border backstop will be sufficiently resistant to 'interpretation' down the line. Plus: Confidence and Supply negotiations continue in Brexit's shadow, and Fianna Fáil's forever delayed move into Northern Irish politics. Today's guests: Fianna Fáil TD & Brexit spokesperson Lisa Chambers, our own Pat Leahy and Denis Staunton in London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Michael Lewis (Moneyball, The Big Short, The Undoing Project)talks to Hugh about his new book 'The Fifth Risk'. The book concerns the Trump Administration and what Lewis says are astounding levels of cronyism and corruption in the appointments it has made in key government organisations with responsibility for everything from nuclear weapons to weather forecasting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe has written a book about the killing of mother-of-ten Jean McConville by the IRA in 1972. As well as uncovering new facts about the circumstances around McConville's killing, and making a new allegation about the identities of those who killed her, the book is a valuable outsider's view of the enduring legacy of The Troubles and the roles of republican leaders like Gerry Adams.On today's podcast Patrick Redden Keefe talks to Public Affairs Editor Simon Carswell. "Say Nothing: a true story of murder and memory in Northern Ireland" is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First: Washington Correspondent Suzanne Lynch on a night of mixed results for both parties and President Trump in the US Midterms. What message will Democratic Party take from this when selecting a presidential challenger to Donald Trump for 2020?Then: economist and Irish Times columnist David McWilliams joins Hugh and Fiach to talk about his new book Renaissance Nation, the success of political centrism in Ireland, what divides the generations and how the property problem ("the primacy of feudalism over creativity") threatens to undo our hard-won progress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RTÉ political correspondent Martina Fitzgerald has written a book about the experiences of the small number of women - 10% of the total - who have sat at the cabinet table in Ireland. Madam Politician features interviews with all "the living members of this exclusive club". She's here to talk about what she found with Pat Leahy and Harry McGee. They are also joined by Labour councillor Rebecca Moynihan who shares her own experience at the local government level, and discusses what the Labour party should do to grow its support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The official numbers are not yet in but the result is clear. Kitty Holland, Pat Leahy and Fiach Kelly are here to talk about the reelection of Michael D Higgins to the presidency, the surge in support for Peter Casey, who today denied the growth in his support was due to his comments about Travellers, and the disappointing showing from Sinn Féin's Liadh Ní Riada. Has this election exposed a flaw in the party's broader strategy? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s still one more live debate left to endure in this presidential campaign, but last night’s on RTÉ’s Prime Time was the final one to feature all six would-be presidents. Did we learn anything new about the candidates? Director of the Institute for Future Media and Journalism at DCU, Jane Suiter, joins Hugh and Pat to discuss their performances, whether there were too many contestants in the race and how the blasphemy referendum might play out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus podcast, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald explains why her party is working “might and main” to ensure there is a Brexit backstop. She also speaks to Hugh and Fiach about her belief that a Border poll will happen in the next 5-10 years and why a hard Brexit would in fact speed that process up. Asked whether she regretted criticising former Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald following her exoneration in the Charleton report, McDonald said it is her job to challenge the government, adding that she could play her violin and list how many times she has been criticised, but sometimes you just have to take your knocks in politics, even when you think it's wrong.Also on the agenda: the presidency, the DUP and going into government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could Brexit be "one of those historic circumstances where you end up with something only a hardcore of loopers really wants", asks Fintan O'Toole?Fintan joins regulars Hugh and Fiach to talk about the carnival of diabolical scheming, treacherous backsliding and barmy brinkmanship that is Brexit, as Theresa May meets EU leaders in Brussels. After that they discuss the presidential election and what Fintan has called social housing snobbery in the pages of The Irish Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy joins Hugh to take a look at the latest poll from The Irish Times and Ipsos/MRBI showing Fine Gael enjoy a steady lead over nearest rivals Fianna Fáil, with an average 8 point advantage over the last 12 months. The results point towards a reasonably settled political landscape, so where do voters stand on the issue of a general election? And, how did Paschal Donohoe's Budget 2019 go down with the electorate? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy for a bonus Friday episode of Inside Politics. On the agenda: - Denis Naughten’s shock resignation as Minister for Communications leaves the government with a fibre optic headache. - Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin pens a 'Dear Leo' letter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leo Varadkar won the Fine Gael leadership on a promise of rewarding those who "get up early in the morning". 18 months later his government has delivered a budget in which spending increases dwarf the tax cuts those early risers might have expected.To discuss the measures, the thinking behind them and the beginning of the endgame in the Varadkar-Martin deal, Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan for a late night podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh is joined by Fiach Kelly and Harry McGee for a bonus Friday episode of Inside Politics. On the agenda: - It was another terrible week for Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy, with a well-attended protest outside the Dail followed by a harrowing RTE radio report featuring a teenage girl in emergency accommodation. It was the sort of interview that breaks through the noise and forces everyone to sit up and pay attention. - Housing is also likely to dominate next Tuesday's budget. What else can we expect from Paschal Donohoe?- Alone among presidential challengers, Peter Casey is dropping the motivational speaker approach and going straight for the jugular - Michael D's jugular, that is. Will Casey's pugilistic politics pay dividends? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The DUP's line on Brexit is "blood red", according to Arlene Foster. Her apocalyptic choice of words might reflect a deep-seated unionist fear of betrayal by London, says Pat Leahy. Meanwhile over at the Tory conference a more pragmatic attitude to Brexit prevails, says The Guardian's Lisa O'Carroll. Still: something, somewhere, has to give. "Small Country, Big Nation", "Leading With Purpose", "Better Together" - just some of the inspirational slogans chosen by presidential hopefuls ahead of the election in a few short week's time. But the campaign so far has been dominated by much pettier matters. Harry McGee has been following. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Senator Lynn Ruane, the author of an excellent new memoir, who insists there is no such thing as 'reverse snobbery'. Or at least it's not something that a well-heeled person like (say for example) Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy needs to worry about, not in the way someone from Lynn's own neighbourhood needs to worry about the real, oppressive thing. With Political Editor Pat Leahy and Hugh, she discusses housing , educational opportunities and the lack of working class voices in the Oireachtas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A group of housing activists have been occupying vacant properties in Dublin city centre since early August as part of a protest over the amount of vacant housing in the city. Last week the Take Back the City protesters drew national attention to their cause when men wearing black balaclavas repossessed 34 North Frederick Street, which the group had been occupying since mid-August. Two of the activists, Aisling Bruen of the Housing and Homeless Coaliation and Óisín Vince Coulter president of the Trinity College graduate students union, speak to Hugh and Pat about their campaign and what they hope to achieve. Later: Hugh and Pat discuss the political impact of the housing movement, the presidential contest and what's topping the agenda as business resumes at the Dáil this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry McGee is back on the politics beat and back in the Inside Politics studio to tell us about the political problems created by the CervicalCheck report, beginning with a leak of details from the report to media outlets yesterday. Harry has also been watching the nationwide tour of presidential hopefuls as they seek to hoover up county council nominations. For an exciting October election campaign, the signs are inauspicious. Later: Up North, the Cash for Ash scandal just gets more and more embarrassing for the DUP as the enquiry into how millions of pounds went almost literally up in smoke continues. But without any possibility of accountability, the worse it gets, the more the central question becomes: so what? Guests: Newton Emerson and Amanda Ferguson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DCU's Jane Suiter joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the exchange of letters between and Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin on the topic of renewing their little arrangement. Martin rebuffed Varadkar's advance - what next for confidence and supply? Plus, Varadkar defends embattled Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and criticises Sinn Fein and local government on housing, and Dublin readies itself for the arrival of Donald Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe gave a talk at the Collins Institute, a Fine Gael-associated think tank in Dublin. The talk was about the political centre, how it is weakening in other jurisdictions and how he sees Fine Gael's role as a party of the centre. Before delivering the address he talked to Hugh Linehan about his politics, including his rejection of the label conservative and Fine Gael's desire to position itself as the party of social change. Today's podcast features that interview, plus some analysis of Paschal's politics and how his words may or may not translate into actions from our political editor Pat Leahy. You can watch and listen to Minister Donohoe's speech here:http://www.collinsinstitute.ie/renewing-the-centre-collins-institute-lecture/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland's housing crisis is complex and multifaceted, but one key element that the government must address in seeking a solution to it is the social housing sector. Two-thirds of all social housing in Ireland is now privately owned, while funding for the sector was cut by 82% during the last recession. Experts say the system is broken and reforming it needs to be prioritised by government. Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy has said his policies aimed at tackling the housing crisis are working, but with homeless figures continuing to rise, his critics say otherwise and there are rumblings of a motion of no confidence from the opposition benches.Joining Hugh on today's podcast: UCD professor and chair of the Housing Finance Agency Michelle Norris, head of policy at Clúid Simon Brooke and Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Craig Unger's new book, House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia, analyses links between the Russian mafia, Vladimir Putin and the Trump Organisation. On today's podcast Unger, a veteran journalist for The New Yorker, Esquire and Vanity Fair, talks to Hugh Linehan about why he believes that the current U.S. president is a Russian asset. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week UCD professor Diarmaid Ferriter joins Hugh and Fiach to look at some of the issues currently on the civic and political agenda through the lens of history. First it’s Fiach’s story that a Fianna Fáil takeover of the SDLP appears to be in the offing, with a merger being discussed at the highest levels of the parties. What are the origins of this political alliance, and how would a merger work?Also on the podcast: In seeking another seven years at the Áras, Michael D. Higgins becomes only the second sitting president in Ireland’s history to face a contest to do so. In 1966 President Éamon de Valera chose not to run a campaign as he sought a second term, so Michael D. now finds himself in uncharted waters as he prepares to do battle in what could be a nasty contest. And, as Ireland’s Catholics prepare to give Pope Francis a ‘céad mile failte’, how will his visit differ to that of John Paul II in 1979? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cody Keenan has been a speechwriter for President Barack Obama for more than a decade, rising from a campaign intern in Chicago to Director of Speechwriting at the White House. Keenan has helped craft the president’s remarks on every topic for every audience, from backyards in Iowa, to State of the Union addresses. Now he is helping President Obama write a memoir of his time in the Oval Office. On today’s podcast Keenan speaks to Hugh Linehan about getting his start with Obama, what he believes the 44th president’s legacy will be, whether US politics is suffering irreparable damage under the Trump presidency, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a quiet week on the political front, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing happening. Brendan Howlin’s Labour leadership has come into question of late, with a number of councillors calling for him to stand aside. But as the party seeks to renew itself, who is likely to replace him? Also today: As the impending presidential contest gains pace, who will win the nomination to do battle with Michael D. Higgins? And, what questions he will have to answer in the debates?Guests: Sarah Bardon and Fiach Kelly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Northern Ireland first minister Peter Robinson was criticised for telling the MacGill Summer School last month that he did not think the North would vote to leave the UK in a Border poll but it was no reason not to prepare for the eventuality. As the Brexit deadline approaches, what is the feeling in Northern Ireland on the issue? Has the DUP's support for Brexit backfired? And, what would a road map for unification actually look like?Also today, rumblings of a leadership heave at Labour and Shane Ross mishits with his granny grant and hockey funding.Guests: Matthew O'Toole, Susan McKay and Fiach Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First we look at the news that broke yesterday that Amnesty International Ireland has won its challenge to an order made by the Standards in Public Office Commission, or Sipo. Sipo ordered Amnesty to return money to a foreign donor as it was given to be used 'for political purposes'.The news raises questions about how Sipo came to its flawed decision but also about how we control the flow of money in our politics.Hugh discusses these issues with Colm O'Gorman of Amnesty, Liz Carolan of the Transparent Referendum Initiative and our own Political Editor Pat Leahy.Later on Colm, who is a survivor of clerical abuse, talks about his attitude to the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland next month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O'Toole's recent column about the characteristics of the Trump Administration, entitled 'Trial runs for fascism are in full flow' has found a large international audience. He talks to Hugh Linehan about what he sees as Donald Trump's method for gradually pushing the United States further towards authoritarianism. There's also time to consider whether W.B. Yeats foretold the ascendance of Donald Trump, and a novel use of his poetry in today's troubled world. You can read the original article here (recommended before listening) https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-trial-runs-for-fascism-are-in-full-flow-1.3543375 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last weekend in Rialto a new event took place: The Danielle Carroll Summer School. Named in honour of a woman who took her own life after her and her family become homeless, focussed on social issues and featuring all-female speakers, the event was quite different in theme and tone to this week's MacGill Summer School in Glenties, County Donegal. Hugh talks to Kitty Holland, who was at the Rialto event, and Conor Gallagher, who is in Glenties this week, about the events and the place of such events in today's Ireland.But first: A bewildering array of potential nominees for the presidency are popping in and out of contention. Fiach Kelly looks at some of the more likely ones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: Turmoil at Westminster means Ireland’s plans for a ‘no deal’ Brexit have stepped up a gear. The Tories were supposed to unite behind Theresa May’s Chequers deal and Brexit white paper, but that plan unravelled spectacularly and instead the Prime Minister finds herself presiding over an increasingly divided government. Denis Staunton is on the line from London to talk to Hugh and Pat about what has happened in Westminster and what it might mean for the Border backstop, which has yet to be agreed.Later: The blueprint for a reform of the health service was delivered by an all-party committee a year ago, but the government has yet to come up with a plan to implement Sláintecare. Health policy analyst at Trinity College, Sara Burke, who worked with the committee, and Irish Times industry correspondent Martin Wall join Hugh and Pat to discuss the outstanding issues and what happens next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: Hot on the heels of the #8thRef, the government has scheduled a referendum for October 26th on Article 41.2 of the Constitution. It refers to a woman’s life in the home and is considered sexist and outmoded by many. The government is pushing for a straight deletion of the Article, but has there been enough discussion around what that actually means? The Oireachtas Women’s Caucus feels they weren’t consulted enough on the matter and there is an argument for the Article to be amended to be more inclusive, rather than removing it completely. Joining Pat and Sarah to debate the issue on today’s podcast is Dr Laura Cahillane from UL’s law department.Later: Micheal D Higgins has announced he'd like to continue life within his home, Áras an Uachtaráin. Moves are afoot by some independent politicians to facilitate a challenger to President Higgins in an autumn election. Can they succeed? Pat asks Fiach Kelly and Noel Whelan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Taoiseach went off-script in New York yesterday, sympathising with Donald Trump’s views on the media and spoiling an otherwise unremarkable visit to make Ireland’s case for joining the UN Security Council. In a “freewheeling” discussion, Leo Varadkar surprised guests at a private lunch when he criticised the media, saying political journalists were more interested in gossip than the story. Now his Ministers say he was taken out of context. What really happened, and what does it tell us about Taoiseach Varadkar? First we hear from Simon Carswell who was among the Irish journalists present in New York. He joins Sarah, Pat and Fiach on the line. Also today: Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s pre-election phony war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The air’s been let out of this week’s EU Summit with no sign of the significant progress on Brexit negotiations that the Irish government had sought when they last convened. With October’s meeting now the next important date on the calendar, is the threat of talks grinding to a halt becoming more real? Will the much vaunted backstop ever materialise? Is the likelihood of a hard Brexit increasing? And, does the British government know what it wants? The Guardian’s Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll joins presenter Pat Leahy, Irish Times public affairs editor Simon Carswell and political reporter Sarah Bardon to discuss the myriad outstanding issues in the negotiations, as the March 2019 withdrawal deadline looms large on the horizon. But first on the agenda: the appointment of the new Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Fianna Fáil’s declaration of support for a second run for the presidency by Michael D Higgins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On June 22nd, the man Hillary Clinton blames for her 2016 presidential election defeat to Donald Trump, the former FBI director James Comey, was in Dublin to promote his book A Higher Loyalty. Coincidentally, less than a kilometre away, Clinton was also in town to receive an honorary degree from Trinity College. Comey was interviewed by Hugh Linehan at a live event at the Irish Film Institute in Temple Bar. They spoke about his book, the election and his interactions with Donald Trump before he was sensationally fired by the US president, as detailed in A Higher Loyalty. You can hear that interview in this podcast, with thanks to the IFI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah and Fiach join Hugh for a roundup of what has been happening in and around Leinster House this week, with preparations for the 2019 budget well underway. Will prudent Paschal Donohoe stick with his hitherto cautious mantra? Also, does Leo Varadkar’s tactic of standing back and letting his ministers do the talking impact on the public’s perception of him? And, there’s a bit of healthy disagreement in the ranks on a number of things, including the Taoiseach’s role in the recent referendum and gender balance in political debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the country moves on from the resounding Yes vote in the referendum to repeal the Eighth amendment and with plans for another referendum on removing the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution in the autumn, Ireland is dramatically renegotiating the relationship between Church and State. As Irish Catholics look forward to the Papal visit at the end of the summer, what does the future of that relationship between the institutions of the State, the political establishment and Catholicism look like?Joining Hugh on today's show: Irish Times religious affairs correspondent Patsy McGarry, professor Áine Hyland, who was a founder of the Dalkey School Project in the 1970s, and editor of the Irish Catholic newspaper Michael Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thousands of women and young people mobilised for the referendum campaign, but will many remain politically active in its aftermath? Sinead Gibney, the new Dún Laoghaire candidate for the Social Democrats, joins Hugh, Pat and Harry to discuss what lasting impact of the campaign will have on the political process. Also, with a general election looming somewhere on the horizon, is the Left becoming too crowded? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One final Friday referendum podcast. Columnist Una Mullally and DCU political scientist Jane Suiter join Hugh, Pat and Sarah to debate what really happened. How did the media fulfil its role? What were the decisive factors in voters' minds, and can the success of the grassroots campaign for liberalisation be parlayed into electoral success for the politicians who supported the people? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It will take a few podcasts to digest the historic referendum results of last weekend. Today we begin by looking at what lies behind the divergence between opinion polls and the final result. Then Michael O'Regan has the view from rural constituencies like Kerry where many TDs were left at odds with the majority. And we turn to Fianna Fail and reports of an unhappy meeting last night as the party struggles to figure out what its position on abortion should be. Is the party at risk of a major rupture? We talk to Niall Collins, the Limerick TD, FF spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Yes campaigner, who is blunt in his assessment of the motives and leadership of some of his colleagues. He demands the party now row in behind leader Micheal Martin on the issue as legislation works its way through the Oireachtas. We'll be back with another podcast on Friday, with columnist and campaigner Una Mullally and political scientist Jane Suiter of DCU. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The count is underway but the result is not in doubt. Social Affairs correspondent Kitty Holland, columnist Fintan O'Toole and Sarah Bardon and Pat Leahy from our politics team talk to Hugh about the ramifications of the resounding vote to remove our constitutional ban on abortion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The people have voted to repeal the 8th Amendment. But not only that. If the results of The Irish Times exit poll are borne out when the final vote is counted, the scale of the victory for Yes in this referendum points to a profound transformation in Irish attitudes to abortion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"One of the most poisonous debates witnessed in twentieth century Ireland" is how historian Diarmaid Ferriter described the run-up to the passing of the 8th Amendment in 1983.Against a backdrop of intense political division, moral outrage and conflicting understandings of how a rebalancing of the rights of a woman and an unborn child would play out in public courts and private lives, the referendum passed with a two to one majority.When the Citizens' Assembly first met in October 2016 to once again examine the abortion question, Ruadhán Mac Cormaic took us back to the early eighties to understand how and why the controversial amendment came about and its legacy in politics and society.This podcast was originally published in October 2016. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Which side won last night's referendum debate on RTÉ? Pat Leahy sees it as a tie, while Sarah Bardon calls it for Yes. The deciding vote is cast by our radio critic Mick Heaney, who also tells us about the how the referendum battle has played out on the airwaves. But first Sarah explains the strange goings-on that resulted in two male politicians going head to head over abortion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah, Pat and Harry return for another referendum roundup, including more poll analysis, a look at the nationwide canvass, the campaign activities of Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin and a welcome moment of levity provided by a popular rival podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy discuss the latest poll from The Irish Times and Ipsos/MRBI that shows a further decline in the number of those responding they will vote yes, and an increase in those saying they will vote no. With just over one week left until polling day, which side does the trend now favour? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To discuss the latest news from the 8th Amendment referendum campaign, the division of the Fianna Fáil party on that same issue, and the latest on British Prime Minister Theresa May's struggle to find a way through the Brexit-Customs-Irish-Border thicket, today's podcast features Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Brexit and Yes advocate Lisa Chambers, Fiach Kelly and Sarah Bardon from our politics team, and London Editor Denis Staunton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Carolan of the Transparent Referendum Initiative joins Hugh, Pat and Sarah to talk about the biggest story of the campaign this week: the pulling of the digital rug from under campaigners by Facebook and Google. It's clear which side is hurting most, with Google's move a particularly damaging blow to #Savethe8th. But will it be a decisive one? Plus, Sarah reports on another fraught week checking facts for an ungrateful public. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transparency campaigner Gavin Sheridan joins Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy to discuss Facebook's announcement that it will no longer accept foreign advertisements relating to the upcoming referendum on the Eighth Amendment and the need for new legislation on political campaigning in the digital era. But first, Pat explains how the Dáil has failed to bring in mandatory reporting in the face of opposition from health professionals, as the controversy over failures in the State’s cervical screening service continues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Referendum Day is drawing near, and over the next three weeks The Irish Times politics team will be bringing you extra podcasts on the campaign. What are campaigners hearing on the doors? What are the contentious points dominating discussion? And what role are our elected leaders playing in the fight to save or repeal the 8th Amendment? Pat Leahy, Harry McGee and Sarah Bardon join Hugh for the first in this series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minister of State for European Affairs Helen McEntee talks to Hugh Linehan and Fiach Kelly about another critical period in Brexit negotiations and the contours of the ongoing referendum campaign. But first they look at the major scandal emerging over CervicalCheck that is taking its place alongside other historic State failures in its treatment of women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh talks to Harvard University lecturer and Slate columnist Yascha Mounk about his book "The People Vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom is in Danger and How to Save It", in which he shares his theories about why confidence in democracy is dwindling worldwide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.