Ellen Coyne and Harry McGee join Pat Leahy to look back on the week in politics: · When Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was asked on Monday if she was ruling herself out of this year’s contest to succeed Michael D Higgins, she replied, “we’re not ruling anything in or anything out.” But could a tilt at the presidency be a potential career-ender for Mary Lou? · Elsewhere, those ruling themselves firmly in include Galway West Independent TD Catherine Connolly, who says she plans to launch her p...
Jul 11, 2025•41 min
This month marks 30 years since the Srebrenica genocide, when more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred by Serb forces in Bosnia. In today’s episode, Irish Times Eastern Europe Correspondent Daniel McLaughlin joins Hugh to reflect on his recent visit to eastern Bosnia. They discuss the enduring legacy of the atrocity, how the town is preparing to commemorate the 30th anniversary and the political deadlock that still grips the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...
Jul 09, 2025•40 min
It is just over a year since Keir Starmer’s Labour Party won a huge majority and took power in London, but Starmer’s political capital is already at a low ebb. It hasn’t all been bad: most noticeably here, he has managed to repair the UK’s relationship with Ireland after the fractious Brexit years. But he has also handled the Trump administration and the EU with skill. It’s at home where he hasn’t done so well. Some notable successes - on reducing NHS waiting times - have been overshadowed by a ...
Jul 07, 2025•35 min
Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · The drive to inject some impetus into the Irish presidential race has not yielded anything of note just yet with the starter pistol not expected to sound until Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin nominate their candidates. · The Coalition remains divided over Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless’s recent assertion that the student contribution could increase by as much as €1,000 next ...
Jul 04, 2025•42 min
Money always matters in politics. Just ask UK prime minister Keir Starmer, whose attempt to cut UK welfare payments is on the rocks thanks to Labour party rebels, leaving a multibillion pound hole in his economic plan. Over here, the various departments are currently working out how much money they need to operate in advance of the Summer Economic Statement, the report that outlines the parameters for what is likely to be a tighter Budget than those of recent years. The Government is also trying...
Jul 02, 2025•37 min
Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics: · US President Donald Trump was the main attraction at a landmark Nato summit on Wednesday with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte calling him ‘Daddy’ during their press conference. Trump got what he came for with Nato member states agreeing to an increase of 5 per cent of GDP in defence spending. · Over at the EU leaders summit on Thursday, defence spending was also high on the agenda with Ireland backing t...
Jun 27, 2025•44 min
Europe correspondent Jack Power joins Pat and Jack Horgan-Jones to discuss monumental events in the Middle East, with the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities being followed by a ceasefire that may or may not be holding as you listen to this podcast. They also discuss the EU's struggle to assert influence on the global stage as it heads into a summit, and bring it back home to the Irish government's awkward stance on the Occupied Territories Bill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...
Jun 24, 2025•42 min
Sally Hayden and Harry McGee join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics: · Sally Hayden joins the pod on the line from Beirut where missiles flying overhead have become a fact of daily life despite the ceasefire agreement Lebanon signed with Israel last November. With Israel’s attention now firmly on Iran, the rising death toll and continuing aerial attacks from both sides show no signs of abating. And is the US on the verge of joining Israel’s attack on Iran? What could that me...
Jun 20, 2025•49 min
Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Harry McGee to talk about the ongoing fallout from the Government's proposed changes to the rights of tenants and landlords. They look at growing criticism of the finer points of the policy. Will the delay in rolling out RPZs to the whole country incentivise landlords to raise rents while they can? Do the new rules effectively prohibit short-term lets in tourism areas? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 18, 2025•36 min
You can tell an awful lot about a society by who it labels a genius. You can also learn from who it excludes from that category, who it enables and what it is prepared to tolerate from them. The tortured poet, the rebellious scientist, the monstrous artist, or indeed the tech disruptor. All of these archetypes feature in The Genius Myth, the new book by the journalist, author and podcaster Helen Lewis. She joins Hugh to talk about so-called geniuses, from Elon Musk to The Beatles, the modern inf...
Jun 16, 2025•39 min
Pat Leahy and Ellen Coyne join Hugh Linehan to look back at the week in politics: Rent reform: the announcement of Minister for Housing James Browne’s plans to change the rules around rent pressure zones dominated the week. But why was the rollout so haphazard? Adjustments to residential property tax received less attention but the changes also carry political risk Israel’s attacks on Iran add further uncertainty to a fraught geopolitical moment Anti-immigrant riots in Northern Ireland: was the ...
Jun 13, 2025•50 min
US president Donald Trump's response to protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles - to send in troops - is in keeping with a broader theme of his second presidency so far - extending executive power and challenging institutional norms. But how far is Trump willing to go? TCD's Daniel Geary joins Hugh to talk about the events in LA and the pressure Trump 2.0 is putting on the American system. Daniel Geary is Mark Pigott Professor of U.S. History at Trinity College Dublin. Hosted on Acast....
Jun 11, 2025•44 min
Where does Europe fit into the 21st century? Political scientist Professor Helen Thompson returns to the podcast to talk about the big picture for the global economy and international relations in the age of Trump's second term, China's rise and Europe's relative decline. She talks to Hugh about the real significance of America's debt pile, Silicon Valley's shift to Trump, the future of NATO, the growing interest in controlling the Arctic and China's economic and technological rise. And she argu...
Jun 09, 2025•43 min
Joining Hugh and Cormac McQuinn on today's podcast is Ellen Coyne, the newest member of The Irish Times political team. Together they look back on the week in politics in Ireland and beyond: The crisis at Children's Hospital Ireland deepens Growing international disquiet over Israel's conduct in Gaza Planning exemptions for "granny flats" - can such tinkering make a real difference to the housing crisis? The spectacular breakup of Donald Trump and Elon Musk Plus the panel pick their favourite Ir...
Jun 06, 2025•42 min
With the election of Lee Jae-myung as president of South Korea, a period of political turmoil there may be over - for now at least. But Lee, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, faces many challenges, including a political system in disarray, the threat of tariffs and a looming demographic disaster. Denis Staunton reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 05, 2025•24 min
Poland is facing political deadlock after pro-Trump candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the country’s right-wing opposition, won Sunday’s presidential by less than two percentage points. The result also has major implications for European politics. On today's podcast Hugh discusses the outcome with Berlin correspondent Derek Scally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 04, 2025•30 min
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · Committees of the Oireachtas are indeed back, but rigor and insight seem to be missing in some of the questions posed by politicians during RTÉ’s appearance in front of the Oireachtas media committee on Wednesday. · Independent TDs Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole , who support the Government, put a dent in the Coalition’s majority by voting in favour of a Sinn Féin Bill in support of Palestine. · Former Sinn Féi...
May 30, 2025•40 min
In her book Left Is Not Woke today's guest Susan Neiman argues that the left has taken a wrong turn and must differentiate itself from "wokism". She talks to Hugh about what she means by "woke" and why its appeal to traditional left-wing tendencies, like solidarity and supporting the underdog, helps disguise its more reactionary elements. They also talk about Germany's relationship with Israel and how its own history influences German views on what is happening in Gaza. Susan Neiman is an Americ...
May 28, 2025•54 min
Leinster House is more than a place of work - it's a way of life for the politicians and other professionals who spend their days there. Journalist and broadcaster Gavan Reilly has written a book about the inner-workings of our parliament building and its inhabitants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 26, 2025•48 min
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · Ireland’s decision to participate in a European-wide initiative celebrating Norman heritage and influence has drawn the ire of Sinn Féin. The initiative is called ’2027 The Year of the Normans – People of Europe’, and Cabinet approved plans to mark 1000 years since the birth of England’s first Norman king William the Conqueror have been labelled “offensive” by the Opposition party. · In a move to start the flow o...
May 23, 2025•40 min
The unprecedented increase in the numbers of people coming to Ireland seeking International Protection due to war or oppression in their homeland put serious pressure on State resources since 2023. The new Government has signalled a tougher approach to the issue, and has claimed some success. Are their reforms working, and is the tougher messaging appropriate? Hugh is joined by Colm Brophy TD, Minister of State for Migration, Madeleine Allen, policy and advocacy officer with the Irish Refugee Co...
May 21, 2025•45 min
The tenth anniversary of the marriage equality referendum has prompted some reminiscing about how the vote was the first of two pinnacles for progressivism in Ireland, the other being the abortion referendum three years later. For women and members of the LGBT community, the successful campaigns were pivotal moments for an Ireland escaping its oppressive past. But what about those on the losing side? Senator Ronán Mullen, who campaigned for a no vote, joins Hugh and Pat to talk about how those d...
May 19, 2025•35 min
Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · The Public Accounts Committee returned on Thursday and already it was making headlines with revelations about former Children’s Health Ireland boss Eilish Hardiman ’s salary. PAC is apt at generating headlines with leaked opening statements and TDs eager to make their name a staple for the Dáil committee. · A move towards fiscal caution as Fine Gael's Neale Richmond signals planned tax cuts may have to...
May 16, 2025•38 min
It is ten years since the country voted to legalise same-sex marriage. This victory for progressive politics was followed by another when abortion rights were won in 2018. But what is sometimes called "the progressive agenda" has since had setbacks, including last year's defeated referendums on family and care. So how relevant is progressivism to Irish politics now, and where does it go next? Labour leader Ivana Bacik, columnist Gerard Howlin and political editor Pat Leahy join Hugh to look back...
May 14, 2025•45 min
Simon Harris had a difficult general election campaign as Fine Gael leader and has since faced criticism that he has not learned from mistakes in his new roles as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. On today's podcast he tells Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh Linehan that his style of politics won't change. He also answers questions about policy issues including housing, the Occupied Territories Bill, a proposed levy on streamers like Netflix and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...
May 12, 2025•59 min
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · On the same day that the US agreed a trade deal with the UK , the European Commission unveiled a second, larger package of retaliatory tariffs – this was in response to the absence of negotiation from the US on what they actually want. Thankfully for Ireland, our biggest export to the US, pharmaceuticals, remained untouched, this is welcome news given the warnings from the Department of Finance this week. · The p...
May 09, 2025•38 min
The death of Pope Francis has set in train one of the most unique contests in world politics: the Papal conclave. Cardinals will vote again and again until one name achieves a two-thirds majority and becomes pope. Voting is not the conclave's only similarity to secular politics. The prospects of victory for frontrunners Antonio Tagle from the Philippines and current Vatican secretary of state Pietro Parolin have declined in recent days, thanks to the emergence of negative stories about the two c...
May 07, 2025•37 min
On today’s Inside Politics podcast Irish Times London Correspondent Mark Paul joins Hugh Linehan to discuss what Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is already calling “the beginning of the end of the Conservative Party" as Tories lost council seats all over England. And to add icing to Farage’s cake, Reform Party candidate Sarah Pochin dramatically won the Runcorn and Helsby byelection by just six votes, the narrowest margin of victory in a byelection since 1944. Labour didn’t fare well in Thursday’s...
May 03, 2025•22 min
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · Nama chief executive Brendan McDonagh almost became housing ‘tsar’ until Fine Gael blocked his appointment this week. It seems communication between the two main parties was not at its strongest when it came to Fianna Fáil’s push to have McDonagh head up the new Housing Activation Office. · Both the Government of the 34th Dáil and Donald Trump reach the milestone of 100 days this week, although it feels like nigh...
May 02, 2025•40 min
Canadian journalist Jen Gerson joins Hugh to talk about the results of Monday's federal election, which confirmed the once-unlikely comeback of the Liberal party led by former central banker Mark Carney. Gerson explains the unique challenges facing this vast, dispersed country whose relationship with its closest ally - the USA - has collapsed since the election of Donald Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 30, 2025•41 min
