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 aca...
Mar 08, 2023•56 min
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 bed People Before Profit publish a remarkable document Where new Soc Dems leader Holly Cairns can find votes for her party Plus 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 refugees Denis Staunt...
Mar 03, 2023•36 min
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....
Mar 01, 2023•34 min
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 Marti...
Feb 24, 2023•22 min
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....
Feb 22, 2023•45 min
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....
Feb 17, 2023•31 min
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 lec...
Feb 15, 2023•43 min
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 b...
Feb 10, 2023•33 min
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 exa...
Feb 08, 2023•52 min
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 co...
Feb 03, 2023•31 min
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....
Feb 01, 2023•41 min
Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to look back on the week in politics. Claims of electoral expense irregularities expand to ensnare Sinn Fein Female politicians speak out about threats and aggression Home building figures are not transformative enough to solve housing crisis 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....
Jan 27, 2023•34 min
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 year UCC'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 o...
Jan 25, 2023•49 min
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 accommodat...
Jan 20, 2023•32 min
"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 ...
Jan 18, 2023•50 min
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 Peter...
Jan 16, 2023•42 min
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.
Jan 13, 2023•21 min
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 plac...
Jan 11, 2023•46 min
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.
Jan 04, 2023•40 min
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.
Dec 28, 2022•56 min
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.
Dec 21, 2022•53 min
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 ...
Dec 17, 2022•27 min
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.
Dec 14, 2022•45 min
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 member...
Dec 10, 2022•36 min
"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 ...
Dec 07, 2022•48 min
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 ...
Dec 03, 2022•43 min
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 Christ...
Nov 30, 2022•43 min
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...
Nov 25, 2022•27 min
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....
Nov 23, 2022•41 min
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.
Nov 18, 2022•32 min
