Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88. Thoughts now turn to the election of his successor and whether they will be viewed to be as tolerant and progressive as the late pontiff. · Minister for Education Helen McEntee has her work cut out for her to keep secondary school teachers onside with both the Teacher’s Union of Ireland and the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland voting to...
Apr 25, 2025•46 min
Cork-based author Pádraig Óg O'Ruairc joins Hugh Linehan to discuss his new book 'Burn Them Out; a history of fascism and the far right in Ireland’. He argues a line can be drawn directly between the far-right and, in the case of the Blueshirts, openly fascist movements of the 1920s and 1930s and the Dublin riots of 2023. Ó'Ruairc objects to the Irish exceptionalism many feel in having largely escaped the xenophobic populism seen elsewhere in Europe, arguing we have a long history of 'looking th...
Apr 23, 2025•57 min
This episode was first published in October 2023. Naomi 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 globalising world. Her later books have examined a range of subjects including crisis capitalism, militarism, and climate change. Klein is also commonly confused online for a very different writer, Naomi Wolf, who has called Covid-19 vaccine programmes ‘mass murder’. In Klein's latest ...
Apr 21, 2025•45 min
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee analyse the latest Irish Times / Ipsos B&A poll results, which show that Sinn Féin has regained its position as the most popular party in the Republic while Fine Gael has slumped to a record low in the series. The new data also show voters have little enthusiasm for the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Independent Coalition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 17, 2025•19 min
Cliff Taylor joins Pat Leahy to assess the latest developments in the trade war initiated by US president Donald Trump that threatens to upend the global economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 16, 2025•23 min
As the head of an organisation called Labour Together, which despite its name '"was all about dividing the Labour party and defeating the left", Irishman Morgan McSweeney handpicked Keir Starmer as the leadership candidate to take on Jeremy Corbyn and the party's left wing in 2020. That is according to Patrick Maguire, co-author of Get In, an entertaining book about Starmer's road to Number 10 and McSweeney's accumulation of power behind the scenes. He talks to Hugh about McSweeney's talent, Sta...
Apr 14, 2025•37 min
On Friday afternoon Taoiseach Micheál Martin talked to Hugh and Pat about a range of issues: On tariffs, the Taoiseach says he "suspects" a US decision on pharmaceuticals may be incorporated into overall trade negotiations, to Ireland’s advantage. He says that Ireland will resist any move by the EU to apply new taxes to US tech firms and supports the pharmaceutical industry's call for more favourable EU regulations. With the Government not on course to meet its goal of 300,000 new homes built by...
Apr 12, 2025•56 min
Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · The ‘Golden Age of America’ came and went over the course of a week as US President Donald Trump decided on Wednesday to pause his reciprocal tariffs for most countries for the next 90 days. · The status of suspended Social Democrat TD Eoin Hayes was up for debate this week with the party successfully pushing for representation based on election result rather than current Dáil numbers in order to secure two ...
Apr 11, 2025•40 min
The podcasters turn away from the heavy news agenda of tariffs and economic upheaval to examine a lighter, more enjoyable but still important topic: the 2025 Irish presidential election. What makes a good president? What makes a good presidential candidate? And who are the candidates in the running at this late stage? From big party nominees like Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness to left unity candidates like Senator Frances Black and celebrity candidates like Conor McGregor, the list is long. Corm...
Apr 09, 2025•50 min
Why does it take so long to build infrastructure in Ireland? If you consider the amount of red tape needed to secure approval for something relatively simple like the upgrade of Dublin's bus lanes, it is hardly surprising, says Barra Roantree, Assistant Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin. He talks to Hugh Linehan about the costly bottlenecks in Ireland's planning and implementation of key projects, how we compare internationally and whether reform is possible. Hosted on Acast. See ...
Apr 07, 2025•48 min
Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to look back on the week in politics: It may have been one of the most consequential weeks for Irish politics in years, if US president Donald Trump’s tariffs have the expected impact on the Irish and global economy. The speaking rights row came to an end, at least for now this week following votes on the future of Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy and the emergence of tariffs as a far more significant issue. Plus the panel pick their favourite Irish Times a...
Apr 04, 2025•41 min
Cliff Taylor and Pat Leahy are with Hugh to discuss the tariffs announced yesterday by US president Donald Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 03, 2025•32 min
As the Irish political system awaits tariff news from Washington, political editor Pat Leahy joins Hugh to look at how the day might unfold. But first they assess the outcome of yesterday’s Dáil vote on the future of Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle. Murphy survived the vote - but there will be longer-term consequences from the controversy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 02, 2025•26 min
Wednesday April 2nd is when US president Donald Trump is expected to announce tariffs on a wide range of imports from several countries, probably including the European Union. But what can the EU do in response? Cliff Taylor and Jack Power join Hugh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 31, 2025•42 min
Pat Leahy and Sarah Burns join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · The Dáil will enter uncharted territory next Tuesday as a motion of no confidence in Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy will be debated in the Dáil. Mary Lou McDonald and Labour leader Ivan Bacik are united in their insistence that Murphy’s position is no longer tenable with new speaking time slots for coalition-supporting Independents and Government backbenchers on Dáil schedule. · Donald Trump has pledged to unveil ...
Mar 28, 2025•41 min
Sally Hayden talks to Hugh Linehan about her experiences reporting from Syria and Lebanon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 27, 2025•41 min
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 26, 2025•27 min
Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: Jack reports from Brussels where EU leaders have been meeting to discuss issues including defence and rearmament. Paschal Donohoe used the sidelines of an EU summit to deliver a stark warning on the impact of tariffs on the economy. Conor McGregor’s appearance at the White House on St Patrick’s Day has heightened anticipation of a presidential run of his own. This week also saw more bad news on the issue the ...
Mar 21, 2025•42 min
The idea that a country can't increase the size of its territory by taking it over another has been a principle of Western foreign policy for decades. If that changes it will be a profound shift. "Once that genie's out of the bottle, it will be very hard to put back in", says Tom Wright, the Irishman who was a member of Joe Biden's National Security Council and is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a foreign policy think-tank. He talks to Hugh about foreign policy under Biden and ...
Mar 19, 2025•54 min
Cormac McQuinn and Sarah Burns join Jack Horgan Jones to look back on the week in politics: · Most analysis of the Taoiseach’s extraordinary meeting with US president Donald Trump this week has called it a success - but the underlying economic threat remains. · A brief intrusion by three members of the Burke family at a gala dinner attended by the Taoiseach in Washington DC made headlines. But how did they get in? Pat Leahy was there. · This week marked five years since Covid lockdowns began. Ha...
Mar 14, 2025•46 min
Pat Leahy reports from Washington where Taoiseach Micheal Martin met US president Donald Trump this afternoon. How did the Taoiseach do? In part two, Harry McGee talks to political scientist Dr Kevin Cunningham about the evolution of polling and what data reveals about Irish political trends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 12, 2025•53 min
A report last week made a stark forecast: Ireland will be subject to EU fines and costs ranging from from €8 billion to €26 billion for failing to meet its 2030 climate goals. So why are we not taking more action, more swiftly to avoid this fiscal calamity - or indeed to avoid the underlying catastrophe of climate change? Hugh talks to Hannah Daly, Professor of Sustainable Energy at University College Cork, and former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...
Mar 10, 2025•40 min
Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to look back on the week in politics: · Did Simon Harris put his foot in his mouth when he contradicted the US account of a phone call between him and Donald Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio? The comments added to jitters over the Taoiseach’s visit to Trump’s White House next week. · Security and Ireland’s defence have roared onto the political agenda. Is our political system ready for the debate about how to respond? · This week left wing par...
Mar 07, 2025•39 min
US president Donald Trump's hard line with allies and his overtures to Russia have upended assumptions about the transatlantic security alliance. So where does it leave Europe and Ireland? Hugh talks to Edward Burke from UCD's Centre for War Studies and Irish Times security correspondent Conor Gallagher. They discuss Ukraine's ability to fight on without US assistance, the future of European security architecture and what these changes mean for Ireland's defence policy. Hosted on Acast. See acas...
Mar 05, 2025•51 min
How ready are citizens of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland for a border poll? What role would economics play in the debate? And what impact has Brexit had? The Irish Question, a new documentary by Alan Gilsenan and John Walsh, considers these questions through interviews with key players including former US president Bill Clinton. Alan and John talked to Hugh about their documentary and what they learned while making it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 03, 2025•48 min
Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan on today’s Inside Politics podcast to discuss the week in politics: · Micheál Martin will likely have taken notes following the visits of Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer to the White House this week, each having enjoyed positive relations with US President Donald Trump. Trump congratulated the Taoiseach on his recent appointment as he issued an invitation for March 12th to mark St Patrick’s Day. · The row over additional speaking rights for Independen...
Feb 28, 2025•51 min
Hugh talks to Berlin correspondent Derek Scally to find out about the weekend's Bundestag elections, described as the most significant in decades. The centre-right CDU will lead a new coalition, with far-right AfD becoming the main opposition party. Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader and incoming chancellor, faces huge challenges, not least addressing Germany's deepening economic and security concerns. AfD leader Alice Weidel insists the new coalition that is likely to emerge will not last. Hosted o...
Feb 25, 2025•34 min
There’s been lots of noise, threats and bluster. But what has Donald Trump really achieved in his first five weeks in office? And could the non-stop drama of his leadership already be wearing thin among voters who welcomed his return? Meanwhile, the pace and aggression of Trump’s leadership means his Democratic Party opponents have plenty of material to work with - but the party still lacks coherent leadership to deliver its message. Washington correspondent Keith Duggan joins Hugh to discuss th...
Feb 24, 2025•32 min
Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to look back on the week in politics: Sinn Féin announced it would not send representatives to Washington for St Patrick's Day, in protest over the proposed "mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homes and the permanent seizure of Palestinian lands". Should the Government provide tax breaks for developers to encourage homebuilding? Within Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, there are opposing views. The speaking rights row is not over. Is there ...
Feb 21, 2025•48 min
The recent election and appointments to cabinet were a step backwards for gender representation in Irish politics. On today's podcast Hugh and Jennifer are joined by Aldagh McDonogh, chairperson of Women for Election, to talk about why Ireland has among the lowest proportion of female elected politicians in Europe. The conversation covers the history of female representation in Ireland, the impact of gender quotas, and the systemic and cultural barriers preventing more women from entering politi...
Feb 19, 2025•49 min
