Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and former political correspondent Áine Kerr join Matt to analyse the politics of the past fortnight, dominated by the diesel protests. They look at Jim O’Callaghan’s use of the army, Patrick O’Donovan’s aborted assault on the media, and what the protests tell us about the rural-urban divide. The resignation of Junior Minister Michael Healy-Rae. How the opposition parties behaved during the protests. The Fianna Fáil youthful backbencher revolt. Dáil member behaviour...
Apr 18, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 119
Driving the protesters off the blocked roads: Brenda Power and John Deasy join Matt to discuss how the government has to confront threatened anarchy. Carbon tax increases debated, and is the future Nuclear? Why objections to IPAS Centres won't be bypassed. Why the Department of Education can't get its budget sums right, the problem with voluntary contributions, and paying teachers appropriately. Also, Mary Lou McDonald's belief that a united Ireland is the pressing political issue, will she camp...
Apr 11, 2026•55 min•Season 1Ep. 118
Lise Hand and John Lee join Matt to discuss if the MetroLink project may be derailed by the untimely departure of its boss, Seán Sweeney, and if the government finances become shredded, will MetroLink become a victim again? How the attack on Iran continues to affect the Irish economy and the impact on the government's decision-making. Super saver Simon Harris: What does he want you to do with your money (if you have any)? Is Trump responsible for the increased sales of EV cars? Where would Irela...
Apr 04, 2026•58 min•Season 1Ep. 117
Danny McConnell and John Lee join Matt and open with a discussion on the proposal to limit the number of TDs. They discuss the 18th delay to the handing over of a National Children's Hospital by BAM. Do we need more Robert Watts running our Civil Service? The politics of excise cuts and fiscal discipline. How can overruns at the Department of Education happen annually? Have they learnt nothing? The impact of Jim O'Callaghan in Justice and who is responsible for increased Garda visibility. Brough...
Mar 28, 2026•56 min•Season 1Ep. 116
Matt is joined by Brendan Ogle and Larry Donnelly to look at Irish reactions to Trump's Iranian assault. They rate and review Micheál Martin's Oval Office visit as much for what it signified as what he said. They discuss whether it is safe for Irish people to go to America, especially for the World Cup. Brendan, a regular visitor to Cuba, explains why we should continue to monitor the situation there while all the tension and focus are on the Middle East. They return home to discuss the many pri...
Mar 21, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 115
Lise Hand and Shane Coleman join Matt to assess the perilous nature of Micheál Martin's visit to the Oval Office: what sort of Trump will he find, can he safeguard Irish interests, and is it right to be dealing with the increasingly erratic president at all at a time of war? Was Catherine Connolly out of line to make statements about violations of international law, and in doing so, was she putting it up to the government? Lise and Shane disagree vehemently. Matt defends the Moriarty Tribunal fr...
Mar 14, 2026•58 min•Season 1Ep. 114
Brenda Power and John Deasy join Matt to discuss America's assault on Iran and what Ireland's position on it should be. They assess what Micheál Martin should do in Washington the week after next, and how a prolonged war would prompt a cost-of-living crisis. They debate whether the government should be paying for people to return from the Gulf states. They also discuss the Fáilte Ireland attempt to get us all to take more short holiday breaks in Ireland. And they focus on Phil Hogan's bid for a ...
Mar 07, 2026•52 min•Season 1Ep. 113
Matt is joined by John Lee and Danny McConnell to discuss Sinn Féin's prospects in the Dublin Central by-election, its position on Ukraine, Mary Lou McDonald's memories of Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane, and how cost-of-living issues may give SF its strongest opportunity to make a mark on the government politically. Also, rent reforms and house building, Ireland's defence readiness for the EU presidency, and reaction to the Greens victory in the British by-election. Brought to you by The Greenman Group...
Feb 28, 2026•58 min•Season 1Ep. 112
Matt is joined by Áine Kerr and Shane Coleman to discuss the importance of SNAs in our schools and our government's mishandling of potential changes. Why is the government finding it so hard to come up with ways of protecting our children from harmful social media? Outrage at the planning refusal for a new building for the Rotunda Hospital on Parnell Square, is there anything to be said in favour of the planning board's decision? Was Sinn Féin invited to the White House or not before it said it ...
Feb 21, 2026•57 min•Season 1Ep. 111
Former Fine Gael TD John Deasy and Irish Daily Mail Columnist Brenda Power join Matt to discuss the wider implications for Irish emigrants to the US of the Seamus Culleton case. Why is Ireland soft on the murderous Iranian Regime? Sinn Féin's positions on Iran and Ukraine assessed. The rise of the Social Democrats: Is it sustainable and at whose expense? Michael Healy Rae and his Airbnb victory. Is the IFA biting off more than it can chew with its Bord Bia campaign? The latest Garda Scandal: Is ...
Feb 14, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 110
Danny McConnell and John Lee examine the consequences of Ireland’s repeated failure to deliver flood defences and critical infrastructure. They ask whether the Social Democrats under Holly Cairns are emerging as a credible alternative to Sinn Féin on the left, assess the runners and riders in the upcoming Dublin by-election, the continued fallout from the government’s ‘incoherent’ stance on Mercosur, and the performance of social media executives at the Oireachtas. Brought to you by The Greenman...
Feb 07, 2026•50 min•Season 1Ep. 109
As Storm Chandra wreaked havoc on the country, Shane Coleman and Lise Hand discuss who is really responsible for making sure appropriate weather warnings are given. Fianna Fáil's slump in the polls and the threat to Micheál Martin's leadership. Ivana Bacik's calls for the Taoiseach not to visit the White House on St. Patrick's Day. The soapbox politics of the Bord Bia and Brazilian beef situation. A salute to Mary Robinson and other leading Irish women for St. Brigid's Day. And the resurgence of...
Jan 31, 2026•46 min•Season 1Ep. 108
As Donald Trump pushes his Board of Peace idea, would it be wise for Ireland to join and if we say no, could the squeeze be put on us? John Deasy and Brenda Power join Matt, and John outlines his personal dealings with the US President during his time as an Irish government envoy. Is Ireland ready for a 'MIGA' movement, and why would the US Ambassador to Ireland go to a fringe conference? Is the Mercosur European Parliament vote something that Trump would have wanted? The Board of Peace: Is it a...
Jan 24, 2026•58 min•Season 1Ep. 107
Matt is joined by Danny McConnell and John Lee to unpack the continuing Mercosur fallout inside the government and with the EU. The foreign challenges for Micheál Martin in 2026. All talk but what action about Grok AI? The politics and economics of the data centres. Paschal Donohoe, the World Bank, and the question of an additional €10 million. The merits of politicians reading books. Jim O'Callaghan's immigration crackdown. And the protection of sources by journalists from the courts. Brought t...
Jan 17, 2026•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 106
Brenda Power and Larry Donnelly join Matt for a wide-ranging discussion starting with the Irish government's position on the Mercosur deal. What Micheál Martin was up to in China, and how the Chinese relationship will impact our existing relationships with the US and the EU. Why we need to worry about more people than Trump. What is our government going to do about Elon Musk's Grok and the 'nudification' of photos? Jim O'Callaghan's sneaky and dangerous attack on journalism. Political action on ...
Jan 10, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 105
Lise Hand and Shane Coleman join Matt to assess the many newspaper interviews given by Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris over the Christmas period. They discuss the threats to his family's safety, his likely tax and spend position as finance minister, the controversies caused by his comments on homelessness and migration, and his plans for a possible crackdown on social media anonymity. They look at MAGA monster Steve Bannon's threats to establish a political movement in Ireland, and th...
Jan 03, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 104
Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin coalesce to save fox hunting. Danny McConnell and John Lee join Matt to discuss left unity and who Sinn Féin will really end up in government with. Also, what Simon Harris's replacement of Paschal Donohoe in Finance really means. The impact of tariffs and the IDA's success in still attracting investment to Ireland. Will the UK ever rejoin the European Union in a reverse Brexit? And John tells tales of a private dinner in Doonbeg with Donald Trump. Brought to...
Dec 27, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 103
Danny McConnell and John Lee join Matt to discuss not the gang who couldn't shoot straight, but the gang who couldn't even get a shot off, and yet Micheál Martin is injured, but is it all self-inflicted because of his Jim Gavin gaffe? Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and weekly bonus episodes, sign up at pathtopowerpodcast.com Get in touch: mail@pathtopowerpodcast.com Follow Matt: https://twitter.com/cooper_m https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-cooper-61...
Dec 20, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 102
Brenda Power and Larry Donnelly join Matt to discuss the outrage caused by the videos of adults returning to live in their parents' homes, the politics of making people pay for their blister packs of medicines, entering the US if you have a social media history, Ireland and Jim O'Callaghan's position on changes at the European Convention on Human Rights, the long awaited Fianna Fáil presidential debacle report - has Micheál Martin timed it's release perfectly? And the continuing stand-off betwee...
Dec 13, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 101
A rowdy gathering for our 100th episode as Matt, Lise Hand, and Shane Coleman dissect: RTÉ's Eurovision departure and Ireland's defence against anti-semitism. Defending Ireland while remaining neutral. The TDs who need to get a grip of themselves. How our tax revenues should be spent, and our vulnerability to losing the money. The Government's Accelerating Infrastructure plan. And the traffic nightmare and the M50 logjam. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listen...
Dec 06, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Should Micheál Martin rein in the foreign travel? The Government's change of stance on immigration, why IPAS centres and work permits need to be treated separately. MetroLink: Do the objectors deserve any sympathy? The contentious suggestion to rename Dublin Airport, Verona Murphy's unwise photo op with Sinn Féin, and Gerry Hutch's developing political campaign. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and weekly bonus episodes, sign up at pathtopowerpodcast....
Nov 29, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 99
Paschal Donohoe's departure from government and his performance in office assessed, how badly will Fine Gael miss him? Has Simon Harris done the right thing in taking on Paschal's old job? Will Gerry Hutch run in the by-election, and what are his chances of winning? Ireland-U.S. relations: What should our government's approach be in the face of Trump's aggression? Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and weekly bonus episodes, sign up at pathtopowerpodcas...
Nov 22, 2025•54 min•Season 1Ep. 98
Matt is joined by Newstalk Breakfast host and former political editor Shane Coleman, and by journalist and former Dáil correspondent Lise Hand to discuss the government's new housing initiative. They also reflect on President Connolly's inauguration, talk about Billy Kelleher's carefully worded internal dissent in Fianna Fáil, and the status of the inquiry into the Jim Gavin presidential debacle. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and weekly bonus episo...
Nov 15, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 97
Micheál Martin teetering on the edge as his leadership of Fianna Fáil comes up for debate, for how much longer can he hang on? Guests Danny McConnell and John Lee join Matt for a spirited debate about the Taoiseach's future and just who will move against him? And what are Jim O'Callaghan's credentials to replace him? Also, why the 'Future Forty' doesn't inspire confidence. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and weekly bonus episodes, sign up at pathtopo...
Nov 08, 2025•52 min•Season 1Ep. 96
The impact of the high number of spoiled votes in the election for future politics assessed, and how it will impact on migration policy. Is the left primed for power? Micheál Martin's tenuous grip on Fianna Fáil appraised, and our first musings on Jim O'Callaghan's (and others') suitability to replace him. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and a weekly bonus episode, sign up at pathtopowerpodcast.com Get in touch: mail@pathtopowerpodcast.com Follow the...
Nov 01, 2025•52 min•Season 1Ep. 95
Assessment of Catherine Connolly's (assumed) victory and how she did it, how Fine Gael fell down, why Heather Humphreys was a poor candidate, why so many people didn't vote, and why Micheál Martin's Jim Gavin disaster may prove fatal for his leadership. Also, Matt's idea for a new way to appoint the president, which Ivan derides. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and a weekly bonus episode, sign up at pathtopowerpodcast.com Get in touch: mail@pathtopow...
Oct 25, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Ivan as a footnote to presidential history, why Catherine Connolly is about to win and how heavily Heather Humphreys might lose. The likely fallout in Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, and whether Sinn Féin has missed a trick. Paul Murphy's legal action assessed. And how the result of the election may reflect societal division and provoke real change. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and a weekly bonus episode, sign up at pathtopowerpodcast.com Get in touch:...
Oct 18, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 93
The circumstances of Jim Gavin's presidential exit examined, and the consequences for Micheál Martin's leadership of Fianna Fáil. When will Jim O'Callaghan seize the crown? The Budget: Why nothing for workers, and the overall expansion of government spending debated. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and a weekly bonus episode, sign up at pathtopowerpodcast.com Get in touch: mail@pathtopowerpodcast.com Follow the hosts: Matt: https://twitter.com/cooper...
Oct 11, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 92
Our duo deliver a detailed pre-budget examination of what's likely to happen next Tuesday, from income tax measures to VAT on hospitality and apartments to the overall state of the government finances, changes to the tax treatment of ETFs and R&D for corporates, and the likely increases in social welfare. Also, the presidential race: who really won the first TV debate, Jim Gavin's social media gaffes, Catherine Connolly's convicted friend, and the presidential week analysed. Brought to you b...
Oct 04, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 91
Matt and Ivan meet former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for a wide-ranging discussion based on the publication of his book 'Speaking My Mind'. Brought to you by Greenman OPEN PTP+ To enjoy early access, ad-free listening and a weekly bonus episode, sign up at pathtopowerpodcast.com Get in touch: mail@pathtopowerpodcast.com Follow the hosts: Matt: https://twitter.com/cooper_m https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-cooper-615a1317 https://www.instagram.com/mattcooperlastword/ Ivan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/...
Sep 27, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 90
