The Explainer - podcast cover

The Explainer

The Journalthejournal.ie
The Explainer is a weekly podcast from The Journal that takes a deeper look at one big news story you need to know about. What's the background? Why is this in the news? Get the facts behind the story from Ireland's biggest news website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

How did the plan to redevelop Casement Park fall apart?

The 42's Gavin Cooney joins us to examine where it all went wrong for Casement Park. The redevelopment of one of Northern Ireland's largest stadiums was on the table until the UK government pulled the plug on promised funding. Will Northern Ireland still have a role when the UK and Ireland host the Euros in 2028? And is there still hope for those who want to see the stadium returned to its former glory?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism i...

Sep 19, 202424 min

What can be learned from the government's handling of an IPAS centre in Tipperary?

The village of Dundrum in Co Tipperary has been the site of protests and division in recent months over the housing of international protection applicants. To look at exactly is happening on the ground — and, after similar incidents elsewhere, what the government can learn from the approach it has taken — we're by our reporter Eoghan Dalton, who has reported extensively from Dundrum in recent months.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in I...

Sep 13, 202432 min

What is the reality of health crises in places like Palestine and Sudan?

To look at what emergencies can tell us about how connected, or not, our healthcare systems are, we're joined on this week's episode of The Explainer by Jean Paul Jemmy, a health expert specialising in nutrition with European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. He has been a humanitarian worker for the last three decades with direct experience in healthcare in conflict-affected areas across the world such as Syria, Iraq, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hosted on Acast...

Sep 07, 202426 min

How is Ireland still uncovering stories of widespread abuse?

The numbers alone stopped the country in its tracks this week: 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse of children in schools run by religious orders. 844 alleged abusers. 308 schools. 42 religious orders. A new report revealed stories of abuse across many schools. But how are we back here again? And has enough changed to stop it from happening again? We're joined by Dr Joe Mooney, an assistant professor of social work at University College Dublin who has a specific focus on child protection, and our ...

Sep 05, 202423 min

What is Telegram and why was its founder arrested?

Tech journalist and author Chris Stokel-Walker joins us to examine what's going on with messaging app Telegram and its owner Pavel Durov. Telegram is touted as a secure, privacy-focused app, and while that is appealing to many and useful in countries where free speech is curtailed, it has also led to the platform being used as a base for a range of illegal content and activities. Durov was arrested in connection in France and is now under formal investigation.The Explainer is brought to you by T...

Aug 30, 202425 min

Why are the victims of paedophile Michael Shine speaking out for the first time?

This week, The Journal has published a series of in-depth interviews with a number of victims of convicted paedophile, Michael Shine. Editor Sinéad O'Carroll joins to explain why they are waiving their anonymity to call for a public inquiry.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at w...

Aug 22, 202426 min

Who are Kneecap?

Arts writer and Sunday Times columnist Aoife Barry joins us to explore the world of Kneecap. The bilingual hip hop trio are surging in popularity, changing attitudes towards the Irish language while drawing both praise and consternation (depending on which Northern Irish tradition you talk to) along the way. Now, with the release of their semi-fictional biopic, they're set to make an even bigger mark on the international stage.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access...

Aug 15, 202425 min

What do we know - and don't know - about the Olympic boxing controversy?

As Ireland takes home what seems to be an ever-growing pile of medals, the Olympics has also been navigating a headline-grabbing controversy in the world of women's boxing. Two boxers were deemed ineligible to box at the World Boxing Championships last year are competing at the Games in Paris. On this week's episode, we're joined by sportswriter with The 42, Gavin Cooney, who is currently covering the Olympics from Paris and has been taking an extensive look at what exactly is going on.The Expla...

Aug 07, 202426 min

What is Hezbollah?

Senator Tom Clonan, a retired army officer who served as a peacekeeper in Lebanon, joins Lauren Boland on this week's episode to share his insights into the group's history, and what recent escalations mean for the situation on the ground.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www...

Aug 01, 202427 min

With Biden out and Harris in, what will the Republican party’s next move be?

The world of US politics has evolved dramatically over the past few weeks, with the latest curveball being the decision by Joe Biden to step down as Democratic candidate in the November's election and endorse his vice president, Kamala Harris. How will Trump and the Republican party respond? Larry Donnelly, a law lecturer at the University of Galway and columnist with The Journal, joins us on this week's episode to examine what the next steps could be.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journ...

Jul 24, 202420 min

What was the political fallout from previous attacks on US presidents?

Scott Lucas, professor of International Politics at the Clinton Institute, UCD and editor-in-chief of EA WorldView, joins us to examine the history of attacks on US presidents - both sitting and former - to gauge what the fallout from the attempted assassination of Donald Trump could be.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investig...

Jul 16, 202428 min

Can US President Joe Biden really continue in the election race?

This week on The Explainer we hear from The Journal's US columnist Larry Donnelly on his thoughts after the press conference and ask our very own Assistant News Editor Rónán Duffy if Joe Biden can really continue in the election race?This episode was brought to you by senior producer Nicky Ryan, assistant producer Muiris O'Cearbhaill, executive producer Sinéad O'Carroll and presenter Laura Byrne. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jul 12, 202420 min

What next for UK politics after Labour's landslide election win?

Dominic McGrath, UK correspondent with the Business Post, joins us for an essential overview of the latest in the United Kingdom's seismic election result. Just how much of a hit did the Tories take? And what will the political landscape look like under Keir Starmer?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, exp...

Jul 05, 202427 min

What is 'go-away money' and how is it being used in Ireland's planning system?

Brendan Slattery, a solicitor with McCann Fitzgerald specialising in expert in planning and environmental law joins us to look at 'go-away money' in the Irish planning system. What is it all about? How is it being used? And what might new laws do to stop it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 27, 202423 min

What do the next five years hold for the European Parliament?

Professor of European Politics at Maynooth University John O'Brennan joins us to look at what the next five years hold for Ireland's new or returning MEPs. What will the priorities be for the European Parliament? And where will Irish politicians fit in?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and in...

Jun 20, 202426 min

What is the shape of Irish politics after the local and European elections?

The seats are filled, the dust is settling, and the count centre staff enjoying some well-earned rest. To take stock of where we're at now, Laura Byrne is joined on this week's episode by our Political Editor Christina Finn, and Brendan Flynn, a Head of Political Science at the University of Galway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 14, 202438 min

How does Ireland's system of voting work?

Virgin Media's political correspondent Gavan Reilly sits down with us to explain what exactly proportional representation with a single transferable vote is all about. Do you need to give a preference to every candidate listed on a ballot paper? How and when do preferences beyond your first come into play?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep qu...

Jun 06, 202425 min

What exactly are the European elections all about?

On 7 June, you'll have the chance to vote in the European elections - but what exactly will the end result be? For the latest in a special series of episodes, The Journal's Muiris O'Cearbhaill and European Movement Ireland CEO Noelle O'Connell join us to look at how the election process works, what exactly an MEP does, and how you should decide on who gets your vote. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 01, 202427 min

What next for Iran after the death of the country's president?

DCU's Paola Rivetti, an expert in Middle East politics, joins us to look at the fallout from the death of Iran's president in a helicopter crash last week. What role did he play in Iranian society? What does the succession process look like - and is there any scope for a more moderate leader?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, inv...

May 26, 202431 min

By Noteworthy: Are young people with psychosis getting the help they need?

Presenter Maria Delaney is joined by News Correspondent Órla Ryan who has been leading our year-long ‘Falling Through the Cracks’ investigation into young people with psychosis, which was supported by the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism in Ireland in partnership with Headline, a Shine programme. They're also joined by Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Karen O’Connor who is the HSE’s National Clinical Lead for Early Intervention for Psychosis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

May 23, 202426 min

Climate-related emergencies are on the rise but how are we dealing with them?

Over recent years, Europe has seen a rising trend of severe weather - some of which can be linked to climate change. This means an increasing need for authorities to respond to life-threatening situations. That's where the European Union’s Department for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), providing support to countries where a crisis overwhelms the resources available locally by pooling the available help. Two experts join us on this week's episode to examine how.The Exp...

May 18, 202433 min

What is Ireland’s history with the European Union?

We're joined by Dr Barry Colfer, director of research at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), to look back on everything from Ireland's nascent relationship with Europe in the 1970s to the country's treatment during the bailout in the 2010s.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explai...

May 11, 202439 min

What is the council’s new transport plan for Dublin city?

We're examining the details of the Dublin Transport Plan to examine its aim and how it will achieve that, as well as the overall reaction. We're joined by Brian Caulfield, transportation professor and Head of the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at Trinity College Dublin, to see what the impacts could be.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contrib...

May 04, 202420 min

How does sentencing work in Ireland?

We're joined by Paul McCutcheon, a professor of Law at the University of Limerick to examine how exactly sentencing works. What factors do judges take into account? What guidance do they rely on? And how is that some judges deliver sentences that look very different to those of their peers? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 27, 202422 min

What does a major review tell us about trans healthcare?

Trans healthcare and a dearth of services for trans people have been in the news lately on the back of a major review of UK services. Assistant News Editor Valerie Flynn joins us to explore its findings - and with the care it needs, as it is vulnerable children at the heart of this healthcare story. What did the report say about treatment options like puberty blockers? What type of overhaul of the services did it recommend? And what does it mean for Ireland?The Explainer is brought to you by The...

Apr 20, 202428 min

By Noteworthy: Why are our peatlands still being exploited?

Susan Daly talks with Noteworthy's Steven Fox and German reporter Swantje Furtak about the lack of preservation of bogs in Ireland and Germany. These were part of an extensive cross-border investigation with reporters based in Germany and Italy.Steven focused on actions by two State companies — Coillte and Bord na Móna — and looked at the planting of forestry and development of wind farms on our precious peatland. This comes as Ireland has just been referred by the European Commission to the Eur...

Apr 16, 202425 min

The State inquiry into the Bill Kenneally case - what have we learned so far?

The Journal's Eoghan Dalton speaks to Laura Byrne about the State inquiry into the abuse of prolific child abuser, Bill Kenneally. It is examining how State agencies and organisations handled reports of his crimes from the 1980s onwards. During his appearance, Kenneally was unrepentant, causing upset to those in attendance, including his victims. So, what did we learn, if anything via this inquiry about the mindset of this abuser and the handling of his case by authorities over many years?The Ex...

Apr 12, 202437 min

Everything you need to know about how the EU works but were too afraid to ask

The European Union has a massive but often unseen impact on our day-to-day life here in Ireland. Despite that, how exactly it all works can remain a bit of a mystery for a lot of people. John O’Brennan, a professor at the Department of Sociology at Maynooth University, leaves the Brussels jargon to one side and focuses on what the core institutions are and how they all interact with each other.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland...

Apr 06, 202434 min

What happens when people need medical attention in Ukraine?

Thousands of people in need of critical medical care but unable to access it in Ukraine have been sent to other EU states for treatment in a mammoth operation known as Medevac. On this week's episode, supported by the European Union’s Department for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, we look at how this is organised and the impact it has for people on the ground in Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 26, 202422 min

What next for Leo Varadkar, Fine Gael, and Ireland?

We're joined by our Deputy Editor Christine Bohan and Assistant News Editor Rónán Duffy to look at the shock resignation of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Did it really come out of the blue? And who is best placed to take up the mantel? What will his legacy be?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and i...

Mar 21, 202431 min
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