Inside Politics

On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Hugh Linehan, Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray look back on the week in politics:

Two weeks in, Simon Harris has already experienced some minor controversies as Taoiseach. But how is he doing overall?

As the Greens head into their National Conference this weekend, will the party be happy with their standing as an election draws near?

The EU Migration pact has the potential to be a significant political flashpoint and raises the question: Do European matters receive enough scrutiny in the Oireachtas?

Plus the panel pick their Irish Times articles of the week:

Derek Scally on a German Luthern priest’s successful ploy to attract a younger congregation with help from Taylor Swift.

Patrick Freyne’s unflattering review of a new RTE comedy sketch show.

And Conor Pope’s reporting on the egregiousness of Eir.

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With its fast-growing economy and increasing significance as a player in European security, Poland’s political direction will have a major bearing on the future of Europe. But the centrist coalition led by Donald Tusk is grappling with how to unwind some of the oppressive legacy of its predecessors, the right nationalist Law and Justice party. 

Meanwhile, Poland’s neighbour to the West faces a different set of problems. An unpopular government, an economic recession and growing divisions over wars in Ukraine and Israel mean Germany is experiencing a crisis of confidence. 

Hugh Linehan explores these political and social pressures in Poland and Germany with Irish Times Berlin Correspondent Derek Scally.

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Alex Kane, Lisa Whitten, Freya McClements and Pat Leahy joined Hugh Linehan in Northern Ireland for a live show at the MAC in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter. The panel discussed the shocking departure of Jeffrey Donaldson from the pinnacle of NI politics, how the political system has responded since, and what it all means for the future of unionism and the power-sharing institutions. They also discuss the importance of the "neither" voters, the price of reunification and the economic benefits of Northern Ireland's post-Brexit position.

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Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about Simon Harris's appointment as Taoiseach and the details of his minimal Cabinet reshuffle. Did he go far enough to satisfy Fine Gaelers, or voters looking for change?

They also talk about the new Taoiseach's speech delivery and Mary Lou McDonald's forceful criticism of his track record.

But first they discuss the news that the reconstituted Government's first act will be to recognise the statehood of Palestine.

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Ahead of Simon Harris’s first Fine Gael Ard Fheis as party leader, Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to discuss the potential quick wins and policy departures Harris can look to implement when his expected tenure as taoiseach begins next Tuesday.

And while we were denied the excitement of hustings and voting, there is still much speculation as to the potential make-up of Simon Harris’s Cabinet. How does he find the balance between merit and geography? And will some Fine Gael party departees have their arms twisted to stay?

Also on the podcast: the other recent earthquake in Irish politics was the unexpected resignation of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, following his charging for historical sexual offences. Just a few short weeks after the Assembly was reconstituted, the revelation has been received with a certain level of calm by the political establishment, with interim DUP leader Gavin Robinson coming from the more moderate tradition within the party.

But could the deal struck for power-sharing be tested in the months ahead? And will the looming Westminster election give rise to turmoil within a deeply divided DUP party?

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On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Hugh is joined by David Rieff. David is the author of many books, including In Praise of Forgetting. He reported on war in Bosnia in the 1990s, and has written on everything from the political and ethical complexities of humanitarian aid and international intervention in sub-Saharan Africa to political developments in Central and south America. He also has a Substack newsletter in which he reflects on the progress of the current culture wars and their implications for intellectual life. He currently spends half his time in Kyiv where he is observing and reflecting on the ongoing war against Russian aggression.

He talks to Hugh about the idea of a just war and its relevance to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the remilitarisation of Europe and the decline of Pax Americana, as well as the rise of anti-establishment populism and why he believes contemporary trends in technology, capitalism and politics will inevitably lead to the end of high culture and the triumph of kitsch.

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What sort of a politician is Simon Harris? What can we learn from his record? And what sort of a Taoiseach is he going to be? Columnist Fintan O'Toole joins Hugh Linehan and Jennifer Bray to dig into the presumptive taoiseach's record and the state of the Fine Gael party.

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Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to talk about the swift emergence of Simon Harris as Fine Gael leader and taoiseach-in-waiting. They look back at his career to date and identify a potential strategy to lead Fine Gael out of its current predicament.

But first, more on the unexpected resignation of Leo Varadkar.

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Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to discuss today's unexpected announcement by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that he is stepping down.

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British political pundit, broadcaster and podcaster Ian Dale joins Hugh to discuss the upcoming UK general election and the state of British politics. A Conservative supporter, Iain explains why he may not be able to vote for the party for the first time in his life.

Iain and his co-host, the former Labour Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, are bringing their politics podcast For the Many to Dublin for a live show on Sunday, March 24th. Find out more here.

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Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics, including the annual migration of Ministers to foreign lands for St Patrick's Day. But with the crisis in Gaza on many Irish voters' minds, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has a balancing act in how he raises the issue with President Joe Biden.

Also on the agenda: More fallout from the recent referendums, and how housing asylum seekers will be an issue in local election campaigns.

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Last weekend's referendum defeats have jolted the political establishment. How could all major parties and many other players have got it so badly wrong - and does the failure reveal something deeper going on?

To discuss this, Hugh is joined by Jack Horgan Jones, Theresa Reidy and Jane Suiter.

They discuss the the impact of the results on Irish politics, the role and effectiveness of citizens assemblies, and whether opposition to 'wokeness' is a genuine force in Irish politics.

Dr Theresa Reidy is a senior lecturer and head of department at the Department of Government and Politics, University College Cork.

Jane Suiter is Professor in DCU's School of Communications and director of DCU's Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society.

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Although counting is still underway in the family and care referendums, the Government has already admitted defeat, with a No-No result looking like the only outcome.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the result as two wallops for Government, while Tánaiste Micheál Martin, said there is “no single reason” why the proposals were rejected, and a time for reflection will ensue.

As the political blame game now begins, what will be the fallout from the defeat? Hugh Linehan talks to Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray.

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Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

There were some interesting developments during the European People's Party (EPP) congress in Bucharest this week – Ursula von der Leyen was roundly endorsed for another five years as European Commission President, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told delegates that Europe was no longer in a ‘post-war epoch’ and that borders had to be defended. The panel discussed whether Ireland’s military spending will soon reflect this new sense of urgency.

Also on the podcast: Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe’s refusal to meet demands on how to spend the continuing surge in corporate tax receipts has left some Cabinet members less than happy after a call to significantly boost the National Development Plan fell on deaf ears.

And the panel compare the approaches of the Government and Sinn Féin when it comes to improving the lot of Northern Ireland. During his speech at the Alliance Party conference this week, Tánaiste Micheál Martin pushed the positives to be gained from the Shared Island initiative, whereas Sinn Féin’s line has consistently been improvement through a united Ireland.

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Farmer protest movements are becoming an increasingly important part of the political landscape across Europe, from Poland, where they have been spurred by the lifting of tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural produce, to the Netherlands, where Government plans to cut nitrogen emissions have led to the rise of a significant new party, and most recently to Germany, where a threat to cut agricultural fuel subsidies has caused a furious reaction.

It appears that European farmers believe they are being ignored, their needs set aside. The ripples of all this are being felt at across the EU in advance of June's Parliament elections. So what is exactly happening and how likely is it that farmers unhappiness could lead to new political parties in Ireland as well as in Europe? Hugh Linehan talks to Naomi O'Leary and Jack Horgan-Jones.

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Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

One week out from the care and family referendums taking place on March 8th and campaigning on both sides is finally in full swing, the panel debates whether the Government will be hurt by a failure to get both proposed constitutional amendments over the line considering how muddled their Yes message has been thus far.

Also on the podcast: Sinn Féin’s unclear position on climate change was evident again this week after their sole MEP Chris McManus voted against the Nature Restoration Law, a landmark piece of EU environmental legislation, while Sinn Féin senator Lynn Boylan wholeheartedly welcomed it.

And with her three-hour Oireachtas Committee grilling over the resignation of former chair of the RTÉ board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, now behind her the panel discuss whether Minister for Media Catherine Martin, and indeed the wider public, can now move on from the RTÉ saga. 

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Political scientist Theresa Reidy and political correspondent Harry McGee join Hugh to look ahead to June's European elections, when voters in Ireland and across the EU will pick their Members of the European Parliament. Since the last election in 2019, the electoral map has changed, as has much else in Irish and European politics. There are a plethora of independent and small party candidates, but do the circumstances favour those put forward by the big parties, this time around? The panel pick over the candidates, constituencies, EU political dynamics, and more.

Dr Theresa Reidy is a senior lecturer and head of department at the Department of Government and Politics, University College Cork.

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The latest scandal engulfing RTÉ and Minister for Media Catherine Martin may be more cock-up than conspiracy, but it is no less damaging for that. 

The fallout from the dispute over who knew what, when about retirement payments to outgoing executives has already resulted in the departure of RTÉ board chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh. Just how much damage the affair will do to the Minister remains to be seen. 

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has complained that €19 million of funding allocated to reduce waiting times for children in need of spinal surgery may not have been used as intended. Delays in the treatment of childhood Spina Bifida and scoliosis have been one of the worst features of our healthcare system, resulting in much pain and suffering. 

And we remember our colleague, former political correspondent and regular Inside Politics panelist Michael O’Regan, who died last week.  

Plus the panel pick their Irish Times pieces of the week: 

Finn McRedmond on the drinking habits of the young

An expert weighs in on whether a snail could outpace the development of Dublin’s Metro 

And Miriam Lord ’s dissection of a frustrating Dáil squabble

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As the second anniversary of Russia's invasion approaches, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy is still a very popular figure among voters. But with no elections having been held since 2019, and with martial law applying in the country, is democracy being undermined? Dan McLaughlin talks to Hugh Linehan about Ukraine's politics, the recent progress of the war, how critics of Zelenskiy are growing louder and whether there are any mainstream voices calling for compromise or negotiations with Russia.

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An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent electoral commission, has taken over the functions previously held by the Referendum Commission in relation to referendums. That means it is responsible for explaining the forthcoming referendums on care and the family.

Chair of An Coimisiún Ms Justice Marie Baker and Chief Executive Art O'Leary join Hugh to talk about about what exactly is being asked of voters and the legal implications of yes or no votes on March 8th.

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Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics:

Plus the panel pick their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

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At this point we are definitively into the campaign for the two referendums on family and care due to take place on March 8th. The data from the recent Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll showed substantial majorities in favour of both proposed amendments to the Constitution, but also showed a majority of voters that felt they knew very little about the issues that are involved, which might mean that the debates that take place over the course of the campaign itself could possibly change a lot of people’s minds.

The opinion pages of the Irish Times have already played host to a range of differing views on the subject, but two weekly columnists have been particularly forthright – Justine McCarthy has argued strongly in favour of the changes and Michael McDowell has been equally forceful against them. They joined host Hugh Linehan to give their thoughts ahead of March 8th.

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Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

The latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll shows support for Sinn Féin took a significant dent, down six points – its lowest level in three years. As Pat explains, a lack of clarity around immigration and the misstep that was the ill-judged motion of no confidence in Justice Minister Helen McEntee last December are just two reasons why the party are losing ground to smaller parties and Independents.

And data from the poll also threw up some interesting insights into what way voters will vote in both proposals in the upcoming referendums recognising non-marital families and care in the Constitution, and how much they know actually about what they are voting for.

Former taoiseach John Bruton passed away this week, the panel discuss the profound consequences of his time leading government, not least the beginning of runaway economic success and the road to the Good Friday Agreement.

Plus, they pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week, on diverse topics: Ukraine war updates, Dublin traffic transformation and Dee Forbes.

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Washington Correspondent Keith Duggan talks to Hugh Linehan about the seemingly inevitable rematch between US President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump. What issues will dominate the campaign? It's early days, but the flow of immigrants at the southern border seems certain to play to former president Trump's advantage. On the other hand, voters are not yet listening to President Biden's warnings of a threat to democracy should Trump win.

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In the past decade relationships between the different parts of the UK and Ireland have changed. The push for Scottish independence, growing support for Irish reunification and the Brexit process have all challenged the status quo. But what comes next? 

Common Ground is a new initiative by The Irish Times that will seek to elevate debate around the future of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. 

On today’s podcast Common Ground editor Mark Hennessy talks to Hugh about the big questions the residents of these islands will grapple with in the years ahead. 

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Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to look back on the week in politics:

Pat is in Brussels where the EU has agreed on a €50 billion package for Kyiv. He reports on how Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán was finally cajoled into supporting the move. 

Ahead of the March referendums on care and the family, Jennifer has been looking at who's who in the Yes and No campaigns.

And the panel discuss a significant shift in Government's tone on immigration which became apparent this week.

Plus they look at their favourite Irish Times articles of the week on diverse topics: St Patrick's Day, The National Mood and kebabs.

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Pat Leahy, Freya McClements and Mark Paul join Hugh to discuss the DUP's acceptance of a historic deal that allows power-sharing in Northern Ireland to resume.

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Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics:

Gaza is proving a persistent issue in Irish politics, and today’s ruling at the International Court of Justice could place more pressure on the Government to support South Africa’s case and intensify its criticism of Israel. Meanwhile Sinn Féin has faced its own criticism for Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill’s decision to visit the White House on St Patrick’s Day, given the military support provided to Israel by the United States.

Minister Catherine Martin struggled to satisfactorily answer questions in a radio interview about the Grant Thornton report that laid bare RTÉ’s failures in the planning and conception of Toy Show: The Musical. Will there ever be accountability for the board’s failures to control the loss-making project?

In the US presidential election, the primary season seems to coming to a premature end, as opposition to Donald Trump dries up and Democrats show no sign of replacing President Biden on their ticket. But what will that re-run race look like?

Plus the panel pick their Irish Times pieces of the week:

My article of the week is this, which goes some way to (politely) calling out some of the terrible bullshit in the whole mental health discourse: Social media and mental health: The glorification of illness is becoming a real problem

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Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman is the man at the centre of one of the most severe and contentious problems facing the State: how to handle the huge increase in people arriving to seek International Protection.

The war in Ukraine exacerbated the trend and helped scupper the Green Minister’s plan to end the system of direct provision within the lifetime of this Government, instead leaving it in perpetual crisis-management mode as it struggles to accommodate tens of thousands of refugees.

On today’s Inside Politics podcast Minister O’Gorman talks to Hugh Linehan and Jack Horgan-Jones about his handling of the crisis.

Ireland should support Ukrainians to return home by rebuilding infrastructure and possibly paying for travel back there, he says.

The European Union needs to soon decide whether to extend additional rights enjoyed by Ukrainian refugees beyond their expiry date of March 2025, he adds.

The Minister also says he expects between 13,000 and 15,000 asylum seekers to arrive in the country annually from now on.

They discuss the struggle to accommodate such unprecedented numbers of arrivals and why local communities have not always been informed in advance when International Protection Applicants are to be housed in their midst.

Plus, Minister O’Gorman makes the arguments in favour of a Yes vote in the two upcoming referendums on care and the definition of the family.

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Host Hugh Linehan is joined Cormac McQuinn and Jennifer Bray on this week’s wrap with housing for refugees and asylum seekers, and the lack of alternative accommodation, now a perennial talking point, especially in this year of elections. But has a certain tension developed between Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s department of Children, Equality, Integration, Disability and Youth and the Department of Housing? And have asylum seeker protests gradually started to impact political decision-making here?

A somewhat comical exchange in the Dáil on its first day back after the Christmas recess saw Roderic O’Gorman and Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara engage in a debate on the upcoming referendums and the proposal to amend the Constitutional definition of a family. The durability of ‘throuple’ relationships saw a complete breakdown in communication after the Clare TD misheard the minister.

And are Government putting off big decisions with that general election creeping into view later in the year? Jennifer Bray describes a certain mania she witnessed firsthand at Leinster House as TDs can’t seem to think about anything other than the date for GE 2024.

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British broadcaster and author James O'Brien returns to Inside Politics to talk about his most recent book, How They Broke Britain.

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There are two referendums around the corner on March 8th, but are they too complex and less immediately understandable than other referendums in recent times? Hugh is joined by Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray and on the podcast, with Jennifer spelling out exactly what changes we will be voting on.

Protests against the influx of male asylum seekers have been a fixture on the front pages since the start of year, with Ballinrobe and Roscrea making headlines in recent days. But are the Government running out of road in terms of policy or are they simply responding to an unfolding humanitarian crisis?

And with numbers in emergency accommodation at record levels, the panel teases out the political impact of ill health and death on the street and how the public expect more from those in power when it comes to protecting people forced to sleep rough.

Plus, could Leo Varadkar or Micheál Martin be in line for a top job in Brussels after Charles Michel’s surprise decision to step down as European Council president? While both have distanced themselves from the role, Jennifer explains why Micheál is the more likely candidate of the two.

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In the first half of 2024 highly consequential elections will take place in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, South Africa and Mexico among others. Things get closer to home later in the year with European parliament elections, local elections and possibly a general election in Ireland. And the UK and US both go to the polls in November.

On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Irish Times China Correspondent Denis Staunton joins us from Taipei to discuss this week’s Taiwanese election with presenter Hugh Linehan and Political Editor Pat Leahy.

Denis, who has reported for The Irish Times on the election victories of Angela Merkel, Barack Obama and Boris Johnson, gives his perspective on what’s at stake in elections across the Global South, as well as in Europe and the US.

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Still less than a year in existence, the Electoral Commission is set for a packed 2024 with local and European elections in June, a referendum in March and strong odds of a general election too before the year is out. Art O’Leary is Chief executive of the Electoral Commission, and he sat down with Hugh Linehan to discuss the logistics and preparation for the year ahead, balancing geography versus maths for the boundary review and why E-voting is unlikely to make a comeback any time soon.

Art also goes through a few items on his wish list – a revamp of the electoral register, getting more young people out voting, and developing a system where Irish people can vote from anywhere in the world. Plus, with so many upcoming elections, what can the Electoral Commission do to combat the likely deluge of online misinformation?

Produced by Declan Conlon. JJ Vernon on sound.

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It's part two of the traditional Inside Politics end-of-year Ask Us Anything podcast. Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn are in celebratory mood as they answer your questions about elections, policies and politicians.

Wishing a Happy New Year to all our listeners.

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It's part one of the traditional Inside Politics end-of-year Ask Us Anything podcast. Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn hit play on a range of listener queries and even help one to settle a bet.

Part two will be out on Friday December 29th. Thanks to all our listeners in 2023.

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North and South, how open are citizens to constitutional changes in order to make a United Ireland work? How much economic pain would they be willing to bear? What level of short-term pain would be felt worth any long-term gains?

Understanding such attitudes is one of the goals of North and South, a collaboration between The The Irish Times and ARINS, itself a joint research project of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and the Keough-Naughton Centre for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

The continuing collaboration also makes it possible to track changing attitudes to reunification over time - and there have already been some significant changes.

To discuss the findings of the latest series of polls in the North and South project, Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy are joined by Professor Brendan O’Leary.

Brendan O’Leary is a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania and chair of the Public Opinion Committee of ARINS.

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Sinn Féin party leader and Dublin Central TD Mary Lou McDonald sat down with Pat Leahy to talk about a range of policy areas, from housing to migration and reunification. They also discussed the practice of some Sinn Féin members to take legal proceedings against media outlets and journalists. Pat and Hugh Linehan listen back and analyse the potential taoiseach's answers.

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Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan for the final weekly politics wrap of 2023.

Jennifer Bray is dialling in from Brussels, where the EU Council summit has been taking place, with national leaders meeting to discuss difficult issues including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

And Pat fails miserably to tell the political story of 2023 in 60 seconds.

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An agreement has been reached at Cop 28 that includes a commitment to phasing out the use of fossil fuels, with some hailing it as an historic moment in the struggle to mitigate climate change.

But an agreement is not a substitute for action and the actions required to achieve Net Zero by 2050 amount to one of the most fundamental changes in all human history. The effort is going to have repercussions for how we live, how states interact with each other and for domestic politics. 

To discuss all this Hugh is joined by Helen Thompson, professor of political economy at Cambridge and cohost of These Times podcast.

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On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

There’s been a lukewarm reception to Cabinet-approved plans for referendums to amend the Constitution when it comes to removing the reference to the role of women in the home; and expanding the concept of the family within the constitution. The wording is not inspiring Key civil society groups.

With Paschal Donohoe not ruling himself out of the running for the top job at the International Monetary Fund, what could the potential impact be if he took the role with a general election looming next year?

And following the recent Dublin riots, was Sinn Féin’s inevitable motion of no confidence in Justice Minister Helen McEntee a misstep?

Plus, the ‘rap of the week’ on the wrap of the week comes from Conor McGregor. Has the UFC star developed political aspirations?

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In his new book, The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time, political scientist Yascha Mounk has written the most comprehensive and detailed account yet of how a new form of progressive thinking has taken over the politics of the left. Mounk chronicles the rise of a set of ideas which are “centrally concerned with the role that identity categories like race, gender, and sexual orientation play in the world.” This fixation on identity, rejecting “universal values and neutral rules like free speech and equal opportunity as mere distractions,” draws its strength, Mounk argues, from the way it took over cultural institutions, although it has not convinced more than a  small number of people. These ideas are not just frequently wrong but inimical to a functioning society, he tells Hugh Linhan in today’s Inside Politics podcast.

Produced by Declan Conlon. JJ Vernon on sound.

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Hugh Linehan and podcast regulars Pat Leahy, Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray got together on Wednesday to look back on all the major (and some not-so-major) developments in Irish politics in 2023. And they did so in front of a live audience in Dublin.

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Is it time for the political system to grapple more explicitly with how immigration is changing Ireland and what sort of model - integration? multiculturalism? - we as a state wish to pursue? 

Or is such a conversation only ever destined to be hijacked by hateful voices and to result in a normalisation of the sort of prejudice that was on display in Dublin last week?

To discuss and debate this and other related issues, Hugh talks to Kevin Cunningham, Una Mullally and Ronan McCrea.

Kevin Cunningham is a lecturer in politics at TU Dublin. Ronan McCrea is a professor of European and constitutional law at University College Dublin. Una Mullally is a writer, an Irish Times columnist and the author of In the Name of Love: The Movement for Marriage Equality in Ireland.

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This week the Friday wrap panellists are joined by Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher to talk about how Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and the entire State apparatus will respond to unprecedented violence on Dublin's streets, encouraged by far-right activists, following the stabbing of several children outside a school on Thursday afternoon.

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"With economic signals flashing amber, the next Irish general election might be sooner than we thought", argues Cliff Taylor in an analysis piece for The Irish Times. But does Cliff's economic reasoning survive contact with political logic? Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy let him know.

Plus: Senator Malcolm Byrne is warning about the role AI technology and deepfakes could play in the next general election. What are the issues and how could they be tackled?

And Jennifer has the details of how an Oireachtas committee has agreed our abortion laws should be changed to remove barriers to women accessing abortions in certain circumstances. The ball is now in the Government's court.

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LIVE SHOW: Inside Politics will record live on Wednesday, November 29th in Dublin city centre. For details and to secure your ticket, follow this link: https://events.irishtimes.com/events/59159

Hugh Linehan is joined in studio by Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones. First up for discussion is Fine Gael’s special conference taking place in Kildare this weekend. The conference comes just before a year that may see the party contest three elections, a year that could come to define the trajectory of Fine Gael and its leadership. But are Fine Gael generating enough momentum to meet the challenges that await them in 2024?

Also in part one, the latest twist in the RTÉ saga as director general Kevin Bakhurst unveiled his strategic plan for the future of the broadcaster this week. Separate to that came confirmation from the Government that an additional €56 million in funding would be made available, but as the panel points out, there is still the sticky issue of the license fee problem that has yet to be confronted.

And in part two, the value of diplomacy as Micheál Martin tours the Middle East this week, during which he met with his Israeli counterpart in Jerusalem before meeting representatives of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. And also happening this week, opposition motions to remove the Israeli ambassador and ICC referral were defeated in the Dáil. 

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It is almost four months now since Spain went to the polls to elect a new parliament. This week it looks as if Socialist Party leader Pedro Sánchez is finally about to be confirmed for a new term as Prime Minister.

But the political road to that outcome has been complex and highly contentious, bringing to the fore all the divisions over ideology and identity which characterise the contemporary political scene in Spain, the EU's fourth largest country.

On today's podcast Hugh Linehan digs into what is happening in Spain with author Paddy Woodworth, who wrote two books about the Basque region, and Madrid-based reporter Guy Hedgecoe.

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Housing, housing, housing and Palestine. Anyone hoping to hear much about anything else at this weekend’s Sinn Féin Ard Fheis will have left Athlone disappointed. 

Pat Leahy was there and he joins Hugh Linehan to discuss what happened at the conference, including the warm welcome given to Palestinian ambassador to Ireland, Dr Jilan Abdalmajid.

They also look at how party leader Mary Lou McDonald handled questions about members of her party taking legal action against journalists and media organisations.

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Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh to look back on the week in politics:

And the panel pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week:

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Will they or won't they? DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson must soon decide whether to lead his party back into power-sharing or to let devolution die and direct rule return. The decision he makes will be defining for Northern Ireland, for Unionism and for Donaldson himself. To discuss the forces at play, unionist commentator Alex Kane and Northern Editor Freya McClements join Pat and Hugh.

Alex Kane is a commentator based in Belfast. He was formerly director of communications for the Ulster Unionist Party.

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The Dail is in recess, and that means no Friday wrap today. Instead, we’re going to bring you a conversation that was originally published on the feed of our sister podcast In the News, hosted by Bernice Harrison, all about a story that gripped 1980s Ireland. You can subscribe to In the News for freehere.

On December 16th, 1983, after 23 days in captivity, kidnapped supermarket executive Don Tidey was rescued. He had been taken by members of the Provisional IRA posing as gardaí while driving his daughter to school in Dublin. With the whole country transfixed by the kidnapping, Garda intelligence tracked the culprits and their victim down to Derrada Wood outside Ballinamore in Co Leitrim.

And while the release of Tidey safe and well was a success, the day was shrouded in tragedy because during the rescue his captors shot dead Private Patrick Kelly and recruit Garda Gary Sheehan.

The murders shocked the country and no one has been brought to justice for them. Most of the kidnappers got clean away. While the event has been the subject of much media attention over the years, Tidey has never spoken about it until now. This year he talked to Tommy Conlon and Ronan McGreevy for their new book, The Kidnapping, A Hostage, a Desperate Manhunt and a Bloody Rescue. They talk to In the News about the events in 1983 and the aftermath. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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The response to the Hamas terror attack on October 7th has been fierce. In the weeks since then, Israel has unleashed a war against Hamas but in which thousands of civilians in Gaza have lost their lives. Where will that war lead, and who will rule Gaza if Israel achieves its goal of eliminating Hamas? Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole talks to Hugh Linehan about why the only viable process is a peace process - and why Israel's current government is not able to envisage one.

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Hugh Linehan is joined in studio by Jennifer Bray, while Pat Leahy is on the line from Brussels where he is covering the EU leaders’ summit. As Pat explains in part one of today’s Inside Politics podcast, the Israel-Hamas conflict has been top of the agenda there, with hours of negotiation going into the European Union’s call for “pauses” in the conflict in Gaza.

Also in part one, Jennifer highlights a Cabinet disagreement over future plans for housing Ukrainian refugees here, and the proposal for a 90-day time limit on State accommodation given our lack of capacity.

And in part two, the pod discusses the novel suggestion by Minister of State for Northern Ireland and former Chair of the European Research Group, Steve Baker, that a united Ireland referendum should need a ‘super majority’ of 60 per cent in the North and the Republic to carry. Something he now feels the UK Brexit vote of 2016 should have required.

Plus the panel pick their favourite articles of the week from irishtimes.com:

·      Gerry Thornley celebrates Johnny Sexton’s remarkable rugby career

·      Our corporation tax policies attracting unwanted international attention writes Cliff Taylor

·      Karlin Lillington on the massive contradictions of Paddy Cosgrave and Web Summit

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Former MP, Tory leadership candidate, author and now host of the UK's biggest politics podcast The Rest is Politics, Rory Stewart is today's guest on Inside Politics. His gripping memoir Politics on the Edge (now available in paperback) is the jumping off point for a wide-ranging discussion:

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Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look at the week in Irish politics:

Plus the panel pick their Irish Times stories of the week:

Does President Michael D. Higgins see Russia as a colonial power - and why should we care?

A weary response to Time Out's claim that Smithfield is the second-coolest place on on the planet.

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From Banbridge, County Down, Irish Times Books Editor Martin Doyle grew up in the heart of the 'Linen Triangle', home of Northern Ireland's biggest industry, and also within the 'Murder Triangle', a region blighted by sectarian violence during The Troubles. Martin has written a book, Dirty Linen, that explores that time through the stories of the people he grew up amongst. He talks to Hugh Linehan.

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Having already amassed a $26 billion fortune at 28, cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was the world's richest person under 30. He was also the most prominent advocate of the 'effective altruism' movement, pledging to donate millions of dollars to charities he judged would make the greatest positive difference.

Then, it all came crashing down. Bankman-Fried is currently on trial in New York for fraud, after the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange exposed the misuse of customer funds.

But he is no ordinary greedy billionaire, says best-selling author Michael Lewis, who had already chosen Bankman-Fried as the subject of his next book before his fortunes changed.

Lewis, whose previous books include Moneyball, The Big Short and Flash Boys, returns to the Inside Politics podcast to talk to Hugh Linehan about the highly unusual personality, methods and motivations of Sam Bankman-Fried. He also addresses the criticisms he himself has faced for his relatively favourable depiction of a man charged with conspiracy, money laundering and fraud.

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The horrific events this week in Israel and the Gaza Strip are the subject of part one of today's podcast. Harry McGee has been watching the conflict, and Ireland's political response to it, unfold.

In part two Jack Horgan-Jones talks about ongoing reaction to this week's Budget. With Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael working together in harmony as they control the State's finances, how can the parties differentiate themselves at the next election?

Plus the panel pick their favourite articles of the week from irishtimes.com:

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Budget 2024 was a missed opportunity to invest more in housing and tackle chronic problems in our health system, says Sinn Féin spokesperson for finance Pearse Doherty. Pearse joins Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Hugh to talk about Budget 2024 in detail and spell out what Sinn Féin would do differently.

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Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look at the week in politics:

Plus our panellists pick their favourite Irish Times journalism from this week:

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On today's podcast:

Jack Horgan-Jones on the darkening economic backdrop to next week's delivery of Budget 2024.

Mark Paul reports from the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester where Prime Minister Rushi Sunak delivered some headline-grabbing 'common sense' pledges. But throughout the week he was overshadowed by those with an eye on replacing him.

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Today’s guest is Canadian academic and author Naomi Klein. 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 globalizing world. 

Her later books have examined a range of subjects including crisis capitalism, militarism, and the climate crisis. 

In her new book Doppelganger Klein uses the fact that she is commonly confused online for a very different writer, Naomi Wolf, who has called Covid-19 vaccine programmes ‘mass murder’, as a device to explore modern themes including online identity, conspiracy theories and the 21st Century supremacy of the ‘personal brand’. 

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Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics:

Plus the panel select their favourite reads of the week:

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A constitutional stopwatch is now ticking for the way in which some senators are elected. And it’s finally time for the Seanad reform which successive governments have promised but failed to deliver. That’s according to Tomás Heneghan, the University of Limerick graduate who won a landmark Supreme Court caseearlier this year over being denied the right to vote for the upper houses’s university seats. On today's podcast he talks to Hugh and Pat about his historic case and how complying with it could cause problems for the coalition.

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Our Friday wrap of the week returns with the start of the new political season. Jennifer Bray, Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the week in politics:

Plus the panel nominate their favourite IT articles of the week, including:

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Peter Foster tells today’s Irish Times Inside Politics podcast that, while polls show a majority of British voters now think it was a mistake to leave the European Union, it is unlikely any UK government in the foreseeable future will seek to rejoin.

What is needed instead, the Financial Times journalist says, is greater honesty on the subject from political leaders, in particular from Keir Starmer’s Labour party, which currently looks set to win next year’s general election.

In his new book What Went Wrong With Brexit and What To Do About It, Peter argues the UK is facing a future of stagnation and decline unless its political leaders start to confront the challenges posed by Brexit.

What Went Wrong With Brexit and What To Do About It is published by Canongate.

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How hard it is it to write a tell-all book about Sinn Féin, a political party known among journalists for its secrecy and its on-message discipline? Aoife Moore, author of The Long Game, a new book on the party, was expecting at least some cooperation - but it didn't really work out that way. Of those few who were willing to talk, she says, many had their own motives.

In the Mindfield area at this year's Electric Picnic festival, Aoife sat down with Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to talk about the book, the party and its leaders, past and present.

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October 10th is Budget Day, so it is the time of the year for politicians and lobbyists to make their cases for extra spending and tax cuts in 2024.

It will be a year when Ireland is forecast to run a surplus of over €10 billion, leaving lots of room to manoeuvre, and plenty of decisions in the hands of Minister for Finance Michael McGrath and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe.

On today's podcast Mr Donohoe joins Hugh and Pat to talk about Budget 2024.

Of specific measures, the Minister gives little away. But he does provide an insight into his thinking about the balancing act that must be struck.

They also discuss the risk posed to stability by unpredictable corporate tax receipts, the future for RTÉand whether Fine Gael still has something to offer in government beyond the next election.

And Mr Donohoe takes the opportunity to criticise Pat's argument that the Government is short on ideas.

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Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Pat Leahy to talk about the big political stories of the week:

News that RTÉ licence fee receipts have continued to plummet will be of concern when the Cabinet meets this week

A spike in road deaths is another issue for the coalition to grapple with

Political party think-in season is about to commence, but the annual events are not what they used to be, lament our correspondents.

Plus: Northern Editor Freya McClements on the waning prospects of a restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the attrition a lack of leadership is causing to day-to-day lives of citizens. What is in the mind of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, in whose hands powersharing lies?

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The Electoral Commission has published its highly anticipated constituency review which, as expected, recommends an increase in the number of Dáil seats to let representation keep pace with population growth.

The review, which is expected to be approved by the Dáil, also recommends the creation of new constituencies and the adjustment of others.

But what does it all mean for voters and politicians? Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee join Pat Leahy to dig into the review.

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Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to discuss the big stories of the past few weeks:

Thanks to everyone who got in touch about The Bertie Years. Tell us what political history you would like Inside Politics to cover next by emailing us at politicspodcast@irishtimes.com.

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The final episode of the series ends with a bang, or rather a crash, as Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy detail how Bertie’s own finances are under the microscope as he faces into his last general election as leader of Fianna Fáil, while the global financial earthquake comes into view.

This is part four of The Ahern Years. Parts one, two and three are also available.

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In this episode Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy pore over what comes after Fianna Fáil's successful 2002 general election amid the ongoing boom. The defeats in local and European elections in 2004, the twin debacles of e-voting and decentralisation, and Charlie McCreevy exiting stage right, all raise questions about Bertie's decision-making. 

This is part three of The Ahern Years. Parts one and two are also available.

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In this episode Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy delve into Bertie Ahern's first government as Taoiseach, a government which oversees unprecedented economic growth as the Celtic Tiger years begin. And Bertie writes his name into the history books for his role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland.

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His legacy is debated, but there's no denying that Bertie Ahern is one of the most significant figures in Irish political history.

Over the next few episodes Pat Leahy tells the story of the life and political career of the former Taoiseach and assesses his impact on modern Ireland.

In the first instalment Pat examines Ahern's rise to prominence within Fianna Fáil, how he first came close to power before having it snatched away by a political ally turned foe, and the smart general election campaign that saw him assume the office of Taoiseach on June 26th, 1997.

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There’s never a dull moment when it comes to US politics, as proved again today with the announcement of fresh criminal charges against former president Donald Trump. In this episode, Staff writer at the New Yorker Clare Malone joins Hugh to take a look at the state of US politics through the lens of current media trends, what we can expect from the year ahead and how an election paralleled with multiple criminal trials might play out.

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Who are Sinn Féin and what really makes the party different, if anything? Who holds real sway within the party? What role do activists play, and who are its up-and-coming stars? Freya McClements and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to talk about Ireland's most popular party.

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The Dáil summer recess has arrived and our political experts Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn have convened to look back on the political season:

Plus, Jennifer reveals what the Leinster House gossip is saying about the timing of the next election.

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In a summer heatwave gripping countries including Spain, Italy, France and Greece, Europeans are experiencing temperatures more commonly found in the Sahara desert. The consequences for human health, agriculture and the environment are expected to be severe. How are European political institutions responding to what seems to be a troubling new reality? Naomi O'Leary reports from Brussels.

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Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics including hopefully the final week of RTÉ Oireachtas committee mania and the spiralling cost of delivering the National Children's Hospital.

Plus they select the finest Irish Times articles from throughout the week, including what happens when you send a grumpy sportswriter to report on politics.

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It's the Twelfth and to mark Unionism and Loyalism's day of celebration, Hugh talks to Dr Aaron Edwards, author of A People Under Siege: The Unionists of Northern Ireland from Partition to Brexit and Beyond.

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On today’s Inside Politics podcast Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to discuss the week in politics:

Plus the panel recommend their Irish Times articles of the week:

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Under the leadership of Holly Cairns, the Cork South-West TD who took over from Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall in March, the Social Democrats are riding high among the smaller political parties in Dail Eireann - according to opinion polls at least.

But what is the party all about? How is it different from Sinn Fein, the biggest party on the left? And if the Soc Dems were to combine with other political parties in a coalition of compromise after the next election, where would its policy red lines be?

Holly Cairns sat down with Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy to discuss leadership, politics and policy. But first, they talk about the latest revelations in the crisis at RTE over secret payments to Ryan Tubridy and the future of the national public service broadcaster.

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In a wide-ranging interview in today's Irish Times, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee talks about remarks critical of her taking maternity leave while in office, the stint by Cabinet colleague Simon Harris in her job and her future ambitions. And on today's podcast Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray listen back to excerpts from the interview and apply some political analysis.

But first, Jack and Jen threaten to establish a new world order in the absence of Hugh Linehan and the rest of the politics team, before settling down into a discussion of RTE's terrible week, as the broadcaster's top brass endured grillings in front of two Oireachtas committees over secret payments to Ryan Tubridy. Has the management team been irreparably damaged by its association with the week's events?

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Hosting Inside Politics in Hugh Linehan’s absence, Pat Leahy is joined by Current Affairs Editor of The Irish Times, Arthur Beesley and Professor Jane Suiter from DCU’s School of Communications to discuss where we are now after yesterday's statement from RTÉ on Ryan Tubridy’s controversial pay deal.

Are we likely to get satisfactory answers from today’s Oireachtas committee or the Public Accounts committee on Thursday?

And the panel tease out how those running RTÉ can possibly re-establish trust when its own employees are protesting, as well as where its often-complicated relationship with politics goes from here.

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Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:

The fiasco unfolding at RTÉ over Ryan Tubridy's unusual pay deal and its potential ramifications

TheLabour Party's confidential review that examines where it all went wrong while they were in government

Plus, they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:

Séamas O’Reilly on not mentioning the war while living in Dublin

Miriam Lord's amusing take on the political reaction to the hate speech Bill

Una Mullally and Patrick Freyne look back on 40 years since Ireland's first Pride parade

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Columnist and former Fianna Fáil advisor Gerard Howlin joins Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to talk about two controversial topics: recent comments by President Michael D Higgins and the Hate Speech bill that is making its way through the Oireachtas.

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The latest Irish Times/ Ipsos opinion poll shows support for both Fine Gael and Sinn Féin has dropped, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also seeing a sharp decline in his personal rating. Fianna Fáil and the Social Democrats however, can breathe a sigh of relief after both experiencing an increase in support. Pat, Harry and Hugh analyse the results. 

Plus they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:

Olivia Kelly follows inBloom’s sticky footsteps around the capital

Mark Paul on Boris Johnson’s adventures in parliament

Sally Hayden on the normalisation of mass drownings in the Mediterranean

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Conor Gallagher, Irish Times Crime and Security Correspondent, has a new book out Is Ireland Neutral? The Many Myths of Irish Neutrality. He sat down with Hugh Linehan to discuss what has been an accepted position since the foundation of the Free State but doesn’t actually stand up to scrutiny.

Whether an attempt to form a military alliance with France at the end of the first world war through to the part Shannon Airport plays in US military operations, the definition of neutrality here is loose at best. 

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Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:

Ifac cautions coalition on expenditure and its potential consequences

Sinn Féin defend IRA commemoration in South Armagh

Is James O'Connor a Jekyll & Hyde figure within Fianna Fáil?

Plus, they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:

Kiss rocker Gene Simmons visits House of Commons as Ian Paisley's guest

FAI request huge investmentcommitment from government

Gerard Howlin highlights parties on the wrong side of history for climate change

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The podcast takes a look at the concept of ‘middle Ireland’, a concept that has been around for a long time in political discourse here, and one that has proved to be quite potent politically when comes to getting votes - but who exactly falls into the category of ‘middle Ireland’?

Do Fine Gael alone speak for this cohort? Or perhaps each party, much like the CSO or Grant Thornton, has their own definition of who the ‘squeezed middle’ is.

And could introducing some income tax reform lighten the load for middle earners here?

Political Correspondent with The Irish Times, Jennifer Bray, and Political Economist Aidan Regan from UCD, join Hugh Linehan to give their thoughts.

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Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:

Plus they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:

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In his new book Public Morality and The Culture Wars, academic Bryan Fanning analyses what he calls the ‘triple divide’ between conservative, liberal and progressive viewpoints, how the moral views of those three groups differ and how they clash with growing intensity in what we call the culture wars.

He talks to Hugh Linehan about public morality, the debate over the limits of freedom of speech and why liberal and progressive thinking has diverged.

Bryan Fanning is Professor of Migration and Social Policy at University College Dublin.

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The coalition Government still has plenty of time to run but, if the past week is anything to go by, the remaining months could be characterised by less cooperation and more shaping up for the electoral battles to come.

On today's podcast Pat Leahy and Hugh Linehan take a listen back to an interview Pat conducted with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Thursday in which a picture emerges of how Fine Gael will differentiate itself come election time.

In the interview the Taoiseach talks about a controversy over three Fine Gael junior ministers' decision to publicly call for a tax cut in the next budget, why Fine Gael supports lowering taxes for those on middle and upper incomes, why boosting the numbers of homes available to purchase is Fine Gael's housing priority, and how a decision will be made on the timing of the next general election.

Mr Varadkar spoke about other subjects - you can read the full article here.

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The Electoral Commission is a newly established state body set up to oversee elections in Ireland. Taking on a range of existing electoral functions, it will also be responsible for deciding on the number of TDs in the Dáil and the boundaries and size of each constituency and local election area. The first report from the Commission on constituency boundaries is due out at the end of August. So what can we expect from it? To talk through the changes coming down the tracks for the electoral system and the wider impact on political parties, Hugh is joined by Cormac McQuinn, political scientist and lecturer with UCC Dr Theresa Reidy and Maynooth University lecturer Dr Adrian Kavanagh.

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Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:

Plus they share their favourite Irish Times piece of the week:

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The ongoing crisis over a shortage of accommodation for International Protection applicants is an acute problem that risks becoming a chronic one for the State. After a week of violent clashes, arson and blockades taking place at accommodation sites, the podcast panel looks again at what's been happening, how bad the problem is and how the political system is reacting.

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Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the big political stories of the week.

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