Irish Times Inside Politics

Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: ·       The drive to inject some impetus into the Irish presidential race has not yielded anything of note just yet with the starter pistol not expected to sound until Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael,  and Sinn Féin nominate their candidates. ·       The Coalition remains divided over Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless’s recent assertion that the student contribution could increase by as much as €1,000 next year for third-level students. ·       The pause on Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs is almost up – is there a plan in place to keep Ireland’s pain to a minimum?Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:·       The puffins of Rathlin Island, the digital revolution that didn’t turn out as expected, and how the we

Money always matters in politics. Just ask UK prime minister Keir Starmer, whose attempt to cut UK welfare payments is on the rocks thanks to Labour party rebels, leaving a multibillion pound hole in his economic plan. Over here, the various departments are currently working out how much money they need to operate in advance of the Summer Economic Statement, the report that outlines the parameters for what is likely to be a tighter Budget than those of recent years. The Government is also trying to get to grips with an urgent need for investment in infrastructure. And it’s all happening against a backdrop of growing economic uncertainty. This week the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council accused the Government of lacking a coherent spending plan. So how well fixed is our system to navigate all this?Pat Leahy joins Hugh to discuss it. They also discuss the inter-Coalition row over third level fees.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics: ·       US President Donald Trump was the main attraction at a landmark Nato summit on Wednesday with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte calling him ‘Daddy’ during their press conference. Trump got what he came for with Nato member states agreeing to an increase of 5 per cent of GDP in defence spending. ·       Over at the EU leaders summit on Thursday, defence spending was also high on the agenda with Ireland backing the EU’s €150bn defence plan. The war in Gaza was highlighted too with Taoiseach Micheál Martin unable to comprehend how Europe doesn’t seem capable of putting any pressure on Israel to stop it. And with Trump’s tariffs pause set to end on July 9th, Ireland and other EU countries will be forgiven for looking at India and China as greater trading partners.  ·       Do policy i

Europe correspondent Jack Power joins Pat and Jack Horgan-Jones to discuss monumental events in the Middle East, with the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities being followed by a ceasefire that may or may not be holding as you listen to this podcast. They also discuss the EU's struggle to assert influence on the global stage as it heads into a summit, and bring it back home to the Irish government's awkward stance on the Occupied Territories Bill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sally Hayden and Harry McGee join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics:·       Sally Hayden joins the pod on the line from Beirut where missiles flying overhead have become a fact of daily life despite the ceasefire agreement Lebanon signed with Israel last November. With Israel’s attention now firmly on Iran, the rising death toll and continuing aerial attacks from both sides show no signs of abating. And is the US on the verge of joining Israel’s attack on Iran? What could that mean for stability in the Middle East? ·       Children’s Health Ireland appeared before the Oireachtas Health Committee this week with politicians eager to tear strips off the embattled group responsible for running children’s hospital services in Dublin. After so many controversies since its inception in 2018, can CHI be trusted to run the new national children’s hospital when it opens? And how will this all be handled by Minister for

Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Harry McGee to talk about the ongoing fallout from the Government's proposed changes to the rights of tenants and landlords. They look at growing criticism of the finer points of the policy. Will the delay in rolling out RPZs to the whole country incentivise landlords to raise rents while they can? Do the new rules effectively prohibit short-term lets in tourism areas? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can tell an awful lot about a society by who it labels a genius. You can also learn from who it excludes from that category, who it enables and what it is prepared to tolerate from them. The tortured poet, the rebellious scientist, the monstrous artist, or indeed the tech disruptor. All of these archetypes feature in The Genius Myth, the new book by the journalist, author and podcaster Helen Lewis. She joins Hugh to talk about so-called geniuses, from Elon Musk to The Beatles, the modern influence of concepts like IQ, and what it takes to be a political genius. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Ellen Coyne join Hugh Linehan to look back at the week in politics:Rent reform: the announcement of Minister for Housing James Browne’s plans to change the rules around rent pressure zones dominated the week. But why was the rollout so haphazard?Adjustments to residential property tax received less attention but the changes also carry political riskIsrael’s attacks on Iran add further uncertainty to a fraught geopolitical momentAnti-immigrant riots in Northern Ireland: was the violence exacerbated by political interventions?Plus the panel pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week on topics including the dull ache brought on by remembering Ireland’s past attitudes to women, a critique of Irish media’s coverage of gender issues and how social media firms used the ‘like’ button to turbocharge their business models.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US president Donald Trump's response to protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles - to send in troops - is in keeping with a broader theme of his second presidency so far - extending executive power and challenging institutional norms. But how far is Trump willing to go? TCD's Daniel Geary joins Hugh to talk about the events in LA and the pressure Trump 2.0 is putting on the American system. Daniel Geary is Mark Pigott Professor of U.S. History at Trinity College Dublin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where does Europe fit into the 21st century? Political scientist Professor Helen Thompson returns to the podcast to talk about the big picture for the global economy and international relations in the age of Trump's second term, China's rise and Europe's relative decline. She talks to Hugh about the real significance of America's debt pile, Silicon Valley's shift to Trump, the future of NATO, the growing interest in controlling the Arctic and China's economic and technological rise. And she argues that Europe needs to realise just how different a place America is - and always has been. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Hugh and Cormac McQuinn on today's podcast is Ellen Coyne, the newest member of The Irish Times political team. Together they look back on the week in politics in Ireland and beyond:The crisis at Children's Hospital Ireland deepens Growing international disquiet over Israel's conduct in GazaPlanning exemptions for "granny flats" - can such tinkering make a real difference to the housing crisis? The spectacular breakup of Donald Trump and Elon MuskPlus the panel pick their favourite Irish Times articles on the week, including the impact of Airbnb in rural towns, the dreaded one-star review and a disappearing rainbow crossing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the election of Lee Jae-myung as president of South Korea, a period of political turmoil there may be over - for now at least. But Lee, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, faces many challenges, including a political system in disarray, the threat of tariffs and a looming demographic disaster. Denis Staunton reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Poland is facing political deadlock after pro-Trump candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the country’s right-wing opposition, won Sunday’s presidential by less than two percentage points. The result also has major implications for European politics. On today's podcast Hugh discusses the outcome with Berlin correspondent Derek Scally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:·       Committees of the Oireachtas are indeed back, but rigor and insight seem to be missing in some of the questions posed by politicians during RTÉ’s appearance in front of the Oireachtas media committee on Wednesday.·       Independent TDs Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole, who support the Government, put a dent in the Coalition’s majority by voting in favour of a Sinn Féin Bill in support of Palestine.·       Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was awarded €100,000 after a jury found he was defamed by a 2016 BBC TV programme and related article that falsely accused him of sanctioning the murder of a British agent.·       And is it time to disband Children’s Health Ireland? Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill is considering subsuming the statutory body into the HSE fol

In her book Left Is Not Woke today's guest Susan Neiman argues that the left has taken a wrong turn and must differentiate itself from "wokism". She talks to Hugh about what she means by "woke" and why its appeal to traditional left-wing tendencies, like solidarity and supporting the underdog, helps disguise its more reactionary elements. They also talk about Germany's relationship with Israel and how its own history influences German views on what is happening in Gaza. Susan Neiman is an American moral philosopher, commentator and author known for her work on ethics, the Enlightenment and contemporary politics. She is the director of The Einstein Forum, a think-tank based in Potsdam, Germany,  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leinster House is more than a place of work - it's a way of life for the politicians and other professionals who spend their days there. Journalist and broadcaster Gavan Reilly has written a book about the inner-workings of our parliament building and its inhabitants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:·       Ireland’s decision to participate in a European-wide initiative celebrating Norman heritage and influence has drawn the ire of Sinn Féin. The initiative is called ’2027 The Year of the Normans – People of Europe’, and Cabinet approved plans to mark 1000 years since the birth of England’s first Norman king William the Conqueror have been labelled “offensive” by the Opposition party.·       In a move to start the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza after Israel’s near three-month blockade, a majority of EU states have backed a proposal to review the union’s agreement governing relations with Israel.·       The HSE estimates that the number of children on waiting lists for disability or autism services will grow from 15,000 now to 25,000 by the end of the year, something disability rights campaigner Cara Dar

The unprecedented increase in the numbers of people coming to Ireland seeking International Protection due to war or oppression in their homeland put serious pressure on State resources since 2023. The new Government has signalled a tougher approach to the issue, and has claimed some success. Are their reforms working, and is the tougher messaging appropriate? Hugh is joined by Colm Brophy TD, Minister of State for Migration, Madeleine Allen, policy and advocacy officer with the Irish Refugee Council, and Irish Times political correspondent Harry McGee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tenth anniversary of the marriage equality referendum has prompted some reminiscing about how the vote was the first of two pinnacles for progressivism in Ireland, the other being the abortion referendum three years later. For women and members of the LGBT community, the successful campaigns were pivotal moments for an Ireland escaping its oppressive past. But what about those on the losing side? Senator Ronán Mullen, who campaigned for a no vote, joins Hugh and Pat to talk about how those defeats shaped social conservatism in Ireland in the years since. Click here for our podcast on the legacy of the marriage equality referendum with Gerard Howlin and Ivana Bacik. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: ·       The Public Accounts Committee returned on Thursday and already it was making headlines with revelations about former Children’s Health Ireland boss Eilish Hardiman’s salary. PAC is apt at generating headlines with leaked opening statements and TDs eager to make their name a staple for the Dáil committee. ·       A move towards fiscal caution as Fine Gael's Neale Richmond signals planned tax cuts may have to be abandoned unless a trade deal with the US can be agreed. Will one-off cost-of-living payments be absent from Budget 2026?·       The plan to introduce mandatory alcohol warning labels could be reconsidered amid the potential impact of US tariffs on the sector. And a ban on the sale of energy drinks to under 18s won’t be a reality until the “necessary evidence-gathering, research and examination o