Inside Politics / Inside Story

It's summer holiday season and that means it's time to open the floor to questions from the Inside Politics audience. Hugh, Pat, Jack, Ellen and Cormac sift through the politicspodcast@irishtimes.com inbox and pick out questions on the presidency, Gaza, the State's struggle to solve complex problems, and more. Thanks for listening to Inside Politics throughout the political year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ellen Coyne and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:·       With Independent TD Catherine Connolly and former MEP Mairead McGuinness having declared their candidacy, there will now be at least two names in the race for the Áras. But with no sign yet of a clear candidate for Fianna Fáil or Sinn Féin, are any of the potential names currently being discussed likely to gain party support? ·       Fianna Fáil's Niall Collins would be 'very uncomfortable' with a one-size-fits-all approach to a blanket VAT cut for the hospitality sector, given that luxury and five-star hotels would benefit from a measure they don’t necessarily need. Some Fine Gael Ministers are unhappy with Mr Collins for criticising a policy that would help support entry-level jobs in rural Ireland. ·       And as the humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza, urgency around the Occupied Territories Bill increase

The Government’s updated National Development Plan (NDP) proposes to spend a vast sum of money on capital infrastructure. But beyond three ‘mega projects’ there is little detail and the vagueness of the document has led to some skepticism. In part one of today's podcast Pat Leahy joins Hugh Linehan to discuss the NDP and whether the Government's promise to prioritise infrastructure could survive a major economic shock - the kind created by heavy US tariffs, for example, They then look at the Summer Economic Statement, also revealed this week, which shows there will not be much wriggle room in this year’s Budget. In part two, back to the NDP and what it says about the Government’s plan for the development of transportation infrastructure. Dublin’s proposed MetroLink is one of the three mega projects identified, but there is €20 billion earmarked for other unidentified projects. Where should it go? How much will be spent on new roads, and what are the implications for carbon emissions? And what about publi

Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones join Pat Leahy to look back on the week in politics: ·       The latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll shows Sinn Féin on 22 per cent (down four), with Fianna Fáil on 22 per cent (no change) and Fine Gael on 17 per cent (up one). Given just 14% of voters feel Government is successfully tackling the country’s problems, do Sinn Féin need to find a new strategy in order to stimulate support? ·       One of the most notable findings of the poll is the clear growth potential around the Independents (up five) and new conservative parties like Aontú. ·       The poll also shows that support for the Occupied Territories Bill is softening with voters as just one-fifth of voters (20 per cent) say the Bill should be passed quickly, with a further 14 per cent saying its scope should be expanded and it should be passed quickly. The Bill, which would ban trade

EU negotiators thought a deal with their US counterparts on trade and tariffs was near. Then US president Donald Trump ended those feelings of optimism by threatening to apply 30% tariffs from August 1st. Is this another negotiating tactic or does he mean it this time? And what is the mood in Dublin and Brussels about Trump's threats? Jack Horgan-Jones and Jack Power join Pat Leahy. In part two: Independent TD Catherine Connolly is seeking a nomination to run for president. Will Labour, her erstwhile party, support her bid? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ellen Coyne and Harry McGee join Pat Leahy to look back on the week in politics: ·       When Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was asked on Monday if she was ruling herself out of this year’s contest to succeed Michael D Higgins, she replied, “we’re not ruling anything in or anything out.” But could a tilt at the presidency be a potential career-ender for Mary Lou?·       Elsewhere, those ruling themselves firmly in include Galway West Independent TD Catherine Connolly, who says she plans to launch her presidential election bid next week. The veteran Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher says he is considering seeking Fianna Fáil nomination to run, but Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly has ruled himself out, with Mairead McGuinness now widely expected to seek Áras election.·       The Occupied Territories Bill is now undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny. The big question remains whether the proposed bill will inclu

This month marks 30 years since the Srebrenica genocide, when more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred by Serb forces in Bosnia. In today’s episode, Irish Times Eastern Europe Correspondent Daniel McLaughlin joins Hugh to reflect on his recent visit to eastern Bosnia. They discuss the enduring legacy of the atrocity, how the town is preparing to commemorate the 30th anniversary and the political deadlock that still grips the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is just over a year since Keir Starmer’s Labour Party won a huge majority and took power in London, but Starmer’s political capital is already at a low ebb. It hasn’t all been bad: most noticeably here, he has managed to repair the UK’s relationship with Ireland after the fractious Brexit years. But he has also handled the Trump administration and the EU with skill. It’s at home where he hasn’t done so well. Some notable successes - on reducing NHS waiting times - have been overshadowed by a series of u-turns, mishaps and political miscalculations. So what does the electorate make of him, and where does he go from here? London correspondent Mark Paul talks to Hugh.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.