Inside Politics The Irish Times

Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn to discuss the latest developments:
It is day three of the local and European election count and seats in all four MEP constituencies are still in play. In Dublin, much will depend on where votes from soon-to-be-eliminated candidates end up. Will Independent Ireland's Niall Boylan be able to capitalise, or will Sinn Féin's Lynn Boylan fare better?
There is no shortage of analysis of Sinn Féin's disappointing election and what it means. Fintan O'Toole thinks the era of the party acting as a buffer against right wing politics is over.
Meanwhile many other EU member states are experiencing a surge in support for far-right parties and candidates, but not enough to displace the centrist coalition from control of the European Parliament.


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As the count continues on this busy election weekend, it is delight for Taoiseach Simon Harris and Fine Gael as the local election picture becomes clearer, but the final results, particularly in the European contest, won’t be known for several more days.
The Taoiseach had a pep in his step as he entered the count centre at the RDS today. Speaking to Inside Politics podcast host Hugh Linehan, he explained that while there is no “transfer pact” among government parties, he thinks voters believe “Government is doing an okay job, and are transferring amongst parties”, something which will inform the election results.
“That the Government will do its full term is important and I look forward to continuing that,” he said.
Meanwhile, the volatility of the Sinn Féin vote caught Mary Lou McDonald by surprise. While there is no denying that the going has not been great for them so far, could total disaster be averted if the party make modest gains in some local election constituencies?
And what of the Green Party? It will be a real challenge for them to hold on to their MEPs, and it also looks as though there have been significant losses at local level.
Hugh Linehan is joined by Jack-Horgan Jones, Harry McGee and Taoiseach Simon Harris (briefly) on the Inside Politics Election Daily podcast as we get a clearer picture from count centres around the country.

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It is Saturday afternoon of a busy election weekend and while it is still far too early to draw conclusions about many aspects of the local and European contests, some trends are beginning to emerge.
One of those trends is that Sinn Féin’s recent drop in opinion polls is being confirmed at the ballot box, the party’s support at these elections lower now than six months ago.
Meanwhile the Coalition parties are cautiously optimistic that losses will be less than feared, while independent candidates look set to make gains.
Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to assess what we are learning from tallies and the first results from count centres around the country.

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As voters go to the polls, Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, and Jack Horgan-Jones make some final predictions about how the weekend will play out. Which European candidates should be safe in their constituencies, and who is at risk of being sucked into a days-long transfer battle to seize a third, fourth or fifth seat?



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Hugh Linehan is joined by Jennifer Bray and Sarah Burns to discuss Thursday on the campaign trail:
With polling day almost upon us, some running in the European elections have been engaging in a ‘war of words’, with members of Fine Gael and the Green Party butting heads on the campaign trail. Is all this ‘clawing at each other’ simply a final bid for cut through before votes are cast, or a taste of what a general election could look like?
And is the broadcasting moratorium relevant or wise anymore given the amount of stories that seem to break right before polls open? Even the Minister for Housing is sceptical.
Plus: Jen’s how-to guide will arm you with all the necessary knowledge as you set off with your polling card on Friday. 

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Hugh Linehan is joined by Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy to discuss Wednesday on the campaign trail:
Independent candidates are “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, warned People Before Profit at a campaign event today. What does that mean, and why are the small parties so worried about the impact of this rag-tag category of opponent on election day?
The Nitrates Derogation is something that matters hugely to rural Ireland, so in election week you don’t want to wade into controversy over whether it should be retained, as Fianna Fáil’s Chris Andrews discovered today.
Plus: An element of Pat’s analysis of the Dublin European election came in for sharp criticism from Social Democrats candidate Sinéad Gibney when she was asked about it by RTE’s Sarah McInerney during a televised debate.


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