720 episodes

The best analysis of the Irish political scene featuring Irish Times journalists, political thinkers and the occasional politician. Hosted by Hugh Linehan.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside Politics The Irish Times

    • News
    • 4.6 • 121 Ratings

The best analysis of the Irish political scene featuring Irish Times journalists, political thinkers and the occasional politician. Hosted by Hugh Linehan.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    A famous victory for student politics

    A famous victory for student politics

    Hugh is joined by Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray to discuss the week in politics:
    This week saw a rare and notable victory for student politics at Trinity College Dublin, where protestors secured a victory in their campaign for the college to divest from companies linked to Israel.
    Meanwhile the Government’s moves towards recognising Palestinian statehood are still underway.
    The asylum seeker accommodation crisis trundles on.
    It is a month out from the European elections and Jennifer and Harry have their ear to the ground. Could high-profile first-timers like Ciaran Mullooly and Niall Boylan claim seats in Strasbourg at the expense of more established politicians?
    And the panel pick their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:
    Patrick Freyne reviewing Jennifer’s favourite TV show.
    Laura Slattery’s excellent live coverage of Bambi Thug’s quest for Eurovision glory.
    Barry Roche on the many outstanding mysteries surrounding American passport fraudster Randolph Kirk Parker, who was arrested in Cork last year.

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    • 48 min
    Eoin Ó Broin on why Sinn Féin's support declined: 'We have to get better at spelling out alternatives'

    Eoin Ó Broin on why Sinn Féin's support declined: 'We have to get better at spelling out alternatives'

    Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin is in studio to talk with Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy about his party's apparent decline in support in the past year, his views on housing and how to handle high numbers of asylum seekers, and the political landscape ahead of forthcoming local and European elections.
    Eoin also denies the suggestion, recently made by Davy Stockbrokers, that Sinn Féin has more in common with the New Labour of Tony Blair than the socialism of Jeremy Corbyn.

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    • 56 min
    Migration front and centre as accommodation crisis deepens

    Migration front and centre as accommodation crisis deepens

    Host Pat Leahy and political correspondents Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee discuss the week in politics:
    The critical shortage of accommodation for people arriving in Ireland to apply for International Protection was everywhere in the news this week, as was the row between the UK and Ireland over returning migrants. The Government desperately needs to build a system that can process asylum seekers quickly and efficiently, and provide accommodation in the meantime.
    The outcome of local elections in the UK points to a potentially catastrophic general election for the Tories
    In Scotland, the SNP's diminished status means independence seems further away than any point since before the 2015 referendum
    They also pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week.


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    • 40 min
    Will far-right politicians make inroads in local and European elections?

    Will far-right politicians make inroads in local and European elections?

    Political Editor Pat Leahy sits in Hugh Linehan’s chair as podcast host this week for an Inside Politics election special as our politics team analyses the upcoming local and European elections. Jennifer Bray reminds us of the political landscape influencing the 2019 local elections which led to the ‘Green wave’ and Sinn Féin’s running aground. Jack Horgan-Jones analyses the impact a pandemic, a cost of living crisis and the war in Europe have had on voters and the resulting trends that have become embedded. Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn take a deep dive into the issues, candidates and political groupings in the sprawling European election constituencies. There is also an intriguing electoral race taking part on the 7th of June when voters in Limerick city and county will go to the polls to choose Ireland’s first directly-elected mayor. If the elections haven’t yet been top of mind for you, don’t miss this thorough look at the forthcoming ballots.
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    • 46 min
    Harris delivers on Stardust as McEntee fumbles the border question

    Harris delivers on Stardust as McEntee fumbles the border question

    Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to look back on the week in politics:

    Taoiseach Simon Harris’s sure-footed performance as he delivered an apology to the Stardust tragedy victims.
    Less good was Minister for Justice Helen McEntee’s appearance at an Oireachtas committee, where she struggled to answer a question about the State’s handling of international protection applicants.
    Discussions about budget spending are starting early this year, a sign of the auction politics to come in the run-up to the general election.
    Plus the panel pick their Irish Times articles of the week:

    Justine McCarthy on the growing number of journalists becoming Government advisors.
    Finn McRedmond in defence of snobbery.
    And coverage of the dysfunction in University Hospital Limerick, as revealed by a coroner’s report on the tragic death of teenager Aoife Johnston.
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    • 45 min
    From the Rwanda Bill to the Cass Report - the issues driving UK politics

    From the Rwanda Bill to the Cass Report - the issues driving UK politics

    London Correspondent Mark Paul joins Hugh Linehan to talk about the issues making an impact on British politics right now. The issues include upcoming local elections, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's drive to pass his Rwanda Bill, which will allow Britain to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda while their claims are processed, and the contrasting fortunes of the Conservative and Labour parties.
    In part two they look north to Scotland, where the Scottish National Party is showing signs of fatigue after a prolonged period in power. It is a weariness that shows in party leader Humza Yousaf's struggle to handle a wide range of controversies, from green policies to corruption, rape trial reforms and trans rights.



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    • 40 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
121 Ratings

121 Ratings

pokey marley ,

Sinn Fein in Govt

Really interesting “what if “ scenario...finishing on a good note..”we don’t know what the future holds”...sensible...and the first use ever of “teleological”..in a podcast anywhere..LOL...and I listen to many...

Andy Listens ,

Emmm Ehhhhh Repeat Word

I only leave this review in the hopes the podcast will improve and not just to be negative.
The huge amount of ‘Ummm’ ‘Ehhhh’ and slowly saying the same word twice in row makes this impossible to listen to!

SyGeCoNa ,

CMO Profiles

A good and consistently informative pod. That said, I was surprised to hear Jennifer Bray argue in the 8th Dec episode that Chris Whitty (the U.K.’s chief medical officer) had a low profile in the U.K., contrasting this with his equivalent in Ireland. The research undertaken to support this point appeared to be cursory, and a closer look would have shown that Whitty is a prominent figure, with strong name recognition after leading numerous COVID briefings. Indeed, he is so well known that he has sadly been a target for anti lockdown protesters, who have harassed him in the street on at least one occasion.

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