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.
Latest episodes
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53 min
Can Democrats take the Senate? US midterms special with Galen Druke
Take our listener survey for access to a bonus episode. Go to irishtimes.com/insidepolitics.It is one week out from US midterm elections with Democrats hoping to retake control of…
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42 min
Viral 'hugging grandparents' ad: did Jim O’Callaghan need to intervene?
Take our listener survey for access to a bonus episode. Go to irishtimes.com/insidepolitics.Pat Leahy and Sarah Burns join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:The Dai…
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48 min
Jamie Bryson: Northern Irish unionists 'must go on the offensive'
The scenes at Drumcree in recent weeks revived memories of one of Northern Ireland’s most enduring disputes between unionist and nationalist communities.But while the immediate con…
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49 min
Is diversity in politics dead?
Democracy rests on the promise that political institutions should reflect the people they serve. But in an era of growing social diversity, persistent inequalities and political po…
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50 min
As the fight over the next EU budget intensifies, what’s in it for Ireland?
Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:Thursday evening in Brussels saw much wrangling over the EU’s proposed €1.6tn budget. As hold…
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33 min
How will the public sector pay dispute end?
Leinster House today was filled with sympathy for Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan who took ill during an EU presidency meeting in Limerick on Tuesd…
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28 min
US midterms: is a 'blue wave' coming?
In less than a month US voters will get a chance to express their feelings about the direction of the country in elections for seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate.…
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47 min
RTÉ funding snub not a good look for Patrick O’Donovan
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:The fallout from Budget 2027 has been minimal, save for Minister for Media Patrick O’Donovan’s elev…
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51 min
Budget 2027: buying the peace by pouring fuel on the fire
Ireland is politically and economically stable, as Simon Harris pointed out in his Budget speech yesterday. But keeping it that way is getting more expensive. Increased capital spe…
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46 min
'Traitors to creation': Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor on the far right's apocalypse alliance
Last year Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor co-authored an essay in The Guardian with a provocative title: The Rise of End Times Fascism. In it they argued that a new alliance was emerg…
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50 min
Budget drama could go to the wire as ministers wrestle for cash that may not come
The mood music around Leinster House this week is one of “nashing teeth” ahead of what’s expected to be a difficult budget announcement on Tuesday.On today’s podcast, Hugh speaks t…
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54 min
Siobhán Fenton worked for Sinn Féin. She explains why it has not won power
Sinn Fein emerged from 2020's general election in pole position to challenge Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and potentially take power next time around. That didn't happen, with support…
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53 min
Can we escape the algorithm? Mark Little is still optimistic
Today anxiety over how the digital world has evolved is greater than ever. Trust in information found online is low, the business models driving tech platforms reward outrage over…
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47 min
Latest poll numbers show neither Government nor Opposition all that popular with electorate
Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:In the first Irish Times national poll since February, the lack of movement in party support poi…
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38 min
What to watch as Xi visits Washington
Chinese leader Xi Jinping lands in Washington later this evening for a three-day state visit, his first to Washington since 2015. The Trump White House is rolling out the red carpe…
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45 min
Where Anthony Scaramucci and America went wrong
Anthony Scaramucci is a successful Wall Street financier, a recovering Republican, a famously short-lived communications director in the first Trump administration and co-presenter…
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50 min
What is driving the abuse and intimidation of politicians here?
Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:The unprovoked attack on Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae this week highlighted how vulnerable pu…
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43 min
Sweden's political shift and Germany's electoral shock
Derek Scally talks to Hugh about the aftermath of two elections that have recently taken place: the Swedish general election and regional elections in the Gerrman region of Saxony-…
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44 min
What's the best way to make Ireland more equal?
Left-leaning think-tank Tasc has published a new report to mark its 25th year. the report (The State We Are In - Inequality in Ireland 2026) suggests that the redistribution of wea…
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27 min
Trump's support for reunification grabs the headlines on a colourful day
President Trump and his vast, costly entourage have rolled through Dublin on the way to his golf course, meeting with the Taoiseach and President Connolly along the way. As with ot…