Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan
The best analysis of the Irish political scene featuring Irish Times journalists, political thinkers and the occasional politician. Hosted by Hugh Linehan.
Episodes
All signs point to Budget 2027 not having much room to manoeuvre
Ellen Coyne and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:Budget season has already started with the Summer Economic Statement pointing to less cash being available for new spending measures in Budget 2027. Minister for Finance Simon Harris and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers have announced that Government spending on infrastructure and services will incre
Does salesman Andy Burnham have a product to sell?
Returning to the podcast today is UK political commentator, broadcaster and author Iain Dale to talk to Hugh about the arrival of Andy Burnham as prime minister and the death of Iain's friend Ann Widdecombe. Burnham's excellence as a communicator and a political salesman means there's a strong contrast between him and his predecessor. But after being swept to office unopposed, it's not yet clear w
How Europe's chief negotiator sees Brexit 10 years on
Michel Barnier is best known in Ireland for his central role in the EU's negotiations with the UK over Brexit almost ten years ago. But Barnier has also played a central role in French politics for decades, including a brief stint as prime minister. Today he is a member of the French parliament. Last week he was in Dublin for a series of political meetings with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister f
What to expect from Aughinish Alumina report and the call to ban e-scooters
Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:The Government’s report into Aughinish Alumina is expected to say that material produced there may or may not have been used in Russia’s war machine, citing a lack of evidence either way. Half of the alumina produced in the plant in the first quarter of this year went to Russia, up from 43 per cent last year. Wil
End of term: what was the biggest moment of the political season?
As the Dáil shuts down for the summer it's time for Hugh, Pat and Jack to take stock of the term gone by. But the biggest political event of the year didn't happen in Leinster House. The April fuel protests left their mark on Irish politics as few other events of recent years have. In part two: How have the various parties navigated the term? Has Mary Lou McDonald steadied the SF ship, and co
Marine Le Pen's bid for power and the history of France's far right
Last week an appeals court opened the way for Marine Le Pen of French far-right party National Rally to stand in next year's presidential election. If the far right comes to power in Paris it will be the culmination of a long journey that is outlined in The Dark Side of France: A History of the Far Right, a new book by Irish journalist Enda O’Doherty. Hugh talks to O’Doherty about his book an
Sinn Féin and Government on completely different timetables for Irish unity
Ellen Coyne and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· Sinn Féin’s Planning for Constitutional Change Bill, which obliges the Government to draft and publish a Green Paper on unification within 18 months, failed to win support from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, or independents. · A
Germany at a crossroads: football, political frustration and the far right
For Germany, football is often a reflection of the nations’ stability.“When Germany is going well, things are going well on the pitch” Irish Times Berlin correspondent Derek Scally tells the Inside Politics podcast.Following another premature exit from a world cup tournament they won only 12 years ago; in football, as in German politics, the future is uncertain.Host Hugh Linehan asks where the maj
Nigel Farage resigns triggering by-election
British MP Nigel Farage has resigned as an MP triggering a by-election in the constituency of Clacton-on-Sea which he says he will stand in.It comes amid a row over his financial support, after The Sunday Times reported he had not declared benefits, including staff and security, received from his ally George Cottrell, who was convicted of fraud in the US.“I’ve done nothing wrong” Farage said on a
Aughinish Alumina is proving to be a real diplomatic headache
Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union got off to a slightly awkward start at the opening ceremony at Dublin Castle on Wednesday when guest Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned against “material emanating from a plant in Ireland” being used in Russia’s war effo
How the duplicitous double life of Jeffrey Donaldson threatens the future of unionism
Hugh Linehan is joined by Alex Kane to discuss the double life of disgraced politician Jeffrey Donaldosn and its broader impact on the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) as well as Ulster unionism overall. Alex Kane is an Irish News columnist and a political commentator as well as a former director of communications for the Ulster Unionist Party. The pair discuss a recent wave of stories that re
Pat Rabbitte: 'you’re not going to get a broad left alliance'
Last week Pat Leahy sat down with former Labour leader Pat Rabbitte for an interview about his life in politics. Rabbitte is now retired but for decades he was one of the most recognisable faces and voices of centre left politics in Ireland. As a minister in the 2011 Fine Gael-Labour coalition, he witnessed first hand the events explored in our recent mini series on the subject. He talke
The triple lock is the latest issue for Fianna Fáil’s awkward squad
Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Pat Leahy to look back on the week in politics: All anyone can talk about this week is the weather. While the country enjoys the warmth, the Government still has to find balance between spending to prevent climate change and spending to mitigate the impact of change that has already arrived. Keir Starmer may be gone but the UK's biggest problem remains: th
How will Ireland navigate the EU presidency?
Next week Ireland takes over the presidency of the EU Council. But what does that mean? What exactly is the EU Council anyway? How does this council and this presidency fit in among the numerous other European councils and presidents? And how is Ireland going to approach the challenges and opportunities the six-month position brings? To find out Pat Leahy talks to Jack Horgan-Jones and Jack P
Ireland gears up for EU presidency and Andy Burnham sweeps Makerfield byelection
Jack Horgan-Jones and Mark Paul join Harry McGee to look back on the week in politics:· Taoiseach Micheál Martin is in Brussels for the EU summit this week, also in attendance is Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy who is pushing for serious peace negotiations with Russia. Will Vladimir Putin come to the negotiation table? And could Ukraine’s EU members
Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales believes the crisis of trust is still fixable
Jimmy Wales founded Wikipedia in January 2001, and almost nobody thought that an encyclopedia that anyone in the world was allowed to edit would actually work. But a quarter of a century later, Wikipedia is still one of the most visited websites on Earth and one of the few large-scale online institutions that people across the political spectrum broadly trust. In his new book, The Sev
Eruption of violence in Northern Ireland echoes the Troubles
Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee join Hugh to discuss the week in politics:The disorder in Northern Ireland since a knife attack in Belfast on Monday reached levels not seen since “the worst possible days of the Troubles”, the Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable Jon Boutcher said. In a society with a history of sectarianism, there are complex layers to the events taking place.Minister
Is meaningful climate action possible in a democracy?
In a new book coauthored with fellow political scientists, UCD’s Aidan Regan argues that the three goals of democracy, economic growth and effective climate action are at odds with one another, and that the resulting “trilemma” requires novel political solutions to solve. On today's podcast Aidan talks to Hugh about why it is so difficult to balance these goals and potential solutions. They a
Inside Politics Meets GD Politics: A crossover episode with Galen Druke
For a special crossover episode of Inside Politics Hugh Linehan welcomes US podcaster Galen Druke, the host of GD Politics and formerly of the FiveThirtyEight politics podcast, for a discussion of the Irish and US political scenes. They cover topics including:Why there is no strong populist right party in IrelandIreland’s economic success, dependence on US multinationals and military neutralityGer
Rotunda row pits public against private health care
Pat Leahy and Ellen Coyne join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has come out this week to demand the Rotunda maternity hospital withdraw permission for consultants on public-only contracts to practise privately on its premises. If not, it could have its funding pulled.·
Darragh O'Brien on Ireland's missed climate targets, new help to buy EVs and Fianna Fáil's leadership
Pat joins Hugh after interviewing Fianna Fáil's Darragh O'Brien about major issues related to his twin ministries, Transport and Climate, Energy and the Environment. They listen back to the interview and discuss what O'Brien had to say about a new scrappage scheme to encourage the purchase of EVs, Ireland's certain failure to hit its legally-binding emissions targets in 2030 and the financial cos
Are Sinn Féin drifting away from an uneasy left-wing alliance?
Ellen Coyne and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The left-wing alliance that was formed during Catherine Connolly’s presidential campaign is already straining, with the Social Democrats, Labour and People Before Profit concerned with the policy direction of Sinn Féin on issues like migration and reproductive rights.·&n
Shane Ross: Why politicians won't fix RTÉ - or let it fail
RTÉ has been in the news again lately thanks to renewed controversy over payments to presenters. So it is a timely moment for the release of a new book on the institution. RTÉ: Saints, Scholars, and Scandals is the latest work by former TD, minister and journalist Shane Ross, who brings his dual experience of media and politics to bear on this unwieldy subject.He talks to Hugh about the deep roots
Why do these men want to strip women of the right to vote?
Journalist and author Helen Lewis has built a reputation for sharp analysis of politics, culture and the forces reshaping public life.In one piece for The Atlantic she unpicks policies, and the figures promoting them, arguing against some rights for women.On today’s podcast Helen tells Hugh about influential figures who would once have been considered “fringe” coming to the fore.She explains why q
Winners and losers: What we’ve learned from the byelections
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh to talk about the results of the Dublin Central and Galway West byelections: As the day began Fine Gael were confident that their man, Senator Sean Kyne, would win the seat. That confidence wavered a little as Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas picked up significant transfers throughout the morning. In the end it wasn’t enough and Fine Gael leader Tanaiste S
Ennis and Kyne in poll position on a bad day for big parties
A picture is emerging in the byelection counts. Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy, Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones to discuss what we have learned so far:On the basis of the numbers available on Saturday afternoon, Social Democrats councillor Daniel Ennis and Fine Gael senator Sean Kyne look well placed to take seats in Dublin Central and Galway West respectively. But transfers could still shift resul
Taoiseach has Gaza on his mind amid European tour
Pat Leahy and Naomi O’Leary join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· Taoiseach Micheál Martin arrived in Italy on Friday, meeting Pope Leo in the Vatican and Italian premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome. This is part of a round of meetings with leaders ahead of Ireland’s EU presidency starting in July, with Martin meeting French president Emmanuel
Byelections: campaign trail stories and final predictions
Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee join Hugh for a final look at the Dublin Central and Galway West byelections before voting takes place on Friday. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What's wrong with Ireland? Sinead O'Sullivan has an answer
Economist and author Sinead O'Sullivan ruffled some feathers recently with her analysis of Ireland’s deficits in infrastructure and services. Her critiques of the State’s failure to deliver things that are taken for granted in other similarly wealthy countries sparked debate and drew pushback from figures including former taoiseach Leo Varadkar. On today’s Inside Politics podcast she talks to
Keir Starmer finds himself in office without power
Jack Horgan-Jones and Mark Paul join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The findings of the Irish Times and TG4 by Ipsos B&A poll throws up some interesting permutations for the Dublin Central byelection. Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan leads the first preference vote at 21 per cent, Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats is in second place on
Two-way race for Sinn Féin and Soc Dems in Dublin Central byelection
The Irish Times and TG4 by Ipsos B&A poll shows Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan leads the byelection race in Dublin Central with first preference votes at 21 per cent, Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats is in second place on 18 per cent. But Ennis will be in line for a lot of transfers from the fragmented left-wing vote, with Labour, People Before Profit and the Green Party all having candidates i
Who will win Dublin Central?
With just over a week until two by elections, host Hugh Linehan unpicks the race for Dublin Central in today’s Inside Politics.Political Correspondents Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn reflect on then race so far, and which candidates will benefit most from those critical transfers.Ahead of Irish Times polling for the consistence to be published on Thursday, where are the battlegrounds? And wh
How Fianna Fáil was formed - with Ronan McGreevy
In the week of Fianna Fail’s centenary Hugh and Pat are joined by reporter and historian Ronan McGreevy to trace the party’s origins and assess its legacy. Ronan explains how in 1926, with frustration growing at Sinn Féin’s ineffectiveness, Éamon de Valera and allies such as Seán Lemass formed Fianna Fáil, rapidly building hundreds of cumainn. He looks at how the party first entered the Dáil,
Polls suggest three-way shootout in Galway West byelection
Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The findings of the Irish Times/TG4 opinion poll on first preference votes, carried out by Ipsos B&A, suggests three leading candidates in the Galway West byelection. It shows Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) at 17 per cent followed by Noel Thomas (Independent Ireland Party) o
Inside Politics Live in Galway: Who can win the Galway West byelection?
Hugh Linehan hosts a live Inside Politics show in Galway’s Róisín Dubh with Pat Leahy, Ellen Coyne and Galway native Harry McGee ahead of the May 22nd Galway West byelection. Harry, fresh from his day of shadowing candidates on the canvass, profiles the constituency and what influences are at play in this huge electoral area, which spans urban, rural and Gaeltacht districts. The Irish Times politi
Byelection candidates are confirmed as campaigns ramp up
Ellen Coyne and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· There are now 14 candidates confirmed as running in Dublin Central and 17 candidates in Galway West in the upcoming byelections on May 22nd. And while it looks like a tussle between those representing centre-left parties in the capital, Independent Ireland councillor Noel Tho
Fintan O'Toole: 100 years on, Fianna Fáil is flailing
Fintan O’Toole talks to Hugh Linehan about Fianna Fáil as the party’s 100th birthday draws near. Fintan credits the party with helping create a vibrant Irish middle class - if only by accident. But in recent decades the party has undermined that legacy, he says, through short-sighted, reactionary politics and especially through its approach to home ownership. They also discuss the recent fuel
Another violent attack on Trump brings a short-lived truce in his battle with the media
Hugh is joined by Irish Times Washington correspondent Keith Duggan to talk about the dramatic events at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, where an intrusion by a gunman interrupted what was supposed to be president Donald Trump's first appearance at the annual event where the worlds of politics, media and celebrity socialise. They then talk about Trump's complicated and con
Is there real pressure on Sinn Féin to win at least one seat in upcoming byelections?
Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The posters are going up, and candidates are preparing their pitch, but could Sinn Féin come up empty-handed in both the Dublin Central (party leader Mary Lou McDonald’s constituency) and Galway West byelection when the votes are counted on May 23rd? And does a vote a
What the fuel protests meant
The country is moving on from the protests that dominated the national discussion over Easter, even as what the protests actually meant continues to generate debate.Leo Varadkar poured more fuel on the fire by telling rural dwellers that, far from them being the backbone that holds up the country, it is their city cousins who pay all the bills. Could these events mark the start of deeper urban-rur
Another Fianna Fáil heave that wasn’t
Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· There were renewed questions about the future of Micheál Martin’s leadership in the aftermath of the fuel protests and the resignation of former Independent minister Michael Healy-Rae from Government. Fianna Fáil TDs James O'Connor, Ryan O’Meara and Albert Dolan outlined t
Healy-Raes' departure caps a terrible week for the Government
Hugh, Pat and Ellen are joined by columnist Gerard Howlin to talk about a tumultuous day in Leinster House that capped a terrible week for the governing coalition:The Government faced down a confidence challenge, as expected. But the loss of now-former minister of state Michael Healy-Rae, along with the support of his backbencher brother Danny, cut its majority and underlined how the fuel pro
The end of the Orbán model
All agree that the scale of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán’s defeat in yesterday’s general election is hugely significant, for Hungary, Europe and beyond. But what exactly does the result mean? To find out Hugh talks to two journalists covering Hungarian affairs, Daniel Nolan and Ivan Nagy. They discuss how Orbán's populist playbook ran out of steam, why JD Vance's recent visit backfired an
How the Government bungled its response to fuel protests
Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:It was becoming clear towards the end of last week that protests over the price of fuel were coming. But the scale of what has unfolded seems to have caught the Government by surprise. Then there were missteps in the handling of the situation throughout the week. Now the battle lines have been drawn and positi
Could Labour have done anything to avoid electoral wipeout in 2016? Collapse, part three
In the final instalment of our series on Labour’s time in government from 2011 to 2016, things get darker as it becomes clear economic progress will not be enough for voters to forgive the party for its role in austerity.Labour’s poor showing in the 2014 local and European elections leads to a change at the top. But Joan Burton’s leadership does not revive Labour’s fortunes.Then, when the dis
Pressure builds on Labour as austerity bites: Collapse, part two
Inside Politics is coming to Galway in May for a live recording. Get your tickets here.In part two of this three-part series on Labour's harrowing experience in government from 2011 to 2016, Pat Leahy and Hugh Linehan follow the story of the first three years of that austerity-delivering coalition. As punishing budget after punishing budget was delivered, Labour struggled to retain its political i
Collapse: How Labour went from boom to bust
Inside Politics is coming to Galway in May for a live recording. Get your tickets here.When Labour came to power in 2011 Ireland was in the depths of an economic crisis that had several more years to run. Their coalition with Fine Gael spent the next five years struggling to fix the economy while satisfying the EU and the IMF, who had bailed us out.But it was Labour, led by Eamon Gilmore to its gr
Is Ireland taking anti-Semitism seriously enough?
Oliver Sears, founder of Holocaust Awareness Ireland, joins Hugh to talk about his growing alarm at the rise of anti-Semitism in Ireland and what he sees as the failure to take it seriously. They discuss whether the political response to Israel's actions since October 7th 2023 has complicated that debate. The conversation covers questions such as where legitimate criticism of Israel ends
Government can't help helping as fuel costs soar; and how many TDs are too many?
This week the Government decided to unveil a €250 million package to help citizens meet the elevated cost of fuel. And this could be just the start of a series of new efforts to keep down the cost of living. After ending such supports in the last Budget, it seems there is a limit to the Government’s ability to resist helping when times get tough and the money is there. But what will happen when a
Was Seán Lemass really Ireland's greatest taoiseach?
Seán Lemass is remembered as the man who changed Ireland.Several opinion polls have noted Lemass as the country's most admired taoiseach.He never left any papers of autobiography, but rather twenty-two hours of private interviews.Hugh speaks to Irish Times reporter Ronan McGreevy who has gathered these lost interviews and collated them into a memoir in Lemass's own words.Produced by JJ Vernon and
'In the pocket of US multinationals': How is Ireland seen by Europe?
Eoin Drea is a senior researcher at the Wilfried Martens Centre, the official think tank of the European People’s Party (of which Fine Gael is a member), and an occasional contributor to the opinion pages of The Irish Times, where he is often critical of Ireland’s approach to Europe. Recently he wrote that “Ireland’s recent hissy fit at not being invited to a pre-EU summit meeting in&nbs
In the shadow of the war in Iran, inflation and energy costs look set to climb ever higher
Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· Israeli strikes on Iranian natural gas infrastructure marked an escalation in the US-Israeli war on Iran. With global oil and gas prices climbing, could we soon see Government measures to offset the cost to consumers?· Oppositi
The Taoiseach in the court of the mad king
Taoiseach Michel Martin has been meeting US president Donald Trump as part of the annual St Patrick’s Day pageantry. Martin once again faced the challenge of outlining Ireland’s positions on issues from tariffs to wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran while maintaining his personal dignity and without antagonising Trump to Ireland's detriment. It was no easy task, with the US president criticising U
Taoiseach awaits his next dentist’s appointment at The White House
Ellen Coyne and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s St Patrick’s Day visit to The White House to meet US president Donald Trump could prove awkward should he face questions about the US and Israel’s military action against Iran, and its impact on the Middle East, Gulf regions and soaring fuel price
How the Iran war is impacting the world's economies
As war in the Middle East rages on, the world's superpowers are making diplomatic representations to end it, and contingencies to protect their economies from the knock-on effects, namely oil and natural gas prices.China, which buys oil from Iran, would rather the conflict hadn’t begun and would like to see it concluded, according to Irish Times Beijing correspondent Denis Staunton. However i
The modern face of Irish America
The Irish-American experience fitted seamlessly into the story of the United States as a “nation of immigrants”. In the Trump era that narrative has fallen out of favour. Family ties are weakening over time and the old political associations are changing too. So where does that leave our relationship with the 38.5 million Americans who ticked “Irish” in the last US census? On today’s Inside P
How could Donald Trump have thought war with Iran was a good idea?
Naomi O’Leary and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· After six days of US-Israeli attacks on Iran, the conflict is escalating and has spread to Lebanon which has experienced sustained airstrikes from Israel. Iran has vowed to continue targeting Gulf countries having fired missile and drone attacks into Kuwait, Qatar, Sau
Why is the US blocking oil imports to Cuba?
While the world’s attention is focused on the Middle East, Inside Politics looks at the US sphere of influence on Cuba, which is facing ever tightening economic sanctions.Cuban governments have survived attempts to overthrow it by multiple US administrations going all the way back to Dwight Eisenhower following the revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959.Over the decades, Cuban governments have man
Is regime change in Iran a realistic possibility?
Denis Staunton, author of The Irish Times Global Briefing newsletter on international affairs, joins Hugh to talk about the escalating war in the Middle East. They talk about how Iran gradually lost its status as a regional heavyweight, America's unchecked and unrivalled military power, the shift under Trump to a strategy of decapitation when dealing with enemies, the potential economic fallout fr
'Sorry' doesn’t seem to be the hardest word for Government
Ellen Coyne and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· In the Dáil on Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin issued an apology on behalf of the State to survivors of abuse in industrial and reformatory schools. Nobody doubts the sincerity of such apologies, but given the number of them over the years, perhaps their rhetoric sho
Maria Steen: 'If you are in the centre and everybody else moves left, all of a sudden you look right wing'
Campaigner Maria Steen, whose failed bid to launch a run for the presidency last year put the spotlight on the nominations process, talks to Hugh and Ellen Coyne about that campaign. She talks about whether she could have won had she got that nomination and why not enough councils supported her.She also talks about Catherine Connolly's first 100 days in office, why she is uncomfortable with the la
How climate slid down this Government’s agenda
Under this coalition Government Ireland's climate ambitions are colliding with political reality. Hugh talks to Climate and Science Correspondent Caroline O'Doherty about how the current Government is retreating from its own climate legislation even as energy-hungry data centres multiply, agricultural emissions remain stubbornly high and extreme weather batters the country. From Europe's looming f
School SNA row teaches Government a valuable lesson
Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The sharp criticism that greeted a review of allocation of special needs assistants in schools around the country prompted a hasty retreat by Government. The review has now been paused which should buy the Government some time to soothe tensions.·  
Fintan O'Toole: What would fascism look like in the 2020s?
13 months in, Donald Trump's second term is proving to be a much more radical political project than his first. On today's podcast Hugh is joined by Fintan O'Toole to talk about whether the Trump administration's ideology, use of state power and rhetoric now make comparisons with the fascism of the 20th century appropriate. What would fascism look like in today’s media, institutional and
Are politics students getting too narrow an education?
Disputes over freedom of speech, censorship and the shifting norms of acceptable discourse are part and parcel of modern political debate. Now the debate has come to the Leaving Cert. A review of content of the optional Politics and Society subject is underway, with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment saying consideration will be given “to potential risks associated with includ
Have Sinn Féin adopted a populist stance on Ukraine?
Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· This week saw the European Parliament approve a € 90 billion package to support Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia. The loan was approved by a comfortable majority, but among those who voted against it were Sinn Féin’s two MEPs, Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funch
Irish politics shifted left. Why?
How Ireland Voted is a regular publication featuring academic analysis of Irish elections. The latest edition looks at the 2024 general election and features an essay by Gail McElroy and Stefan Müller that puts party manifestos under the microscope, identifying which topics get the most attention and where the parties line up from left to right. The analysis suggests a major leftward shift in Iris
John Mearsheimer: Why Europe still needs the USA
John Mearsheimer returns to the podcast to talk to Hugh about his view of geopolitics and global security in 2026.They talk about Donald Trump's unilateralism, the security architecture of Europe, the consequences for Europe of the war in Ukraine, US Middle East policy and threats to liberal democracy.Mearsheimer paints a pessimistic picture, warning that the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza wil
Are we now seeing a grumpy electorate demanding action?
Pat Leahy and Ellen Coyne join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· When it comes to the housing crisis or whether to spend the exchequer surplus, the results from the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll suggest an electorate that wants to see some action. This is despite Government’s claims that real progress has been made on housing. ·&nb
Should Ireland keep the Triple Lock?
Last week the Government confirmed it will push ahead with legislation to change how the Defence Forces are deployed overseas, including the removal of the Triple Lock when Irish troops are part of an international force.The Triple Lock makes it necessary for any deployment to be ratified by the Dáil, the Government, and the United Nations. The proposed change removes the need for UN approval.&nbs
A wet week in Irish politics
Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The floods brought by Storm Chandra earlier this week devastated eastern parts of the country, and once again exposed our lack of preparation for extreme weather events. The painfully slow delivery of flood defence infrastructure will be highlighted repeatedly as climate
Will the Government's rent control legislation help tenants?
Legislation to reform Ireland's residential property rental landscape is being fast-tracked through the Dáil. What impact will it have? On security of tenure, we will now have some of the most robust protections for renters in Europe. But rents are likely to become even more unaffordable, says Michael Byrne, a lecturer at UCD's School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice.Hugh and Jack
Has the EU learned that a tougher line might work with Donald Trump?
Ellen Coyne and Pat Leahy join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics:· This week saw EU-US relations shift as the near-confrontation over Greenland perhaps showed the best way to handle US President Donald Trump’s demand to take over the Arctic island. The decision by Trump to withdraw the threat of tariffs against eight European countries
Ireland and Europe weigh options as Trump keeps pressure up over Greenland
Jack Power and Jack Horgan-Jones join Pat Leahy to assess a dramatic week in which the transatlantic alliance took a further battering from US president Donald Trump and his demands to acquire Greenland. After Trump used a rambling address at Davos to reveal he would not use force but would 'remember' a failure to hand the vast territory over, EU leaders may now wait and see. Will threatened tarif
Can the Government hold Elon Musk and Grok to account?
Harry McGee, Ellen Coyne and Mark Paul join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The Minister with responsibility for artificial intelligence (AI), Niamh Smyth, met with executives from social media company X on Friday over concerns about their Grok app. The app has been in the headlines because of its ability to produce non-consensual intima
Will global turmoil matter to Irish politics in 2026?
Despite global turmoil, the focus of Irish politics in 2026 is set to remain on matters close to home. Pat Leahy and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh to identify the main challenges facing the Government this year, particularly those on the desks of Minister for Housing James Brown, Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, and how global events could imp
How do Greenlanders feel about Trump's 'psychologically needed' takeover?
US president Donald Trump wants to acquire Greenland, asserting strategic and security needs but also a 'psychological need' to take over the vast, frozen island from Denmark. So how do Greenlanders themselves feel about this idea? Derek Scally is in Greenland's capital Nuuk to find out. He talks to Hugh Linehan about a people whose passion for total independence may have been catalysed by Trump's
Could Coalition politics hurt Ireland’s influence in Brussels?
Jack Horgan-Jones and Ellen Coyne join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The long-anticipated EU-Mercosur trade deal was provisionally approved on Friday, despite the opposition of Ireland, France and three other countries. The deal has been immensely unpopular in Irish political life for a long time, thanks largely to efforts by the farmi
Venezuela has “emboldened” Trump. Here’s what it means for the world
After the weekend’s US airstrikes on Venezuela, and arrest of its president Nicolás Maduro by US special forces, The Irish Times’ China Correspondent Denis Staunton has been pondering what it means for the international order, and territorial disputes around the world.“Events in Venezuela have emboldened Trump and we’ve seen him step up his rhetoric around Greenland” he told the Inside Politics po
What are the chances of a border poll in the next ten years?
For part two of our festive ‘Ask Me Anything’ episode Hugh Linehan is joined on today’s Inside Politics podcast by Jack Horgan Jones, Cormac McQuinn and Ellen Coyne. In this round they tackle listener questions on a border poll, citizen’s assemblies and why we keep on calling our country ‘the State’.Thanks to everyone who listened to the podcast in 2025. From all of us on the Inside Politics team
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