Podcast Episodes

Green light for the National Maternity Hospital / Ripping up the Protocol

Part one: Following two weeks of intense debate and discussion on the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital, the plan has finally been approved by Cabinet. But at what political cost? Pat and…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Pandemonium: Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh O’Connell

Pandemonium: Power, Politics and Ireland’s Pandemic, is the new book by Irish Times political reporter Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh O’Connell, political correspondent for the Irish Independent. It exam…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Stormont election special: Seismic or not, a significant result for Northern Ireland

Freya McClements, Mary Minihan and Pat Leahy join Hugh to analyse the results of last week's Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

The major talking point is Sinn Féin taking the largest number of sea…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Voters go to the polls in Britain and Northern Ireland

Tomorrow Northern Ireland goes to the polls, in what’s been dubbed the most important vote in a generation. For the first time in more than a century, there is the prospect of a nationalist being ele…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Turf wars, TD numbers and a row over surrogacy

Pat and Jen join Hugh to talk about all the political stories of the past week including tension within the coalition over a proposed ban on the sale of turf, the prospect of an increased number of T…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Two very different elections, two defining moments

Next weekend, French voters decide whether Emmanuel Macron should remain president or Marine Le Pen should replace him. The latter result would transform France and Europe.

Next month, Northern Irish…

Published on 3 years, 8 months ago

Poll exclusive: majority favour keeping neutrality

There is overwhelming support for a retention of Ireland’s current model of military neutrality, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos poll. 

Two- thirds of voters do not want to see any change in…

Published on 3 years, 8 months ago

Watt in the spotlight / State of the parties

Part one: The political controversy over the appointment of Dr Tony Holohan to a position in Trinity College has raised some awkward questions for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and his departm…

Published on 3 years, 8 months ago

What is neoliberalism - and is it over?

Neoliberalism means different things to different people. As a set of economic policies it is mainly associated with reducing state intervention in commerce and society. In the course of its late 20t…

Published on 3 years, 8 months ago

Zelenskiy’s historic address to Oireachtas, carbon tax increase, Seanad by-election

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee to discuss the big political stories of the week, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s historic address to a joint sitti…

Published on 3 years, 8 months ago