Counterpoint with Eddie Hobbs

Eddie Hobbs visits Citywest to speak with local community leaders about the impact of Ireland's asylum accommodation system on their village.
Featuring interviews with Kiran Kassan and Anne Sullivan from Saggart, and studio guest Linda DeCoursey, an Independent Ireland councillor from Clondalkin.
Expect to learn about the transformation of Saggart from a quiet village to an area housing over 2,400 asylum seekers, the community's concerns regarding safety and cultural integration, and the documented incidents within the International Protection Accommodation center.
The discussion covers the government's limited engagement with local residents, the removal of security barriers before an EU Commissioner's visit, and the changing political narrative around immigration in Ireland. This conversation examines the broader European context of immigration policies, the recent shift in Irish government rhetoric following electoral pressure, and questions whether these changes represent genuine policy reform or merely political posturing.
Linda DeCoursey also shares insights on her path to local politics and the challenges facing Irish communities dealing with rapid demographic changes.
Get in touch: X (Twitter): https://dub.sh/eddiehobbs-x
Newsletter: https://dub.sh/1215substack
To engage with Eddie on personal or corporate financial matters, go to his website: https://eddiehobbs.com/
Eddie Hobbs heads up Hobbs Financial Practice Ltd, a private client advisory firm that specialises in strategic positioning of personal wealth. Hobbs Financial Practice Limited is Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. © 2025 1215 Counterpoint Productions Limited. All rights reserved.

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Ken O'Flynn, TD for Cork North Central and Chairman of Independent Ireland, discusses the dramatic shift in UK migration policy and its potential impact on Ireland.
Expect to learn about the Irish government's response to UK asylum law changes, how Denmark's migration model is being replicated across Europe, and why Ireland's infrastructure is struggling with population growth beyond 2035 projections.
Ken examines the systemic issues in Ireland's asylum system, including concerns about lack of community consultation, strain on local services, and the financial implications of housing asylum seekers while Irish citizens face homelessness.
The conversation explores broader themes of government accountability, whistleblower protection, and the challenges of establishing a new political party in Ireland. Ken provides insights into Independent Ireland's political strategy, their approach to opposition, and their ambitions for growth across all levels of government representation.
This discussion offers a critical perspective on Ireland's migration policies and highlights the growing disconnect between government rhetoric and community concerns across the country.
Get in touch: X (Twitter): https://dub.sh/eddiehobbs-x
Newsletter: https://dub.sh/1215substack
To engage with Eddie on personal or corporate financial matters, go to his website: https://eddiehobbs.com/
Eddie Hobbs heads up Hobbs Financial Practice Ltd, a private client advisory firm that specialises in strategic positioning of personal wealth. Hobbs Financial Practice Limited is Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. © 2025 1215 Counterpoint Productions Limited. All rights reserved.

Chartered Engineer Ivor Cummins and car dealership owner Nadia Adan join Eddie Hobbs to examine the future of motoring against the backdrop of Ireland's Department of Finance plans to reduce miles traveled by 20% in five years and 50% over 25 years.
Expect to learn about the declining global sales of pure electric vehicles, surprising data showing hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles outperforming both traditional combustion engines and EVs in total lifetime CO2 emissions, the significant weight difference between EVs and conventional cars, and the practical implications for tire wear and range.
The discussion also covers the challenges facing the secondhand EV market, including battery replacement costs and residual values.
Nadia Adan shares her journey from financial services to founding Ashford Motors, her experience as an independent dealer focusing on mid to high-end vehicles, and her decision to stop selling EVs based on secondhand market concerns.
She offers insights into the car retail business model, financing structures, and the practical realities of Ireland's infrastructure limitations for electric vehicles. This comprehensive examination of current automotive trends reveals how political decisions are shaping consumer choices, while highlighting the potential of alternative technologies like synthetic fuels, biofuels and hydrogen.
For more visit https://www.eddiehobbs.com
© 2025 1215 Counterpoint Productions Limited. All rights reserved.

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Eddie Hobbs examines whether Ireland's 2022 whistleblower laws were deliberately designed to fail citizens in this revealing episode of Counterpoint. Featuring Senior Counsel Una McGurk, the discussion analyzes a protected disclosure made by a senior Irish pharmacist that has been systematically suppressed.
Expect to learn about the serious allegations contained in the whistleblower's disclosure regarding COVID-19 management, including claims of fraudulent PCR testing protocols, concerning use of midazolam in nursing homes, and alleged misrepresentation by health officials. The conversation explores how regulatory bodies like the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and Department of Health responded to these allegations with what McGurk characterizes as "untruthful statements" to avoid addressing the substance of the disclosure.
This episode provides a detailed examination of Ireland's whistleblower legislation, revealing how it protects whistleblowers themselves but contains no effective mechanisms to ensure their disclosures are properly investigated.
McGurk argues the legislation was deliberately designed as a "filibuster" that creates process without accountability, particularly when allegations are directed at state agencies.
The discussion highlights the broader implications for democratic accountability in Ireland when serious allegations can be effectively buried through procedural maneuvers and institutional silence.
Get in touch: X (Twitter): https://dub.sh/eddiehobbs-x
Newsletter: https://dub.sh/1215substack
To engage with Eddie on personal or corporate financial matters, go to his website: https://eddiehobbs.com/
Eddie Hobbs heads up Hobbs Financial Practice Ltd, a private client advisory firm that specialises in strategic positioning of personal wealth. Hobbs Financial Practice Limited is Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. © 2025 1215 Counterpoint Productions Limited. All rights reserved.

Eddie Hobbs examines controversial political statements and government planning with data scientist Ivor Cummins and legal expert Nick Delehanty in this revealing discussion about Ireland's future trajectory.
Expect to learn about Social Democrats leader Holly Carnes' claim that "there's no link between crime and immigration" and how this contradicts available Irish Prison Service data, Denmark's comprehensive immigration statistics and policies that show clear demographic patterns in crime rates, and Micheál Martin's climate commitments at COP30 despite major nations withdrawing from these agreements.
The conversation provides an in-depth analysis of the Department of Finance's "Future 40" report, which outlines Ireland's path to 2065 including dramatic carbon reduction targets, projected national debt increases to over 140% of gross national income, and a strategy relying on mass immigration to offset declining birth rates while potentially exporting educated Irish youth.
This discussion highlights how the 215-page government document appears to prioritize international climate commitments over addressing Ireland's housing crisis, with projections suggesting housing will remain unaffordable until 2040 despite the current deficit of approximately 250,000 homes.
The speakers note the absence of cultural preservation, security considerations, and defense spending in this long-term national planning document.
Get in touch: X (Twitter): https://dub.sh/eddiehobbs-x
Newsletter: https://dub.sh/1215substack
To engage with Eddie on personal or corporate financial matters, go to his website: https://eddiehobbs.com/
Eddie Hobbs heads up Hobbs Financial Practice Ltd, a private client advisory firm that specialises in strategic positioning of personal wealth. Hobbs Financial Practice Limited is Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. © 2025 1215 Counterpoint Productions Limited. All rights reserved.