Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

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 Irish politics over the past decade. Why has this happened, and who is filling the gap this move has left on the right of the political spectrum?

Gail and Theresa Reidy, who edited the book, talk to Hugh and Pat about what the analysis tells us about Irish politics. They also talk about candidate selection practices, which is the subject of Theresa's own essay.

Gail McElroy is a professor in the Department of Political Science at Trinity College, Dublin.
Theresa Reidy is a professor in the Department of Government and Politics at University College Cork.

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John Mearscheimer 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 will have poisonous long-term consequences that most people fail to grasp.

Professor John Mearsheimer is a political scientist and geopolitical analyst at the University of Chicago.
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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.

· One of the most noteworthy finds of the latest Irish/Ipsos B&A opinion poll is the uptick in Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s approval rating. He is now the most popular party leader here who continues to have the backing of more than 80 per cent of Fianna Fáil voters. Perhaps he has now put Jim Gavin’s fiasco of a presidential campaign behind him?

· And the latest tranche of Epstein files is proving to be quite damaging for UK prime minister Keir Starmer, with an apology issued this week to victims of Jeffrey Epstein over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador at a time when his friendship with Epstein was already public knowledge.

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

· The Melania Trump film, a world without nuclear arms control, and why transgender rights misinformation is the last thing schools need.
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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.

Opposition parties and many independent TDs and senators are opposed to the change. That includes Independent Senator Tom Clonan, who joins Hugh today to explain why.
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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 change makes such weather events more common.

· Some of the biggest developers in the State are unhappy with the rental reforms scheduled to be introduced on March 1st. They view them as unconstitutional and have threatened legal action against the Government if they fail to engage with them on it.

· And the death of 16-year-old Grace Lynch, hit by a scrambler motorbike on a pedestrian crossing on the Ratoath Road last Sunday, shows the urgent need for proper enforcement of laws to stop illegal use of scramblers in urban areas of the country.

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

· US composer Philip Glass upsets Donald Trump, why not all rankings are worth paying attention to, and the mega success of K-Pop Demon Hunters.
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