Fine Gael slumps as Sinn Féin returns to top spot in our poll
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee analyse the latest Irish Times / Ipsos B&A poll results, which show that Sinn Féin has regained its position as the most popular party in the Republic while Fine Gael has slumped to a record low in the series. The new data also show voters have little enthusiasm for the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Independent Coalition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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18:43
Will Europe cave to Trump's trade demands?
Cliff Taylor joins Pat Leahy to assess the latest developments in the trade war initiated by US president Donald Trump that threatens to upend the global economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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22:42
How Morgan McSweeney put Keir Starmer in power
As the head of an organisation called Labour Together, which despite its name '"was all about dividing the Labour party and defeating the left", Irishman Morgan McSweeney handpicked Keir Starmer as the leadership candidate to take on Jeremy Corbyn and the party's left wing in 2020. That is according to Patrick Maguire, co-author of Get In, an entertaining book about Starmer's road to Number 10 and McSweeney's accumulation of power behind the scenes. He talks to Hugh about McSweeney's talent, Starmer's leadership and why the Labour government is struggling to get its message across.Get In by Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund is available now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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36:39
Micheál Martin interview: Ireland will ‘resist’ EU tech tax
On Friday afternoon Taoiseach Micheál Martin talked to Hugh and Pat about a range of issues: On tariffs, the Taoiseach says he "suspects" a US decision on pharmaceuticals may be incorporated into overall trade negotiations, to Ireland’s advantage. He says that Ireland will resist any move by the EU to apply new taxes to US tech firms and supports the pharmaceutical industry's call for more favourable EU regulations.With the Government not on course to meet its goal of 300,000 new homes built by 2030, Mr Martin insists that figure is still the target and says a more aggressive social housing program is needed, criticising Dublin City Council for not building social housing "to any appreciable degree". On working with Michael Lowry and the Regional Independents, he insists no individual deals were made with independent TDs to secure their support and that he dealt with Mr Lowry only to enable the formation of a stable Government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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56:05
Sanctimonious Soc Dems find themselves on shaky high moral ground
Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The ‘Golden Age of America’ came and went over the course of a week as US President Donald Trump decided on Wednesday to pause his reciprocal tariffs for most countries for the next 90 days. · The status of suspended Social Democrat TD Eoin Hayes was up for debate this week with the party successfully pushing for representation based on election result rather than current Dáil numbers in order to secure two Oireachtas committee chairperson roles. So, is Hayes a Soc Dem TD or not? Some are making understandable comparisons with the recent speaking rights row.· And Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has signalled a new Bill to overhaul the asylum system here with the latest data showing a surge in deportation orders and a substantial fall in applications in early 2025, both attributable to O’Callaghan’s predecessor Helen McEntee. Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· The best way to resurrect a graveyard, humanitarian efforts in Chad, and Richard Boyd Barrett’s cancer diagnosis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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.