Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

In the first of a series with the leaders of the three largest political parties, Taoiseach Simon Harris sat down with Hugh Linehan to answer questions submitted by Inside Politics podcast listeners on issues including taxation, housing, threats to Ireland’s economy, why Ireland does not facilitate overseas voting, and more. He revealed that he is not in favour of forming a coalition with a left-w...

Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee join Hugh for a look at today's events on the campaign trail: Mary Lou McDonald showed how effective a campaigner and political communicator she can be while meeting students at DCU. Aontú launched its manifesto, but at first there was one thing missing - the manifesto itself. Fianna Fáil launched its plan for Dublin city, a place it has struggled to recover seats in...

Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to discuss the day's political action from the campaign: As discussed in this morning's regular podcast, there is growing uncertainty over Ireland's economic model thanks to the reelection of Donald Trump. At a Cabinet meeting this morning, there were warnings over what the future could hold. Sinn Féin's manifesto included the suggestion that RTÉ's coverage o...

Thanks largely to corporation tax receipts from multinationals, the Irish state has plenty of money. And so far this election campaign has been largely about how to spend it - on capital investment, on tax cuts and on new spending on all sorts of programmes and projects. But with the threats to Ireland's economic model growing, will such spending be sustainable? Hugh is joined by Professor John Mc...

Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk about all today’s news on the election campaign trail: Standing side by side during last night’s leaders debate on RTÉ, Micheal Martin and Simon Harris countered Mary Lou McDonald’s criticisms, sometimes aggressively. The optics favoured the Sinn Féin leader. On the subject of government formation, Labour leader Ivana Bacik spoke of her intention to...

Sarah Burns and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the day’s politics on the campaign trail: Today saw party leaders give their views on the behaviour of Fine Gael candidate for Louth John McGahon, who was acquitted of assault in 2022. Is he now a problem candidate for the party? Labour’s weekend manifesto launch revealed a big commitment to expanded state intervention in housing construction . The So...

Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh for our daily discussion of the election campaign: ·      With the first week of the general election campaign coming to a close, Fine Gael are making a strong pitch for the law-and-order vote with their campaign promises. Policing and justice seem to be a key area for both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, but will it mobilise...

Political stability is indicated by the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll, with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil looking set to lead the next government, possibly in alliance with a smaller party or a group of Independents. Indeed, the rise in support for independent candidates is one of the most striking aspects of the poll, and some may well play a role in the formation of the next government. Woul...

Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh for our daily discussion of the election campaign: Simon Harris says Fine Gael would remove the means test for recipients of the carer's allowance. It is a move already supported by many opposition parties. But it would be expensive - potentially much more so than the €600 million per year figure mentioned by the Taoiseach. Sinn Fein launched their immigration...

Today's panelists are Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray, who join Hugh Linehan to discuss: Housing is the issue of the campaign so far - we recap how the debate has evolved Mary Lou McDonald spoke about how Sinn Féin is unfairly questioned about the past. Does she have a point? Former Fine Gael Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy's frank account of how his party 'didn't make housing a priority' c...

Fears that the use of AI deepfakes would disrupt the flow of accurate information in a general election campaign have not come true. Instead we have been treated to a digital manifestation of someone who barely resembles Taylor Swift endorsing the Healy-Raes: welcome to the cheapfake era. On today's Inside Politics podcast Hugh Linehan is joined by Liz Carolan to discuss the influence of digital m...

Harry McGee and Sarah Burns, who have accompanied politicians from several parties as they have canvassed for votes in the past week, join Hugh to talk about the issues that are coming up on doorsteps. In Dublin South Central and Dublin West, Sarah has noticed a less negative sentiment towards Sinn Féin. That's good news for the party as it seeks to add second seats in constituencies where it domi...

Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn to discuss today’s events in the 2024 general election campaign: Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary’s comments about teachers at a Fine Gael TD’s campaign launch event have got the party off to a bad start . Fine Gael’s proposal to change a VAT rate in order to help the hospitality industry has some downsides, not least for the other industries who...

The Dáil has been dissolved and the 2024 general election is officially underway. Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss day one of the campaign: How Taoiseach Simon Harris addressed the country Poster wars had begun prematurely on lampposts all across Ireland Mary Lou McDonald spoke about Sinn Féin's strategy for this campaign, to a soundtrack of Damien Dempsey Plus: Tickets are now ava...

November 29th is now confirmed as the date of General Election 2024. Election Daily from The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast will update you on the campaign every weekday between now and then. Hugh Linehan and Jack Horgan-Jones are here to briefly update listeners on what to expect from the show, when to listen out for episodes and what the opening stages of the campaign will look like. Plus:...

Live from Palm Beach Florida, where Donald Trump is celebrating his historic victory in the 2024 US presidential race, Steven Carroll joins Hugh, Fintan O'Toole and Jennifer Bray to discuss what went wrong for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, why so many categories of American supported Trump and what his win means for politics and the wider world. Would you like to receive daily insights into wo...

When will Simon Harris dissolve the Dáil and go to the Áras? Could he pull a surprise, or are there any final banana skins that could disrupt his plans? Jennifer Bray joins Hugh to talk about the choreography of the week. Plus they look at some pre-campaign skirmishes between Micheal Martin and his Fine Gael colleagues and Sinn Féin's bullish candidate selection decisions. Would you like to receiv...

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Economist, podcaster and Irish Times columnist David McWilliams joins Hugh to talk about his new book Money: A Story of Humanity. They talk about the meaning of money and how it should be used to improve lives and societies. 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/gl...

Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee join Hugh to discuss the week in politics: The Government is completing what it can of its unfinished legislative programme before the general election, and that means the 'guillotine' - a procedure that shortens the time needed to debate bills as they pass through the Oireachtas - is getting heavy use this week. Which bills are getting chopped - and which are getting...

Now that it is confirmed there will be a general election this year, the Irish Times politics team can finally unleash their predictions - or should that be possible future outcomes - of which candidates and parties will emerge victorious from some of the most competitive constituencies in the State. Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee and Pat Leahy tackle Dublin Central, Dublin Bay South, Carlow-Kilkenny,...

Trump or Harris? We'll know America's answer in just two weeks, but until then the race is too close to call. With the margins so tight, Democrats and Republicans are desperately seeking advantage in the key swing states, spending millions of dollars on TV ads. But it is the Republicans feeling happiest, with polls tightening in Donald Trump's favour in places like Wisconsin. That's where Washingt...

Host Hugh Linehan is joined by Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn to look back on the week in politics: ·     With a general election now likely a matter of weeks away, it is the main opposition party, and not government parties, who continue to dominate the headlines. And they are unwanted headlines relating to former TD Brian Stanley, former senator Niall Ó Donnghaile...

Tánaiste Micheál Martin sits down with Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy to talk about the timing of the next general election. For the first time he states clearly that he is open to the vote taking place before Christmas - but with some caveats. Martin also talks about his attitude to Sinn Féin as a potential future partner in government and whether Ireland could take unilateral action Would you like t...

The resignation from Sinn Féin of Laois TD Brian Stanley on Saturday, and the party's referral to the Gardaí of information it gathered during an internal inquiry into an unspecified allegation made against Stanley, has triggered a fresh crisis for Mary Lou McDonald. The Sinn Féin leader is now struggling on multiple fronts as the party faces demands for an explanation as to why the Gardaí were no...