Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

London editor Denis Staunton joins Hugh, Fiach and Jennifer to talk about the gripping story that has dominated UK politics for many straight days: Dominic Cummings' road trip (20.34). But first on today's podcast the team look at our own lockdown etiquette mini-scandal involving Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, revelations at the Covid committee hearings on the state's assistance to nursing homes at the s...

"Once taboos are broken, it's quite hard to reinstate them".A German court ruling challenging the primacy of European Court of Justice in EU matters poses a threat to the EU that even it can't fudge. The case hinged on the right of the European Central Bank to engage in bond-buying to support the EU economy. The top German court has ruled that the ECB hasn't sufficiently explained why the measures...

A move to challenge Eamon Ryan as Green leader is under way among a cohort within the party, with deputy leader Catherine Martin being urged to stand against him. That's the first topic on today's podcast with Irish Times politics team Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee which also takes in government formation talks, a strange spat between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, the first hearing of the...

It's been a difficult path for Eamon Ryan and the Green Party since the dark period following 2011, when the party lost all its seats and state funding. His stewardship of the party has earned him respect, particularly among the old guard. But do the fast-growing Greens' new recruits give him the same credit? Fiach Kelly writes about Ryan in this weekend's edition of The Irish Times and here he ta...

Different countries are taking different approaches at different speeds as they move to reopen their economies. London Editor Denis Staunton and Berlin Correspondent Derek Scally talk to Hugh Linehan about the politics of pandemic in the UK and Germany respectively. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing news...

As Ireland moves into the next, more complex phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, how can we hold the authorities to account? Is the current government being transparent enough about the decisions it is making and the rationale which underpins them? What happens when a new government is finally formed? And how well is the media covering the crisis? Hugh Linehan talks to columnist Fintan O’Toole and pol...

The Green Party has demanded that any government it joins implements cuts of 7 per cent each year to our national carbon emissions. Where does that figure come from, and is it achievable? We ask climate researcher Hannah Daly. Then Fiach Kelly explains how the overtures from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are going down with the Greens, and what we know about plans to ease the Coronavirus lockdown. Dr...

Phillipe Sands is a barrister, author and broadcaster. His new book The Ratline tells the story of Nazi war criminal and fugitive Otto Wachter, about whom Sands has already produced a popular podcast, also called The Ratline, for the BBC. Sands talks to Hugh about how he encountered Wachter's son, the nature of evil and the remembrance of the Holocaust. Would you like to receive daily insights int...

This week the Government published the worst economic projections since the financial crisis of 2008-11. Finance minister, Paschal Donohue, issued a bleak warning that Ireland is now in “severe recession”. How will the next government deal with the economic and fiscal challenges that lie ahead? Is there anything in the joint framework from Fine Gael and Fine Fail that can weather the storm? Michae...

This week, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's historic agreement to form a government together didn't make much of a splash among the distracted public. There are difficult decisions ahead, but no sign of them in the joint framework document that accompanied the agreement. Will a smaller party bet on going into government with FF and FG in a time of unprecedented uncertainty? And can Sinn Féin be ignored...

Today Hugh talks to American journalist Clare Malone about the upending of US politics in an election year by the outbreak of Covid-19. Clare is senior political writer with FiveThirtyEight, a data-driven politics and sports website. She is also a regular on the popular FiveThirtyEight politics podcast. They talk about the response of the Trump administration to the outbreak, the potential impact...

Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the EU response to the coronavirus crisis and how differing national memories of anther crisis, the financial crash of a decade ago, are driving dissonance among member states. Plus, Pat digs into the government formation talks once again. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up...

As we approach a sunny bank holiday weekend, and with several weeks of social distancing already under our belts, Hugh talks to Jennifer O'Connell and Patrick Freyne about how we are collectively handling the deprivations of life in lockdown. And we wonder some more about what permanent changes might come about as a result of Covid-19. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events del...

Politics is still going on, so Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee talk to Hugh about the latest goings-on: government formation, Seanad elections and the Labour leadership. But first they reflect on the nature of work and politics in the age of isolation. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: iri...

Fiach joins to Hugh to talk about the caretaker government's response to the Covid-19 outbreak, and how the intervention of a civil servant has brought focus back onto the creation of a new government. 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/global-briefing/ Hosted o...

What will come in the wake of Covid-19? The end of the office and the transformation of cities? A new age of hedonism? A long-term increase of the role of the state in the economy? To talk about that and more, Hugh virtually sits down with Fintan O'Toole. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here...

What a week it has been since our last podcast. Hugh and Pat talk about Leo Varadkar's national address, what the Coronavirus outbreak means for politics now and in the future, and the dilemma facing our system of how to form a new government under such novel and trying circumstances. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's G...

Jennifer and Pat join Hugh to talk about the Coronavirus outbreak. How ready is Ireland? They also discuss the accelerated government formation now taking place. As the situation worsens, all parties will come under even more pressure to bring a new government into existence. Like many of you, the Inside Politics team is making changes to how it does things in light of the Coronavirus outbreak. To...

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar lambasted Sinn Féin this week for “burning a Tricolour before our eyes” by referring to the Republic of Ireland as "the Southern State". He's wasting his time if he expects Sinn Féin to change in this respect, but he's also missing a more important point, says Irish Times columnist Newton Emerson. Southern politicians should learn from the peace process in Northern Ireland t...

As government formation talks rumble on behind the scenes, Fiach Kelly and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan in studio to discuss the first of the Labour hustings which took place in Cork on Monday night. Labour have struggled to win the youth vote and provide a clear party message, so how can they stay relevant to an electorate who are moving further away from them? Also, Irish Times parliamentary co...

With Brexit negotiations due to take place on Monday between Britain and the European Union, each side is accusing the other of bad faith. Britain’s negotiating mandate is at odds with the European Union’s on a number of issues. So what are these key points of contention and will there also be issues surrounding the Northern Irish Protocol? London Editor Denis Staunton and Europe Correspondent Nao...

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Fingal and party health spokesperson Louise O'Reilly joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the party's reasons for holding public events this week and its ambition to be a part of the next government. What would it take for Fianna Fáil's stance to shift in favour of a deal? They also discuss the governmental response to the global Coronavirus outbreak. Would you like to receive...

Who was Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin really speaking to when he attacked Sinn Féin last night in Leinster House? Fiach Kelly joins Hugh to discuss a fraught first meeting of the 33rd Dáil. 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/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast....

On today's podcast: Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are both spinning that Sinn Féin must step up and try to form a left-wing government - hoping that Mary Lou McDonald will fail, of course. Michéal Martin and Fianna Fáil arrive at a major inflection point: should they try to court younger working class voters or older middle class voters? The future of the party may be at stake. And the Labour Party fa...

Now that the dust has finally settled on the Irish general election, Hugh is joined in studio by Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee to answer any of your lingering questions. 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/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...