Mooney on Irish Politics

Dublin faces a Catch-22: a city infrastructure that is creaking at the seams because it cannot serve the needs of those who depend on it, but which cannot be expanded because the labour needed to rebuild that infrastructure cannot be found as the wages cannot reasonably cover the cost of living in or around this Dublin. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/06/0...

In this episode I again make the point that the government is not addressing the Irish housing crisis at the scale (or speed) required to stop housing being an election issue at the next general election in 2024. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/05/26/happy-the-opposition-when-a-government-cannot-effectively-promote-its-own-achievements/

This episode looks at the May 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election results.  It is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/05/11/ni-assembly-result-was-historic-just-not-era-changing/

In this podcast I look at the problem of random vicious attacks and anti-social behaviour in Dublin city centre. It is just one of an increasing number of problems which - combined - are detrimentally affecting the quality of life of people who live and work in Dublin city. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/04/28/no-more-no-go-in-dublin-city-centre/

This podcast was recorded two weeks before polling in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/04/21/dup-is-down-but-dont-count-it-out-just-yet/

When it comes to defence policy and the thorny issue of spending more on Irish Defence, the Irish public is far ahead of its political leadership. They know that military neutrality today means higher defence costs. The political obfuscation needs to stop... and this includes shelving the plan to set up yet another Citizens Assembly to debate neutrality. This risks being another kick to touch to s...

Just catching up on some unposted blogs and podcasts. This one is from mid-March 2022 and looks at Sinn Féin's bulk deletion of many 1,000s of old press statements and comments.  This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/04/13/why-eat-your-words-when-you-can-delete-them/

In this episode I examine how Putin's brutal, but faltering, invasion of Ukraine has in only a few days managed to undo his two decade long project of weakening and splintering the western alliance through sowing disunity and distrust within the EU and US polities. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/03/07/how-putins-brutal-invasion-of-ukraine-undid-two-decade...

The false flag is one of Putin’s favourite political tactics. Indeed, he may well owe his tight and long-lasting grip on power in Russia to a vicious and blood curdling false flag operation that targeted and killed many 100s of innocent Russian civilians. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/02/22/putin-the-czar-of-false-flags/

While the DUP has the capacity to inflict damage and delay the restoration of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, it still faces a political and demographic shift that spells its ultimate decline as a major force. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/02/21/the-painful-sting-of-a-fading-dup/

In this episode I consider how a decade of political neglect of defence is coming back to haunt the government. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/02/02/irish-defence-policy-the-sleeping-dog-thats-no-longer-content-to-stay-sleeping/

In this episode I consider the beleagured leadership of Boris Johnson and suggest that he may limp on until May when his fate could be sealed by a bad mid-term local election result. Meanwhile, the three Irish government party leaders will be happy that the next local and european elections are not due here until 2024 and so they face no mid-term electoral test in 2022… except… This episode is als...

This is the second episode of 2022 and looks at Sinn Féin's decade late discovery of the need for public sector reform. It is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/01/17/sinn-fein-discovers-public-sector-reform/

In the first Mooney on Politics episode of 2022 I look at the contrasting approaches that both Taoiseach and Tánaiste appear (from their public comments, at least) to the possibility of a reshuffle of their ministesr when the government mid-point/turnabout comes next December. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2022/01/11/for-both-taoiseach-and-tanaiste-the-questi...

In this episode I look at the latest government responses to the Omicron variant and ask if we are taking sufficient notice from what our government, and others across Europe and across the globe, have sometimes done wrong, and often done right. I specifically urge the re-establishment of the Special Dáil Committee on Covid-19, which was, in a most short-sighted move, disbanded in October 2020. Th...

In this episode I make a comparison I'd never have thought possible just two years ago - but I explain why the two leaders - who do not share many  other characteristics - regrettably share one very large negative one.  This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2021/12/16/martin-and-johnson-more-alike-than-youd-think/

In this week's Podcast I Iook at two strained sets of relationships. The first is that between ministers and NPHET and the second is the one between the government and the hospitality industry. Going after the hospitality sector when so more needs to be done in ICUs and in ensuring better ventilation in classrooms must seem unfair, if not an outright distraction. This episode is also available as...

This week's podcast looks at how Micheál Martin may enjoy the trappings of being Taoiseach, but eschews the political leadership responsibility that goes with it in favour of managerial minimalism. This podcast is based on this article: https://derekmooney.ie/2021/11/19/does-mm-stand-for-micheal-martin-or-managerial-minimalism/

In this episode I dismiss the easy speculation that Sinn Féin is set to be in govt North and South soon, but I warn that it cannot be ruled out... unless one of the two traditional big parties finally comes to its political senses. I also take a quick look at the most recent Sunday Business Post/RedC poll and see where this sits in the recent series of political polls.  This episode is also a...

I refer to a BEERG Byte podcast on the Italian Green Pass in my Podcast. You can listen to it HERE . This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2021/10/19/this-weeks-covid19-reopening-should-have-gone-ahead/

In this episode I look at Fianna Fail's problems in defining itself, particularly the seeming unwillingness, or inability, of its leader to do it. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2021/10/13/when-leadership-colours-matter-fail-to-define-yourself-and-others-will-do-it-for-you/

In this episode I look at the NDP launch and the October Budget and reflect briefly on the latest Irish Times poll showing Sinn Féin moving 10pts ahead of Fine Gael. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2021/10/07/maybe-wed-believe-them-more-if-the-numbers-were-smaller/

In this episode I discuss the stories of rape, bullying and discrimination as related in RTÉ's Women of Honour radio documentary and the failure of the Irish military command to pursue these cases and deliver justice to the victims. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2021/09/28/women-of-extraordinary-honour-and-courage/

This Mooney on Politics podcast looks at the recent faux controversy over President Higgins declining an invitation to a NI100 church service in Armagh. I show how former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, set out the right approach to commemoration in a speech in May 2010 and show how President's decision is in keeping with this approach.  This podcast is based on this recent blogpost:  https://de...

In this Mooney on Politics episode I look at the recent no confidence motion on the day after the vote, using my column from a few days before. The column on which this episode is based is available as a blog post: http://derekmooney.ie/2021/09/16/a-brief-history-of-the-no-confidence-motion/