Tortoise Shack Media
Reboot Republic - Rory Hearne by Tortoise Shack Media
Reboot Republic is the innovative Podcast that delves beyond the headlines and soundbites and pulls up the roots of our Social Crises to unearth progressive solutions.
Author
Tortoise Shack Media
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jun 18, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
The Sumud Flotilla with Mikey Cullen 18.06.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Poet and teacher Mikey Cullen about his experience on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which attempted to break the siege of Gaza. He explains the illegal actions of Israel in kidnapping EU citizens in International waters, the violence they inflicted, and the hope and humanity the Flotilla carried. We also discuss why Ir...
The Societal Cost of Ireland’s Data Centre Boom 09.06.2026 39:25
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack This Reboot Republic Podcast, is a deep dive into the environmental and societal impacts of data centres and AI development in Ireland. Rory and Dr Ciaran O'Carroll analyse the rapid expansion of data centre infrastructure, its economic benefits (if any?), and the urgent need for sustainable and equitable strategies. This podcast outlines the finance cha...
The Cost of Living – Protecting People and the Reality of Productivity 05.06.2026 32:04
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory is joined by Economist with SIPTU, Michael Taft, to discuss the global economic outlook, the impacts the various crises are having on Ireland and the steps our Government (in housing, energy and health) can take to protect people from the worst of a worsening situation. Michael also delves into the issues facing the low and...
Rents Out of Control as Government Policy 22.05.2026 34:58
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Tony about the massive rent increases caused by the Government's new rental policies, Micheal Martin's thinskinned replies in the Dáil and the disturbing killing of Yves Sakila on Henry Street in Dublin. Join CATU: https://catuireland.org/ Black and Irish:https://blackandirish.com/ Philip O'Connor on violence podcas...
Immigration and the far right – Don’t Believe the Online Hype 15.05.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Hope, Courage and Community This Reboot Republic episode explores public attitudes towards migration, the rise of hate and far-right mobilisation in Ireland, and how communities are responding. Experts from the Hope and Courage Collective, Niamh McDonald and Edel McGinley join Rory to discuss the findings of their new report 'Ireland in Focus 2025, Mind...
Charting a Path Through the Energy Crisis 07.05.2026 38:02
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks with economist and Director of NERI, Tom McDonnell about the current energy crisis, its global implications, and practical solutions for Ireland. The conversation covers energy security, renewable infrastructure, housing, and the need for a state construction company to address Ireland's housing crisis. It's all about...
There Are Real Alternatives – Community Wealth Building 29.04.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic episode, Rory interviews Joe Guinan about the current geopolitical turbulence, the economic implications of the war, and the potential of community wealth building as a transformative alternative to the current financial system. Joe Guinan is President of The Democracy Collaborative. His focus is on political economy, strategy, an...
Never Again, yet the Genocide continues – Mikey Cullen on the Gaza Flotilla 22.04.2026
In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Poet and teacher Mikey Cullen about his decision to join the new flotilla heading to break the siege on Gaza. We talk about history repeating itself - how genocide continues in Gaza by Israel despite international law, our common commitment to never again, and finding meaning and purpose in a world where social media tries to commodify us into turning against...
Connecting the crises- war, fuel protests & evictions 16.04.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory and Tony discuss the costs of Trump's war - Israel's ongoing attacks on Lebanon, the fuel protests, the need for societal solidarity and how they reflect a deep distress amongst people struggling with the cost of living and where this is all headed. They draw the parallel between government arrogance and lack of comp...
Beds in Sheds – A Planning and Political Failing 10.04.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory discusses with Dr Phil Lawton of Trinity College the Government's latest housing proposals to remove planning restrictions on living in back-gardens & allow them to be rented. Phil sets out the international experience of back garden/lane dwellings - and the key differences with Ireland. He sets out real concerns with what t...
Poverty behind closed doors – The real Ireland from St Vincent De Paul 03.04.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Louise Bayliss of the St Vincent De Paul about what they are hearing and seeing from the 260,000 people contacting them looking for support. We look at child poverty, and ask why is it still so bad - almost 1 in 5 children go hungry at some point. We also discuss normalising homelessness and what needs to change. Lo...
Evictions Up 41% – A National Emergency 27.03.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack This Reboot Republic again delves into Ireland's housing crisis, government policies, and the influence of international investment on the economy. Rory and Tony analyse the systemic issues, the role of private sector interests, the government fund festival vs the mass evictions that are occuring and the potential solutions for sustainable, green and pub...
Immigration – Reality vs Perception 20.03.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with Keire Murphy, policy officer with the ESRI about their recent research on public attitudes on immigration in Ireland and how that compares to the reality. We also discuss what factors influence people's views, and how this can be changed, from tackling disadvantage to local communities working to engage ne...
Choosing between heating & eating: disabled people’s cost of living crisis 22.02.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic Rory speaks to Joan Carthy of the Irish Wheelchair Association about the cost of living crisis facing disabled people and their campaign for an emergency cost of disability winter payment. Joan explains how disabled people feel like they were pawns in the election after promises were made by Government but then their supports were...
Floods of Optimism 11.02.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory chats to producer Tony about the biggest changes to Ireland’s rental market in a generation, the Government’s response (or lack of) to the recent floods and the need for the opposition to make the public believe that it doesn’t have to be this way when it comes to the current politics of mediocrity. The Epstein Files...
Hope in Action with Jenny Maguire 02.02.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks with activist, campaigner and commentator Jenny Maguire about her recent column that laid out the need for the broad left to focus on building a coalition that is based on a more hopeful vision and less prone to infighting around identity politics. This is a great conversation with a great voice and The Flash even make...
Democracy Challenged – Ireland’s GDP is a Mirage 23.01.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory chats with UCD Professor Aidan Regan about the gap between Ireland’s global leading GDP and the average person’s economic outlook. Aidan argues that this imbalance contributes to the growing polarisation in our society and politics and he also talks about how exposed our economic miracle is to the whims of the man in...
The 2026 Predictions Pod 15.01.2026
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory is joined by producer Tony Groves to talk the reality of our homelessness crisis, the horror of AI/X Grok's CSAM, Simon Harris joining Jim O'Callaghan on the anti-immigrant bus, Climate Action getting binned by government and why the Left needs to focus on kitchen table issues in 2026. Editors Note: Rory subsequently abandon...
Homeless for Christmas with the Simon Communities 27.12.2025 33:31
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks with Ber Grogan, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland about what are real reasons for the ongoing rise in homelessness, finding hope in solutions like a ban on evictions, and is it fair to call out landlord greed to get the market rent & the HAP trap. Venezuela Podcast with el Pais journalist Nicholas...
A booming economy & struggling society ?Ireland’s economy explained with Conor McCabe 20.12.2025
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with leading author and researcher Conor McCabe about the Irish economy - is this really record economic growth? How does foreign direct investment mislead what is really going on, how it shapes our policy and leaves us wondering why are things so difficult for so many if this is record economic growth. We also...
The Aspirations of a Plan 14.11.2025 32:02
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic Podcast, Rory chats with tortoise shack editor Tony Groves about the government's new housing plan, that is so impressive that the Minister for Housing, James Brown, didn't even bother hanging around to answer questions on it in the Dáil. This is a short insight into what is and more importantly is not in the "plan." The Philip O'...
The Presidential Election and Left Unity beyond the Connolly Campaign 24.10.2025 1:09:17
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory is joined by tortoise shack editor and producer, Tony Groves and Mr irishelectionprojections.com, Harry McEvansoneya, to talk about the Presidential Election, the broad Left-unity movement that may emerge and the far right in Ireland. We also pit Rory's enthusiasm against Tony's cynicism and Harry looks at what lessons might...
Who is Buying Our Homes with Lorcan Sirr 06.10.2025 46:18
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Editors Note: This was a member-only podcast from Sept, but members asked for it to go out for free, so here it is. In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks who is buying our homes with Lorcan Sirr, Senior Lecturer in TUD. Lorcan breaks down who exactly is buying up newly built homes in Ireland - the answer is - increasingly it's not first time home buyers -...
The Housing Crisis and Why I Still Believe in Human Rights 26.09.2025 51:13
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Leilani Farha is a human rights lawyer, host of PushBack Talks, founder of Right to Housing organisiation, The Shift, former UN Special Rapporteur for the Right to Adequate Housing and most importantly a Tortoise Shack fan. She rejoins us to talk about the ongoing global financialisation of housing, the ways some cities have pushed back, what the genocid...
Child Poverty – What Must Be Done. 20.09.2025
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with Tanya Ward, Director of the Children’s Rights Alliance about the reasons underlying the shocking figure that 1 in 5 children in Ireland are in poverty after housing costs are paid. We discuss the impact of the housing costs – as families are forced into food poverty and overcrowding, the impact on children...
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