The Explainer

We are now a month into a conflict that has turned Sudan's capital into a war zone. Hundreds have been killed, thousands injured and an estimated 700,000 have been displaced. On this week's episode, we sit down with Dr Sulafa Salama, a Sudanese doctor working in St James's in Dublin, who was trapped in Khartoum when the fighting broke out. We're also joined by Dr Aia Mohamed, assistant professor a...

We've all noticed that we're spending more and more on our weekly shop - but in recent weeks, we've seen price cuts to staples like milk, butter, and bread. But why now? What changed? We're joined by Caitríona Morrissey, news editor with the Irish Farmers Journal. She gives us the background to these recent price drops and explains how cuts to 'loss leaders' might have little impact on your overal...

Summer is approaching, which means rising temperatures and an increased chance of wildfires. On this week's episode, Pádraic Fogarty of the Irish Wildlife Trust tells us about the damage caused by wildfires - many set deliberately - in Ireland, while Marcin Pater from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) of the European Commission explains how countries are pooli...

This week, in an episode of The Explainer brought to you by Noteworthy, journalist and Examiner columnist Mick Clifford joins the podcast. He and our reporter Alice Chambers tell Susan Daly about Noteworthy's latest investigation into how the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) handles public complaints. They uncovered a process that is slow and is lacking in transparency and enforcement po...

You can now get an Irish IBAN for Revolut - so should we start treating it as a traditional bank? Daragh Cassidy of Bonkers.ie joins us to discuss what's next for Revolut - is it on track to dominate Irish banking, or will it remain nothing more than a handy app for splitting a bill? What do the latest changes mean for it customers? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tensions in Sudan have boiled over into a violent conflict between the country's army and a rival paramilitary group. There is a fear now it could spread to other parts of the region. But how did happen, when just a few short years ago the country began the transition from a military dictatorship to a democracy? Joining us on this week's episode to explain more is Jehanne Henry, a human rights law...

Frank Greaney, courts correspondent with Newstalk and Today FM, joins us on this week's episode to delve into the trial of Gerry Hutch and the fallout from its verdict. We examine the origins of the feud, explain who exactly The Monk is, look at key moments from the trial, and explore the origins of the Special Criminal Court. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As momentum grows behind a debate on neutrality, we're joined by Diarmaid Ferriter, professor of Modern Irish History at UCD, to look at its opaque history in Ireland. He explains how the seeds of the policy can be traced back far beyond the Free State, right back to Wolfe Tone. We also examine the previous attempts to move away from our 'militarily non-aligned status', how the government could ap...

Laura Byrne is joined by The Journal columnist and University of Galway law lecturer, Larry Donnelly to delve into Trump's indictment. What are the charges, exactly? Who are the main players? How does the wider Republican party feel about it - and does this elevate or destroy Trump's chances at another term in the White House? The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access t...

Chris Stokel-Walker, UK-based tech journalist and author of 'TikTok Boom: China's Dynamite App and the Superpower Race for Social Media', joins us on this week's episode to look at the growing privacy concerns over TikTok. What's behind its popularity; what can we tell about its connections to the Chinese government; and is it using your data any differently from other tech giants? The Explainer i...

Is this 2008 all over again? As we watch a wave of banking failures, Brooke Masters from the Financial Times joins us on this week's episode to explain exactly what is going on. What caused the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank? How did it cause ripple effects across the world? And although we're hearing a lot about venture capital, how worried should Joe and Jane Doe be about their savings? The Exp...

This week, as a bonus episode of The Explainer brought to you by Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats with reporter Niall Sargent about the latest ASSESSING AUTISM investigation which found chronic delays in supports, with children facing multi-year waiting lists for therapy and other vital services. We also hear from the head of autism studies at University College Cork, Eleanor McSherry about her person...

Inflation continues to creep upwards, and so does the price of goods we are buying - but what about the actual value of those items? 'Shrinkflation' is the term applied to when products increase in price, but customer ends up paying more for the same or less. You could also end up paying more for a product of lower quality. This week, we speak to Edgar Morgenroth, professor of economics at DCU Bus...

On this week's episode, we hear from one humanitarian aid worker tasked with coordinating and overseeing relief efforts across Ukraine. Claudia Amaral, head of office with the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operation (DG ECHO) of the European Commission in Kyiv, tells us about her work - what type of assistance do people need the most? What type of stories has she heard from people...

Former UK health minister Matt Hancock has been one of the most prominent characters in British politics in recent years - rarely for the right reasons. Now, thousands of his WhatsApp messages to other top politicians have been leaked. Political Correspondent with PA Media, Dominic McGrath, joins us to bring us up to speed on the latest, and gives us an overview of his career to date. Hosted on Ac...

In an episode brought to you by Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats to reporter Anthea Lacchia about her investigation into the environmental impacts of hydropower in Ireland. What impact does Ardnacrusha have on the Shannon? And why are large numbers of fish dying at ESB stations? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The idea of a 15-minute city - where all your daily amenities are just a 15-minute walk away - might seem uncontroversial, but the urban planning concept has been twisted into a conspiracy theory. Stephen McDermott, assistant news editor with The Journal, and architect Camilla Siggaard Andersen join us on this week's episode to explain more - how does a 15-minute city work in practice, is there an...

Hyperemesis gravidarum is a debilitating illness that impacts some people during pregnancy, yet the drug used to treat it is still difficult to access. Why? We're joined by our Political Correspondent Christina Finn to look at the issue further - just how effective is Cariban, how expensive is it, and why isn't the scheme the government set up to pay for it working as it should? The Explainer is b...

Bertie has rejoined Fianna Fáil - but what's his goal here? Journalist and commentator Lise Hand joins to look back over the rise and fall of Ahern, revisiting his role in the Mahon Tribunal, and we ask what happens now - could we see him make a run for president? The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal...

We're approaching one year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the war shows no end in sight. DCU professor Donnacha Ó Beacháin, an expert in post-Soviet politics, joins us to examine what the next steps could be. Is a peace deal possible? Or even a Ukrainian victory? How long will Western support continue? The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journ...

As Ireland's immigration system comes under increasing strain, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council Nick Henderson joins us on this week's episode to give a clear, concise overview of how it all works. What's the difference between a refugee and International Protection Applicant? Where do people fleeing Ukraine come into it? Also, what type of difficulties exist for people arriving into Ireland? The...

This week, as a bonus episode of The Explainer brought to you by Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats with Niall Sargent and John Walsh, chair of the European Small Islands Federation, about what is needed to help our offshore islands thrive. It follows the ISLAND NATION project, investigative reporter took a deep dive into the key issues facing our islands, causing their numbers to drop and pushing them...

This week, in an episode of The Explainer brought to you by Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats with reporter Peter McGuire as well as Dr Anne Dee, chair of the public health committee at the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO)about an in-depth report into public health reform in Ireland. It found that while recruitment of public health staff is progressing, concerns remain, with improved systems and data c...

Our producer Aoife Barry joins us to look at a record day for cinema in Ireland, with Irish films, actors, and production teams receiving more Oscar nominations than ever before. How did this happen, and who might the winners ultimately be? The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can c...

Debbie Ging, associate professor of Digital Media and Gender in the School of Communication at DCU, joins us on this week's episode to examine influencer Andrew Tate. He is very well known among some users of the internet - and entirely unknown to others. He has been the focus of numerous headlines over the past few months, before the coverage took a sharp turn earlier this month when he was arres...