The Government's Covid-19 policy was dealt a double blow this week, as it was forced to pause the mandatory hotel quarantine system and issues with two vaccines threw the planned inoculation programme into doubt. Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones from The Irish Times political team to discuss the latest hurdles the coalition must overcome to keep its coronavirus plan on track. Also on today's show: what does the future hold for the Fianna Fáil party?

A very bad week for the Government's Covid-19 policy

Since coronavirus, governments around the globe have abandoned traditional concerns about deficits and enacted emergency measures in the interest of saving countries from the devastating effects of lockdowns. But in a post-pandemic Ireland, what should the role of the state be? Will the Covid crisis help bring to an end the old economic orthodoxies, or will there be return to a smaller state, balanced budgets and deficit reduction? Economist and The Irish Times columnist David McWilliams joins Hugh and political editor Pat Leahy to discuss.

Should we worry about the deficit? - with David McWilliams

Denis Staunton talks to Hugh about the results of last Friday's local and regional elections in England, Scotland and Wales. The results have thrown up many stories, including how Labour's leader Keir Starmer contrived to turn a setback into a leadership crisis, and how pro-independence politicians increase their dominance of the Scottish parliament.

UK election special: Labour's leadership crisis and Scotland's referendum mandate

The political focus has shifted from the pandemic to the housing crisis, with Taoiseach Micheal Martin this week declaring it the Government’s “number one priority”. Jack Horgan Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the political decisions and policy failures that have led to the crisis and the resulting generational divide.

But first, not escaping Covid entirely, the team take a look at the debate surrounding the role and reliability of antigen testing, the possibility of accelerating certain reopening plans and the progress of the vaccination rollout.

Housing crisis overtakes Covid as number one priority

Jennifer Bray, Pat Leahy and Kevin Cunningham join Hugh to talk about how the  government is struggling to come up with a coherent response to the housing crisis.

Panic in government as politicians feel the heat over housing

Historian Niall Ferguson’s new book 'Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe' offers a sweeping compendium of the many appalling catastrophes that have befallen mankind, and how we have dealt with their aftermath. He talks to Hugh about his book, Covid and the possibility of a war between China and the US.

Niall Ferguson: We’re obsessed with mass disaster, yet surprised when it happens

21 years on from her book Northern Protestants: An Unsettled People, Susan McKay revisits the lives of that community in her new book Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground. She talks to Hugh about the strong forces now acting on northern Protestants, Unionists and Loyalists.

Susan McKay on the lives of northern Protestants: "It's a full-blown crisis within Unionism"

The DUP will have its third leader in the space of two months when Jeffrey Donaldson is officially appointed on Saturday. Can he lead the party out of crisis? Pat Leahy talks to editor of the Slugger O’Toole website, Mick Fealty, about the challenges he faces. 

But first, Pat is joined by Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones to discuss the threat posed to the July 5th reopening by the rise in Delta variant cases here and the latest in the ongoing saga over who owns, and who governs, the National Maternity Hospital.

Delta threat looms large, a new DUP leader at the helm

The Government is coming under increasing pressure from all angles, as it wrestles with the toughest decisions for months on how to manage the pandemic. The hospitality sector desperately wants indoor dining to resume on July 19th, but there is growing concern among public health advisers at the prospect of a surge in cases driven by the Delta variant. Meanwhile, all eyes are on England as Boris Johnson ploughs ahead with his country's reopening. Hugh is joined by Paul Cullen, Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn to discuss the difficult decisions facing the Government in the coming days. 

Plus: The final analysis of the runners and riders in the Dublin Bay South byelection, before polls open on Thursday morning.

Delta: more tough decisions for Government

Labour’s Ivana Bacik looked on course to top the poll in the Dublin Bay South byelection since tally figures on Friday morning put her on 30%. She went on to top the first count more than 1,000 votes ahead of Fine Gael’s James Geoghegan. Bacik’s win gives her party its first moment of electoral good news in a decade and leaves the government parties licking their wounds.

Hugh gets the analysis from The Irish Times political team at the count centre: Pat Leahy, Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee.

Bacik gives Labour a much-needed good day out

The 2020 election marked the end of an era in Irish politics, with Sinn Féin winning the most votes for the first time ever and the previously dominant parties reduced to a fraction of their former strengths. In today’s episode Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy and UCC’s Dr Theresa Reidy to look back at the last general election and how it broke the mould. 

You can read the full story of the 2020 election in the 9th edition of the ‘How Ireland Voted’ series of books, edited by Theresa Reidy, Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh, out now.

How Ireland Voted 2020 - with Dr Theresa Reidy

Suzanne Lynch arrived in the US to take up her new role as Irish Times Washington correspondent ten days after Donald Trump's inauguration. As she prepares to leave the US capital this week for a new role in Brussels, she talks to Hugh about what it was like to report on the most extraordinary presidency in US history.

Washington Letter: Suzanne Lynch on her time in the US

As one of the world's most respected newspaper editors, Lionel Barber spent over a decade at the helm of The Financial Times.  His tenure coincided with some of the biggest events to shape the early part of the 21st century including the rise of China, Brexit, the tech boom and the crisis of western liberal democracy. Barber has documented his time in charge of the FT in his book, The Powerful and the Damned. In this episode, he talks to Hugh about the book, about how he transformed the FT for the digital era, the media's role in the financial crisis, why he got Brexit wrong and lots more.

The Powerful and the Damned - with Lionel Barber

Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to assess the damage done by the recent Zappone controversy. Now that the dust has settled, what will it mean for Coveney, Varadkar and the future of the government. The team also discuss the easing of Covid restrictions and the recent UN Climate Change report, which signals a ‘code red’ for humanity.

Aftermath of Zapponegate, a stark climate warning

Patrick Radden Keefe is an American writer and investigative journalist. His new book, Empire of Pain is a detailed history of the Sackler dynasty and their role in the American opioid epidemic. Known for their dedication to cultural philanthropy, the family built their wealth on pharmaceuticals, starting with tranquillisers like Librium and Valium, before eventually moving on to the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. In this episode, the award winning author talks to Hugh about the origins of the addiction crisis, the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy trial and the mark the family left on the world.

Empire of Pain - with Patrick Radden Keefe

Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn from the Irish Times politics team to discuss the Government's roadmap for the easing of pandemic restrictions, as revealed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday. They also look ahead to Minister Daragh O'Brien's much vaunted 'Housing for All' plan, the hurdles the Government is likely to face with October's budget and the welcome return of Leinster House.

A new Dáil term's afoot

At Sinn Féin’s ardfheis in Dublin last weekend, a motion in support of the non-jury Special Criminal Court was passed, representing a considerable shift in position and removing a significant hurdle to the party’s ambitions to lead the next government. Banners declaring it’s “time for change” adorned the walls of the Helix in Dublin City University, as party leader Mary Lou McDonald made clear her wishes to become the next Taoiseach. Hugh talks to Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray about how those ambitions might be realised.

Sinn Fein: a party preparing for government

As Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine enters its fourth week, with little sign of an outcome, the question of what an endgame of this war might look like is increasingly the subject of international debate. Former editor of the Financial Times, Lionel Barber, is one of the few Western journalists to have conducted an in-depth interview with Vladimir Putin. He talks to Hugh about Putin’s motivations, how this war could end and what the geopolitical consequences of it may be.

Lionel Barber on Putin and how the West should deal with him

Ivana Bacik’s uncontested election as Labour Party leader came after the swift removal of Alan Kelly from the role and her own relatively recent appointment as a TD in the Dublin Bay South by-election. She talks to Hugh and Pat about her recent elevation, her vision for the future of the Labour Party and the challenges it faces in re-establishing itself as a medium-sized force in national politics.

Ivana Bacik on Labour’s past, present and future

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGee to discuss the big political stories of the week, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s historic address to a joint sitting of the Oireachtas earlier this morning, the debate surrounding the impending carbon tax increase and the result of the recent Seanad by-election.

Zelenskiy’s historic address to Oireachtas, carbon tax increase, Seanad by-election

Neoliberalism means different things to different people. As a set of economic policies it is mainly associated with reducing state intervention in commerce and society. In the course of its late 20th century heyday, neoliberalism transformed the world - for better or worse. But now its dominance is challenged by different models, such as the authoritarian capitalism of China. 

In his new book The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order, Gary Gerstle looks at how neoliberalism took hold, how it shaped society in the United States and beyond, and what its decline means. 

Gary Gerstle is Paul Mellon Professor of American History Emeritus and Paul Mellon Director of Research at the University of Cambridge.

What is neoliberalism - and is it over?

There is overwhelming support for a retention of Ireland’s current model of military neutrality, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos poll. 

Two- thirds of voters do not want to see any change in neutrality, with less than a quarter (24 per cent) saying they wanted to see a change. 

Pat Leahy explains the poll results in detail.

Poll exclusive: majority favour keeping neutrality

Next weekend, French voters decide whether Emmanuel Macron should remain president or Marine Le Pen should replace him. The latter result would transform France and Europe.



Next month, Northern Irish voters elect their MLAs in a vote that could see a Sinn Féin First Minister appointed for the first time.



Freya McClements and Lara Marlowe report on these two consequential campaigns.

Two very different elections, two defining moments

Pat and Jen join Hugh to talk about all the political stories of the past week including tension within the coalition over a proposed ban on the sale of turf, the prospect of an increased number of TDs due to a growing population and what that will mean for politics, and an argument in the Seanad over remarks by one Senator during a debate on surrogacy legislation.

Turf wars, TD numbers and a row over surrogacy

Tomorrow Northern Ireland goes to the polls, in what’s been dubbed the most important vote in a generation. For the first time in more than a century, there is the prospect of a nationalist being elected to the top job in government. What could that mean for power sharing?

In the rest of the United Kingdom, local elections are taking place. Will disgruntled Tory backbenchers use the results as an excuse to get rid of Boris Johnson? 

Hugh talks to our London Editor Denis Staunton and Mick Fealty, editor of the Slugger O’Toole political news and opinion website.

Voters go to the polls in Britain and Northern Ireland

Freya McClements, Mary Minihan and Pat Leahy join Hugh to analyse the results of last week's Northern Ireland Assembly elections. 

The major talking point is Sinn Féin taking the largest number of seats for the first time, while the Alliance Party's unprecedented success signals the importance of the middle ground in Northern Ireland.

Stormont election special: Seismic or not, a significant result for Northern Ireland

Pandemonium: Power, Politics and Ireland’s Pandemic, is the new book by Irish Times political reporter Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh O’Connell, political correspondent for the Irish Independent. It examines the government handling of the coronavirus pandemic, revealing the moves, power-plays and tactics of those in charge. The co-authors join Pat Leahy, to discuss the extensive work and research that went into the book, the pivotal moments along the way and what lessons can be learned by the state’s response.

Pandemonium: Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh O’Connell

Part one: Following two weeks of intense debate and discussion on the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital, the plan has finally been approved by Cabinet. But what will be the political cost? Pat and Jen join Hugh to discuss.

In part two, London Editor Denis Staunton and Northern Editor Freya McClements assess the Stormont stalemate and the latest on the Protocol.

Green light for the National Maternity Hospital / Ripping up the Protocol

In this episode of Inside Politics Hugh Linehan meets Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin. He is also joined by Fiach Kelly. They discuss the migrant crisis, current budget concerns and the prospects for the Labour party in the next Government. 

Inside Politics is a weekly politics podcast. It is produced by Sinead O'Shea and presented by Hugh Linehan. 

Brendan Howlin

The backdrop to Fatherland author Robert Harris' new thriller is the papal enclave, which he calls "the world's most secretive election". He sits down with Hugh to talk about power and populism in modern politics, the passing of Brexit and the rise of Trump - but first he explains the byzantine process of voting in a new Pope. 

Conclave is available now from Penguin.

Robert Harris:  "It's a miserable life for politicians"

Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald returns to the podcast to share her views on Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael's place on the political spectrum, future coalition possibilities for Sinn Féin ("we will talk to everybody"), and whether the northern wing of her party might be convinced to drop abstentionism and support a Labour "Coalition of Chaos" in Westminster.

But first we hear from Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy about the feast of political theatre we can look forward to upon Leo Vardakar's elevation next week, and what whisperings they've heard about who will adorn the presumptive Taoiseach's cabinet.

Political Theatre, Cabinet Forecast, Mary Lou McDonald on Leo The "Tory"

Hugh talks to Fintan O'Toole, who has just been awarded the Orwell Prize for Journalism for his writing on Brexit. Fintan explains why the Irish view on subjects like Brexit and the ascent of nationalism across the Western world is a useful one, and why David Cameron should have asked Enda Kenny for advice. They also discuss the unusual role of the DUP.

Fintan O'Toole on Brexit, English Nationalism and the DUP

Paradise Papers is the name given to a journalistic project organised by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in Washington DC along with 96 media partners around the world, including The Irish Times.

It is one of the largest data leaks in journalistic history, and involves the largest number of documents ever leaked.

The leaked documents show how deeply the offshore financial system is entangled with the overlapping worlds of political players, private wealth and corporate giants, including Apple, Nike, Uber and other global companies that avoid taxes through increasingly imaginative bookkeeping maneuvers.

Irish Times Legal Affairs Correspondent Colm Keena has been working on the project, and on this podcast he talks to Hugh Linehan about what has been uncovered, including the investments made by famous figures such as Bono and Queen Elizabeth, and the legal advice received by AIB when The Revenue Commissioners requested information about offshore deposits.

Inside Story - Paradise Papers

Fintan O'Toole's recent column about the characteristics of the Trump Administration, entitled 'Trial runs for fascism are in full flow' has found a large international audience. He talks to Hugh Linehan about what he sees as  Donald Trump's method for gradually pushing the United States further towards authoritarianism. 

There's also time to consider whether W.B. Yeats foretold the ascendance of Donald Trump, and a novel use of his poetry in today's troubled world. 

You can read the original article here (recommended before listening) https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-trial-runs-for-fascism-are-in-full-flow-1.3543375

Fintan O'Toole on "Pre-Fascism" & The Yeats Test

"Putin and his regime are going to become more hostile, malicious and deadly to the rest fo the world, and we need to understand this".

Since the murder in Russia of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, Bill Browder has been on a mission to highlight and punish corruption and crime in that country and beyond. He is in Dublin this week to push for the introduction here of a law to mirror the US Magnitsky Act that penalises Russian officials by targeting their assets. He talks to Hugh about Vladimir Putin, the Russian regime and the decade-long campaign that he believes has placed his life at real risk.

Bill Browder on Putin's Kleptocracy & A "Cold War Against Crime"

Brendan O'Leary, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, has written a three-book treatise on the entity we call Northern Ireland that is both accessible and erudite. He talks to Hugh about the past, present and uncertain future of Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Past, Present and Future - with Professor Brendan O'Leary

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist, women’s rights advocate and political theorist. In her new book, How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division, Shafak reflects on the anger and anxieties of contemporary society and the divisions of modern politics. In this episode, the author speaks to Hugh about the importance of listening to each side of the debate and her hopes for a more empathetic post-Covid world.

Interview: Elif Shafak, author of How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division

Following a meeting over dinner this week between Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, it’s clear that very large gaps still remain between the two sides. Negotiators have been given until this Sunday to figure out a path forward, but will this be yet another deadline ignored? 

The sticking points remain the same: fisheries; the level playing field; and governance, however the focus has narrowed onto a specific element of the level playing field – the so-called ratchet clause. Joining Hugh to discuss the likelihood of an agreement by Sunday and all the contentious issues at hand is London Editor Denis Staunton.

Brexit: Another deadline approaches

The best analysis of the Irish political scene featuring Irish Times journalists, political thinkers and the occasional politician. Hosted by Arts & Culture Editor Hugh Linehan.

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