Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

Inside Sinn Féin

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Who are Sinn Féin and what really makes the party different, if anything? Who holds real sway within the party? What role do activists play, and who ...

The big end of term wrap

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Dáil summer recess has arrived and our political experts Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn have convened to look back on the political ...

Europe's climate is changing. Will European politics change with it?

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a summer heatwave gripping countries including Spain, Italy, France and Greece, Europeans are experiencing temperatures more commonly found in the ...

Can the Government be generous to RTÉ? Hospital mess, braying donkeys

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics including hopefully the final week of RTÉ Oireachtas committee mania...

'No-one likes us and we don't care' - taking Unionism's temperature on the Twelfth

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's the Twelfth and to mark Unionism and Loyalism's day of celebration, Hugh talks to Dr Aaron Edwards, author of A People Under Siege: The Unionists...

Not another week of RTÉgate, summer statement, hate bill queasiness

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Inside Politics podcast Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to discuss the week in politics:The crisis at RTÉ is enter...

The Social Democrats are different, says Holly Cairns - but how?

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Under the leadership of Holly Cairns, the Cork South-West TD who took over from Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall in March, the Social Democrats ar...

'Nobody's brave enough to put their name to it' - Helen McEntee on maternity leave criticism and retaking the reins at Justice

01 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a wide-ranging interview in today's Irish Times, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee talks about remarks critical of her taking maternity leave whil...

RTÉ still struggling with fallout from Tubridy’s secret pay deal

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hosting Inside Politics in Hugh Linehan’s absence, Pat Leahy is joined by Current Affairs Editor of The Irish Times, Arthur Beesley and Professor Ja...

Can RTÉ be trusted to run itself?

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:The fiasco unfolding at RTÉ over Ryan Tubridy's unusual p...

Did the President go too far?

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Columnist and former Fianna Fáil advisor Gerard Howlin joins Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to talk about two controversial topics: recent...

Poll: Drop in support for Fine Gael and Sinn Féin

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The latest Irish Times/ Ipsos opinion poll shows support for both Fine Gael and Sinn Féin has dropped, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also seeing a shar...

Is Ireland neutral? Is anyone?

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Conor Gallagher, Irish Times Crime and Security Correspondent, has a new book out Is Ireland Neutral? The Many Myths of Irish Neutrality. He sat down ...

Ifac warning, IRA commemorations, and is James O'Connor a Jekyll & Hyde figure?

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:Ifac cautions coalition on expenditure and its potential consequence...

Who speaks for 'middle Ireland'?

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The podcast takes a look at the concept of ‘middle Ireland’, a concept that has been around for a long time in political discourse here, and one t...

Missing climate targets, Census talking points, and Helen McEntee returns

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:Ireland is on course to miss its 2030 carbon emission targets...

Decoding the culture wars - with Bryan Fanning

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In his new book Public Morality and The Culture Wars, academic Bryan Fanning analyses what he calls the ‘triple divide’ between conservative, libe...

Serving 'middle Ireland': Leo Varadkar on tax break controversy, prioritising homeownership and the next election

27 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The coalition Government still has plenty of time to run but, if the past week is anything to go by, the remaining months could be characterised by le...

How will the Electoral Commission reshape Irish elections?

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Electoral Commission is a newly established state body set up to oversee elections in Ireland. Taking on a range of existing electoral functions, ...

Migration and voters, Matt Barrett's posts, a good day for Sinn Féin

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about the week in politics, including:Government reaction to the agonising migrant accommodation sho...

State facing a summer of strife over migrant accommodation

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The ongoing crisis over a shortage of accommodation for International Protection applicants is an acute problem that risks becoming a chronic one...

Government speaking loudly and carrying a small stick on prices

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the big political stories of the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...

Where British politics went wrong - with Rafael Behr

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Political columnist and podcaster Rafael Behr returns to the podcast to talk about his new book Politics: A Survivor's Guide. One theme of Behr’s bo...

Pros and cons of helping mortgage holders, President Higgins on economics and King Charles's big day

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After yet another ECB rates rise, could we see the reintroduction of mortgage interest relief to take some pressure off homeowners? That was the first...

Fiona Hill on a global 'proxy war' in Ukraine

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fiona Hill returns to the podcast to talk to Hugh Linehan about how global attitudes to the war in Ukraine have shifted in the year since Russia’s i...

The Tánaiste's Dáil outburst, the patchy provision of abortion care and Leo's tax cuts promise

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tánaiste Micheál Martin's rant in the Dáil was the first point of discussion on the podcast's round-up this week. The rant was aimed at the brand o...

Eamon Ryan: We need to scale up the State to make it fit for purpose

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Minister for Transport and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan talks to Hugh Linehan and Harry McGee about policies and politics. Hosted on Acast. See acas...

How to spend it, TDs’ boundary obsession, robust discussions

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics:How should the Government use this year's forecast €10 billion budget...

Does the Dowdall connection harm Sinn Féin?

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Inside Politics podcast Hugh Linehan is joined by Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones from our political team to discuss this week’s stor...

Has Biden found the right balance on his Ireland visit?

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Irish Times Washington Correspondents past and present, Simon Carswell and Martin Wall, have both been covering US president Joe Biden's visit to Irel...

The politics of Biden's visit

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gerard Howlin and Freya McClements join Pat Leahy to talk about all the politics surrounding US President Joe Biden's visit to Ireland. The four-day t...

Why is politics failing to solve problems like housing? With Ben Ansell

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The whole world is a series of collective action problems, says Professor Ben Ansell. We want action taken to solve problems, but we want most of the ...

Fireworks in the chamber, Defence Forces in crisis, battle of the Irish Times columnists

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh to look back at the week in politics:Bad-tempered Dáil debates on confidence motions this weekDefence Forces i...

'Northern Ireland has moved on' - Fintan O'Toole on 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

April marks 25 years since the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement was reached, ending the Troubles and establishing a new political arrangement on the i...

The Independents’ policy setting power, unhappy Greens and a perilous position for the government

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the government's comfortable defeat of a motion of no confidence this week, the fallout continues as it reacts to the forthcoming lifting of t...

‘A pretty bruising contest’: SNP leadership race uncovers cracks within the party

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon has been heating up over the last number of weeks, as the three candidates vying for the position, have clashed...

Has housing 'turned a corner'? Biden's welcome, Green Party disharmony

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's St Patrick's Day week and ministers are flying off to press the flesh around the world. Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk abo...

Eviction ban, congestion charges and the state’s inability to look around corners.

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One issue has dominated the agenda on what was an already busy week for politics. The decision to lift the eviction ban was a shock reversal of what w...

'We are out to provoke' - PBP's Richard Boyd Barrett on policies, politics and trusting Sinn Fein

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

People Before Profit TD for Dún Laoghaire Richard Boyd Barrett talks to Hugh and Jen about a pamphlet recently published by his party that set o...

Questions for Niall Collins, Holly Cairns's opportunity, PBP stakes its territory

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about the week in politics:Minister of state Niall Collins fails to put questions over a planning applic...

A pivotal moment for Northern Ireland

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Government and the European Union expect British prime minister Rishi Sunak to proceed with the new deal on the Northern Ireland protocol even if ...

'When you go to a Social Democrats convention, you're struck by how young its supporters are'

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Holly Cairns is seen as the most likely contender to succeed Roisin Shorthall and Catherine Murphy, who announced they’re to step down as co-leaders...

How the world sees the war in Ukraine

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How the war in Ukraine is seen in Europe and around the world is complex and always changing, but there's no doubt that global perceptions. and motiva...

Northern Ireland Protocol: how close are we to a deal?

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk through some of the biggest political stories of the week including Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignatio...

David Runciman on Brexit's 'phoney war' and the urgent need to tame states and corporations

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The political debate around the impact of Brexit on the United Kingdom and its future economic relationship with Europe is 'just on hold at the m...

Bertie's back

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to talk about the readmission to Fianna Fáil of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who led the party for 1...

North and South: We answer listener questions on reunification

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we answer listener questions about the North and South project, with help from Professor Brendan O’Leary of the University of Pennsylvania and...

Desperation as asylum seeker accommodation crises deepens

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to talk about the week in politics:A letter from Minister Roderic O'Gorman to cabinet colleagues ask...

Can Labour ever be relevant again? Ivana Bacik says yes

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Labour leader Ivana Bacik talks to Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy about her efforts to revive the party's fortunes since taking over early last year. In a...

Expense allowances, threats to politicians, home truths

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to look back on the week in politics.Claims of electoral expense irregularities expand to ensnare Sinn Fein...

Why 2024 will be a major year in Irish politics

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

No elections take place this year. But 2024 could see local, European and general elections all taking place in Ireland. And these looming political b...

Postergate: How much bother is Paschal Donohoe in?

20 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has cultivated a reputation for being a safe pair of political hands, so it has been surprising t...

Peadar Tóibín on Aontú, Sinn Féin, immigration and ambition

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"If we push honest views below ground, we simply push those views into the hands of real racists". That statement, referring to the hot-button issue o...

The growing influence of online gurus - with Helen Lewis

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Struggling in your job, your attitude, your relationships? There are a growing number of self-declared online experts who have all the answers.Author ...

The fall of Damien English

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the fallout from a report on The Ditch news website that Meath West Fine Gael TD Damien Engl...

Cow dung attack on politicians, health crisis continues, protocol developments

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's podcast:The crisis in Emergency Departments this winter reveals a lack of accountability in the upper echelons of the system, among other i...

New year, old problems for Government

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New year, new Taoiseach, but the same headwinds facing the Government in areas like housing, refugee accommodation and a struggling healthcare system....

Ask Us Anything, Christmas 2022 edition - part two

28 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's part two of our annual Ask Us Anything, featuring questions on journalism, politics and a podcasting rivalry.Taking your questions in studio are ...

Ask Us Anything, Christmas 2022 edition - part one

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You asked, we answered. It's part one of our annual Ask Us Anything, featuring questions on journalism, politics and a podcasting rivalry.Taking your ...

Is the little-changed Cabinet a sign of stability or of stagnation?

17 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What happened in the Cabinet reshuffle? Not a lot, is one reasonable answer - there were no surprises, most ministers stayed where there were and any ...

Disquiet over planning bill, corruption scandal in Brussels

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Naomi O'Leary is on the line from Brussels where a money-for-influence corruption scandal has rocked the European Parliament. But first, Jack Horgan-J...

Sipo documents reveal deep division over Varadkar leak case

10 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Current affairs editor Arthur Beesley joins Hugh and Pat to talk about his report on what happened inside the Standards in Public Office Commission (S...

Poll findings lay down a challenge to advocates of unity

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"Loser's consent" could be a critical concept in the event of a referendum on Irish reunification. Will the losing side accept the results? We got som...

North and South, Ireland is divided on the unity question

03 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When should a referendum on Irish unity be held, and how would citizens north and south vote? The answer to those questions are the subject of the fir...

December reshuffle: What to expect?

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Next month Fianna Fáil's Micheal Martin will hand over the office of Taoiseach to Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar.The switch will necessitate a big reshuffl...

Trial evidence embarrassment for Sinn Féin, housing discontent, Greens take stock

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On the podcast today:How much of the East Wall refugee protest story is really an outworking of the housing shortage? With Russia's targeting of energ...

East Wall protests: Government grapples with immigration and housing crises

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Political correspondents Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray join Pat Leahy to discuss how the Government is grappling with some disquiet over immigration, ...

Bad days in Blackrock, Fine Gael prepare for Varadkar's return as Taoiseach, Florida man

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Non-political stories have dominated the news agenda this week, but each has a political dimension. Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss...

Can China's relationship with the West recover?

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"After months of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing amid talk of economic decoupling and a new cold war, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping sought i...

How big tech traps consumers and shafts creators

12 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The world’s most powerful media and technology companies use their market power to lock their customers into a relationship they can’t escape, whi...

Will tech woes remove Ireland's corporate tax cushion?

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy join Hugh to look at the week's politics:A Supreme Court ruling creates a headache for GovernmentHow a stricken tech s...

US midterms: Red wave fails to materialise

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the run up to the US midterm elections, polls and political spectators forecast a landslide for the Republicans, but as the results continue to pou...

Will a new hate speech law impinge on free speech?

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

New legislation will give extra protection to members of groups affected by crimes motivated by hatred. But critics say the law will be an unacceptabl...

Support for Ukraine strong but accommodation worries grow - poll

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The latest Irish Times/Ipsos opinion poll shows that despite a strong desire to support Ukraine, 61 per cent of voters are concerned that “too many ...

What does Sunak's reshuffle mean for Ireland?

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Time to look at the big picture; what does it mean for me?”Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan on this week’s Inside Politics to discus...

Liz Truss and the party leadership problem

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The debacle of Liz Truss's short premiership has cast the entire UK political system into crisis. Not least the system used by the Tory party leadersh...

Fintan O'Toole on 'Up the 'Ra' and turmoil in Westminster

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many Irish Times readers were talking this week about Fintan O'Toole's column on the subject of the IRA and the appropriateness of chanting "Up the 'R...

Ross interview saga, recession risk, crumbling block levy

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"A grim agenda" of recession, UK bond crisis and global energy crisis awaits later in today's podcast, so first the team enjoy a relatively light topi...

Macron's talking shop, Brexit machinations

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The European Political Community, a new forum for European leaders including wannabe EU members and Brexit Britain, met for the first time yesterday a...

Paying for mica, generations divided, autumn reshuffle

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Gerard Howlin, Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk about this week's politics:Who is satisfied or dissatisfied with last week's budget Irish...

Concrete plans, UK turmoil

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Follow-up analysis of Budget 2023 including childcare measures and the concrete levy, plus a look at the difficult political choices facing UK prime m...

Making sense of Budget 2023

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Now that the dust is beginning to settle on Budget 2023, it’s time to pick it all apart. With €11 billion to dish out, it was by all means “a bu...

Budget previews, census shocks, pension policies

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For a quick catchup on the political news of the week, Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan. Topics include: Sinn Féin holds a pre-budget pres...

Understanding far-right gains in Italy and Sweden

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary talks to Hugh about forthcoming elections in Italy that look likely to return a government led by the far-right. Wh...

How our Taoisigh saw the arts - and how the arts saw them

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In a new book Kevin Rafter explores how art and artists have been treated by our taoisigh, from W.T. Cosgrave to Micheál Martin, and how those men ha...

Party think-ins and Dáil debates signal start of political season

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Party think-ins have been happening, a cost of living crisis is raging and the Dáil is back today - so there is lots to discuss. Harry McGee and Pat ...

What can we expect from the new Prime Minister?

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

London editor Denis Staunton and political editor Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the dawning UK premiership of Liz Truss. How will she govern, and wha...

Making sense of a united Ireland - with Brendan O'Leary

03 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Brendan O'Leary returns to the show to talk about his new book Making Sense of a United Ireland, in which he explores the issues around a po...

Energy crisis: what can the government do to soften the blow this winter?

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This winter, thousands of Irish households will be pushed into energy poverty, as the price of oil and gas continues to skyrocket. So, what options do...

Troy affair raises questions about standards, transparency and conflicts

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On Wednesday Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy stepped down from his role as Minister of State after weeks of controversy over his failure to properly decla...

Is political identity replacing religion in people's lives?

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Religious belief has declined in Europe, but the strength of people's political views is stronger than ever - or at least, it often seems so online.Ha...

Robert Troy, budget rumours and refugee resources

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray emerge from the misty miasma of August political coverage to tell Hugh what's going on in a number of stories: con...

The origin of America's opioid epidemic - with Patrick Radden Keefe (originally posted 2021)

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Radden Keefe is an American writer and investigative journalist. His book Empire of Pain is a detailed history of the Sackler dynasty and thei...

Is a united Ireland inevitable?

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"It is not a question of whether, but when and how Ireland will be united", is the provocative opening argument made by author and journalist Frank Co...

Climate politics is here to stay

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Horgan Jones, Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan, back after a two-month absence, to talk about the week's politics including tension ...

Is Ireland’s immigration and asylum regime close to crisis?

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Government this week moved swiftly to tighten Ireland's immigration and asylum regime, when it revoked automatic permission to enter Ireland for p...

Poll: Electorate sends mixed messages on refugees and abortion

16 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pat Leahy talks to guest host Mary Minihan about the results of this week's series of Ipsos opinion poll results. Read about the poll here: https://ww...

Confidence debate a damp squib for Sinn Féin

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jennifer Bray and Cormac McQuinn join Pat Leahy to discuss the confidence debate and vote that the Government handily won yesterday. Plus, a look ahea...

US politics: Will the Roe v Wade ruling matter at the ballot box?

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Crucial midterm elections for the US Congress will take place in the autumn, with the Democratic Party predicted to lose one or both houses to a resur...

Replacing Boris Johnson

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With Boris Johnson on his way, however slowly, out the door, the Conservatives face a challenge to find a leader who can unite the party and retain it...