The Explainer
Episodes
What is the government's radical new plan for Direct Provision?
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, our reporter Cónal Thomas, as well as Ola Mustapha, who lives in Direct Provision, join us on this ...
Why is the government changing the Living With Covid plan again?
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is there anything to be said for another Covid plan? Our Political Correspondent Christina Finn and Senior Reporter Michelle Hennessy join us to exami...
What's the latest with Ireland's vaccine rollout?
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our reporters Órla Ryan and Michelle Hennessy bring us to speed with the latest on Ireland's Covid vaccine rollout. What happens once the over 70s ar...
What is Article 16, and why has it been causing hassle?
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
TheJournal.ie's Brexit reporter Gráinne Ní Aodha and BBC Radio Foyle's Dominic McGrath (formerly of this parish) join us on this week's episode to e...
Delivery woes, efficacy questions, and Brexit - what's going on with AstraZeneca?
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our reporters Ian Curran and Michelle Hennessy lay the entire AstraZeneca vaccine saga out on the table and go through it piece by piece - from the in...
What happens next with Trump's impeachment - and what does it mean for his future?
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Larry Donnelly, NUIG lecturer and TheJournal.ie's columnist, joins us on this week's episode to look at Trump's second impeachment. What happens next,...
What are the issues with the mother and baby home report?
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Ciara Breathnach, associate professor at the University of Limerick, and our reporters Cónal Thomas and Órla Ryan, examine the findings of the mo...
In Depth: A GP, nurse, ICU consultant and contact tracer on working during the third wave
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland's third wave of Covid-19 is putting the health service under unprecedented strain. We speak to those on the frontlines about what they're expe...
The third wave - what happened, and what restrictions are in place?
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our reporters Michelle Hennessy and Cónal Thomas bring up to date on the latest restrictions; the discussion over what led to the rocketing Covid-19 ...
Our favourite explanations of 2020
29 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As this tumultuous year draws to a close, The Explainer team sits down to pick their favourite clips from the year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...
Interview: RTÉ's Brian O'Donovan on reporting in Trump's America - and what 2021 holds for Biden
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sinéad O'Carroll chats to RTÉ Washington Correspondent Brian O'Donovan about reporting on the ground in Trump's America and how his achievements com...
How Ireland plans to roll-out Covid-19 vaccines
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our senior reporter Michelle Hennessy shares all the detail you need on the plan to roll-out Covid-19 vaccines in Ireland, including who gets the firs...
Virologist Dr Cillian de Gascun on how Covid-19 vaccines work
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland could start its rollout of a Covid vaccine as soon as next month, but how exactly do they work? We're joined on this week's episode by head of...
Why has the Irish media been barred from reporting the names of children who have been murdered?
05 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
RTÉ legal affairs correspondent Órla O'Donnell and Fianna Fáil's Jim O'Callaghan join us on this week's episode to discuss a surprise ruling which ...
Why is the 27th Amendment back in the news?
26 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We speak to doctoral researcher Hilary Hogan to examine the 27th Amendment. Unanimously passed in 2004, it meant that children born to non-Irish citiz...
Professor Philip Nolan on what the numbers are telling us about Covid-19 right now
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
NPHET's modelling expert Professor Philip Nolan joins us on this week's episode to discuss the recent trends in the Covid-19 cases at this halfway poi...
Did the polls get it right in the US election?
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Kevin Cunningham, lecturer in politics and in the School of Media at TU Dublin, as well as an independent pollster, joins us on this week's website...
In Depth: What exactly happened with the mother and baby home legislation?
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sinéad O'Carroll is joined this by our reporter Órla Ryan, co-director of the Clann Project and NUI Galway lecturer in human rights Dr Maeve O’Rou...
The Explainer LIVE: What could Trump's legacy be?
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We recorded this week's episode live on Zoom. Presenter Sinéad O’Carroll was joined by our columnist Larry Donnelly of NUIG, associate professor at...
What led to Ireland moving to Level 5 restrictions?
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our reporters Michelle Hennessy, Cónal Thomas, and Nicky Ryan join us on this week's episode to examine what led to Ireland moving to the highest lev...
Is assisted dying going to become legal in Ireland soon?
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our reporter Stevie McDermott talks us through the new assisted dying legislation and explains what happens next.He speaks to presenter Sinéad O'Carr...
How did Covid-19 get so bad in Northern Ireland?
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
TheJournal.ie contributor Dominic McGrath joins us from Tyrone to discuss the escalating situation in Northern Ireland. What has led to the sudden sur...
What is the Stay and Spend scheme and how does it work?
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Author of 'How To Be Good With Money' Eoin McGee and travel expert Eoghan Corry chat through the new Stay and Spend scheme. How will it work in pract...
Interview: The story of Unquiet Graves
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For this week’s episode, we sat down with filmmaker Seán Murray to talk about the Glenanne Gang, fighting for justice and the reaction to Unquiet G...
What you need to know about the new Covid-19 levels and restrictions
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Reporters Michelle Hennessy and Cónal Thomas look at the various levels and what is allowed under the new Living With Covid plan; NPHET's relationshi...
Why is Brexit back in the news?
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Shona Murray, reporter from EuroNews, joins us this week to talk us through exactly why Brexit is back in the news this week. After a story broke in t...
Leaving Cert results are out on Monday - here's how it'll work
03 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sinéad O'Carroll is joined this week by TheJournal.ie reporter Gráinne Ní Aodha who has drilled down into the detail of how students will be awarde...
How could Golfgate impact Irish people’s behaviour?
27 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Behavioural scientist with the ESRI, Pete Lunn, chats to us in the wake of Golfgate about whether the behaviour of politicians can trickle down to oth...
What led to the new Covid-19 restrictions?
19 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Philip Nolan, chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, talks us through the reasoning behind the new restrictions ...
What the Covid-19 clusters tell us about the meat industry in Ireland
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode of The Explainer, journalist with the Irish Farmer's Journal, Hannah Quinn Mulligan, talks us through what the Covid-19 outbrea...
Why is Ireland delaying the reopening of pubs again?
05 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Political correspondent Christina Finn and reporter Sean Murray join us to talk through the decision to delay Phase 4, and in turn delay the reopening...
What's Ireland's plan for reopening schools - and how does it compare to other countries?
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It has been a fraught subject for months - when will Ireland's schools be reopening?And when they reopen, what measures will have to be put in place t...
How close is a Covid-19 vaccine?
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Teresa Lambe from the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, one of the researchers behind the British Covid-19 vaccine trials, joins us on this we...
Why are tourists able to visit Ireland right now?
16 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're joined by TheJournal.ie's senior reporter Michelle Hennessy to examine this further - she breaks down just how tourists can arrive in Ireland, a...
How Covid-19 brought misinformation to Ireland
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A flood of misinformation and disinformation followed Covid-19's arrival to Ireland.You likely saw a lot of this firsthand. Maybe it was the rumours o...
How do you handover a government?
02 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Former government press secretary Feargal Purcell gives us an insider-look at how one government hands over the reins to next. Would Leo have left a '...
How likely are you to catch Covid-19 in Ireland right now?
25 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Is it a "one-in-a-million chance"? Professor Paul Moynagh, Head of the Department of Biology at Maynooth University and Director of the Human Health R...
Here's what Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Greens plan to do if they form a government
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our own political correspondent Christina Finn and Professor Gary Murphy from Dublin City University's School of Law and Government join us this week ...
What does defunding the police mean?
11 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vox reporter Matthew Yglesias joins us from Washington on this week's podcast to talk to presenter Sinéad O'Carroll about what the phrase 'defund the...
What does the George Floyd killing mean for America?
05 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode, Glenn Burkins joins us from North Carolina to talk about the impact of the protests in the US following the death of George Fl...
Why is Daniel Kinahan back in the news again?
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's podcast, The42's Gavan Casey and TheJournal.ie reporter Garreth McNamee join us to look at why Daniel Kinahan is back in the news again...
100 days after the election, what's happening with government formation?
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Gavan Reilly, Virgin Media political correspondent and host of On The Record on Newstalk, and TheJournal.ie's political correspondent Christina Finn j...
What is the mysterious syndrome linked to Covid-19 that's affecting children?
14 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Late last month, a national alert was issued in the UK for healthcare professionals, warning them about potential links between a life-threatening syn...
Will it be possible for pubs to open before 10 August?
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There's five dates to mark on your calendar: 18 May, 8 June, 29 June, 20 July, 10 August.These are the tentative dates for each phase of the governmen...
Where are we at with testing for Covid-19 in Ireland right now?
01 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Testing for Covid-19 is an essential part of fighting against the spread of the disease, and the Irish government has pledged to process 100,000 a wee...
How well is the State informing the public about the coronavirus crisis?
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The coronavirus crisis has seen important figures like Ireland's chief medical officer, Tony Holohan, become household names.At a time of crisis like ...
What is the current thinking - in Ireland and abroad - about wearing masks?
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
People living in Ireland do not have to wear masks as part of the effort to curb the spread of Covid-19 - but people in New York and the Czech Republi...
What does the data tell us about Ireland's fight against coronavirus?
10 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There are a lot of numbers flying around the place that tell us things about the coronavirus outbreak - but analysing them can be tricky.Is it possibl...
How are other countries dealing with Covid-19 compared with Ireland?
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Skip to 0:58 for Germany, 19:23 for the United States, 41:48 for Sweden, and 1:01:47 for South Korea.The world is united in fighting the spread of the...
What are the British doing to battle Covid-19?
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While every country has had its own individual response to the coronavirus, there has been a fairly consistent approach of acting as soon as the issue...
How did misinformation about the coronavirus spread on Whatsapp in Ireland?
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The country is in the middle of an unprecedented crisis - schools are shut, people are working from home when they can, and the government has been re...
How can Ireland stop an Italy-style spread of coronavirus?
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the Covid-19 outbreak comes significant challenges, including huge pressure on our health service and disruption to our day-to-day lives.Minister...
Super Tuesday - what is it, how did it go and what will it mean for Trump?
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Super Tuesday has come and gone, and it's impact is already being felt - we've a comeback kid and already one hopeful has dropped out(that would be bi...
What you need to know about Covid-19
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You might have many questions about the situation around this coronavirus – is it a pandemic? If it becomes one, what does that mean for Ireland? Ho...
Why don't we have a government yet?
21 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The general election has come and gone - so why don't we have a government?The Dáil has sat for the first time, but party leaders were unable to gath...
What’s happened so far in the general election count?
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The exit poll indicated we'd be talking about Sinn Féin throughout count day but it didn't point to the absolutely huge first preference votes its ca...
LIVE: How does Ireland get the politicians it has?
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For our first live episode, recorded at Crow Street in Dublin's Temple Bar, we're looking at how Ireland ends up with the politicians it has. How much...
How worried should we be about the coronavirus in Ireland?
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode, we look at the novel coronavirus outbreak and ask - how worried should we be in Ireland about it? What is a coronavirus? How c...
How did the Drogheda feud reach north Dublin?
24 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Last year, we brought you the story behind the Drogheda feud. This week, we take another look at the feud, in the wake of the shocking death of teenag...
What is going on between Harry, Meghan and the British Royal Family?
18 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Update: Since we recorded this episode, it has been announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will no longer be working members of the royal famil...
Why #blackandtans was trending in 2020 - and what's next for State commemorations?
11 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was supposed to be fairly straightforward - a commemoration for those who served in the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and the Dublin Metropolitan ...
How does Met Éireann decide on weather warnings?
03 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In Ireland, we really do love talking about the weather - and often guiding the importance of these conversations is Met Éireann's colour coding syst...
Our favorite explanations of the year
27 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this year, TheJournal.ie launched a new podcast - The Explainer.Aimed at taking a deeper look at one big news story each week, we've now hit e...
Is it possible to have a green Christmas?
18 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How possible is it to have a green - or environmentally-friendly - Christmas? That's what we've been looking at in our Green Christmas series on TheJo...
What just happened in the UK general election?
13 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson was in jubilant form after the election result. "We broke the deadlock," he told reporters early this morning. "We ended the gridlock. W...
What is happening with the white-water rafting plan for Dublin's city centre?
06 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dublin is set to gain a new tourist attraction in the coming years, but it's one that caught many people by surprise.A white-water rafting facility wa...
How much trouble has Prince Andrew caused for the royal family?
29 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode, Sinéad O'Carroll is joined by Anton Savage of the Communications Clinic and reporter Rónán Duffy to discuss the recent news...
What is antibiotic resistance and why should we be concerned about it?
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The term antibiotic resistance might sound a bit futuristic - but it's something that's very much an issue in the here and now.It refers to certain ba...
What's the story with RTÉ's finances at the moment?
15 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Explainer podcast, we take a look at what the situation with RTÉ is right now: what the financial issues are, what it's planning to do...
How did the judge decide the sentences in the Ana Kriegel case?
08 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week saw the two teenage boys convicted of the murder of 14-year-old Ana Kriegel sentenced at the Central Criminal Court.Boy A was also convicted...
Why are people risking their lives to get to Europe?
01 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We look at why people are risking their lives to travel to Europe by sea and by land - what are the 'push and pull factors? What faces people on their...
WTF is happening with Brexit right now?
24 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, there's so much happening with Brexit that it's hard to keep up.So if you're still wondering 'what was Super Saturday?', 'Who is this Letwi...
What are Northern Ireland’s abortion laws and how might they be changing?
19 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Northern Ireland is going through a lot politically right now - although there is a Brexit deal, there are still a lot of questions about what life wi...
So what's actually in this new Brexit deal?
18 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It's been some week for Brexit. On Monday, we knew one thing: that the pressure was on for a deal to be struck between the EU and the UK on Brexit.Aft...
What is this carbon tax you have to pay - and how does it work?
11 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Budget 2020 didn't set the world on fire - but it did contain an element that's aimed at making sure the world doesn't burn in climate change hell.Tha...
How does a US president get impeached?
03 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There has been talk of impeaching US president Donald Trump since he was first elected back in 2016, but the wheels began to move in earnest over the ...
Why was a Quinn Industrial Holdings director abducted?
26 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday 17 September, Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney was abducted on his way home.He was taken to another location where he ...
Why is chemsex in the news in Ireland and the UK?
20 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's podcast, we look at chemsex: what is it, what accounts for its rise in popularity in Ireland, and what is its connection to the drug GH...
Why is there so much controversy over the Public Services Card?
13 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In 2011, the Public Services Card (PSC) was introduced in the form of a pilot scheme for some social welfare recipients.The idea was simple: Streamlin...
Who is Dominic Cummings?
06 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dominic Cummings: Is he, as some suggest, the disruptor's disruptor - a strategically single minded and ideologically iconoclastic man?Or is he an une...
Why are we being told to eat less meat?
30 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode of The Explainer, we look at the issues around climate change, meat eating and farming in Ireland. Reporter Cormac Fitzgerald, ...
How does Ireland deal with sex offenders after prison?
23 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Humphries was known as one of Ireland’s finest sports writers when he was accused of grooming and the defilement of a child. He was released las...
How are we still making discoveries at Newgrange?
16 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Newgrange is one of Ireland's most incredible sites - but despite it and the surrounding Brú na Bóinne complex being an area of intense historical i...
What is the Irish backstop?
08 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
'The backstop' is one of the most contentious parts of the Brexit agreement. But it's also something that can fall foul of bad explanations, misunder...
What is Fortnite and how can people make money from it?
02 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you are a gamer or not, you'll most definitely have heard of the game Fortnite.Earlier this week, the hugely popular game hit the headlines af...
Can people applying for citizenship spend a day outside Ireland?
26 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, a shock ruling saw an Irish judge rule that citizenship cannot be granted to an applicant if they have spent a day outside Ireland in the p...
Why was there such controversy over Lizzo’s ticket sales?
19 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When tickets for US singer Lizzo's debut Irish show at the Olympia this coming November went on sale last week, people knew there would be demand.But ...
Why are your insurance premiums increasing by so much?
14 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It's not every day that a video of a politician talking about insurance at an Oireachtas committee goes viral.You've likely seen the clip of Sinn Féi...
What's behind the Drogheda feud?
05 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On 5 July last year, Owen Maguire was shot four times in Drogheda, Co Louth.This is seen as the start of a feud between two gangs in the town. By Nove...
How Patrick Nevin was found guilty in the 'Tinder rape case'
27 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Monday, Patrick Nevin was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He had been found guilty of attacking two women in the space of 11 days, after meeting t...
The Explainer: The story of the Ana Kriegel trial
21 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Note - some of the details in this podcast might be upsetting to listeners.On 14 May 2018, teenager Ana Kriegel went out for a walk with a boy now kno...
How did a woman who died in Direct Provision come to be buried without ceremony?
16 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Last month, a woman who died in Direct Provision was quietly buried by the State without ceremony.Sylva Tukula, originally from South Africa, died in ...
Why was there controversy over Katie Taylor's recent win?
07 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Katie Taylor was crowned undisputed lightweight champion on Sunday. But almost immediately, there was controversy. In this week's The Explainer, we're...
How have the Healy Raes never lost an election?
31 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Healy Raes are a clan to be reckoned with. The Co Kerry family has not one one but two TDs in it, and recently saw three more family members elect...
What's the story with an EU army?
24 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Irish MEPs have recently been raising concerns about a future 'EU army'. While this isn't surprising, given the issue of Irish neutrality and the EU, ...
Why are so many US states tightening abortion laws right now?
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, a restrictive abortion law was signed in the US state of Georgia which banned terminations after six weeks gestation.This week, another sta...
How did Patrick Quirke get convicted of the murder of Bobby Ryan?
13 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On 1 May, the longest-running murder trial in the state's history came to an end when Tipperary farmer Patrick Quirke was found guilty of the murder o...
Can Ireland grow its own medicinal cannabis?
07 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
2019 will likely be the year when it becomes significantly easier for patients to access medicinal cannabis in Ireland.The government has found a supp...
How will the UK’s new porn blocking law work?
29 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine popping down to your local newsagents with this shopping list: Bread, milk, eggs, Lotto quick pick, an official government porn pass.That's th...
Why haven't any supervised drug injection centres opened in Ireland?
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2015, the then-government announced that the first supervised drug injection centre in the country would open within two years.The centres - k...