{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6155db9059a3fa00137f30a9/69bd5f241a160b44dbaa66d9?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"In the shadow of the war in Iran, inflation and energy costs look set to climb ever higher","description":"<p>Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:</p><p><br></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Israeli strikes on Iranian natural gas infrastructure marked an escalation in the US-Israeli war on Iran. With global oil and gas prices climbing, could we soon see Government measures to offset the cost to consumers?</p><p><br></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Opposition parties were less than impressed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s showing during his St Patrick’s Day meeting&nbsp;with US president Donald Trump, but the world’s media praised Martin’s polite pushback on certain points.</p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The demolition of an illegally-built Co Meath home has captured the public imagination this week. It has served to highlight the urban-rural divide when it comes to one-off housing during the current housing crisis.</p><p><br></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And the monthly payments to those housing Ukrainian people in their spare rooms will be wound down over the coming year.</p><p><br></p><p>Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:</p><p><br></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ronnie Delaney’s Olympic gold medal win inspires Frank McNally to victory, the generational talent of Oscar winner Jessie Buckley, and the enduring fascination around JFK jnr.</p>","author_name":"The Irish Times"}