Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:·       Committees of the Oireachtas are indeed back, but rigor and insight seem to be missing in some of the questions posed by politicians during RTÉ’s appearance in front of the Oireachtas media committee on Wednesday.·       Independent TDs Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole, who support the Government, put a dent in the Coalition’s majority by voting in favour of a Sinn Féin Bill in support of Palestine.·       Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was awarded €100,000 after a jury found he was defamed by a 2016 BBC TV programme and related article that falsely accused him of sanctioning the murder of a British agent.·       And is it time to disband Children’s Health Ireland? Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill is considering subsuming the statutory body into the HSE following several controversies during its six years in existence.Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:·       The tight Polish presidential race, looming climate fines, the rise of the campervan, and the wonderful Cáit O’Riordan.

In her book Left Is Not Woke today's guest Susan Neiman argues that the left has taken a wrong turn and must differentiate itself from "wokism". She talks to Hugh about what she means by "woke" and why its appeal to traditional left-wing tendencies, like solidarity and supporting the underdog, helps disguise its more reactionary elements. They also talk about Germany's relationship with Israel and how its own history influences German views on what is happening in Gaza. Susan Neiman is an American moral philosopher, commentator and author known for her work on ethics, the Enlightenment and contemporary politics. She is the director of The Einstein Forum, a think-tank based in Potsdam, Germany, 

Leinster House is more than a place of work - it's a way of life for the politicians and other professionals who spend their days there. Journalist and broadcaster Gavan Reilly has written a book about the inner-workings of our parliament building and its inhabitants.

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:·       Ireland’s decision to participate in a European-wide initiative celebrating Norman heritage and influence has drawn the ire of Sinn Féin. The initiative is called ’2027 The Year of the Normans – People of Europe’, and Cabinet approved plans to mark 1000 years since the birth of England’s first Norman king William the Conqueror have been labelled “offensive” by the Opposition party.·       In a move to start the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza after Israel’s near three-month blockade, a majority of EU states have backed a proposal to review the union’s agreement governing relations with Israel.·       The HSE estimates that the number of children on waiting lists for disability or autism services will grow from 15,000 now to 25,000 by the end of the year, something disability rights campaigner Cara Darmody (14) highlighted with a 50-hour protest outside Leinster House this week.Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:·       Joe Biden’s cognitive and physical decline, hurling at its most biblical, and the four distinct categories that leaders fall into.

The unprecedented increase in the numbers of people coming to Ireland seeking International Protection due to war or oppression in their homeland put serious pressure on State resources since 2023. The new Government has signalled a tougher approach to the issue, and has claimed some success. Are their reforms working, and is the tougher messaging appropriate? Hugh is joined by Colm Brophy TD, Minister of State for Migration, Madeleine Allen, policy and advocacy officer with the Irish Refugee Council, and Irish Times political correspondent Harry McGee.

The tenth anniversary of the marriage equality referendum has prompted some reminiscing about how the vote was the first of two pinnacles for progressivism in Ireland, the other being the abortion referendum three years later. For women and members of the LGBT community, the successful campaigns were pivotal moments for an Ireland escaping its oppressive past. But what about those on the losing side? Senator Ronán Mullen, who campaigned for a no vote, joins Hugh and Pat to talk about how those defeats shaped social conservatism in Ireland in the years since. Click here for our podcast on the legacy of the marriage equality referendum with Gerard Howlin and Ivana Bacik.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: ·       The Public Accounts Committee returned on Thursday and already it was making headlines with revelations about former Children’s Health Ireland boss Eilish Hardiman’s salary. PAC is apt at generating headlines with leaked opening statements and TDs eager to make their name a staple for the Dáil committee. ·       A move towards fiscal caution as Fine Gael's Neale Richmond signals planned tax cuts may have to be abandoned unless a trade deal with the US can be agreed. Will one-off cost-of-living payments be absent from Budget 2026?·       The plan to introduce mandatory alcohol warning labels could be reconsidered amid the potential impact of US tariffs on the sector. And a ban on the sale of energy drinks to under 18s won’t be a reality until the “necessary evidence-gathering, research and examination of appropriate policy options and stakeholder engagement” is achieved.·       Plus, Minister for Housing James Browne backed out of meeting with Dublin Lord Mayor Emma Blain to discuss issues relating to the tenant-in-situ scheme.Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:·       What can Dublin learn from San Francisco’s regeneration? Collapsing cottages, dereliction and land hoarding, and should people in Northern Ireland get to vote in Irish presidential elections?

It is ten years since the country voted to legalise same-sex marriage. This victory for progressive politics was followed by another when abortion rights were won in 2018. But what is sometimes called "the progressive agenda" has since had setbacks, including last year's defeated referendums on family and care. So how relevant is progressivism to Irish politics now, and where does it go next? Labour leader Ivana Bacik, columnist Gerard Howlin and political editor Pat Leahy join Hugh to look back at the 2015 referendum campaign and assess its legacy.

Simon Harris had a difficult general election campaign as Fine Gael leader and has since faced criticism that he has not learned from mistakes in his new roles as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. On today's podcast he tells Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh Linehan that his style of politics won't change. He also answers questions about policy issues including housing, the Occupied Territories Bill, a proposed levy on streamers like Netflix and more.