The Party Line

A lot of pro-Palestine activism rests on legal concepts and language – genocide, apartheid, and the illegality of the Israeli occupation. But in Gaza, they're burning international-law books for fuel.Are we wasting time and energy by seeking justice through the courts? Critical legal scholar John Reynolds of Maynooth University joins the pod to argue out the contradictions.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne and Niamh Ní Bhriain, with Paulie Doyle of The Ditch.'Irish energy regulator was going to attend Thiel event in Powerscourt Hotel' https://www.ontheditch.com/energy-regulator/'EU presidency ceremony almost went down without a hitch, but Zelenskiy dig was copped by all' https://tinyurl.com/5dxsvkfjJohn Reynolds' fortcoming book with Noura Erakat: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2851-confronting-zionismMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmail

Palestinian journalists Leila Warah and Zena Tahhan explain why Ireland disappoints them, and how they continue to cover an increasingly brutal and catastrophic Israeli occupation.And host Niamh Ni Bhriain joins Eoghan McNeill of The Ditch to consider the cruelties of 'affordable' housing, and what liberal discourse about Anglo-Irish relations always manages to leave out.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, with co-host Harry Browne.'Council executive: rents will rise no matter what councillors vote' https://www.ontheditch.com/council-executive-rents-will-rise/Fintan O'Toole, 'The aftershocks of Brexit’s failure could be gaining strength – a fearful prospect for Ireland' https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/22/aftershocks-brexit-failure-fearful-prospect-irelandLeila Warah https://www.instagram.com/leila.shw/?hl=enZena Tahhan https://www.instagram.com/zenatahhan/?hl=enMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording and editing by Emmet WhiteEmail theditchpartyline at gmail

Under pressure from backbenchers, Micheál Martin postponed the legislation to scrap what he once said was "the core of Irish neutrality" – the Triple Lock.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch – with Niamh Ní Bhriain and Paulie Doyle.'Taoiseach's Triple Lock plan facing backbench pushback' https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/0620/1579454-triple-lock/'Disgraced property developer "110 percent confident" of councillor votes' https://www.ontheditch.com/disgraced-property-developer-110-percent-confident/Interviewed: Clare Daly, Khem Rogaly, Jenny Stephens, Brid Brennan (https://www.tni.org/en/profile/brid-brennan), John Maguire, Karen DevineMusic by Fionn DempseyRecording in studio: Emmet WhiteRecording at People's Forum in Tailors' Hall, Dublin: Harry Browne (still photos courtesy People's Forum)Email theditchpartyline at gmail

The empire is a dangerous, fascistic mess. Investigative journalist Matt Kennard reflects on how the state of the US military has contributed to a wider social and political crisis – and why standing with Palestinians is more important than ever.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, hosted by Harry Browne and Niamh Ní Bhriain, with Paulie Doyle of The Ditch. 'Jack Chambers urged Irish sporting bodies to boycott Russia and Belarus' https://www.ontheditch.com/jack-chambers-urged/'Comment: The public forced the state to act on South Africa – it can do so again' https://www.ontheditch.com/comment-the-public-forced-the-state/'Hacked: Peter Thiel hosting secret event in Wicklow hotel' https://www.ontheditch.com/hacked-peter-thiel/'Powerscourt Hotel first hosted Peter Thiel event in 2018' https://www.ontheditch.com/powerscourt-hotel-first-hosted-peter-thiel/'How IRINI is becoming the face of Europe’s new maritime assertiveness' https://decode39.com/15182/how-irini-is-becoming-the-face-of-europes-new-maritime-assertiveness/Irregular Army: https://orbooks.com/irregular-army/Palestine Deep Dive: https://www.palestinedeepdive.com/Music by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet Whiteemail theditchpartyline at gmail

Riots in the North against immigrants, strikes in Italy against a right-wing government's re-armament programme – where are Right and Left going in a world where the powerful are increasingly at peace with fascism?Writer William Wall brings his knowledge of Italy and Ireland to The Party Line, while Eoghan McNeill of The Ditch joins Harry Browne to report from a day on the streets of Belfast. 'Committee seeks independent review of "devastating neurological outcomes" for Beaumont patients': https://www.ontheditch.com/committee-seeks-independent-review/'Internal report confirms public child patients forced to wait for surgery – private patients prioritised' https://www.ontheditch.com/internal-report-confirms-public-child-patients-forced-to-wait-for-surgery-private-patients-prioritised/'Ireland’s new far right is simply recycling British white nationalist talking points': https://www.independent.ie/comment/opinion/peter-flanagan-irelands-new-far-right-is-simply-recycling-british-white-nationalist-talking-points/a/153748979.htmlMusic: Fionn DempseyRecording in studio: Emmet WhiteRecording in Italy: Harry BrowneEmail theditchpartyline at gmail

Has capitalism's American-led empire sown the seeds of its own military defeat?The Professor of Imperial and Global History at King's College London, Richard Drayton, joins the pod to talk about how military technology, and the political economy it's embedded in, have yet again changed the face of war.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, ontheditch.com – hosted by Harry Browne and Niamh Ní Bhriain, with Paulie Doyle from The Ditch.'RTÉ faces potential investigation over GAA Allianz programme' https://www.ontheditch.com/rte-faces-potential-investigation/'Chambers's business class flight and five-star hotel' https://www.ontheditch.com/jack-chambers-enjoyed-business-class/'Maybe we should ask Ireland’s small population of Jews what they think about anti-Semitism' https://tinyurl.com/ytwfrk6eMusic: Fionn DempseyRecording: Emmet White and (for Drayton interview) Harry BrowneEmail theditchpartyline at gmail

Former MEP Clare Daly talks about politics, corruption, Europe, and the future of the Left.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, ontheditch.com, with Niamh Ní Bhriain, Harry Browne and Eoghan McNeill of The Ditch.'Patrick O'Donovan didn't admit secret call with Coimisiún na Meán about media examination': https://www.ontheditch.com/patrick-o-donovan-secret-call/'Patrick O’Donovan’s department didn’t disclose his secret Coimisiún na Meán call in meeting minutes': https://www.ontheditch.com/patrick-odonovans-department/'Ireland Aims to Join Next Phase of Flagship EU Defense Loan Fund': https://tinyurl.com/mr2w3pzd'Ireland ends deployment as UN Security Council fails to renew mandate on Mediterranean mission': https://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-irish-defence-forces-operation-irini-un-security-council-rome-italy-7051229-May2026/Music: Fionn DempseyRecording: Justin Youngtheditchpartyline at gmail to get in touch

Missile and drone components to Israel, AI-powered gun-turrets from France – Ireland's place in the global weapons trade is growing.But so is the resistance.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, ontheditch.com. Niamh Ní Bhriain and Harry Browne are joined by Roman Shortall of The Ditch.'Palestine Action Éire target Acra Control in Dublin': https://x.com/wereontheditch/status/2056450102512996583?s=20'Elbit Germany sending target acquisition system to Israel as Ulm Five face "show trial"': https://www.ontheditch.com/elbit-germany-sending/'Robots in the military': https://tinyurl.com/3bwvndh9'Revealed: Ireland approved €20m in dual-use exports to IDF and Israeli Defence Ministry at height of Gaza war': https://thecurrency.news/articles/226977/revealed-ireland-approved-e20m-in-dual-use-exports-to-idf-and-israeli-defence-ministry-at-height-of-gaza-war/Music: Fionn DempseyRecording: Emmet Whitetheditchpartyline at gmail to get in touch