The Polling Station

The First Year of the Irish Government: The Good, The Bad and The Scandals.One year on from the historical government formation of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Green Party, there have been some ups, some downs, and a lot of scandals!From Golfgate to Covid, the White Paper on Direct Provision to the Climate Action Bill. It’s been a jam-packed year for politics. This week we sit down and look at what’s happened over the last year and what the next three years of this government might bring? Keep up to date on Instagram and Twitter @thepollingpod and tune in every week for your dose of political chats from your favourite political gals.

June marks annual celebration of Pride Month around the world. Each year we celebrate everyone part of the LGBTQIA+ community and how far we have come as a society. Politics and pride have always been connected with the countless activists throughout the decades fighting for equality for al.. This episode we sit down with Manus Gallagher and discuss where the origins of Pride began, Ireland’s history with the LGBTQIA+, some stand activists and much more. Keep up to date on Instagram and Twitter @thepollingpod and tune in every week for your dose of political chats from your favourite political gals.

Joe Manchin, the Democratic Senator from West Virginia, is no stranger to voting against the Democratic Party line, calling himself a “moderate conservative Democrat”. With a 50/50 split in the US Senate, Joe Manchin has found himself to be one of the most influential people in American politics, with the Democrats needing his support to pass any legislation. Manchin has made waves this week by not supporting the For the Peoples Act, a reformative voting act which the Democrats are trying to pass. But who is Joe Manchin? Why is he against this reformative act? And how has he become one, if not the most influential man on Capitol Hill? We sit down to discuss this and ask, will Joe Manchin be the thorn in the side of the Biden administration? Keep up to date on Instagram and Twitter @thepollingpod and tune in every week for your dose of political chats from your favourite political gals.

On May 26th 2021, former political advisor Dominic Cummings went before a joint parliamentary committee to be questioned about his involvement in the Government’s Covid-19 policies. The jaw-dropping revelations from Cummings rocked the boat for Boris Johnson’s Conservative government and sent shock waves through Britain. From Johnson’s policies of herd immunity in March 2020, the references to chicken pox parties as well as the failures with regard to care homes, it left a lot of questions left for the government.But who is Dominic Cummings? How has he become such a consequential political figure in recent times? And what can we expect following his questioning before the committee? Keep up to date on Twitter and Instagram @thepollingpod and tune in every week doe your dose of political chats from your favourite political gals.

The 10th of May marked the beginning of 11 days of devastating fighting between Isreal and Hamas, a militant group in Gaza, in which 100’s of people, mostly Palestinians, lost their lives.With a ceasefire currently in effect, we sit down to discuss the events that lead to the recent fighting. We give a brief history of Palestine and Israel, explore why this is such a polarising conflict for the international community and discuss why the current ceasefire doesn’t address the underlying tensions or human rights violations.  Listen to this week's episode of The Polling Station on Spotify and Apple Podcast. Keep up to date on Instagram and Twitter @thepollingpod and tune in every week for your dose of political chats from your favourite political gals.

Over the last two weeks the Housing Crisis has dominated Irish politics. The news of Real Estate Investment Funds, also known as REITS, buying large amounts of housing estates, blocking out first time buyers.But what exactly are REITS and how are they impacting the property market? What can be expected from the Government’s Affordable Housing Bill? And what solutions are needed to end this crisis? Listen to this week’s episode of The Polling Station to find.Keep up to date on Twitter and Instagram @thepollingpod.

What is the Seanad, and why should we care?This week, we sit down to discuss what Amy has called “Irelands most misunderstood institution”- The Seanad. As the Republic of Ireland’s upper house, the Seanad has recently undergone a series of by-elections, placing it in the news and having people ask- what actually does it do? In this episode, we look at how what the Seanad actually does, break down its complicated election process and ask should the Seanad should be reformed—or abolished? Keep up to date on Instagram and Twitter @thepollingpod and tune in every week for your dose of political chats from your favourite gals. 

The Court of Justice of the European Union has recently ruled that Poland's reforms to its judicial system have put it at odds with the European Union, due to government reforms that allow judges to be subjected to disciplinary proceedings and sanctions if their rulings are "Inappropriate".But what does this mean? And has the reform of Poland's judicial system led to the introduction of anti-LGBTQIA+ and reproductive legislation? This week, we sit down to discuss how the ruling Law and Justice party have systemically overhauled the Polish judicial system, leading to human rights violations. And ask what, if anything can the European Union do?Keep up to date on Instagram and Twitter @thepollingpod and tune in every week for your dose of political chats from your favourite political gals.