Irish Times Inside Politics

A special live episode of the podcast featuring Minister for Arts Josepha Madigan, Fianna Fáil TD Thomas Byrne and Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly. They joined Hugh Linehan and Fiach Kelly to discuss the relationship between their three parties, and more. Thanks to our guests and to everyone who attended the live recording on Thursday, February 22nd here in The Irish Times. For information on future events, subscribe to The Irish Times political digest email. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Michael D Higgins is going to run for a second term. The major parties do not want to put a candidate up against him - but might they have to, for the sake of appearances? Pat Leahy and Sarah Bardon join Hugh Linehan to discuss the potential for an accidental race to the Áras. Will Michael D be challenged, and if so, who will the challengers be? Then they turn to Fianna Fáil's determination to have a row about vulture funds, who Fianna Fáil say must be regulated before they can get their claws into billions of euros worth of non-performing Permanent TSB loans. Lastly the panel look at two stories concerning the 8th Amendment: a Supreme Court case taking place this week that has the potential to upset Government's plans for an early summer referendum on the 8th, and the political reaction to polls showing a tightening of opinion on the 12 week proposal. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The government will unveil two key documents mapping out its plans for Ireland’s future this Friday - the €115bn 10-year Development Plan and the National Planning Framework.Previous plans have proved ineffective in achieving their goals by spreading the wealth too thinly in an attempt to appease all sides and the initial drafts of the latest documents have seen the debate over the rural-urban divide reignited in recent weeks. On today’s podcast, former environment editor of the Irish Times Frank McDonald, who first warned of the ruination of Irish villages through a suburbanisation of the countryside 30 years ago, joins Harry McGee and Fiach Kelly to discuss the merits of the government’s latest plans. In the second part of the show, Amanda Ferguson reports from Belfast, where talks on re-establishing power-sharing at Stormont appear to have come asunder once again, with the DUP leader Arlene Foster making clear her party’s opposition to proposals for an Irish Language Act. See acast.com/privacy for privacy

"Enda didn't get a fair hop from the media".Feargal Purcell served as Enda Kenny's press secretary for six years, and briefly as Leo Varadkar's after that. As government press secretary during the years of austerity, Purcell was no stranger to crisis. Among his responsibilities was find and brief TDs and ministers willing to bat for Enda Kenny's administration when the chips were down. Sometimes they were hard to find. On this episode of Inside Politics, Feargal talked to Political Editor Pat Leahy about his time at the heart of government, the nature of the relationship between the politicians and the media, and the style and substance of the new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. He also talks about his new role with Edelman, a global international public relations firm that this week published its annual Trust Barometer, a study examining public attitudes to institutions including government and the press. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

'Gerry Adams: War, Peace and Politics', a new documentary by Vincent Browne, airs tonight and tomorrow night on TV3. The veteran broadcaster and journalist talks to Hugh about his personal view of Adams, the evolution of Sinn Féin and why he feels the media, including The Irish Times, failed in its coverage of Northern Ireland at the outset of the Troubles. Also on the panel today are Colm Keena, who wrote a biography of Adams, and political reporter Sarah Bardon. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Taoiseach’s statement on Monday night that the Government will propose a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment and that he would personally back it, was a historic moment that will be recognised in hindsight as the official start of the abortion campaign.With the Cabinet divided on the issue of legislating for abortion up to 12 weeks, that will prove to be a key part of the campaign as it progresses.Pat Leahy and Sarah Bardon join Hugh Linehan to discuss the change in the framing of the debate in recent week to focus on women, rather than the unborn, and why the wording of Health Minister Simon Harris’s proposed legislation that would follow a repeal of the Eighth Amendment will be the next significant moment in the lead up to the referendum. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pat Leahy talks to Hugh Linehan about the findings of the latest Irish Times Ipsos/MRBI poll that asked voters for their views on abortion, including the recommendation of the Dáil committee on abortion to allow unrestricted access up to the 12th week of pregnancy that is likely to form the basis of a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment this summer. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Micheál Martin took his party by surprise with his statement of support on repealing the 8th Amendment last week. Is there now a risk of rebellion in the ranks?Sarah Bardon and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to discuss this and why Leo Varadkar's 'lots of us did' comment about housebuyers borrowing from the 'bank of mum and dad' has rankled some. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the question of the 8th Amendment, there remains in Leinster House a good number of fence sittters. The time for them to jump off is drawing near, say Sarah Bardon and Fiach Kelly. For Sinn Fein TD Peader Tóibín, who supports the full retention of the 8th Amendment, concerns about "sex selection" abortions and abortions when the foetus has been screened for Down Syndrome will be key points on which the referendum campaign will be fought. He talks to Hugh, Fiach and Sarah about his views on abortion and opposing his own party's position. Deputy Tóibín also answers questions about a difficult week for Sinn Féin, as the Barry McElduff affair raised questions over the party leadership and how Sinn Féin handles its own dark legacy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fianna Fáil Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee joins Hugh, Pat and Harry to discuss why, even after recent opinion polls show Fine Gael's support gathering pace at the expense of Fianna Fáil, Mícheál Martin's party isn't spooked by the numbers just yet. Also on on the agenda, the housing crisis, homelessness and how the property tax can be calculated more fairly. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As 2017 drew to a close political staff did the traditional round of Christmas interviews with senior politicians. Familiar themes emerged: the extremely thorny issue of housing, the popularity contest between the two major parties, and what a future coalition government involving Sinn Féin might look like. Today Simon Carswell and Fiach Kelly talk to Hugh about the major political challenges in the year ahead:Michael Martin - can his party recover ground lately lost to Fine Gael? Eoghan Murphy - can he define success in housing and then achieve that success?Mary Lou MacDonald - as leader, can she finally manoeuvre Sinn Féin into power? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pat Leahy, Fiach Kelly and Michael O'Regan look back at some of the big events of 2017 and speculate about the forces at home and abroad that will shape Irish politics in 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Senator Catherine Noone, chair of the abortion committee that today published its report, talks to Hugh and Pat about how a majority of the group came to the view that the 8th Amendment to the constitution should be removed outright. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The question of the post-Brexit status of the Border may be settled for now, but broader questions remain. What will Ireland's place in Europe be, once the UK, its traditional partner and ally, has departed? What is our European strategy and how will we achieve our goals? Podcast regulars Pat and Hugh talked to Ruadhan Mac Cormaic and Lucinda Creighton in front of an audience at the Institute of International and European Affairs on North Great Georges Street last night. Apologies for the temporary sound quality deterioration as a street cleaner passed by an open window. Thanks to our hosts the Young Professionals Network and the IIEA. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, there were three Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI opinion polls. This morning's asked respondents whether or not they would vote to change the constitution in relation to the Eighth Amendment. Earlier in the week, we took the temperature of the electorate and found a five point surge in support for Fine Gael, while yesterday's poll focused on Brexit. Pat Leahy and Hugh Linehan provide an analysis of the results. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Guardian’s Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll joins Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy, deputy political editor Fiach Kelly and presenter Hugh Linehan to discuss what went wrong in the Brexit negotiations this week and how likely it is that the deadline for an agreement will be met.The panel also assess the impact of tensions surrounding Brexit on Anglo-Irish relations and ask whether creative ambiguity is being used as a deliberate tactic by leaders on all sides. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar called the Department of Justice 'dysfunctional' yesterday, but it is worse than that, says Fintan O'Toole: the failure by the Department to give the infamous emails at the heart of Frances Fitzgerald's downfall to the Charleton Tribunal is an act of defiance of Irish democracy that requires a independent investigation with the power to question witnesses under caution and seize documents, phones and computers. He talks to podcast regulars Hugh Linehan, Fiach Kelly and Sarah Bardon in part one of today's podcast. In part two they hear from London Editor Denis Staunton about the persistent belief in London that Dublin's 'bloody difficult' position on Brexit is motivated by party politics, the rise of Sinn Féin, or even a forthcoming presidential election - anything really, except for what Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar are actually saying. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pat Leahy and Harry McGee talk to Hugh about the dramatic events of the last week that were capped today with the resignation of Frances Fitzgerald, and the questions that remain. How could such important documents be missed - or was it more sinister than that? Is the Department of Justice facing a reckoning? Why did Leo Varadkar handle this situation as he did? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week there proved to be at least one more political sting left in the tail of the McCabe controversy. This latest entanglement involves a dubious legal strategy, a curiously incurious former Minister for Justice, a poorly written email and a frustrated Taoiseach. It's confusing, but we hope this conversation between Sarah Bardon, Harry McGee and Hugh Linehan will leave listeners with as clear an understanding of the affair as possible. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Inside Politics returned to the RDS on Saturday for the final stop on our tour of party conferences in what has amounted to a festival season for Irish politics. Louise O'Reilly, TD for Dublin Fingal, and Conor Murphy, MLA for Newry and Armagh, joined Hugh, Sarah Bardon and Northern Editor Gerry Moriarty to discuss some of the thorny challenges facing Sinn Féin. But first Fiach Kelly and Hugh discuss the news that, as expected, Gerry Adams will step down as Sinn Féin leader. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.