Why FF and FG don't relish going in with Independents

Host Hugh Linehan is joined by Jack Horgan-Jones and Pat Leahy to look back on the week in politics:

·      With Labour set to exit coalition talks with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the likelihood of Independents making up the small number of TDs needed to form the next government increases. Could consensus be harder to find on issues like climate change if the next government leans more to the right?

·      The question of who will be the next ceann comhairle has become harder to answer with some looking for Seán Ó Fearghaíl to continue in the role, Regional Independents putting Verona Murphy forward, and Sinn Féin also expected to put a name forward for the speaker’s position in the 34th Dáil.

·      An awful week for the Social Democrats with newly elected TD Eoin Hayes being suspended on Tuesday for divesting shares in a company supplying military tech to Israel in July of this year, after being elected as a member of Dublin City Council in June.

Plus, the panel pick their Irish Times stories of the week including:

·      Patrick Freyne on the Christmas stuff the MSM don’t want you to know.

·      Declan Walsh writes about the gold rush in war-torn Sudan.

·      Finn McRedmond cringes at Paul Mescal on SNL.

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