ELECTION DAILY - Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

According to our latest Ipsos MRBI poll, there's a desire for a United Ireland. But when we asked what changes to their lives people would be willing to accept to get it, the picture became more complicated. Political editor Pat Leahy shares the poll results with Hugh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We assess the political fallout from the decisions taken over the past few weeks to introduce new Covid-19 restrictions covering international travel, masking children in primary school and the hospitality sector. Are more measures on the way before Christmas? Could school closures be back on the menu after Christmas? Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray from the politics team and Irish Times feature writer and columnist Jennifer O’Connell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Depending on who you ask, Charles J. Haughey is either the great villain of Irish political life or the benevolent and forward-thinking saviour of a benighted nation. Professor of politics at Dublin City University, Gary Murphy, has written a biography of the former Taoiseach based on Haughey’s personal archives, as well as extensive interviews with his peers, rivals, confidantes and relatives. He talks to Hugh about writing about the man whose presence still looms large over Irish politics today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Years of being on the opposite side of difficult Brexit negotiations have unarguably damaged Irish-British relations. But how bad is the damage? To find out, this week's host Pat Leahy talks to former Irish ambassador to the UK Bobby McDonagh and our London editor Denis Staunton. They also discuss the latest developments in the standoff over the Northern Ireland protocol. But first it's Covid-19 and the rising tide of the fourth wave that is scaring governments across Europe. Pat gets the latest from Derek Scally in Berlin, where a newly-formed coalition must grapple with Germany's worst stage of the pandemic so far, and Jack Horgan-Jones in Dublin, where we're not ready to talk about new restrictions just yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once again, too many people are getting sick, and there aren't enough hospital beds. The Government is struggling to come up with a convincing plan to turn the Covid-19 situation around. Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray tell Hugh what the thinking is about how to tackle the crisis and how the latest reimposition of restrictions on nightlife and extension of the use of vaccine certs came about. Plus: the Mother and baby homes redress scheme is facing sharp criticism from activists and survivors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For days now politicians in Ireland and the EU have been expecting UK Brexit negotiator David Frost to trigger Article 16, pausing the Northern Ireland protocol and creating a fresh crisis for EU-UK relations. But today Lord Frost made more diplomatic noises, saying negotiations had made some progress and still have longer to run. But if the threat was real, why the sudden reversal? Denis Staunton gives his analysis of UK government behaviour, and Pat Leahy explains how its being viewed here and in Brussels. Plus, the latest from Cop26 in Glasgow and Boris Johnson's sleaze crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At Sinn Féin’s ardfheis in Dublin last weekend, a motion in support of the non-jury Special Criminal Court was passed, representing a considerable shift in position and removing a significant hurdle to the party’s ambitions to lead the next government. Banners declaring it’s “time for change” adorned the walls of the Helix in Dublin City University, as party leader Mary Lou McDonald made clear her wishes to become the next Taoiseach. Hugh talks to Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray about how those ambitions might be realised.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary talks to Hugh about the rising Covid numbers in many EU member states, the rising energy prices that are dominating the news and the row between Brussels and Poland over the rule of law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed Brophy is a former chief of staff to finance minister Paschal Donohoe and to Labour’s Joan Burton when she was Tánaiste. Recently he stepped away from politics after ten years in the corridors of power. He talks to Hugh and Pat about the crises Ireland faced during his time as a government advisor, the challenges of governing under the watchful eyes of the Troika and what the future holds for Ireland’s economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author and academic Noam Chomksy talks to Hugh about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the morality of Ireland’s tax regime and whether the human race can avoid the twin catastrophes of global warming and nuclear war.With thanks to the Institute of International and European Affairs for facilitating this interview. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.