The Explainer

Exploring the March referendums on gender equality and family structures, the podcast delves into challenges with wording, a legal case impacting widower's pensions, and complexities of proposed constitutional changes. It also provides an overview of the voting process, debates surrounding the referendums, and emphasizes the importance of voter participation.

Dr Scott Walkin, a GP in Co Mayo and the Irish College of General Practitioners’ lead for infection control, explains the impact of low uptake of the MMR vaccine, how sick measles can make you, and shares some crucial advice for parents of young children. So far in Ireland there have been several suspected cases of measles but at the time of recording just one confirmed in 2024.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by our Senior Producer Nicky Ryan, who has just returned from Turkey, and Diego Cupolo, editor-in-chief of the Turkey Recap newsletter, to look at the situation on the ground one year after the devastating earthquakes.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Power sharing in the north has been stalled for two years due to the DUP's reluctance to participate. With the absence of any Stormont Assembly, Northern Ireland's public services have suffered. There are many political challenges ahead. But this week, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson announced that the party’s executive had come to an agreement and voted in favour of restoring the Executive. On Thursday, two pieces of legislation contained in the UK government’s deal to resurrect devolution were fast-tracked through the House of Commons, while Stormont is expected to sit on Saturday.To look back at what was a wild week in Northern Ireland's politics we're joined again by Brian Rowan to give his expert perspectives. The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Power sharing talks at Stormont have been going on for some time without ever reaching an agreement, taking its toll on the population. The culmination of this was a mass strike last week, where thousands of workers took to the streets in what’s been dubbed the largest strike in the North for 50 years. We're joined journalist and author - and current The Journal contributor - Brian Rowan to give his expert perspective on the situation in Northern Ireland.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're looking at everything about Yemen that might have flown under the radar in recent years with Dr Elisabeth Kendall, the Mistress of Girton College at Cambridge University and an Arabist and middle east specialist. Who are the Houthis? What do they want? Why did the UK and the US act together against them? How has the world barely noticed the war in Yemen? How did it last for so long?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marian Ryan, consumer tax manager with Taxback.com, joins us on this week's episode of The Explainer to demystify the world of income tax returns, statements of liability, and the Revenue website. She lays out why it's worthwhile for all PAYE workers to sniff around their tax return, and outlines the main tax refunds people are entitled to but often don't look into claiming.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our team pick their favourite moments from the podcast in 2023.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined in studio by our Political Correspondent Christina Finn and Political Reporter Jane Matthews to dissect the year that was, and to look at what 2024 what bring. Who were the political winner and losers? What was the most important legisilation passed? We also analyse how likely it is that an election will be called in the new year, and what potential banana peels might force the coalition's hand.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author and arts journalist Aoife Barry takes us through the history of the awards as well as the familiar faces who are up for Best Actor. We also explore what is next for Murphy, Scott, and Keoghan, and what the Golden Globes mean for next year's Oscars.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has been the aim of The Journal for a decade. You can contribute to ensure we can keep questioning, investigating, debunking, explaining and informing at www.thejournal.ie/contribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.