The David McWilliams Podcast
David McWilliams & John Davis
The aim of this weekly podcast is to make economics easy, uncomplicated and accessible. With the world at a political, technological and financial tipping point, economics has never been so important to all of us and yet, it’s made inaccessible and complicated by so many.I’ve always thought what is complicated is rarely important and what is important is rarely complicated.That will be our motto.Every week we are going to tease out some big economic or political issue facing us, not just here in Ireland but in Europe and further afield. Globalisation has brought us all together. We all face similar challenges whether you live in Dublin, London, Minnesota or Milan.If you would like to enjoy all of our content ad-free and have early access to episodes, subscribe to DMCW+ on Apple Podcast.Want to join our crew? Join at davidmcwilliams.ie/crew, where you can enjoy ad-free listening, as well as exclusive bonus content such as premium episodes, our macroeconomics course, early access to episodes and pre-sale access to tickets for Dalkey Book Festival & Kilkenomics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 12, 2026 • 34min
Why Your Barista Has a Master's Degree
They explore the theory of elite overproduction and how too many graduates chase too few elite roles. Irish stats and credential inflation get examined, including rising masters and underemployed degree-holders. Discussion covers public sector absorption, service-economy limits, emigration as a safety valve, and how AI could amplify inequality and disrupt graduate career paths.
May 7, 2026 • 39min
The UAE, Iran, and the Hostage at the Heart of the Oil War
A deep dive into why the UAE quit OPEC now and what that means for global oil politics. A close look at Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s different roles and the emirates’ social divides. The shifting balance between Saudi power, shale, and oil pricing. How the UAE’s security fears and ties with Israel reshape Gulf diplomacy and what this gamble signals for small states worldwide.
13 snips
May 5, 2026 • 42min
The Failure Premium: Where is the Money Going?
Sinead O'Sullivan, writer and commentator on Irish economic and social policy, outlines the idea of a 'failure premium' in public spending. She traces how subsidies and short-term fixes funnel money into private hands, inflate rents, and outsource costs like refugee housing. Short, sharp takes on housing, health, infrastructure and the politics that entrench dysfunction.
30 snips
Apr 30, 2026 • 41min
Ireland Is Killing Its Entrepreneurs
A deep dive into why so few young Irish people start businesses anymore. Contrasts extracted multinational wealth with homegrown wealth creation. Examines cultural shifts, economic theory on risk and innovation, and a numeric case showing costs crushing a 27‑year‑old’s startup hopes. Proposes redirecting multinational windfalls into real startup capital and banking fixes to unlock young founders.
26 snips
Apr 28, 2026 • 44min
Is America Losing Control?
John, conversational co-host and interlocutor on geopolitics and global finance, steers a deep dive into dollar dominance and its fragility. They unpack swap lines, shadow banking and private capital concentrating power. They sketch historical parallels like Suez and probe whether a strategic misstep could unseat US financial primacy.
8 snips
Apr 23, 2026 • 44min
The Premature State: Why Ireland Can’t Build Itself
Sinead O'Sullivan, economist and former engineer who studies industrial strategy and complex systems, argues Ireland is a 'premature state' with wealth but weak state-building capacity. She explores how functions were outsourced over centuries. Short conversations cover missing institutional muscle, why subsidies fail, talent gaps in planning, and whether rapid state development is possible.
24 snips
Apr 21, 2026 • 34min
Subsidies, Strikes and the Coming July Clash
A small, organised group used motorway choke points to paralyse the country and expose state fragility. Subsidies set to end in July, warm nights and the EU presidency create a tense mix. The discussion highlights short-term cash fixes, perverse incentives to pay off protesters, and rising populism and rural grievance that could fuel a summer clash.
48 snips
Apr 15, 2026 • 44min
Is Ireland the Worst-Run Rich Country in Europe?
John from Melbourne, a conversational partner who brings sharp local observations, joins to probe Ireland’s strange mix of wealth and dysfunction. They discuss how multinational windfalls mask broken incentives in public spending. Topics include soaring budgets with poor outcomes, runaway construction and health costs, and the political and managerial failures that let it continue.
29 snips
Apr 14, 2026 • 38min
The Housing Finale: Can Ireland Build Its Way Out?
Ronan Lyons, professor and housing economist, offers sharp analysis of Ireland’s housing challenges. He talks about making housing boring again, the affordability–viability–efficiency triangle, and why household formation matters. They debate tax levers, apartment costs, land-use rules, planning uncertainty, and practical steps like reducing build costs and reforming zoning to match how people live today.
26 snips
Apr 9, 2026 • 44min
How The Housing Market Was Designed to Fail - Part 2
Ronan Lyons, professor of economics and housing expert, explains how decades of reasonable decisions produced a dysfunctional housing system. He discusses population booms, tax incentives that favoured rural sprawl, resistance to apartments, and how jobs urbanised without housing following. The conversation traces path dependence and why the crisis started long before 2008.
