Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

This week, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's historic agreement to form a government together didn't make much of a splash among the distracted public. There are difficult decisions ahead, but no sign of them in the joint framework document that accompanied the agreement. Will a smaller party bet on going into government with FF and FG in a time of unprecedented uncertainty? And can Sinn Féin be ignored for much longer?Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Hugh talks to American journalist Clare Malone about the upending of US politics in an election year by the outbreak of Covid-19. Clare is senior political writer with FiveThirtyEight, a data-driven politics and sports website. She is also a regular on the popular FiveThirtyEight politics podcast. They talk about the response of the Trump administration to the outbreak, the potential impact of the virus on voting in November, rampant gerrymandering in some American states, and the strengths of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the EU response to the coronavirus crisis and how differing national memories of anther crisis, the financial crash of a decade ago, are driving dissonance among member states. Plus, Pat digs into the government formation talks once again.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach a sunny bank holiday weekend, and with several weeks of social distancing already under our belts, Hugh talks to Jennifer O'Connell and Patrick Freyne about how we are collectively handling the deprivations of life in lockdown. And we wonder some more about what permanent changes might come about as a result of Covid-19.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Politics is still going on, so Jennifer Bray and Harry McGee talk to Hugh about the latest goings-on: government formation, Seanad elections and the Labour leadership. But first they reflect on the nature of work and politics in the age of isolation.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiach joins to Hugh to talk about the caretaker government's response to the Covid-19 outbreak, and how the intervention of a civil servant has brought focus back onto the creation of a new government.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What will come in the wake of Covid-19? The end of the office and the transformation of cities? A new age of hedonism? A long-term increase of the role of the state in the economy? To talk about that and more, Hugh virtually sits down with Fintan O'Toole.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a week it has been since our last podcast. Hugh and Pat talk about Leo Varadkar's national address, what the Coronavirus outbreak means for politics now and in the future, and the dilemma facing our system of how to form a new government under such novel and trying circumstances.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer and Pat join Hugh to talk about the Coronavirus outbreak. How ready is Ireland? They also discuss the accelerated government formation now taking place. As the situation worsens, all parties will come under even more pressure to bring a new government into existence. Like many of you, the Inside Politics team is making changes to how it does things in light of the Coronavirus outbreak. Today's episode was recorded remotely. You may notice a slight change in audio quality. Thanks for your continued support. irishtimes.comWould you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar lambasted Sinn Féin this week for “burning a Tricolour before our eyes” by referring to the Republic of Ireland as "the Southern State". He's wasting his time if he expects Sinn Féin to change in this respect, but he's also missing a more important point, says Irish Times columnist Newton Emerson. Southern politicians should learn from the peace process in Northern Ireland that Sinn Féin can be encouraged to respect democratic and political norms when brought into the fold. Hugh and Newton also discuss the DUP's "evolving" position on the Northern Ireland protocol (the agreement between the UK and the EU that Northern Ireland will remain more closely aligned with the EU post-Brexit, requiring checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea). Having missed a chance to support Theresa May's "best of all worlds" deal, are they now getting ready to spin their satisfaction with Boris Johnson's "worst of all worlds" compromise, having no other choice?Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.