The Mick Clifford Podcast

CNN Reporter Donie O’Sullivan attended the Minnesota rally on Wednesday where the Covid 19 virus first became apparent among Donald Trump’s staff. Just over twenty four hours later the president tested positive for the virus.Donie talks about how the adoring crowd paid homage to Mr Trump at what may well turn out to be his last major rally in the campaign and he relates what the president’s supporters at the event think of their hero. He also reports on the election online where misinformation and false flags are playing a major role in the presidential campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neasa Hourigan is the Green party’ spokesperson on finance who has had a baptism of fire in politics going from a full time carer to a councillor and onto TD all in the space of seven months. Following her election to the Dail last February she was a part of the Greens negotiating team in coalition talks yet voted within the party not to go into government. She is currently seeing out a suspension on Dail speaking time for voting against the government on a bill to allow for evictions. She spoke to this week’s podcast about her politics, her place in the Green party and what a just transition looks like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US election is little over six weeks away and the polls still favour Joe Biden but the race is tightening. This time around Donald Trump is no longer the outside promising to “drain the swamp”. He is instead outgoing president who is running on his record.How exactly is Trump regarded in this country? One person who believes that many in the Irish media follow the lead of their counterparts in the US media is Seth Barrett Tillman, an American academic living in this country. He is this week’s guest on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A private member’s bill advocating a law for assisted dying will be introduced in the Dail in the coming week by People Before Profit Gino Kenny. The topic was recently in the news when cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan said that she would be in favour of any such law.But what is involved and is Irish society ready to move in the same direction as counties such as Holland, Belgium and Canada and some US states.Joining the podcast this week to dig down into the topic is Professor Des O’Neill, specialist in geriatric and stroke medicine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we face into a new post Covid world many economists, sociologists and political scientists are predicting that major changes will have to be made to how we live. In particular, there are fears that growing inequality could be a feature of the new world.In that vein an increasing number of people are looking at new concepts, none more so than that of Universal Basic Income. UCC economics lecturer Declan Jordan is one such voice and he told this week’s podcast what it’s all about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country is bracing itself for the reopening of schools for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic last March. Major preparations have been put in place to comply with best practice in tackling the virus.But how are they managing in countries that are not as developed as ours. Colm Byrne is a teacher who has been living and working in Cambodia for the last six years where the schools remain in lockdown. He fears that if they don’t open within the next few months they may never open again. Colm spoke on the podcast about how life in Cambodia and particularly how it is for children and the teachers who are desperate to educate them in an Asian country still struggling to come to terms with its past. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Schools are reopening to a different world over the coming weeks, a world that is completely alien to all past and present pupils. This week, the podcast spoke to Richel Long, principal of the 800 student Christ King School in Cork about the preparations that have gone into getting the school in shape.From staggered schooldays to designated doors of entry, from furniture removal to a strict ‘no sniffles’ policy, Richel paints a vivid and stark picture of what awaits students, teachers and parents in this strange new world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The recent outbreak of Covid 19 in the meat processing industry has given rise to questions about employment conditions in that and other low paying sectors. Workers in many of these sectors are forced to declare themselves as self-employed and as a result do not enjoy any of the protections or benefits that accrue to employees in normal circumstances. This in turn has knock on effects for the exchequer and society.Martin McMahon has long been an advocate for the elimination of what is called bogus self- employment and he is this week’s guest on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Artists of all disciplines have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. It was difficult enough for the vast majority of artists to make a living before the pandemic hit but now they are forced to exist in world where, for example, social distancing throws up huge problems in performing. So what is to be done in order to ensure that art continues to be made in order to provide society with a vital form of oxygen?Addressing these and other questions on this week’s podcast is Angela Dorgan, Chair of the national campaign for the arts and CEO of First Music Contact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The French authorities are attempting once more to have Ian Bailey extradited for the murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier. This week the High Court heard an application to surrender Mr Bailey following his conviction last year in a Paris court of the 1996 murder.The DPP in this country has repeatedly ruled that Mr Bailey does not have a case to answer in relation to Ms Du Plantier’s violent death. The courts here must now decide whether or not Mr Bailey is to be extradited to France, where he is likely to spend the rest of his days in prison. The podcast spoke to law lecturer Jennifer Kavanagh about what is at stake legally in the current chapter of this long running saga. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.