The road to the Áras is getting busier as independents vie to earn the backing of the local authorities, prompting Jason and Ben to chat about what will separate the serious contenders from the rest. The ongoing threats faced by Tánaiste Simon Harris and his family, and Gavin Pepper's failure to live up to the leftist's imagining of him, make up the rest of the discussion this week.

Sarah returns to her chair this week, and shares her tale of accident and emergency horror. Also: Why she's not high on Jim Gavin's chances, the media's double standard on Graham Linehan, and reflections on the great flag wars.

On The Long Game this week, Ben and Maria talk about Dublin City Council's attempt to remove Irish flags around the city; the media grilling of Presidential hopeful Catherine Connolly; and Fianna Fáil's apparent lack of faith in any candidate from inside their own ranks.

On this week's episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the state of the Presidential race, the possibility of "President Bertie Ahern", the cult of Michael D. Higgins, and delve further into the state funding of media.

With Sarah still sadly indisposed, John and Laura discuss the stories of the week: The big engagement in America, the controversy around Dr. Umar Al Qadri, the CSO migration numbers.. and that Sunday Indo article about how the nation loves Michael D.

With Sarah away, Laura Perrins joins John and gives him a thorough education in why his support for delivery drones is wrong. They also discuss crime in Dublin, Maria Steen's Presidential prospects, and Laura goes off on Kneecap and Sally Rooney.

As Tony Holohan announces the presidency is no longer in his sights, Ben and Jason discuss why politics may be a nastier business than it used to be, before coincidentally moving on to the State's total disregard of public pushback on a national dis-/mis-information strategy. Also: Are eugenics back in vogue in some fashionable circles?

John and Sarah react to big news in the Presidential race, assess Gareth Sheridan's first week campaigning, talk free contraception. And also: Why Simon Harris's personal brand may never recover from breaking "Kayfabe"

Without beating around the bush, Ben and Jason get into the recent reports of Indians feeling unsafe in Ireland, and the surging phenomenon of 'elsewhereism,' or being primarily concerned about the rights and wrongs of goings on in other places. They also discuss Gript's latest subscriber-only feature, 'The Cost of Politics'.

Sarah re-joins the podcast this week from her Cretan retreat, and she and John discuss topics ranging from the tragic - the death of Harvey Sherrat - to the controversies around assisted suicide and the Mise Eire event, to the love lives of Pamela Anderson and Bonnie Blue.