Sarah Bardon, Fiach Kelly and Hugh Linehan discuss the increased likelihood of a general election in the short term, after comments by Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen suggesting his party is unlikely to renew its confidence and supply arrangement with Fine Gael.

Also, just who will contest the presidential election? And, what sort of impact could the allegations of a data breach at Independent News and Media have on journalism in general?

First up today, Hugh, Pat and Harry discuss Tánaiste Simon Coveney's difficult few days, and the disbandment of the ill-fated Strategic Communications Unit.

Then they take a close look at a recent story that revealed a lot about how Irish politics really works: the controversy over the allocation of a sports grant to a private Dublin school. UCC economist (and former All Ireland winning Cork hurler) John Considine explains how it really works.

The Inside Politics team look at the harvesting of Facebook user data to target citizens with news, of both the real and fake varieties, to manipulate their opinions and ultimately their votes. It seems that technology has raced ahead of democracy. Is now the time to rein tech in? Elaine Edwards is The Irish Times's data security expert and she joins Hugh, Pat and Fiach to talk about the story, and what it means for the political system here in Ireland.

After that Fiach tells us how the mood music around Leinster House suggests a general election is not far away.

Leo Varadkar meets Donald Trump for the annual St Patrick’s Day White House visit by an Irish leader tomorrow. How will the encounter differ to that of his predecessor Enda Kenny? Suzanne Lynch joins Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy on the line from Washington to discuss.

And, with just health minister Simon Harris staying behind to deal with the ongoing hospital overcrowding crisis, we look ahead to the return of the Dáil next week, when the referendum Bill and corporate tax will be topping the agenda.

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the government to proceed with plans to hold a referendum on the Eighth Amendment, ruling that the unborn has no constitutional rights outside the right to life in Article 40.3.3. Pat Leahy and Hugh Linehan discuss the landmark unanimous judgment by the seven-judge court. Later, political sociologist at Queens University Belfast, Dr Katy Hayward, on the possible solutions to the question of the border with Northern Ireland after Brexit.

The role of the Strategic Communications Unit has come under the spotlight thanks to this week's controversy over a series of 'advertorials' placed in regional and national newspapers, including The Irish Times, concerning the new national development plan, Project 2040.

To discuss this story, Hugh and Pat are joined by Gerard Howlin, a public affairs consultant, Irish Examiner columnist and former senior political adviser to the Ahern government who says the origins and characteristics of the SCU suggest an unwelcome blurring of lines between politics and the Civil Service.

Also on the podcast: cans last seen flying down the road towards Brexit are reappearing this week. The Irish Border question is back and is posing a major threat to UK-EU negotiations.

A special live episode of the podcast featuring Minister for Arts Josepha Madigan, Fianna Fáil TD Thomas Byrne and Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly. They joined Hugh Linehan and Fiach Kelly to discuss the relationship between their three parties, and more.

Thanks to our guests and to everyone who attended the live recording on Thursday, February 22nd here in The Irish Times. For information on future events, subscribe to The Irish Times political digest email.

Michael D Higgins is going to run for a second term. The major parties do not want to put a candidate up against him - but might they have to, for the sake of appearances?

Pat Leahy and Sarah Bardon join Hugh Linehan to discuss the potential for an accidental race to the Áras. Will Michael D be challenged, and if so, who will the challengers be?

Then they turn to Fianna Fáil's determination to have a row about vulture funds, who Fianna Fáil say must be regulated before they can get their claws into billions of euros worth of non-performing Permanent TSB loans.

Lastly the panel look at two stories concerning the 8th Amendment: a Supreme Court case taking place this week that has the potential to upset Government's plans for an early summer referendum on the 8th, and the political reaction to polls showing a tightening of opinion on the 12 week proposal.

The government will unveil two key documents mapping out its plans for Ireland’s future this Friday - the €115bn 10-year Development Plan and the National Planning Framework.

Previous plans have proved ineffective in achieving their goals by spreading the wealth too thinly in an attempt to appease all sides and the initial drafts of the latest documents have seen the debate over the rural-urban divide reignited in recent weeks. On today’s podcast, former environment editor of the Irish Times Frank McDonald, who first warned of the ruination of Irish villages through a suburbanisation of the countryside 30 years ago, joins Harry McGee and Fiach Kelly to discuss the merits of the government’s latest plans.

In the second part of the show, Amanda Ferguson reports from Belfast, where talks on re-establishing power-sharing at Stormont appear to have come asunder once again, with the DUP leader Arlene Foster making clear her party’s opposition to proposals for an Irish Language Act.

"Enda didn't get a fair hop from the media".

Feargal Purcell served as Enda Kenny's press secretary for six years, and briefly as Leo Varadkar's after that. As government press secretary during the years of austerity, Purcell was no stranger to crisis. Among his responsibilities was find and brief TDs and ministers willing to bat for Enda Kenny's administration when the chips were down. Sometimes they were hard to find.

On this episode of Inside Politics, Feargal talked to Political Editor Pat Leahy about his time at the heart of government, the nature of the relationship between the politicians and the media, and the style and substance of the new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. He also talks about his new role with Edelman, a global international public relations firm that this week published its annual Trust Barometer, a study examining public attitudes to institutions including government and the press.