Host Pat Leahy and political correspondents Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee discuss the week in politics:

The critical shortage of accommodation for people arriving in Ireland to apply for International Protection was everywhere in the news this week, as was the row between the UK and Ireland over returning migrants. The Government desperately needs to build a system that can process asylum seekers quickly and efficiently, and provide accommodation in the meantime.

The outcome of local elections in the UK points to a potentially catastrophic general election for the Tories

In Scotland, the SNP's diminished status means independence seems further away than any point since before the 2015 referendum

They also pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week.

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Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to look back on the week in politics:

• Taoiseach Simon Harris’s sure-footed performance as he delivered an apology to the Stardust tragedy victims.

• Less good was Minister for Justice Helen McEntee’s appearance at an Oireachtas committee, where she struggled to answer a question about the State’s handling of international protection applicants.

• Discussions about budget spending are starting early this year, a sign of the auction politics to come in the run-up to the general election.

Plus the panel pick their Irish Times articles of the week:

• Justine McCarthy on the growing number of journalists becoming Government advisors.

• Finn McRedmond in defence of snobbery.

• And coverage of the dysfunction in University Hospital Limerick, as revealed by a coroner’s report on the tragic death of teenager Aoife Johnston.

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London Correspondent Mark Paul joins Hugh Linehan to talk about the issues making an impact on British politics right now. The issues include upcoming local elections, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's drive to pass his Rwanda Bill, which will allow Britain to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda while their claims are processed, and the contrasting fortunes of the Conservative and Labour parties.

In part two they look north to Scotland, where the Scottish National Party is showing signs of fatigue after a prolonged period in power. It is a weariness that shows in party leader Humza Yousaf's struggle to handle a wide range of controversies, from green policies to corruption, rape trial reforms and trans rights.

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On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Hugh Linehan, Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray look back on the week in politics:

Two weeks in, Simon Harris has already experienced some minor controversies as Taoiseach. But how is he doing overall?

As the Greens head into their National Conference this weekend, will the party be happy with their standing as an election draws near?

The EU Migration pact has the potential to be a significant political flashpoint and raises the question: Do European matters receive enough scrutiny in the Oireachtas?

Plus the panel pick their Irish Times articles of the week:

Derek Scally on a German Luthern priest’s successful ploy to attract a younger congregation with help from Taylor Swift.

Patrick Freyne’s unflattering review of a new RTE comedy sketch show.

And Conor Pope’s reporting on the egregiousness of Eir.

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With its fast-growing economy and increasing significance as a player in European security, Poland’s political direction will have a major bearing on the future of Europe. But the centrist coalition led by Donald Tusk is grappling with how to unwind some of the oppressive legacy of its predecessors, the right nationalist Law and Justice party. 

Meanwhile, Poland’s neighbour to the West faces a different set of problems. An unpopular government, an economic recession and growing divisions over wars in Ukraine and Israel mean Germany is experiencing a crisis of confidence. 

Hugh Linehan explores these political and social pressures in Poland and Germany with Irish Times Berlin Correspondent Derek Scally.

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Alex Kane, Lisa Whitten, Freya McClements and Pat Leahy joined Hugh Linehan in Northern Ireland for a live show at the MAC in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter. The panel discussed the shocking departure of Jeffrey Donaldson from the pinnacle of NI politics, how the political system has responded since, and what it all means for the future of unionism and the power-sharing institutions. They also discuss the importance of the "neither" voters, the price of reunification and the economic benefits of Northern Ireland's post-Brexit position.

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Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about Simon Harris's appointment as Taoiseach and the details of his minimal Cabinet reshuffle. Did he go far enough to satisfy Fine Gaelers, or voters looking for change?

They also talk about the new Taoiseach's speech delivery and Mary Lou McDonald's forceful criticism of his track record.

But first they discuss the news that the reconstituted Government's first act will be to recognise the statehood of Palestine.

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Ahead of Simon Harris’s first Fine Gael Ard Fheis as party leader, Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to discuss the potential quick wins and policy departures Harris can look to implement when his expected tenure as taoiseach begins next Tuesday.

And while we were denied the excitement of hustings and voting, there is still much speculation as to the potential make-up of Simon Harris’s Cabinet. How does he find the balance between merit and geography? And will some Fine Gael party departees have their arms twisted to stay?

Also on the podcast: the other recent earthquake in Irish politics was the unexpected resignation of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, following his charging for historical sexual offences. Just a few short weeks after the Assembly was reconstituted, the revelation has been received with a certain level of calm by the political establishment, with interim DUP leader Gavin Robinson coming from the more moderate tradition within the party.

But could the deal struck for power-sharing be tested in the months ahead? And will the looming Westminster election give rise to turmoil within a deeply divided DUP party?

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On today’s Inside Politics podcast, Hugh is joined by David Rieff. David is the author of many books, including In Praise of Forgetting. He reported on war in Bosnia in the 1990s, and has written on everything from the political and ethical complexities of humanitarian aid and international intervention in sub-Saharan Africa to political developments in Central and south America. He also has a Substack newsletter in which he reflects on the progress of the current culture wars and their implications for intellectual life. He currently spends half his time in Kyiv where he is observing and reflecting on the ongoing war against Russian aggression.

He talks to Hugh about the idea of a just war and its relevance to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the remilitarisation of Europe and the decline of Pax Americana, as well as the rise of anti-establishment populism and why he believes contemporary trends in technology, capitalism and politics will inevitably lead to the end of high culture and the triumph of kitsch.

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