Party think-ins have been happening, a cost of living crisis is raging and the Dáil is back today - so there is lots to discuss. Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about Sinn Féin's positioning, the cost of living package being prepared by the government, failing to meet climate commitments and the opportunity for Liz Truss to take control presented by the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

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London editor Denis Staunton and political editor Pat Leahy join Hugh to discuss the dawning UK premiership of Liz Truss. How will she govern, and what approach is will she take on the Northern Ireland protocol?

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Professor Brendan O'Leary returns to the show to talk about his new book Making Sense of a United Ireland, in which he explores the issues around a possible future reunification in an accessible way.

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This winter, thousands of Irish households will be pushed into energy poverty, as the price of oil and gas continues to skyrocket. So, what options do politicians have to protect consumers and what trade-offs will have to be made along the way?

On today’s Inside Politics Podcast, Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to discuss how the government will mitigate the energy crisis over the coming months. They also tackle the other political stories making waves this week including the public sector pay talks, a new report by the State’s commission on tax and welfare which recommends an increase on wealth, property and inheritance taxes, plus Dara Calleary’s new gig.

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On Wednesday Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy stepped down from his role as Minister of State after weeks of controversy over his failure to properly declare business interests, including rental properties and company directorships. 

To discuss the affair and what's been learned from it, Hugh is joined by Fintan O'Toole, Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy. 

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Religious belief has declined in Europe, but the strength of people's political views is stronger than ever - or at least, it often seems so online.

Has political identity replaced religion in people's lives?

British journalist and Atlantic magazine staff writer Helen Lewis explores this question in The Church of Social Justice, a new radio documentary for the BBC.

She talks to Hugh about where political identity and religion overlap, the value and limitations of each, and the influence of American culture wars on discourse this side of the Atlantic.

You can listen to The Church of Social Justice by Helen Lewis here.

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Jack Horgan-Jones and Jennifer Bray emerge from the misty miasma of August political coverage to tell Hugh what's going on in a number of stories: controversies over Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State Robert Troy's declaration of property interests, problems at An Bord Pleanála, early speculation about potential budget measures and coping with the growing number of Ukrainian refugees in need of accommodation.

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Patrick Radden Keefe is an American writer and investigative journalist. His book Empire of Pain is a detailed history of the Sackler dynasty and their role in the American opioid epidemic. Known for their dedication to cultural philanthropy, the family built their wealth on pharmaceuticals, starting with tranquillisers like Librium and Valium, before eventually moving on to the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. In this episode, the award-winning author talks to Hugh about the origins of the addiction crisis, the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy trial and the mark the family left on the world.

First published in August 2021. Inside Politics will return with a new episode next week.

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"It is not a question of whether, but when and how Ireland will be united", is the provocative opening argument made by author and journalist Frank Connolly in his recent book United Nation: The Case for Integrating Ireland. But he concedes it won't be easy.

The book explores the steps that would be necessary in advance of a border poll and the changes that unity would bring, North and South. He talked to Hugh Linehan about his book recently.

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Jack Horgan Jones, Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan, back after a two-month absence, to talk about the week's politics including tension within the the Government coalition over climate measures.

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