We're turning the corner into the final stretch of the presidential election. Catherine Connolly is pulling ahead in the polls, and it's starting to look a lot like Heather Humphrey's campaign just hasn't landed - and she's running out of time to change that.

Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews and Rónán Duffy unpack a (somewhat) turbulent week of resignations and pointed remarks, from the Green Party’s internal backlash to Labour’s at times reluctant support. Is this what unity on the Left really looks like?

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The first presidential debate is unlikely to be one that anyone will ever really remember, but it gave voters their first real close-up look at how the three candidates perform under pressure. Humphreys tried to steer clear of any mistakes, Jim Gavin attempted to appear less “low energy”, while Catherine Connolly appeared to be in the most control.

Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy unpack who came out strongest (and maybe even who 'won'), if any awkward moments might stick, and whether this campaign will ever move beyond safe talking points.

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As the presidential election campaign kicks off in earnest, we're back with a new season of The Candidate. However... we have just three candidates in the race: Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys, and Jim Gavin. It's the smallest field in years.

Christine Bohan, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy examine why Maria Steen fell at the final hurdle, what it says about Ireland’s political spectrum, and whether it signals the need for change in the current system of nominations.

Also: who can avoid making a major mistake in the weeks ahead?

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After a summer of speculation, six-time All-Ireland winning Dublin manager Jim Gavin has emerged victorious in the race to be Fianna Fáil's candidate for the presidency. There was a contest and Billy Kelleher ran him closer than many expected but Taoiseach Micheál Martin got his man in the end. The question now is whether Martin's vision is shared by the public and whether Gavin is the superstar signing the party leader clearly thinks he is.

Sinead O'Carroll, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy unpack what all this means and also discuss the shocking threats made against the family of Tánaiste Simon Harris.

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The unexpected withdrawal of Mairead McGuinness has left a massive hole in the presidential race, one that has yet to be filled by any of the three major parties. Where do Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin go from here?

In this unscheduled episode, Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy look at what this means for the campaign timeline, whether Gareth Sheridan’s bid is being taken seriously, and ask if Catherine Connolly has a brand recognition problem.

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Ministers held their last Cabinet meeting this week, while TDs and senators have already cleared out of Leinster House for their break. That means it's time for us to hand out the report cards. We asked our listeners and readers to help us dish out some accolades for the performance of TDs in the current Dáil so far: Best Politician; Best Newbie; Comeback Kid; Must-Try-Harder Award; Quote of The Term; Clanger of The Term; Row of The Term; Best Political Moment. Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy make the tough decisions on this week's episode.

The Candidate will be taking a break for a few weeks until Irish politics starts ramping up again (but don't worry, we'll have you covered if anything major happens).

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The government unveiled its updated infrastructure spending plan this week and its plans to splash billions on projects around the country. But on what projects and where? Well, that type of detail was, oddly, not forthcoming...

From MetroLink to housing and health, the National Development Plan was heavy on spin and light on specifics. It was followed by the Summer Economic Statement and a shift in mood: next year’s Budget might not be particularly cheery. Christine Bohan, Jane Matthews and Rónán Duffy unpack the two announcements.

Also: the Social Democrats just turned 10. What explains their 'slow burn' staying power, and are they the exception to the rule about small Irish parties?

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The Dáil has wrapped up for the summer... again. But with a housing crisis, major legislation pending, and just 33 sitting weeks a year, should TDs still be clocking off this easily? Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, and Jane Matthews unpack whether Ireland’s political calendar is stuck in the past, and why a rethink of how the Dáil actually works should be on the cards.

Also: the Occupied Territories Bill is drawing increasingly sharp criticism from the US.

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Mary Lou McDonald is finally sailing us out of the presidential election doldrums... without saying much at all, really. Her non-denial that she would be throwing her hat in the ring has ramped up speculation around her being Sinn Féin's candidate. But could she actually win? And why are all the other parties playing it so coy?

Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy look at this continued quiet, cautious election tip-toeing that is continued.

Also: could Leo's post-taoiseach persona win over former sceptics?

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