The Explainer

By The Journal

What's The Explainer about?

The Explainer is a weekly podcast from TheJournal.ie that takes a deeper look at one big news story you need to know about. What's the background? Why is this in the news? Get the facts behind the story from Ireland's biggest news website.

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How does Ireland's immigrat...

02.02.2023

As Ireland's immigration system comes under increasing strain, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council Nick Henderson joins us on this week's episode to give a clear, concise overview of how it all works. What's the difference between a refugee and ...

The Explainer episodes:

02.02.2023 How does Ireland's immigration system work? As Ireland's immigration system comes under increasing strain, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council Nick Henderson joins us on this week's episode to give a clear, concise overview of how it all works. What's the difference between a refugee and ...
01.29.2023 By Noteworthy: Is The State Ignoring Island Depopulation? This week, as a bonus episode of The Explainer brought to you by Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats with Niall Sargent and John Walsh, chair of the European Small Islands Federation, about what is needed to help our offshore islands thrive. ...
01.26.2023 By Noteworthy: How is the Irish public health system coping? This week, in an episode of The Explainer brought to you by Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats with reporter Peter McGuire as well as Dr Anne Dee, chair of the public health committee at the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO)about an in-depth ...
01.24.2023 How did Ireland get so many Oscar nominations? Our producer Aoife Barry joins us to look at a record day for cinema in Ireland, with Irish films, actors, and production teams receiving more Oscar nominations than ever before. How did this happen, and who might the winners ultimately ...
01.21.2023 Who is Andrew Tate? Debbie Ging, associate professor of Digital Media and Gender in the School of Communication at DCU, joins us on this week's episode to examine influencer Andrew Tate. He is very well known among some users of the internet - and ...
01.16.2023 By Noteworthy: Are Irish pensions invested in fossil fuels? In a new in-depth report by Noteworthy, it was revealed that an ambition for tighter scrutiny regarding the investment of pension funds in fossil fuels was quietly rolled back only months after a goal on this was set. In our ...
01.12.2023 How can you make your money go further in 2023? The ongoing cost of living crisis means many people are looking to make savings and find ways to be more financially secure. Nick Charalambous from Cork-based Alpha Wealth Financial Management joins us on this week's episode to look at what ...
01.04.2023 Our favourite explanations of 2022 This week, the team behind The Explainer look through the back catalogue to bring you some of our favourite explanations from the past year, ranging from what the impact of another recession could be, to why Ireland is so obsessed ...
12.29.2022 What did 2022 hold for US politics - and what can we expect in 2023? Larry Donnelly, law lecturer at NUI Galway and The Journal columnist, joins us to take a look back at the year that was in US politics. Was it a good year for Biden? What should we make of the fallout ...
12.27.2022 By Noteworthy: What happens to your soft plastic recycling? This week, in an episode of The Explainer brought to you by Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats with reporter Alice Chambers and Mindy O'Brien, chief executive of environmental charity VOICE, about soft plastic recycling.
12.21.2022 What is being done for survivors of Ireland's mother and baby homes? Órla Ryan, creator and presenter of The Journal's new documentary series Redacted Lives, joins us on this week's episode to explore what survivors of mother and baby homes are facing right now. What exactly was the system and how did ...
12.19.2022 By Noteworthy: Are data centres ramping up Ireland’s emissions? This week, as a bonus episode of The Explainer brought to you by Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats with reporter Niall Sargent and Dr Patrick Brodie, an assistant professor in UCD researching the environmental politics of digital infrastructure, about the carbon ...
12.13.2022 What do we know about an alleged coup plot in Germany? Journalist and academic Professor Peter Neumann joins us on this week's episode to look at an alleged coup plot in Germany involving far-right extremists planning to start a civil war. How long have "Reichsbürger" been active? What exactly was the ...
12.08.2022 What is happening with inflation and how is it affecting our pockets? This week on The Explainer, we're joined by economist and research affiliate with the ESRI John Fitzgerald to look at how inflation is currently impacting our lives. Is it slowing down, and will we feel that in our own finances? ...
12.05.2022 By Noteworthy: Are migrant fishers exploited in Ireland? In another episode by Noteworthy, editor Maria Delaney and visual journalist Geela Garcia tell Susan Daly about Noteworthy's latest project which found that human trafficking of migrant fishers continues, seven years after the issue was first exposed in Ireland.
11.30.2022 What is RSV and why are so many children sick with it? It's a virus we never thought about much pre-Covid, but during the first winter with no restrictions in place, RSV has exploded in Ireland. But what is it, who is most at risk, and how do we protect ourselves against ...
11.22.2022 What’s Ceta, and will Ireland hold a referendum on it? David Kenny, associate professor at Trinity College Dublin Law School, is back with us to take us through the EU-Canada Trade Agreement, or Ceta. What is it, what are the main sticking points, and why did the Supreme Court rule ...
11.16.2022 What’s happening with the 2022 FIFA World Cup? This week we have The42's soccer writer Gavin Cooney in studio to answer some of the many questions surrounding this year's World Cup. Why Qatar? Who are the teams to watch? Is it really going to be a carbon-neutral event? ...
11.13.2022 By Noteworthy: What are the problems with lobbying in Ireland? In another episode by Noteworthy, reporters Cormac Fitzgerald and Stephen McDermott tell Susan Daly about Noteworthy's latest project which examined lobbying by former government officials. They found almost 400 lobbying returns in which former government officials incorrectly appeared as ‘ordinary’ ...
11.10.2022 What do the layoffs at Meta and Twitter mean for the tech industry? Elaine Burke, editor of Silicon Republic, joins us on this week's episode to look at what's happening in the tech industry. What's behind the latest wave of layoffs, what does it mean for Ireland - and what exactly is going ...
11.03.2022 What will the COP27 climate summit focus on? Our reporter Lauren Boland joins us this week to look at what lies ahead for the climate conference. The UN summit is taking place next week in Egypt and will be attended by a number of world leaders (yes, including ...
11.01.2022 By Noteworthy: Why are Travellers so overrepresented in prison? In another episode by Noteworthy, reporter Michelle Hennessy tells Susan Daly about Noteworthy's latest project which examined the impact of the justice system on Travellers.
10.26.2022 Who is Mahsa Amini, and why has her death led to protests in Iran? We're joined on this week's episode of The Explainer by Dr Paola Rivetti, an associate professor in politics and international relations at DCU whose research interests focus on the government of societies and polities in the Middle East and on ...
10.21.2022 What’s the story with the women’s football World Cup? For the first time ever, Ireland's women's football team are off to the World Cup. The42's Emma Duffy joins us to explain everything you need to know about the upcoming games, and the background to the team's success. How much ...
10.13.2022 What will Putin's next steps be in his invasion of Ukraine? Senator and retired army officer Tom Clonan joins us to look at what comes next in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The conflict is now in its seventh month, and recent weeks have seen Ukraine make substantial gains against the invading ...
10.07.2022 What’s happening in Brazil’s closely fought presidential election? Sam Cowie, a journalist based in Brazil, joins us to examine Brazil's potentially seismic presidential election. The far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro is neck-and-neck with one of the country's former presidents, often referred to as simply Lula. What are their backgrounds, ...
09.28.2022 What type of tax system does Ireland have? Barra Roantree, economist with the ESRI, joins us on this week's episode to put Ireland's tax system under the microscope. What exactly is a progressive tax regime - and does Ireland have one? Are we too exposed to corporation tax? ...
09.23.2022 What do recent arrests mean for the Kinahan gang? Our reporter Garreth MacNamee joins us to examine the future of the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang in the wake of significant moves by international police forces to crack down on the gang this year, and recent high-profile arrests. Is it ...
09.20.2022 By Noteworthy: How much weedkiller are councils using? Our investigations team at Noteworthy examine the use of pesticides by public authorities. They've found that almost all councils still apply chemical weedkillers, particularly glyphosate (known as Roundup). Here, Susan Daly speaks to reporter Anthea Lacchia and campaigner James Walsh ...
09.15.2022 What challenges will Britain's new king face? Joining us this week is Enda Brady, London-based journalist and media consultant, to examine what lies ahead for Britain's new head of state. What changes might King Charles III make to the monarchy, what do the British public make of ...
09.08.2022 Why is Ireland so obsessed with Garth Brooks? RTÉ arts and culture journalist Alan Corr and The Journal's resident Garth Brooks fan Christina Finn join us to look at the return of the country music superstar. Brooks is back in Ireland for five sold-out gigs - but what's ...
09.07.2022 By Noteworthy: Why are Irish unweaned calves being exported? In another episode by Noteworthy, Niall Sargent and Austrian vet Dr Alexander Rabitsch tell Susan Daly about animal welfare concerns in the growing live export trade to Europe. In TRADE OFF, Sargent also examined the growth of the export trade ...
09.01.2022 How have abortion laws changed in the US since Roe v Wade was overturned? Marion McKeone, US Correspondent for the Business Post, joins us to look at how abortion laws in the United States have evolved since Roe v Wade was overturned. What changes have been made, how is it impacting people, and is ...
08.30.2022 By Noteworthy: Are religious property proceeds going to redress? In another episode by our investigations team, Noteworthy’s Maria Delaney tells Susan Daly that though most religious congregations have paid redress offered for institutional child abuse, there is still a shortfall of around €105m, with over 90% of this from ...
08.26.2022 Why has polio reappeared in some major cities? Dr Kathleen O'Reilly, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, joins us to talk about polio. The virus, long eradicated in many parts of the world, has been detected in the wastewater of several cities, suggesting ...
08.19.2022 Is Ireland facing the threat of winter power blackouts? ESRI energy economist Muireann Lynch joins us on this week's episode to look at how the energy crisis could impact Ireland. As supply dwindles and what's left becomes more expensive, will we be able to keep the lights on over ...
08.11.2022 How is the global monkeypox outbreak being managed? Cillian De Gascun, head of then National Virus Reference Laboratory, joins to discuss what we know so far about monkeypox. The virus has gained a foothold in many Western countries, and the World Health Organisation has now declared it a ...
08.03.2022 What makes Love Island so successful? We're joined by Orlaith Condon, host of the My Pod On Paper podcast, to examine the popularity of reality dating programme Love Island. What's the secret to its success, how has the series developed over time, and how have its ...
07.28.2022 Is Ireland heading towards another recession? Stephen Kinsella, University of Limerick economics professor and chief economics writer with The Currency, joins us to look at the factors leading some to predict that Ireland is heading towards another recession. What caused the last one, what are the ...
07.21.2022 What do the recent extreme temperatures tell us about future Irish summers? We speak to Peter Thorne, a climate change professor at Maynooth University and a coordinating lead author with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to examine what was different about Ireland's recent hot spell, and what it signals for the ...
07.14.2022 Will Dublin's metro actually be built this time around? Brian Caulfield, associate professor with the School of Engineering at TCD, joins us this week to examine MetroLink, formerly known as Metro North. After years of delays the project appears to be back on track - but will it actually ...
07.09.2022 By Noteworthy: Is Ireland a dumping ground for poultry manure? In another episode by Noteworthy, Susan Daly speaks to reporters Ella McSweeney and Niall Sargent about their recent investigation, FACTORY FARM which looks at the waste and governance issues around the growth of the poultry industry.
07.07.2022 Why are energy prices still going up? Daragh Cassidy, head of communications with price comparison website Bonkers.ie, delves into why exactly your electricity and gas bills keep going up and up and up. How much of a factor is the war in Ukraine, what action can the ...
06.30.2022 Why was Roe v Wade overturned and what does it mean for US laws? Dr David Kenny, associate professor at the Trinity College School of Law, joins us to examine last week's monumental decision by the US Supreme Court. With almost 50 years of abortion law overturned, what does it mean for people seeking ...
06.21.2022 What's the future of EU defence - and how does Ireland play a role? Recently elected senator and former Irish Army captain Tom Clonan joins us on this week's episode to examine the future of EU defence. What structures are in place currently, how does Ireland play a role in them, and in what ...
06.16.2022 Why is homelessness in Ireland on the rise again? The number of people homeless in Ireland has passed 10,000 for the first time since before the start of the pandemic - Mike Allen, advocacy director with Focus Ireland, joins us on this week's episode to explain why. What measures ...
06.08.2022 Why is it so hard to take action on mass shootings in the US? In the wake of the horrific shootings at a school in Uvalde, Texas, discussion has turned yet again to gun laws in the USA. The Journal columnist and author Larry Donnelly joins Michelle Hennessy this week to discuss attitudes to ...
06.01.2022 What’s causing the chaos at Dublin Airport? As summer travel picks up again, Dublin Airport is buckling under the pressure. Editor of Air & Travel magazine Eoghan Corry joins to talk through the scenes witnessed at the airport last weekend and what is being done to tackle ...
05.27.2022 What is Sláintecare and how does it aim to reform Ireland’s health system? It could completely overhaul Ireland’s troubled healthcare system, but what exactly is it? Liam Doran, former general secretary of the INMO, joins us on this week’s episode to give us an insight into Sláintecare. The plan received cross-party support at ...
05.19.2022 Why isn't Ireland winning Eurovision? We're joined by The Journal's News Editor Daragh Brophy, who was at the Eurovision final in Turin, and Johnny Fallon, strategy director at Carr Communications and Eurovision voting expert, to examine why Ireland has been struggling to win the song ...

Older episodes

The Explainer

What's The Explainer about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Explainer episodes:

How does Ireland's immigration system work?

By Noteworthy: Is The State Ignoring Island Depopulation?

By Noteworthy: How is the Irish public health system coping?

How did Ireland get so many Oscar nominations?

Who is Andrew Tate?

By Noteworthy: Are Irish pensions invested in fossil fuels?

How can you make your money go further in 2023?

Our favourite explanations of 2022

What did 2022 hold for US politics - and what can we expect in 2023?

By Noteworthy: What happens to your soft plastic recycling?

What is being done for survivors of Ireland's mother and baby homes?

By Noteworthy: Are data centres ramping up Ireland’s emissions?

What do we know about an alleged coup plot in Germany?

What is happening with inflation and how is it affecting our pockets?

By Noteworthy: Are migrant fishers exploited in Ireland?

What is RSV and why are so many children sick with it?

What’s Ceta, and will Ireland hold a referendum on it?

What’s happening with the 2022 FIFA World Cup?

By Noteworthy: What are the problems with lobbying in Ireland?

What do the layoffs at Meta and Twitter mean for the tech industry?

What will the COP27 climate summit focus on?

By Noteworthy: Why are Travellers so overrepresented in prison?

Who is Mahsa Amini, and why has her death led to protests in Iran?

What’s the story with the women’s football World Cup?

What will Putin's next steps be in his invasion of Ukraine?

What’s happening in Brazil’s closely fought presidential election?

What type of tax system does Ireland have?

What do recent arrests mean for the Kinahan gang?

By Noteworthy: How much weedkiller are councils using?

What challenges will Britain's new king face?

Why is Ireland so obsessed with Garth Brooks?

By Noteworthy: Why are Irish unweaned calves being exported?

How have abortion laws changed in the US since Roe v Wade was overturned?

By Noteworthy: Are religious property proceeds going to redress?

Why has polio reappeared in some major cities?

Is Ireland facing the threat of winter power blackouts?

How is the global monkeypox outbreak being managed?

What makes Love Island so successful?

Is Ireland heading towards another recession?

What do the recent extreme temperatures tell us about future Irish summers?

Will Dublin's metro actually be built this time around?

By Noteworthy: Is Ireland a dumping ground for poultry manure?

Why are energy prices still going up?

Why was Roe v Wade overturned and what does it mean for US laws?

What's the future of EU defence - and how does Ireland play a role?

Why is homelessness in Ireland on the rise again?

Why is it so hard to take action on mass shootings in the US?

What’s causing the chaos at Dublin Airport?

What is Sláintecare and how does it aim to reform Ireland’s health system?

Why isn't Ireland winning Eurovision?