The Floating Voter

With the visit of Tory Prime Minister, Theresa May, to Government Buildings next week, are we Brexit-ready? As May seeks to re-assure us there’s nothing to worry about, sure it’s all under control, experts are increasingly warning of a hard Brexit with commentators fearing the government is not doing enough to prepare for the consequences.

“But we shouldn’t be in a rush to criticise or be side tracked from the real issues facing people in this country,” said INM’s Political Correspondent, Niall O’Connor on this week’s Floating Voter podcast. “Brexit is not one of them – and perhaps we are ready?”

As ever, Group Political Editor, Kevin Doyle and Political Correspondent, Philip Ryan, were also on the panel as they discussed the implications of May’s visit and the other main topics in Irish politics this week.

The Floating Voter podcast looks back on the political year that defined GUBU, with guest, Minister Paschal Donohoe, while doling out some Christmas Politician Awards along the way.

The days of GUBU, Charlie Haughey and co were halcyon compared to what happened in 2016.  From the birth of new politics, the re-bert of Bertie Ahern, to water charges down the drain and car insurance and rent sky rocketing. 

The Celtic Tiger was replaced by leprechaun economics; 1916 was commemorated but not celebrated; and while Joan Burton fell out of a boat, Enda Kenny was still leading the country.

Joining Kevin Doyle, Philip Ryan and Niall O'Connor to look back on the year in politics was Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe where they discussed the mistakes of the general election campaign, the uncertainty over Brexit, the consequences of the Trump agenda, the Fine Gael leadership race, and predictions for 2017.

Plus in the first Floating Voter Christmas Awards, who got the vote for the Bob Cratchit Hardest Working Politician award as well the Political Grinch of the Year?

Each week on the Floating Voter, INM's political team discuss the main issues affecting Irish politics bursting the bubble around Leinster House.

New episodes on Independent.ie every Thursday.

This week’s Floating Voter discusses the political posturing that has become Simon Coveney’s rental strategy.

The row between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael shows no sign of abating. As Simon Coveney seeks to cap rent rises in Dublin and Cork at 4% a year for the next three years, is this a sensible option? And just why is Barry Cowen grandstanding in opposition to the plan?

“Stop making it into a political football,” fumed Philip Ryan. “And this time it’s personal. We’re all renters here, we just want the politicians to find a solution and stop the bickering.”

So is it about rent or Fine Gael merely standing up to Fianna Fail?

“Renters in their 20s & 30s don’t care about the politics being played out,” argued Niall O’Connor. “But they do care about some sort of rental package being delivered.”

Can it be fixed that’s the only question that the squeezed renters want to know over Christmas.

This week's Floating Voter asks, have the last forty-eight hours been game-changers in the political future of Gerry Adams? Has the controversy over the information he had in relation to the murder of prison officer, Brian Stack, finally rattled the teflon Sinn Fein leader?

Fine Gael's Alan Farrell named two Sinn Fein politicians, Martin Ferris and Dessie Ellis, under Dail privilege, as the two people that Gerry Adams suggested in an email to the Garda Commissioner might have information about Brian Stack’s murder.

Then, a day later, Brian Stack's son, Austin, confronted Gerry Adams at a Dublin city centre press conference, calling him 'an absolute disgrace' if he didn’t give the name of an IRA figure who has information about his father's murder to gardaí.

'This is a story that is not going away no matter what and Sinn Fein can take that whatever way they want,' emphasised Niall O'Connor who was alongside Kevin Doyle and Philip Ryan for their weekly look at Irish politics.

Should people who paid their water charges be given refunds, or alternatively, should those who didn't pay, be chased down for the money?

This was just one of the topics on this week's Floating Voter with Kevin Doyle, Philip Ryan and Niall O'Connor, as they discussed the week in Irish politics.

"I don’t mind paying for water but you knew it was going to be abolished so why bother in the first place?" asked Philip Ryan.

"But the law of the land must be adhered to," said Niall O’Connor. "There is a chasm between those who paid and those who didn’t and the government has to try and figure out how to deal with it."

"What about the one million people who obeyed the law at the time? I can go to sleep at night knowing I did the right thing in paying for water. There must be equity and fairness."

And what about the re-appearance of Bertie Ahern with Fianna Fail in Dublin Central? Should he be welcomed back with open arms?

"It will be a step back for Fianna Fail and is not what they want or need to move on from the dark days of the Galway tent," said Ryan.

Finally on this week's show, the panel raised the issue of Gerry Adams' email to the Garda Commissioner in February with the names of three Sinn Fein politicians in relation to the murder of Brian Stack in 1983.

Since one of those named by Adams says he never knew his name was in the email, the panel asks about the reverberations being felt within Sinn Fein around Adams’ actions.

From clashing with Shane Ross to meeting the Pope next week, Enda Kenny will be kept busy over the next few days jumping from one infallible figure to the next.

Kenny has said that the Irish State’s relationship with the Church is now better than ever but will the the abortion referendum be on the agenda and what about the Pope declaring that priests can now offer absolution to women who have had an abortion?

Joining Niall O’Connor and Philip Ryan on this week’s Floating Voter was the Sunday Independent’s Niamh Horan who believed that ‘some women might find solace in receiving forgiveness from their local priest for an abortion.’

“There might something in that moment for a women and it shouldn’t be seen as another attack on the Church,” said Horan.

Elsewhere on the show, the panel asked why Shane Ross was being pilloried for wanting more transparency from the judiciary, one of the most elite aspects of Irish society?

“Whats wrong with wanting reform in the judiciary?” asked Philip Ryan.

And are water charges now back on the political agenda? Fianna Fail have flip-flopped once more on the issue saying ‘not no, never’ on water charges, though, ‘fix the pipes first’ says Horan before she is willing to pay up.

On this week's Floating Voter, Kevin Doyle, Niall O'Connor and Philip Ryan discuss the week in Irish politics including the ongoing row over pay talks.

After Jack O’Connor’s call for a private sector pay rise, the question now is, can the country afford it and where will the money come from?

"The avalanche has started," says Ryan. "It's seems to be a case of let's see what's in the kitty and divvy it up accordingly."

But are the unions trying to make themselves relevant again and sense blood in the hunt?

Elsewhere in the show, the panel questions whether, in the wake of Trump's election, if a far-right is on the rise in Ireland.

"Why isn't the centre holding?" says O'Connor. "Maybe because people haven’t seen their lives improving."

"We should be more worried about the rise of the far left, but we're still essentially a conservative country" argues Ryan.

How do you make sense of election of Donald Trump as the President of the United States and leader of the Free World?

Maybe you just can't, and maybe you just fall into a state of numbed shock.

The Floating Voter's Kevin Doyle gives the view from US as he speaks to ordinary Americans about why they voted for Donald Trump. Plus, in Dublin, Niall O'Connor and Philip Ryan, ask if the anti-establishment vote will continue to spread in Ireland and Europe.

Will the unprecedented happen and will Ireland see An Garda Siochana go on strike? While there will be a skeletal police force in situ, the reality is that 80% of law and order enforcement in the State will down tools.

The Floating Voter's, Niall O'Connor, called it the 'biggest decision in trade union history' while fellow INM political correspondent, Philip Ryan, likened the absence of a police force to the US dystopian horror movie, The Purge.

Discussing the week that was in Irish politics, the team also asked if the All-island Brexit forum was just another Enda Kenny talking shop and wondered when Mary Mitchell O’Connor’s woes would stop in the wake of her special adviser, former TV3 news anchor, Alan Cantwell, resigning.

Each week on the Floating Voter, INM Group Political Editor, Kevin Doyle, is joined by political correspondents, Niall O'Connor and Philip Ryan, as they discuss the main issues affecting Irish politics.

On this week's show: there’s something about Mary - why is Mary Mitchell O’Connor getting such flak? Is nail polish and driving skills of any relevance to her job?

In an exclusive for the Floating Voter, the Minister responds to the criticisms and back-biting with Philip Ryan saying,

"Judge me when I have my job done - I don't care what people say about me but I'd prefer it if they said it to my face."

Also joining Kevin Doyle and Philip Ryan was Niamh Horan as the panel discussed the week in Irish politics including Mary Mitchell O'Connor, Dail holidays and the teachers' strike.