In the week that was, the question that arose was – will he make it out of there intact? The subject of course was Taoiseach Micheal Martin and the quandary was his Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump at a time of living dangerously for politicians who interact with the US president. Joining us to run the rule over the occasion and what else is brewing in politics is Irish Examiner political reporter, Tadgh McNally.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The war in Iran is continuing and Israel is using the opportunity to pummel those it considers the enemy in Lebanon. Add to that the fact that the world economy is shivering, what is the way out of this morass? 

On hand to give us some clues as to where we might go from here is an old friend of the podcast, UCD's Clinton Institute professor of international relations Scott Lucas.

Scott talks about how this might end and why so much comes back to sentiment in the USA towards a president who appears to live in his own world.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the Presidential election last year saw Catherine Connolly elected President and Paschal Donohoe left Irish politics for a job at the World Bank, political parties will have two by-elections to contest in May.

What are the issues, who are the runners and riders and who can claim the seats?

Joining Acting Political Editor Paul Hosford to run the rule over Dublin Central and Galway West are Political Correspondent Louise Burne and Political Reporter Tadgh McNally. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are frequently being told that there is a constituency out there that is not being served by the mainstream political parties. Peadar Tobin believes that his Aontu party would be an ideal home for such voters. He and Mick discussed how politics is and argued over who represents what in today’s fractured firmament. Peadar Tobin is this week’s guest on the podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adoption was a big business in the Ireland of the middle decades of the last century, in a country where birth outside of marriage was considered a stain. That was the country into which Paul Cullen was born and ultimately adopted. He has written a page turning account of his life as an adoptee, Outsider – Survival, Family Secrets and the Search To Belong. Paul is this week’s guest on the podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The failure to prepare for the floods has left communities devastated along parts of the east coast, but whose fault is it? Also, has there been any whisper in Leinster House about the fate of George Mitchel’s legacy in the wake of his presence in the Epstein papers. 

And then there is the fate of the Taoiseach, Michael Martin. What dangers lurk for him, as they did for a predecessor Cork Taoiseach, in two upcoming byelections.

Irish Examiner Political Correspondent Louise Burne is this week’s guest on the podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s podcast, Mick swaps chairs and is interviewed by Deirdre O’Shaughnessy – on loan from he own Irish Examiner podcast – about the not guilty verdicts against four serving and one retired garda in Limerick this week. All were charged with 39 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice and found not guilty on all counts. Major questions remain as to why they were prosecuted, why the trial went ahead, who is responsible, and what impact this has had on policing in the mid west.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.