The surprise withdrawal from the presidential election race of Fine Gael candidate Mairead McGuinness on health grounds has introduced even more uncertainty to an already unpredictable contest. On today's podcast Ellen Coyne and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to assess the state of the campaign. Who will Fine Gael choose to replace McGuinness on their ticket? When will Fianna Fáil nominate a candidate? Would Dr Tony Holohan's Covid record be an asset or a liability if he decided to run? Could McGuinness's withdrawal carry downsides for independent candidate Catherine Connolly? And who exactly is Gareth Sheridan?

The panel also pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week, including an emotional preview of Oasis at Croke Park, a review of the pro golfers appearing in Happy Gilmore 2 and a dispatch from a small Welsh town that hit the jackpot.

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In part two of a three-part series on Brian Cowen’s ill-fated 2008-2011 government, Pat Leahy and Hugh Linehan continue the story.

After the fateful 2008 decision to bail out Ireland’s banks, Cowen and his Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan spent the next year struggling to shore up Ireland’s worsening finances.

Throughout 2009 and 2010 the mood in the country darkened as recession bit. Spending cuts and tax rises were introduced in a series of hair-shirt budgets.

As a result, confidence in the government was already on the floor when Cowen made an infamous appearance on Morning Ireland in September 2009. But what did Cowen actually say in the interview, and what impact did it have? 

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Brian Cowen became Taoiseach in 2008, just as Ireland’s economy was going into free-fall. For the next three years he struggled to lead the country through some of its darkest days, with public opinion quickly souring against him and Fianna Fáil. 

In a new three-part series from The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast, Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy look back at how Cowen became Taoiseach and his short, turbulent time in power. 

The podcast follows his early promise as the heir to an Offaly Fianna Fáil dynasty, through his rise to power and his doomed attempts to fix the banking crisis and the chaotic end of his political career. 

Parts two and three will be published on Wednesday August 13th and Monday August 18th. 

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Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

·       Fox News and its standard of journalism were highlighted during an episode of The Will Cain Show this week that featured media commentator and author Douglas Murray talking about open borders migration. During the segment Murray claimed Dublin had gone from being one of the safest cities in Europe to one of its most dangerous. His basis for this was a survey conducted by the Online Betting Guide (OLBG) entitled European Nightlife Index Casinos. In it, Dublin was ranked ninth in Europe with Birmingham, Naples and Paris placed among the most dangerous cities.

·       A group of 16 members of the House of Representatives have sought to exert pressure on Ireland’s Government by writing to US treasury secretary Scott Bessent to request he consider adding Ireland to a list of countries boycotting Israel if the proposed Occupied Territories Bill is passed.

·       Billionaire businessman Dermot Desmond feels Artificial Intelligence will make Dublin’s planned MetroLink obsolete and has urged the Government to shelve the €10 billion project.

·       And Independent ministers are not happy with the current rules around inheritance tax.

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

·       Diarmaid Ferriter and Stephen Collins on the legacy of Daniel O’Connell, Cliff Taylor on how Ireland’s economy still remains suspended between Boston and Berlin, and Sonia Harris Pope on Jewish identity in Ireland at the moment.

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In today’s episode, Hugh is joined by historian Dr Cormac Moore to discuss one of the most consequential but little-known episodes in modern Irish history: the Irish Boundary Commission. Based on Moore’s new book The Root of All Evil, the conversation explores the hopes, fraught negotiations, and ultimate anticlimax that defined the commission’s work 100 years ago this year.

How did a clause in the Anglo-Irish Treaty come to carry the weight of nationalist aspirations and unionist fears? Why did so many believe that the commission would redraw the map of Ireland in favour of the Free State – and how did those expectations unravel so completely? Was the commission’s failure inevitable, or did political miscalculations and miscommunications seal its fate?

Moore, historian-in-residence with Dublin City Council, brings a forensic eye to the detail and a deep sense of the human stakes involved. He unpacks the central roles played by figures such as David Lloyd George, James Craig and WT Cosgrave.

What lessons does the Boundary Commission hold for how borders are made – and unmade – in contested spaces? And in a world where the political future of Northern Ireland is once again up for debate, is this century-old episode a cautionary tale of how not to manage competing nationalisms?

What happened in 1925 offers lessons for anyone interested in the deeper roots of partition, the evolution of identity on this island, and how historical decisions continue to cast long shadows.

Produced by Declan Conlon with JJ Vernon on sound.

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Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

·       The Labour Party has backed Independent TD Catherine Connolly’s bid for the Áras. And there is little appetite in Sinn Féin for Mary Lou McDonald to run for president as party figures move closer to the idea of also backing Connolly. Elsewhere, presidential hopeful Michael Flatley had to explain why he wasn’t a threat to great white sharks everywhere.

·       The ongoing debate over the Occupied Territories Bill and whether it will include services in its final iteration, and the continuing Government move towards getting rid of the so-called triple lock governing overseas deployment of Irish troops will likely be two issues that will be put to any presidential candidates.

·       The Social Democrats readmitted Dublin Bay South TD Eoin Hayes after his eight-month suspension from the party.

·       And Donald Trump is intent on more trade chaos as he announced a slew of new tariffs. But will Ireland come out of it all relatively unscathed?

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

·       Rosie O’Donnell’s new show at the Olympia gets a stinker of a review, the inside story of JP McManus’s failed €30m Irish Rugby Experience, and Ryan Tubridy living his best life in London.

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It's part two of our summer Ask Me Anything, with the panel tackling questions sent to politicspodcast@irishtimes.com by listeners. Hugh, Pat, Jack, Ellen and Cormac address topics from disapora voting rights to the lack of representation of migrant communities in Dáil Eireann, the meaning of populism and the efficiency of government spending.

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Ellen Coyne and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

·       With Independent TD Catherine Connolly and former MEP Mairead McGuinness having declared their candidacy, there will now be at least two names in the race for the Áras. But with no sign yet of a clear candidate for Fianna Fáil or Sinn Féin, are any of the potential names currently being discussed likely to gain party support?

·       Fianna Fáil's Niall Collins would be 'very uncomfortable' with a one-size-fits-all approach to a blanket VAT cut for the hospitality sector, given that luxury and five-star hotels would benefit from a measure they don’t necessarily need. Some Fine Gael Ministers are unhappy with Mr Collins for criticising a policy that would help support entry-level jobs in rural Ireland.

·       And as the humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza, urgency around the Occupied Territories Bill increases. The inclusion of services is still the big question given the huge potential knock-on effects for some businesses here.

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

·       A new exhibition exploring the legacy of the Magdalene Laundries, fifty years since the release of Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, and Joe Canning’s take on Tipperary’s triumph in the All-Ireland hurling final against Cork. 

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The Government’s updated National Development Plan (NDP) proposes to spend a vast sum of money on capital infrastructure. But beyond three ‘mega projects’ there is little detail and the vagueness of the document has led to some skepticism. In part one of today's podcast Pat Leahy joins Hugh Linehan to discuss the NDP and whether the Government's promise to prioritise infrastructure could survive a major economic shock - the kind created by heavy US tariffs, for example,

They then look at the Summer Economic Statement, also revealed this week, which shows there will not be much wriggle room in this year’s Budget. 

In part two, back to the NDP and what it says about the Government’s plan for the development of transportation infrastructure. Dublin’s proposed MetroLink is one of the three mega projects identified, but there is €20 billion earmarked for other unidentified projects. Where should it go? How much will be spent on new roads, and what are the implications for carbon emissions? And what about public transport projects outside Dublin? Professor Brian Caulfield talks to Hugh and Pat. 

Brian Caulfield is a Professor in Transportation in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at Trinity College Dublin.

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Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones join Pat Leahy to look back on the week in politics:

·       The latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll shows Sinn Féin on 22 per cent (down four), with Fianna Fáil on 22 per cent (no change) and Fine Gael on 17 per cent (up one). Given just 14% of voters feel Government is successfully tackling the country’s problems, do Sinn Féin need to find a new strategy in order to stimulate support?

·       One of the most notable findings of the poll is the clear growth potential around the Independents (up five) and new conservative parties like Aontú.

·       The poll also shows that support for the Occupied Territories Bill is softening with voters as just one-fifth of voters (20 per cent) say the Bill should be passed quickly, with a further 14 per cent saying its scope should be expanded and it should be passed quickly. The Bill, which would ban trade in goods with the occupied Palestinian territories, is due before the Dáil in the autumn.

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

·       The plans to lower the UK voting age to 16, the Epstein Files present a new crisis for Donald Trump, and can Tipperary triumph in the All-Ireland hurling final against Cork? 

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EU negotiators thought a deal with their US counterparts on trade and tariffs was near. Then US president Donald Trump ended those feelings of optimism by threatening to apply 30% tariffs from August 1st. Is this another negotiating tactic or does he mean it this time? And what is the mood in Dublin and Brussels about Trump's threats? Jack Horgan-Jones and Jack Power join Pat Leahy.

In part two: Independent TD Catherine Connolly is seeking a nomination to run for president. Will Labour, her erstwhile party, support her bid?

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Ellen Coyne and Harry McGee join Pat Leahy to look back on the week in politics:

·       When Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was asked on Monday if she was ruling herself out of this year’s contest to succeed Michael D Higgins, she replied, “we’re not ruling anything in or anything out.” But could a tilt at the presidency be a potential career-ender for Mary Lou?

·       Elsewhere, those ruling themselves firmly in include Galway West Independent TD Catherine Connolly, who says she plans to launch her presidential election bid next week. The veteran Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher says he is considering seeking Fianna Fáil nomination to run, but Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly has ruled himself out, with Mairead McGuinness now widely expected to seek Áras election.

·       The Occupied Territories Bill is now undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny. The big question remains whether the proposed bill will include services along with the prohibition of trade in goods with Israeli companies operating in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories.

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

·       The throwaway lyrics of Oasis, the social cohesion of the July 12th bonfires, and when crying in public is the natural thing to do.

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It is just over a year since Keir Starmer’s Labour Party won a huge majority and took power in London, but Starmer’s political capital is already at a low ebb. 

It hasn’t all been bad: most noticeably here, he has managed to repair the UK’s relationship with Ireland after the fractious Brexit years. But he has also handled the Trump administration and the EU with skill. 

It’s at home where he hasn’t done so well. Some notable successes - on reducing NHS waiting times - have been overshadowed by a series of u-turns, mishaps and political miscalculations. 

So what does the electorate make of him, and where does he go from here? London correspondent Mark Paul talks to Hugh. 

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Jack Horgan-Jones and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

·       The drive to inject some impetus into the Irish presidential race has not yielded anything of note just yet with the starter pistol not expected to sound until Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael,  and Sinn Féin nominate their candidates.

·       The Coalition remains divided over Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless’s recent assertion that the student contribution could increase by as much as €1,000 next year for third-level students.

·       The pause on Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs is almost up – is there a plan in place to keep Ireland’s pain to a minimum?

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

·       The puffins of Rathlin Island, the digital revolution that didn’t turn out as expected, and how the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez destroyed quiet luxury.

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Money always matters in politics. Just ask UK prime minister Keir Starmer, whose attempt to cut UK welfare payments is on the rocks thanks to Labour party rebels, leaving a multibillion pound hole in his economic plan. 

Over here, the various departments are currently working out how much money they need to operate in advance of the Summer Economic Statement, the report that outlines the parameters for what is likely to be a tighter Budget than those of recent years. 

The Government is also trying to get to grips with an urgent need for investment in infrastructure. And it’s all happening against a backdrop of growing economic uncertainty.

This week the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council accused the Government of lacking a coherent spending plan. So how well fixed is our system to navigate all this?Pat Leahy joins Hugh to discuss it. 

They also discuss the inter-Coalition row over third level fees. 

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Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics:

·       US President Donald Trump was the main attraction at a landmark Nato summit on Wednesday with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte calling him ‘Daddy’ during their press conference. Trump got what he came for with Nato member states agreeing to an increase of 5 per cent of GDP in defence spending.

·       Over at the EU leaders summit on Thursday, defence spending was also high on the agenda with Ireland backing the EU’s €150bn defence plan. The war in Gaza was highlighted too with Taoiseach Micheál Martin unable to comprehend how Europe doesn’t seem capable of putting any pressure on Israel to stop it. And with Trump’s tariffs pause set to end on July 9th, Ireland and other EU countries will be forgiven for looking at India and China as greater trading partners.

·       Do policy interventions like reviewing RPZs compensate for the delayed release of the Government’s housing plan? The document won’t be published until after the summer.

·       Presidential candidates are still pretty thin on the ground with Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly saying he “could do a lot” as president but stopped short of declaring he actually will enter the race.

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

·       The endurance test that Irish concert-goers have to go through is worth it, Democratic mayoral primary Zohran Mamdani shocks as New York swelters, and Jaws and its Irish connection.

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Europe correspondent Jack Power joins Pat and Jack Horgan-Jones to discuss monumental events in the Middle East, with the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities being followed by a ceasefire that may or may not be holding as you listen to this podcast.

They also discuss the EU's struggle to assert influence on the global stage as it heads into a summit, and bring it back home to the Irish government's awkward stance on the Occupied Territories Bill.

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Sally Hayden and Harry McGee join Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics:

·       Sally Hayden joins the pod on the line from Beirut where missiles flying overhead have become a fact of daily life despite the ceasefire agreement Lebanon signed with Israel last November. With Israel’s attention now firmly on Iran, the rising death toll and continuing aerial attacks from both sides show no signs of abating. And is the US on the verge of joining Israel’s attack on Iran? What could that mean for stability in the Middle East?

·       Children’s Health Ireland appeared before the Oireachtas Health Committee this week with politicians eager to tear strips off the embattled group responsible for running children’s hospital services in Dublin. After so many controversies since its inception in 2018, can CHI be trusted to run the new national children’s hospital when it opens? And how will this all be handled by Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill given her short time as a first-time senior Minister?

Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:

·       How AIB came back from the brink, and a misguided viral appeal following the death of an Irish emigrant in London.

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