Pat Leahy and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:
There were some interesting developments during the European People’s Party (EPP) congress in Bucharest this week – Ursula von der Leyen was roundly endorsed for another five years as European Commission President, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told delegates that Europe was no longer in a ‘post-war epoch’ and that borders had to be defended. The panel discussed whether Ireland’s military spending will soon reflect this new sense of urgency.
Also on the podcast: Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe’s refusal to meet demands on how to spend the continuing surge in corporate tax receipts has left some Cabinet members less than happy after a call to significantly boost the National Development Plan fell on deaf ears.
And the panel compare the approaches of the Government and Sinn Féin when it comes to improving the lot of Northern Ireland. During his speech at the Alliance Party conference this week, Tánaiste Micheál Martin pushed the positives to be gained from the Shared Island initiative, whereas Sinn Féin’s line has consistently been improvement through a united Ireland.
Dáil speaking rights row: Outcome of dispute turns on two questions
Couple ‘couldn’t be happier’ after ditching Dublin for Berlin to buy a home
Shona McCarthy, the Irish woman running the world’s biggest arts festival, is heading home: ‘I’m tired. You feel it to your bones’
Meet the Ireland under-17s who made history in qualifying for the World Cup
Plus, the panel pick their Irish Times pieces of the week:
Joe Humphreys wrote about how Netflix use the irresistible allure of nostalgia.
Google investors were far from impressed by the capabilities of AI chatbot Gemini.
And London Correspondent Mark Paul on Chancellor for the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt trying to do the impossible with his budget.
Sign up for Politics push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
