Hugh Linehan

While I was in Dublin recently, I sat down with Hugh Linehan of The Irish Times ’ Inside Politics podcast to talk about Irish and American politics. We start with a question that gets asked frequently about Ireland: Why hasn’t right-wing populism taken off there? Across much of Europe and the English-speaking world, the populist right has become a major political force. Donald Trump reshaped the Republican Party in the United States. Brexit transformed British politics. Marine Le Pen’s party has become a central player in France. Far-right or right-populist parties have broken through in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, and elsewhere. Ireland, so far, has been different. There are anti-immigration activists, small right-wing parties and some independent politicians trying to occupy that space. But Ireland has not had the kind of durable, mass right-populist breakthrough that has become familiar elsewhere. Hugh and I talk through some of the possible reasons why. Ireland is not living through the same kind of decline narrative that has fueled populism in other countries. In many ways, the country is more prosperous and globally successful than it has ever been. Its experience with immigration is also more recent and distinct from countries like the United States, Britain, and France. And Sinn Féin may occupy some of the political terrain that, in other countries, has been claimed by the populist right: nationalist, anti-establishment, rooted in working-class and rural communities — but on the left. From there, we get into the bigger Irish story: the country’s remarkable economic rise, its dependence on a small number of large American companies for corporate tax revenue, the strange politics of neutrality and defense, and what it means for a small country to rely so heavily on the kindness, or at least the continued cooperation, of larger powers. Then Hugh turns the tables and asks me about the United States: gerrymandering, the Voting Rights Act, the two-party system, primaries, Trump, and where the root of America’s political dysfunction lies. It was a fun and wide-ranging conversation about two very different countries that share some important history. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.gdpolitics.com/subscribe

Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · The posters are going up, and candidates are preparing their pitch, but could Sinn Féin come up empty-handed in both the Dublin Central (party leader Mary Lou McDonald’s constituency) and Galway West byelection when the votes are counted on May 23rd? And does a vote against Government no longer mean a vote for the republican party? · Given how many prominent Irish politicians retire and become silent, perhaps former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s unguarded opinions should be viewed as refreshing. The recent release of his book Speaking My Mind and various podcast contributions point to someone unafraid to give their unvarnished opinion. · And President Catherine Connolly made her first trip overseas, attending the Defence of Democracy conference in Spain. Traditionalists might argue her first visit abroad should have been to meet another head of state. Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week: · Michael Jackson in Cork and the 10-year-old at his hotel, the ascent of Green Party leader Zack Polanski, and the cultural obsession with the 1990s. Correction: In the course of a conversation about the aftermath of the fuel protests, Hugh Linehan said that carbon tax is applied pro rata to the price of fuel. That is not correct. Carbon tax, as the name suggests, is calculated on the carbon emissions of a fuel, not the price. Therefore price fluctuations do not affect the rate of carbon tax which is charged. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Melania’, the documentary about US first lady Melania Trump, took in an estimated $7m when it hit US cinema screens at the weekend making it the highest debut by a non-music documentary or concert film in more than a decade. These are the sort of figures other documentaries can only dream of, so it’s a hit? Far from it says Irish Times journalist Hugh Linehan who points out that it cost Amazon $45 million to make plus a reported $35 million in marketing costs so financially it makes no sense. And critically? Well “boring” is probably the nicest thing reviewers have said. Over nearly two hours it reveals very little about the former Slovenian model other than she wears nice clothes and even nicer shoes. For Linehan, it’s a classic Trump family grift, this time with Melania making the money. She is expected to be paid $28 million for the documentary which charts the 20 days in the lead-up to her husband’s 2025 inauguration. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Inside Business looks at the impact of Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office on markets. The sweeping US tariffs announced on April 2nd rocked equity and bond markets. They plunged in value to such an extent that Donald Trump was forced into a quick U Turn, postponing all of the tariffs for 90 days, with the exception of China. Aidan Donnelly is Head of Global Equities at Davy stockbrokers and joined host Ciarán Hancock in studio to consider the impact of those tariffs and to offer a view on where markets might go for the rest of the year. In the second half of the show, Hugh Linehan of The Irish Times will reflect on the terms being offered in RTÉ’s latest voluntary exit programme for staff in an effort to help the broadcaster reduce its headcount by 400 over the next four years. The funding for this restructuring has essentially been provided by the State via a €725 million three-year funding plan agreed last year with the Government. In a column in The Irish Times this week, Hugh Linehan of The Irish Times examined the plan and asked the question as to whether RTÉ was in a worse position than other media companies in Ireland? Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Inside Business looks at the impact of Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office on markets. The sweeping US tariffs announced on April 2nd rocked equity and bond markets. They plunged in value to such an extent that Donald Trump was forced into a quick U Turn, postponing all of the tariffs for 90 days, with the exception of China. Aidan Donnelly is Head of Global Equities at Davy stockbrokers and joined host Ciarán Hancock in studio to consider the impact of those tariffs and to offer a view on where markets might go for the rest of the year. In the second half of the show, Hugh Linehan of The Irish Times will reflect on the terms being offered in RTÉ’s latest voluntary exit programme for staff in an effort to help the broadcaster reduce its headcount by 400 over the next four years. The funding for this restructuring has essentially been provided by the State via a €725 million three-year funding plan agreed last year with the Government. In a column in The Irish Times this week, Hugh Linehan of The Irish Times examined the plan and asked the question as to whether RTÉ was in a worse position than other media companies in Ireland? Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week, tech billionaire Elon Musk publicly withdrew his support for the Reform UK party, posting on his social media platform that Nigel Farage “doesn’t have what it takes”. Musk’s decision not to back, or financially support, Britain’s right-wing reform party came as he continues a barrage of online attacks against prime minister Keir Starmer, who he has accused of being complicit in “the rape of Britain”. His interest in European politics extends to Germany where Musk has backed the far-right Alternative for Germany party and labelled outgoing German chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool”. And back in the United States, the world’s richest man will take up his position as co-leader of the newly created department of government efficiency, when Donald Trump re-enters the White House later this month. In recent years, Musk has met presidents, prime ministers, lawmakers and political candidates from all around the world. So, what is his end game and how much political influence does he really have? Inside Politics presenter Hugh Linehan joins the podcast. Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

November 29th is now confirmed as the date of General Election 2024. Election Daily from The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast will update you on the campaign every weekday between now and then. Hugh Linehan and Jack Horgan-Jones are here to briefly update listeners on what to expect from the show, when to listen out for episodes and what the opening stages of the campaign will look like. Plus: Tickets are now available for Inside Politics live in Dublin on Wednesday, November 20th at 6.30pm. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

November 29th is now confirmed as the date of General Election 2024. Election Daily from The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast will update you on the campaign every weekday between now and then. Hugh Linehan and Jack Horgan-Jones are here to briefly update listeners on what to expect from the show, when to listen out for episodes and what the opening stages of the campaign will look like. Plus: Tickets are now available for Inside Politics live in Dublin on Wednesday, November 20th at 6.30pm. Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US presidential election day has arrived and the counting of votes will being tonight. With the race a dead heat according to polls, the results will be a fascinating conclusion to an eventful, high-stakes contest. But the coming days could take a dark turn if former president Donald Trump decides to once again refuse to accept the results should they favour vice president Kamala Harris. So, what should Irish audiences expect from election night? When will things really start to happen and where are the best places to watch? Irish Times journalist and Inside Politics podcast host Hugh Linehan gives his advice for following the 2024 US election results. Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Apprentice isn’t a movie about the reality TV series that made its presenter, New York businessman Donald Trump, a star. Instead it tracks the relationship from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s, between Trump (Sebastian Stan) as a young man desperate for acknowledgment, fame and wealth and the legendary lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), a whatever-it-takes fixer for a host of shady clients, including the mob. It is Trump who is the apprentice here, eagerly learning from an amoral master and latching on to a particular style of “winning”. This vivid, sometimes fun, always compelling telling (written by journalist Gabriel Sherman and directed by Iranian film-maker Ali Abbasi) won an eight-minute standing ovation when it premiered in Cannes in May but as Irish Times culture columnist Hugh Linehan explains, its path to global cinema screens was fraught as distributors backed away from what they feared could be trouble if Trump is re-elected. Screen Ireland came on board to help finance the distribution. But what does the film ultimately say about Trump? And will it have any impact on the election? Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In May, Google launched AI Overviews – software which uses artificial intelligence to answer people’s questions quickly, skipping the step of scrolling through links. The new search system has made headlines for generating hilariously incorrect answers, a glitch Google says it is taking swift action to remedy. But this bumpy start will quickly be ironed out, says Irish Times writer Hugh Linehan who wrote this week about the “Googlepocalypse” sweeping the United States. The introduction of this pilot version of Google’s AI Overviews tool has already “significantly harmed” small businesses and content creators who have seen a collapse in web site traffic, and has been described as an extinction-level event for news media. These “devastating effects” are heading quickly our way, says Linehan. So, what is the Googlepocalypse and how will it change how the average person searches the internet? And will a reliance on AI to answer our questions only further enhance the misinformation plaguing the online world? Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. This episode was originally published in May 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the count continues on this busy election weekend, it is delight for Taoiseach Simon Harris and Fine Gael as the local election picture becomes clearer, but the final results, particularly in the European contest, won’t be known for several more days. The Taoiseach had a pep in his step as he entered the count centre at the RDS today. Speaking to Inside Politics podcast host Hugh Linehan, he explained that while there is no “transfer pact” among government parties, he thinks voters believe “Government is doing an okay job, and are transferring amongst parties”, something which will inform the election results. “That the Government will do its full term is important and I look forward to continuing that,” he said. Meanwhile, the volatility of the Sinn Féin vote caught Mary Lou McDonald by surprise . While there is no denying that the going has not been great for them so far, could total disaster be averted if the party make modest gains in some local election constituencies? And what of the Green Party? It will be a real challenge for them to hold on to their MEPs, and it also looks as though there have been significant losses at local level. Hugh Linehan is joined by Jack-Horgan Jones, Harry McGee and Taoiseach Simon Harris (briefly) on the Inside Politics Election Daily podcast as we get a clearer picture from count centres around the country. Sign up for Politics push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.