
Show Notes
Catherine Connolly’s first speech as president was careful, critical, calm, with just a few pointed lines that hinted at how she’ll approach the role. But for such a major democratic moment, it felt stilted and oddly empty.
Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy examine why the inauguration itself felt so disconnected from the public, in contrast with Connolly's people-first outlook.
Also: Fianna Fáil eagerly await Micheál Martin's promised review of the election campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from The Candidate
Jim O’Callaghan’s stand-off with criminal solicitors just keeps on escalating. The justice minister has now accused striking solicitors of deliberately targeting rape cases. The backlash was quick, and judges are now warning about the impact the dispute is having on the courts. Neither side appears particularly close to backing down.
The public sector strike that saw 300,000 workers on the picket lines is the dominant political story of the week, but as yet nobody is getting pilloried over it. The unions say the government could have avoided the whole mess four months ago, but the government keeps saying it's ready to do a deal once everyone talks.
Budget 2027 has landed, and the reaction has been... well, extremely flat. There were tax changes, sure, and welfare increases too. Even a new savings scheme and plenty of measures aimed at the squeezed middle. But after months of leaks and promises, did the government spread itself too thin trying to keep everyone happy?
The Garvaghy Road standoff has dragged Northern Ireland back into a dispute many thought we left in the 1990s. A proposed way out has failed, the Orange Order still wants to complete its parade, and residents remain opposed to it passing through their community.
Donald Trump came to Ireland for 36 hours, watched a lot of golf, charmed the crowds at Doonbeg, promised to scrap tariffs on Irish whiskey and unexpectedly declared that he'd love to see a united Ireland. The government thinks the visit was a success. We're a little less sure: was it smart diplomacy, uncomfortable fawning, or all just a bit grubby?