พอดคาสท์ The Candidate ชั้นนำ (2025)

1
When political training becomes a political problem 27:07

6d ago27:07

27:07

Fianna Fáil’s hiring of Ivan Yates to help prep Jim Gavin for grillings during the presidential election rate has sparked (or perhaps fanned) tensions with Fine Gael. Then there's the broader questions about media transparency and political training (and let's not forget: who Matt Cooper's new podcast co-host will be?). Christine Bohan, Christina F…

1
John Collison’s tech-bro idea: be a little more Haughey 25:16

12d ago25:16

25:16

John Collison, billionaire Stripe co-founder, lobbed a political bombshell in the direction of Kildare Street with a 2,500-word Irish Times think piece (manifesto, perhaps). Is it a bold vision or simply Silicon Valley naivety? Sinead O’Carroll, Christina Finn, and Rónán Duffy break down the response to Collison’s 'Make Politicians Powerful Again' …

1
A landslide for Connolly - but the story of this election is protest 38:04

17d ago38:04

38:04

Catherine Connolly’s presidential victory was more than decisive (but we're not going to call it stonking because Christine hates that word). In this post-election episode, the team unpack what went so right for Connolly, and but where to even begin about where it went wrong for Heather Humphreys? Between Fine Gael’s incoherent campaign and the tru…

1
We sit down with Catherine Connolly 45:25

21d ago45:25

45:25

With just days to go before the public go to the polls, we sit down with presidential candidate Catherine Connolly. She joins Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy in studio for a wide-ranging conversation. We delve into her campaign so far - its origins, its controversies, and its future. We look ahead to after the electi…

1
Can Heather catch Catherine? 37:54

26d ago37:54

37:54

We're turning the corner into the final stretch of the presidential election. Catherine Connolly is pulling ahead in the polls, and it's starting to look a lot like Heather Humphrey's campaign just hasn't landed - and she's running out of time to change that. Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews and Rónán Duffy unpack a (somewhat) turbule…

1
Fianna Fáil's biggest WTF moment in years 24:21

1M ago24:21

24:21

Eh... what just happened? Jim Gavin’s shock, abrupt, and unprecedented withdrawal from the presidential race has sent an earthquake through Fianna Fáil and will reshape the campaign. Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy unpack the landlord-payment story, Fianna Fáil's vetting processing, the big questions this poses for t…

1
Presidential debate raised many questions (why doesn't Gavin talk GAA?) 23:05

1M ago23:05

23:05

The first presidential debate is unlikely to be one that anyone will ever really remember, but it gave voters their first real close-up look at how the three candidates perform under pressure. Humphreys tried to steer clear of any mistakes, Jim Gavin attempted to appear less “low energy”, while Catherine Connolly appeared to be in the most control.…

1
What each candidate needs to do to win the presidency 30:46

2M ago30:46

30:46

As the presidential election campaign kicks off in earnest, we're back with a new season of The Candidate. However... we have just three candidates in the race: Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys, and Jim Gavin. It's the smallest field in years. Christine Bohan, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy examine why Maria Steen fell at the final hurdle, wha…

1
Micheál Martin's big presidential gamble 30:48

2M ago30:48

30:48

After a summer of speculation, six-time All-Ireland winning Dublin manager Jim Gavin has emerged victorious in the race to be Fianna Fáil's candidate for the presidency. There was a contest and Billy Kelleher ran him closer than many expected but Taoiseach Micheál Martin got his man in the end. The question now is whether Martin's vision is shared …

1
The presidential race was just blown wide open 22:10

3M ago22:10

22:10

The unexpected withdrawal of Mairead McGuinness has left a massive hole in the presidential race, one that has yet to be filled by any of the three major parties. Where do Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin go from here? In this unscheduled episode, Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy look at what this means for the c…

1
The Candidate Awards: Best row, best clanger and best politician so far this Dáil term 1:00:52

3M ago1:00:52

1:00:52

Ministers held their last Cabinet meeting this week, while TDs and senators have already cleared out of Leinster House for their break. That means it's time for us to hand out the report cards. We asked our listeners and readers to help us dish out some accolades for the performance of TDs in the current Dáil so far: Best Politician; Best Newbie; C…

1
The government is spending billions (on what, exactly, isn't clear) 30:17

4M ago30:17

30:17

The government unveiled its updated infrastructure spending plan this week and its plans to splash billions on projects around the country. But on what projects and where? Well, that type of detail was, oddly, not forthcoming... From MetroLink to housing and health, the National Development Plan was heavy on spin and light on specifics. It was foll…

1
TDs are gaslighting us about their holidays 21:20

4M ago21:20

21:20

The Dáil has wrapped up for the summer... again. But with a housing crisis, major legislation pending, and just 33 sitting weeks a year, should TDs still be clocking off this easily? Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, and Jane Matthews unpack whether Ireland’s political calendar is stuck in the past, and why a rethink of how the Dáil actually works s…

1
Mary Lou, Mairead and Catherine would be the election we've been waiting for 36:08

4M ago36:08

36:08

Mary Lou McDonald is finally sailing us out of the presidential election doldrums... without saying much at all, really. Her non-denial that she would be throwing her hat in the ring has ramped up speculation around her being Sinn Féin's candidate. But could she actually win? And why are all the other parties playing it so coy? Christine Bohan, Chr…

1
The government brought this student fees mess on itself 29:14

4M ago29:14

29:14

As Micheál Martin woos Japan with harp performances and pints of Guinness, back home the government is floundering over student fees. Christine Bohan, Jane Matthews and Rónán Duffy dig into the communications mess that’s dominating headlines and angering parents (and is it simply a communications mess, or something more?). Also: what Rachel Reeves’…

1
How to talk to Trump: call him daddy, apparently 25:39

5M ago25:39

25:39

It was already going to be a tense Nato summit, but when the alliance's secretary general referred to Donald Trump as “daddy”, and the White House embraced it, it shifted the tone from awkward diplomacy to something closer to humiliation... but did the move actually work? Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy unpack the da…

1
The housing crisis needs a movement, not a moment 28:19

5M ago28:19

28:19

Is Ireland on the brink of another wave of public protest, or will it fizzle out, as so often before? Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews and Rónán Duffy explore why movements like water charges and Repeal caught fire, and why complex crises like housing still struggle to spark mass mobilisation. They also examine the blurred line betwee…

1
A long-term bet on housing that renters can’t afford 25:10

5M ago25:10

25:10

Anticipation had been growing for months over what the government's new rent plan would deliver. Could it bring about solutions that really help renters and ease the pressure they are under? Could it keep landlords happy at the same time? Housing Minister James Browne rolled out his reform of rent pressure zones yesterday — but what he says it will…

1
Politicians probably shouldn’t let AI do all the talking 29:13

5M ago29:13

29:13

As one of our reporters read through an open letter on Gaza penned by Ciarán Mullooly, one detail stood out: a bizarre reference to Swedish House Mafia. A spokesperson for the journalist-turned-MEP quickly confirmed that artificial intelligence was used to generate portions of the letter. But surely he's not alone in using ChatGPT et al during his …

1
Inside Leinster House: The unspoken rules of a really odd place to work 38:13

6M ago38:13

38:13

It’s the country’s most high-profile workplace, but is Leinster House actually designed to get anything done? What does a week in Irish politics actually look like? This week, we examine what life in the Dáil is really like, and the heady mix of routine, power, and pantomime that make it a dysfunctional place to work. Christine Bohan, Christina Fin…

1
James Browne: struggling with housing, excelling at celebrating the Normans 31:10

6M ago31:10

31:10

Minister James Browne has been in the housing hot seat for four months — and with not much to show for it, he's now facing intense criticism. Is it justified, or just a symptom of political impatience with the biggest crisis in government? Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy debate his performance so far and whether he’s…

1
The big difference between Keir and Jim on immigration 31:42

6M ago31:42

31:42

This week, we look across the Irish Sea to Keir Starmer's decision to lean Labour into much blunter rhetoric around immigration. Back home, a similar policy shift is happening, but behind a much quieter tone. How are both countries are handling political pressure on migration, and is Ireland is heading in the same direction, just with fewer dog whi…

1
Ireland has a voice on Gaza, but no real power 35:48

6M ago35:48

35:48

Ireland’s position on Israel and Gaza is clearer than ever, with strong condemnation and urgent calls for action. Although the country remains at the forefront of calls for the destruction to end, the actual impact of all this is harder to spot. How can the government be more effective? Or is it too late, and some of its best chances have already p…

1
Kneecap get the scrutiny Netanyahu doesn't 32:31

6M ago32:31

32:31

Kneecap have never been strangers to controversy, but they have now been pushed firmly into the political spotlight. The Belfast rap group's Coachella protest, resurfaced footage of older live performances, and a call to “urgently clarify” from the Taoiseach have triggered a row that now spans Westminster, the Dáil, and is even making a mark on the…

1
Be careful asking when an Irish infrastructure project might be ready 32:37

7M ago32:37

32:37

Cork is getting a Luas. When? Well... you know how these things go... Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Rónán Duffy look at why big infrastructure projects in Ireland move so slowly and what the Cork project tells us about systemic bottlenecks (and even how to fix them). The big question is of course whether Ireland can unlock the…

1
Fine Gael wants the one job it’s never had 35:06

7M ago35:06

35:06

We're still months out from the actual vote, but the presidential election machine is slowly spinning up (despite McGregor's efforts to jump-start it proving fruitless so farit so). Some potential candidates are tentatively suggesting that they have their eyes on a nomination, though none have declared yet. At the forefront is Fine Gael, with Maire…

1
Wait, is this going to be like 2008 all over again? 25:48

7M ago25:48

25:48

In a long, rambling press conference in the White House's Rose Garden on Wednesday evening, Donald Trump launched a historic global trade war - and Ireland is in the crosshairs. There's a real sense of shellshock since the announcement of the new tariffs: it's going to take weeks, if not months, for the impact to be felt, but there are some pretty …

1
Two days (and two fingers) that shocked the Dáil 29:07

8M ago29:07

29:07

The speaking rights row has yet to be quelled. A truce or a compromise is nowhere in sight. It's only getting messier, causing deeper divisions between the opposition and government parties. And then, through a simple gesture given by Michael Lowry to Paul Murphy, the entire situation was elevated to new heights. Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, an…

1
McGregor couldn't be more at home in Trump's White House 32:02

8M ago32:02

32:02

And just when we thought the dust had settled after Micheál Martin's visit to the Oval Office. Conor McGregor's appearance in the White House was somewhat foreshadowed by Trump, who had referred to him as his favourite Irish person, but it caught many off guard. At the same time, McGregor being in the White House for 17 March shouldn't really come …

1
The Oval Office meeting veered between success and humiliation 38:53

8M ago38:53

38:53

Ireland watched the Taoiseach's Oval Office visit with bated breath. Would it be a disaster, an incredible success, or something in between? One of the biggest events in the Irish political calendar is over, and Micheál Martin has survived his 50-minute encounter with Donald Trump. Not without slipping on a couple of banana skins, of course. Christ…

1
Micheál Martin better be practicing his plámás right now 30:25

8M ago30:25

30:25

First, it was Covid restrictions that called off Micheál Martin's visit to the White House for St Patrick's Day in 2021. Then, during his second chance, he ended up actually catching Covid on the trip. Will it be third time lucky, or, after last week's Oval Office scenes, will this be one of the biggest tests of his political career? Will Trump unl…

1
Ireland gets DOGE-curious after x-ray scanner 'fury' 30:04

9M ago30:04

30:04

News about the National Gallery's never-used x-ray scanner worth €125,000 sparked 'fury' across the country... apparently. Did it really? If it did, how can that fury be used constructively? If it didn't, have we become numb to this type of wasted cash — or was this simply not that big of a deal? On this week's episode, Christine Bohan, Jane Matthe…

1
Ireland's big defence question and back garden cabin fever 30:11

9M ago30:11

30:11

Europe is in disarray, to say the least, over Trump's rumblings about distancing the United States from all us on this side of the Atlantic, and his new spat with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It will leave a massive hole in European defence if that happens, and that means Ireland is facing renewed attention over its military spend (or lack thereof). Christ…

1
The government has put the fear of God into renters 30:25

9M ago30:25

30:25

Housing remains the single biggest issue for the Irish public. People want to see the crisis brought to an end or, at the very least, real action being taken. Any missteps are amplified. We saw that this week with talk of scrapping Rent Pressure Zones and the controversy around housing figures provided during the general election. Christine Bohan, …

1
The most politically loaded bowl of shamrock to date 32:10

9M ago32:10

32:10

It's almost March, and you know what that means: all political attention turns to one particular bowl of shamrock. Trump's second-term actions so far leave Ireland faced with a renewed dilemma: go ahead with the traditional St Patrick's Day trip to Washington in the name of using it to make our case on the world stage, or face the new realities of …

1
Leo's gift to the new Dáil is a possible constitutional mess 31:09

10M ago31:09

31:09

With the help of a column in the Sunday Times, Leo Varadkar has casually lobbed a grenade at the new Dáil: are the positions of some new junior minsters constitutionally sound? It now looks like likely that their status could be tested in the courts, and for the first time. Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, and Jane Matthews have a look at this, as …

1
The government's next big test: survive five years 29:55

10M ago29:55

29:55

What a week. An unprecedented start to the Dáil term. A temporary and perhaps uneasy truce over speaking rights that allowed the government to get off the ground. The Opposition putting forward a rare, united front. Again, this is week one; there are five years left to go. Fully remote this week due to Storm Éowyn, with the occasional atmospheric w…

1
Dáil chaos: We can’t stress enough how unprecedented today was 8:37

10M ago8:37

8:37

The process of voting in a new taoiseach is usually a fairly routine affair. The opposition parties have their say, the government parties and their supporters have theirs, the vote is ultimately passed by the party with the most seats, and then it's time for a day out in the Áras. All very tidy. Instead, Leinster House has been plunged into unprec…

1
A dash of Healy Rae won't liven up the government's five-year plan 27:35

10M ago27:35

27:35

Something we're enthusiastic about: we're back for a new season! Something we're not enthusiastic about: the new Programme for Government. Our team — Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, and Jane Matthews — examine the 162-page document which outlines the government's plan for the next five years. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independents Gr…

1
And our award for Politician of the Year goes to... 58:14

11M ago58:14

58:14

... well, we're afraid you'll have to wait until our producer/barman counts the votes in accordance with PR-STV and reveals the winner at the end of the episode. The team — Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews, and Sinéad O'Carroll — break out the non-alcoholic mulled wine and alcoholic mystery red cocktails and decide on the winners of T…

1
Well, that escalated quickly: the Eoin Hayes drama 34:10

11M ago34:10

34:10

We're now stuck in government formation purgatory amd struggling to keep track of which group-of-the-day is vying for a seat at the Cabinet table. There's also murmurings of who the next Ceann Comhairle could be (spoiler, it could be the same person as the previous two Dáil terms). But, on top of all of this, we have the Social Democrats facing the…

1
How Stephen Donnelly went from firebrand independent to unseated minister 37:27

11M ago37:27

37:27

The general election is... over? And it's clear that the team have gone a little stir-crazy after a few too many hours in count centres. Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, and Sinéad O'Carroll sit down to look at the case of Stephen Donnelly, and how the Cabinet minister ended up losing his seat — there were some early warning signs that Fianna Fáil …

1
Hutch's failed election bid raises so many questions about Irish politics 30:02

11M ago30:02

30:02

The media scrums in the RDS were growing bigger and bigger as the count went on... and then Gerald Hutch arrived. The gangland figure's failed election bid drew huge attention from national and international press, but has he achieved his ultimate aim? Could his unexpectedly strong performance shine a light on Dublin's north inner city and the reas…

1
Sinn Féin: great at elections, not so good at actually getting into government 21:17

12M ago21:17

21:17

It's all systems go: the votes have been cast, the exit polls revealed, the ballots separated, and the counting is now underway. A picture of general election 2024 is starting to come together piece-by-piece. Christine Bohan and Christina Finn (the latter joining us from a car park outside the Wicklow count centre) chat about the big talking points…

1
Micheál Martin really doesn’t like being asked about Sinn Féin 30:17

12M ago30:17

30:17

Just days to go now, and we've had our first real talking point of the campaign — but also another lacklustre debate. Sinéad O'Carroll, Christina Finn, and Jane Matthews chat on today's episode about the final stretch and what could really make a difference in the minds of undecided voters. Or maybe, instead of undecided voters, do we need to focus…

1
This election was supposed to be a disaster for Sinn Féin 34:00

12M ago34:00

34:00

Heading into this election, it was disaster after disaster for Sinn Féin. The timing couldn't been worse. It wasn't going to be theirs for the taking, but literally anyone else. But is the party now having a normal election campaign? Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews and (another new character unlocked) Muiris O'Cearbhaill examine how …

1
That was a weird leaders' debate 31:01

12M ago31:01

31:01

A low-key, cranky election campaign manifested as a low-key, cranky election debate last night. Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews and Rónán Duffy sit down to unpack last night's 10-way special on RTÉ's Upfront. Did anyone really come out on top in the end, or did the main party leaders let themselves down in the end? We also examine Fi…

1
The two big parties turn into squabbling siblings 21:00

12M ago21:00

21:00

We're now almost a week into the election campaign, and the children are fighting. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have traded a series of jabs that might across as surprising to hear from two parties who are currently in government together and may likely have to work together again in future. Is it all a show? Is it believable? Also, how important will…

1
Michael O'Leary and jiving, two unexpected political battlegrounds 29:38

12M ago29:38

29:38

Show us someone who had 'jiving' on their 2024 general election bingo card, and we'll show you a liar. Christine Bohan, Christina Finn, Jane Matthews and Rónán Duffy look at how the campaign trail is progressing so far, and the need for politicians to pivot into the world of content creation (to very mixed results). We also hear about what Micheál …

1
Was it that obvious? 58:54

1y ago58:54

58:54

Was it that obvious?

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