What the fuel protests meant

What the fuel protests meant

The country is moving on from the protests that dominated the national discussion over Easter, even as what the protests actually meant continues to generate debate.


Leo Varadkar poured more fuel on the fire by telling rural dwellers that, far from them being the backbone that holds up the country, it is their city cousins who pay all the bills. Could these events mark the start of deeper urban-rural divide in politics? It seems very possible the protests will be looked back on as an important step in Ireland’s political evolution, wherever that leads.


Today Hugh is joined by UCD political economy lecturer Michael Byrne and political correspondent Ellen Coyne to talk about what the events of April 2026 have revealed about Irish society, Irish politics and how Irish people look at democracy, protest and the urban-rural divide.


You can read Michael Byrne’s Substack blog on housing here.


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.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(1062)

'Equal-opportunities satirist' Paul Howard takes aim at Irish reunification

'Equal-opportunities satirist' Paul Howard takes aim at Irish reunification

In his new novel A Nation Once Again, Paul Howard, best known for the Ross O'Carroll Kelly series, turns his satirical eye from wealthy South Dublin to an imaginary government department devoted to pr...

2 Syys 41min

Where next for Simon, Micheál and Mary Lou?

Where next for Simon, Micheál and Mary Lou?

Hugh, Pat, Ellen and Jack took to the stage at Electric Picnic on Saturday to discuss politics and take some uestions from the audience. They discussed UK prime minister Andy Burnham's controversial c...

31 Elo 33min

EU presidency hits Wicklow next week and Burnham nixes talk of a Border poll

EU presidency hits Wicklow next week and Burnham nixes talk of a Border poll

Ellen Coyne and Jack Power join Pat Leahy to look back on the week in politics:· All 27 EU foreign ministers will gather in Druids Glen in Wicklow next week for a “Gymnich” meeting. What is that ...

28 Elo 48min

M9 crash aftermath: can the Government bring social media under control?

M9 crash aftermath: can the Government bring social media under control?

Inside Politics Live is coming to Cork on September 30th. Get your tickets here. Pat Leahy is joined by Ellen Coyne and Liz Carolan to talk about the response to the circumstances around the recent fa...

26 Elo 40min

Government stalls on fuel excise duty; politics reacts to M9 tragedy

Government stalls on fuel excise duty; politics reacts to M9 tragedy

Inside Politics Live is coming to Cork on September 30th. Get your tickets here. Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:Today the Government announced...

21 Elo 55min

Why does Ireland support Palestine and does anti-Semitism play a role?

Why does Ireland support Palestine and does anti-Semitism play a role?

There is deep support in Ireland for the Palestinian cause. But why? And is Ireland truly an outlier in its attitudes to Palestine and Israel? Academics Miceal Canavan and Liam Kneafsey surveyed over ...

19 Elo 44min

Tradwife guidance, truthfulness and 'clever' politics in Limerick

Tradwife guidance, truthfulness and 'clever' politics in Limerick

Jack Horgan-Jones and Ellen Coyne join Hugh to look back on the week in politics:Simon Harris has lobbied the European Commission over the prospect of Ireland's Central Bank once again being responsib...

14 Elo 51min

From boom to bust: how the PDs unravelled - Dessie Can Do It, part three

From boom to bust: how the PDs unravelled - Dessie Can Do It, part three

Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy close their series on the PDs. In 1997 the party runs a disastrous campaign, falling from 10 seats to four. But they still enter government with Fianna Fáil, with Mary Harne...

12 Elo 58min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

uutiscast
aikalisa
politiikan-puskaradio
rss-viihde-media
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
otetaan-yhdet
rss-voi-venaja
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
vallattomat
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
rss-asiastudio
rss-podme-livebox
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-girls-finish-f1rst
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka
rss-kuka-mina-olen
rss-seksicast
rss-mina-ukkola
tervo-halme