Budget 2027 is just around the corner and legitimate tensions between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are becoming increasingly visible.

From proposed ideas being shot down to a contentious announcement around a sports grant, the coalition government appears to have a big job on its hands ahead of Budget Day in just a couple of weeks’ time.

Do they care about public perception, or is this just business as usual?

What’s the noise from government insiders on energy credits?

What about the status of rent credits?

And is the budget kite of a €100 voucher for teenagers to enjoy some culture really all that substantial?

Host Fionnán Sheahan has a full Irish Independent political team on board this week, with Mary Regan and Aisling Moloney joining him in studio, while Cónal Thomas provides a dispatch from New York on the United Nations General Assembly, and Maeve McTaggart reports from Leinster House following a social media-themed showdown at the Oireachtas Media Committee.

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Donald Trump has come and gone from Áras an Uachtaráin, but not without causing considerable consternation. The US president said he would “love” to see a united Ireland and suggested it “may as well happen now” because it is “going to happen eventually”. So what prompted his unexpected intervention, and could it have any impact on the debate over Ireland’s future?

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Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers joins Mary Regan in the Indo Politics studio to discuss his preparations for Budget 2027, including inheritance tax, childcare costs and the key challenges facing the Government.

He also talks about his relationship with Simon Harris, how his political views have evolved over the years, including on abortion, and why he believes it's time to reform the planning process.

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From Micheál Martin's resilience to Sinn Féin's missed opportunities and the biggest political blunders of the year, Mary Regan and Maeve McTaggart look back on a dramatic first half of 2026, and ahead to the budget battles and leadership questions still to come.

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EU Commissioner Michael McGrath talks to Mary Regan about potential social media bans for teens in Europe as EU officials grapple with the thorny issue of technology and teens, the growing scrutiny surrounding the Aughinish Alumina refinery in Limerick and the future of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

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As the Dáil breaks for summer, Kevin Doyle and Maeve McTaggart assess the political winners and losers of the past six months. They examine RTÉ's growing funding gap, the fierce battle over hare coursing, Sinn Féin's push on Irish unity, and ask who's heading into the EU Presidency with momentum.

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As the UK's Labour Party reconfigures in the wake of Keir Starmer’s resignation, we hear about potential new leader Andy Burnham's proud Irish roots, what his northern sensibility might mean for UK politics and how he might deal with a push for a United Ireland. We also discuss the growing pressure on Irish neutrality, the recommendations made in a report from the Oireachtas committee on drugs and why the EU presidency hasn't resonated with the public.

Host: Fionnán Sheahan | Guest: Aisling Moloney

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