With the government planning abolition, Derek answers 7 critical questions:

• Why it's not sovereignty loss,
• Why reform, not abolition is sensible
• How the Fianna Fáil leader shifted from 2020's "fully maintain" pledge to backing abolition
• What public support means,
• Why defence mustn't be politicised
• Value of military neutrality, and
• Brutal reality that the Defence Forces is at less than 70% of its 11,500 target strength.

Martin, Harris, McEntee and Byrne cannot Triple Lock their way out of their massive capability gap

In this episode I look at events and developments over the last few weeks, since the two bye-elections and consider the lesson for the leadership of Fianna Fáil... and remind TDs that several EU countries have changed prime minister during an EU presidency... and it didn't hurt anyone.

As Fianna Fáil marks its centenary, there are several lessons from the recent U.K. elections for the former big beast of Irish politics.

UK Labour’s current attempt at renewal and the SNP’s successful reinvention contrasts with drift and lack of ambition under Micheál Martin's leadership.

Fianna Fáil cannot wait much longer to change leader or to plan seriously for unity.

In this episode I use the famous Enoch Powell quote about political lives ending in failure "unless they are cut off in midstream at a happy juncture" to ask if any of the three leaders will know when to go?

I consider Ireland's three main party leaders through Powell's lens: is Mary Lou McDonald in trouble as leader, is Micheál Martin now delaying the inevitable; and is Simon Harris, racing toward a juncture he may never reach.

Does any party have a succession plan... or even see the merit of one?

In this 6 minute long episode Derek sets out why the government response was wrong to focus primarily on a security solution to a political problem... a political problem which its own senior members had flagged weeks ahead.

I have revised the opening 5 minutes of this previously published podcast to include clips from that March 2017 interview - after some extra research I found an audio recording of the full interview. see link below.

In this Mooney on Politics podcast episode I consider how Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s stance on Irish unity has shifted since 2017. From promising a detailed white paper and “blueprint” for reunification to today’s emphasis on Shared Island, reconciliation and keeping constitutional questions at arm’s length.

Link to that 2017 interview via YouTube:

Link to print RTÉ March 2017 news report

In this episode I look at Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s unsurprisingly solid Oval Office performance with Donald Trump.

I express regret that opposition parties here took such a overwhelmingly negative stance on his performance. But... even more... I regret that Martin fails to communicate as well on domestic issues as he does when in the White House.

I also ask why, with government satisfaction on the floor, Sinn Féin still isn’t breaking through... and look to the Gerald Barry rule of politics... at some point every opposition leader is the worst ever opposition leader.

In this podcast episode I argue that Fianna Fáil TDs can’t afford to sleepwalk into 2027. Three Taoisigh in one year (2027) would make the party (and government) look ridiculous.

There are several simple truths that must be faced:

• Micheál Martin’s time as leader is naturally running out
• 2026 is the year for renewal, not 2027
• Fianna Fáil must decide what it stands for, and who best conveys that

The alternative, the default position is just to continue with Micheál Martin... and wander meekly into the darkness