This week's podcast covers all the fallout to the great spoiled vote of 2025: Simon Harris's migration u-turn, Micheál Martin's jeopardy, the Galway West by-election, and the state of Ireland's right wing politics.

Click here to watch a video of this episode.
https://youtu.be/BIFEpzGDBiE

00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflections

02:00 Post-Election Fallout in Ireland

07:01 The Impact of Spoiled Votes

15:50 Leadership Challenges in Fianna Fáil

19:23 Government Performance and Legislative Initiatives

28:20 Emerging Voices in Fianna Fáil

30:39 Immigration Discourse and Political Responsibility

36:39 Media Dynamics and Political Debate

42:06 The Challenge of Left-Wing Politics

46:33 Reflections on Political Engagement and Voter Sentiment

John and Sarah break down the two biggest stories of the week, discussing all aspects of the Citywest sexual assault and subsequent riots, and then examining the myriad ways that Fine Gael managed to blow the Presidential Election.

00:00 Introduction to Current Events in Ireland

03:25 The Disturbing Incident in Citywest

12:08 Failures of TUSLA and Child Protection

18:02 Cultural Context of Immigration and Crime

26:16 Political Reactions and Media Coverage

35:38 The Presidential Election Dynamics

58:21 Predictions and Final Thoughts on the Election

John and Sarah ask: Is Judge Martin Nolan unfairly maligned or justly criticised? Also, Independent Ireland backs Simon Harris; The Deposit Return Scheme humiliates voters; and Fine Gael flounders towards humiliation.

00:00 Overview of Current Events in Politics
02:42 The Motion of Confidence in Simon Harris
11:15 The Deposit Return Scheme Controversy
20:14 Discussion on the Gender Recognition Act
29:22 Donald Trump's Recent Peace Deal
30:52 Judicial Sentencing and Child Abuse Cases
41:35 Presidential Election Predictions