Gript Media Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Gript
On this week's episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the State's claim that "tradwives" are sexist; the arrest of Daniel Kinahan; and the HSE's advice to pregnant men.
On this week’s episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Fatima discuss the Ceuta migrant crisis in Spain; Ben’s recent viral exchange with Norma Foley; and the ongoing chaos in the courts.
On this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, Jason and Ben discuss the puzzling picture emerging after the gardaí intercepted a car carrying a bomb towards Northern Ireland. They also discuss a radio station manager's criticisms of State media funding and the shocking rate of re-offending following prisoner release.
On this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss Christopher Nolan's "Odyssey" movie and whether he bastardised a classic of the Western canon; why the Government is right to pursue inheritance tax cuts; and the role that degenerate online content plays in the warping of minds like Lorcan Murphy's.
With the treasonous Jason shamefully AWOL this week, Ben is left to heroically fend for himself with last minute help from Fatima on The Long Game podcast. On the agenda: the murder of Jamey Carney; whether "men" in general are to blame; and youth offenders terrorising society.
In a wide-ranging conversation this week, Ben and Jason cover the case of Riad Bouchaker, the Minister for Housing's belief that he has no say over the demand side of the housing crisis and two movies that have generated a lot of conversation recently: Citizen Vigilante and Obsession.
Scorching scenes in Europe provoked terror across the continent, or so the media would have it, leaving Jason and Ben longing for a return to common sense. Also this week, is Pride running out of steam? And are the fuel protests set to make a reappearance?
Much to Ben and Jason's surprise (not), the Dáil backed a Sinn Féin bill last week to get rid of the three-day abortion waiting period. They discuss the "betrayal" of voters who were reassured by that promise, as well as poor weeks press-wise for the Taoiseach and Tánaiste.
This week on the podcast Laura spoke to Cllr Gavin Pepper. This Councillor explained his work in his constituency of Ballymun-Finglas, the issue of housing, the lack of investment, the problem with suspended sentences and the need for universal health care.
On this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the reaction to last week's scenes in Belfast, and react themselves to news of a long-awaited peace deal between the US and Iran. Finally, the lads turn to a topic close to Ben's heart in particular: the World Cup.
This week Laura spoke to Laoise de Brún BL. She explains her organisation the Countess and the Women's Coalition on Immigration. Laoise explains how we are asked to suspend our innate knowledge of life when it comes to transgenderism and immigration. We talk about the cancellation of Irish lecturer Dr Michael Foran at Oxford University and the state of maternity care in Ireland.
On this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, the lad's discuss Ben's viral exchange with Norma Foley, the politicisation of the Irish school system, the Government's plan to scrap the Triple Lock, and more.
On this week's podcast, Laura spoke to commentator and head of the Iona Institute, David Quinn. David explains how the national curriculum is trying to make your 4 year old into a 'global citizen', how the history curriculum is left-wing indoctrination that views nationalism as an extreme political movement, the Pope's challenge to AI and the problem of falling global birth rates. David also explains how he wants people to have more sex.
On this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the outrageous murder of Henry Nowak in the UK; liberals' inability to condemn Bonnie Blue's depravity; and new Iona Institute findings that a quarter of Gen Z is set to be childless.
In this week's podcast, Laura talks to Councillor Linda de Courcy. We discuss Independent Ireland's loss in the Galway by-election, is it hard to break the status quo with the PR system, race-baiting by the left, victims that count and victims that do not, mixed-sex bathrooms, the EU Migration pact, and Laura's fury over the Deposit Return scheme. Finally, the councillor explains why orange juice is toxic.
The dust settles on the by-elections and Jason and Ben sift through all of it. They discuss the critical theories behind the coverage of the deaths of Yves Sakila and Alexander Coughlan, before Ben shares his thoughts on the ending of The Boys.
Ben and Jason discuss the imminent by-elections in Dublin and Galway and offer their predictions, as well as the week in controversial comments from current and former Fianna Fáil taoisigh.
This week on the podcast, Laura talks to Dr Stella O'Malley who, unlike the Taoiseach, is an expert on transgender matters. Dr O'Malley describes transgender policies as an 'ongoing medical scandal of gargantuan proportions.' We discuss why the Taoiseach may come to regret his comments stating that he believes in the existence of transgender children, who funds the NGOs pushing this agenda, the dangers of mixed-sex toilets, how to think about antidepressants, and the mental load.
On this week's episode of The Long Game, Ben and Jason discuss Reform UK's decimation of Labour and the Tories in the UK and what it means for Ireland; the ongoing Irish by-elections; the outbreak of hantavirus, and more.
Laura talks to Peadar Tóibín about Aontú's growing support, possible coalitions, immigration and work visas, and the three day wait for an abortion.
Ben and Jason consider Ireland's impending nuclear debate, the upcoming by-elections in Dublin and Galway, and the cancellation of a controversial surrogacy event following substantial criticism.
Laura talks to Elaine Mullally about women in politics, setting up Independent Ireland, Leo Varadkar as a free speech martyr, and flying in for social welfare payments.
Jason and Ben comment on the slow-but-steady death spiral of FFG which the latest polling indicates is continuing, as well as on the Government's modular housing plans and the reputational blow the Southern Poverty Law Center has taken in the last week.
This week Laura talks to Ken O'Flynn of Independent Ireland. Laura asks who is jumping ship to Independent Ireland, if Ken is an egomaniac, his opinion on the fuel protests, and Leo Varadkar's attack on rural Ireland.
Micheál Martin's dodgy Muhammad Ali impression and his enduring grip on Fianna Fáil; Leo Varadkar's take on the rural-urban divide; and whether the State media regulator is currently engaged in policing speech. All on this week's Long Game podcast.
In this episode of just 46 mins, Ronan covers nearly 100 years of Irish politics. He explains how Lemass modernised Ireland, met President Kennedy, how he took Ireland to Europe, and why Dublin airport should be called Sean Lemass airport
The fuel protests have wound down, a minister's not happy with the media's lack of support for Government and a battle for the ages: Donald Trump vs Pope Leo XIV. All discussed on this week's episode of The Long Game Podcast.
On this week's episode of The Long Game, Ben and Jason discuss the ongoing fuel protests disrupting traffic across Ireland, Donald Trump's Iran war ceasefire, and how the Christian messages of the Artemis II astronauts are making atheists on Reddit go berserk.
Jason is joined this week by Fatima, who comes bearing stories from the courts. They also discuss the state of Ireland's Covid-19 'evaluation' and the quality and quantity of biblical dramas on streaming services in 2026.
This week Laura recounts how a momentary blip cost her an entire online identity, Nick walks us through the coming fuel price crisis for the economy, the hosts debate the Meath house demolition, and they ask: Is linking migration to crime "fringe"?
Freshly returned from his time Stateside, Ben joins Jason to talk banned TikTok videos and EU content policing, Iran war energy woes and the wild reaction to Ryan Casey's political opinions.
This week, Sarah tells listeners all about her big White House trip; what it was like in the room with Donald Trump, and how the Taoiseach did. Also: A bulldozed house in Meath; Fringe migrant crime ladies; and Ireland's forbidden oil wealth
The growing tendency to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of national and cultural celebrations irks Jason and Maria this week. The deepening oil crisis and Maria's experience of the recent Women's Coalition on Immigration event make up the rest of the show.
This week John faces a personal crisis: An empty home heating oil tank as prices have risen 65%. Also: The man here for two years illegally now accused of serious crimes; The UCD rape case; Drag Queens at the Zoo, and Emiratis in Shannon.
This week, Laura grills Aontu leader Peadar Toibin on the party's position on cutting carbon and fuel taxes, the cost of living, neutrality, and how best to protect our children online.
Ben and Jason discuss Barbie Kardashian's new digs and Dublin Zoo's Mother's Day marketing, as well as the Government's commitment to the Cost of Living crisis.
John and Sarah discuss a great week for Irish politicians, as a new war in the Middle East stopped them from having to do any Irish politics. Also: Fuel taxes, Burkes in Jail, Stephen Kerr arrested, and a quiet start for Catherine Connolly:
Laura and Nick sit down this week to discuss the UK by-election, and the growing radicalism of the UK and Irish Greens. Also: Another deep dive by Nick into the companies making bank on IPAS accomodation; Laura stands up for old Trees; and housing policy gets more confused.
Jason and special guest Maria Maynes discuss the spiralling situation in the Middle East, the sectarian trend in UK politics and the shocking abortion story receiving no coverage from the Irish media.
This week John and Sarah ask: When do the state apologies for historic abuse end? Why is Ireland welcoming NATO into Irish waters? Has Aontú had a bad week? Should we all be Petro-Masculinists? And is Fionnán Sheahan a monster for wearing ashes on his forehead?
Laura and Nick are reunited this week, in a podcast that asks: Are human rights laws breaking society? They discuss the impact on immigration, parenting, family, and gender. And Laura asks: Is it time to invest in big cat?
Should we want our young boys to be gay so they don't harm women? The Irish Times says yes, Sarah says no. Also in the podcast this week: Macron's fertility drive, Culleton's PR disaster, Ireland's tax crisis, and Mary Lou's White House snub:
With Laura on a deserved break, NICK DELEHANTY is joined this week by Independent Councillor Michael Fleming. They discuss housing, why small business gets a raw deal, the challenges for independent candidates, and why the Irish right struggles to unite:
The security concerns surrounding the Ireland/Israel Nations League fixture, Minister Helen McEntee's Defence Forces diversity drive and LENT are all up for discussion on this week's episode of the Long Game podcast.
John and Sarah dive into the Seamus Culleton case and if Ireland looks hypocritical on immigration; discuss the Dublin Central by-election; the media's warped coverage of a Canadian school shooting; and whether Nigel Farage is right on working from home.
With Nick away this week, Laura is joined by Frank Havilland of The New Conservative. They discuss the Epstein upheaval in the UK, the fall of Mandelson, the rise of Reform, how immigration remains the elephant in the room, and whether noisy kids in public are a problem:
On this week's episode of The Long Game, Ben and Jason analyse some of Ben's recent encounters with Government ministers and their disappointing (non-) answers.
John and Sarah delve into the big stories of the week, including: A big win for Enoch Burke? Are conspiracists vindicated over Epstein? Is "stolen land" real? And should politicians go to jail for telling lies?
Ben and Jason bemoan the weather and the Government response to it, before turning to problems of entirely human origin: the State's funding of, apparently, everything, the Deposit Return Scheme's disastrous effect on Dublin and the omnipresence of gambling.
Laura Perrins and Nick Delehanty reflect on the sudden shift in global affairs at Davos. Meanwhile Nick outlines the Government's army of special advisers, and Laura reflects on recent twitter controversy.
This week, Ben and Jason discuss Helen McEntee’s great love of Europe, a Fianna Fáil TD’s suggestion that the State should steer clear of "anti-Government" CEOs for State contracts, and the political leanings of modern movies.
Laura Perrins and Nick Delehanty dive headlong this week into Ireland's "vulture fund culture" in the housing market, how it affects you, and how it distorts our politics. Also: Irish media as PR machine; and is social media radicalising the youth...for the better?
On this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the tech illiteracy of the people regulating the Irish digital space, Trump's impending seizure of Greenland and the growing threat of a US-EU trade war, and the re-arrest of Enoch Burke.
Laura Perrins and her new regular co-host NICK DELEHANTY kick off their 2026 partnership in a week brimming with news: Mary McAleese hates baptism; Irish politicians hate accountability; The money might be running out; and AI might be taking over.
Jason and Ben discuss the week’s top news, from Sinn Fein failing to learn lessons, Grok being bold to the impending end of the 25 year-long Mercosur saga.
John and Sarah turn their attention wholly to the state of Ireland this week: Flooding, Housebuilding, Scrambler Bikes, Opinion polls, and Saint Brigid the Patron Goddess of Purple Haired Feminism.
After driving away listeners with 8 mins of Beckham chat, John & Sarah rip into the big story: Misinformation circulated by the ICCL and other state-funded agencies. Also: Gráinne Seoige's call for new laws, smartphones for kids, and the usual row over Trump:
John and Sarah start this week with analysis of the Government's immigration bill: Step forward, or too little too late? Also: Heated debate over that ICE shooting in America, analysis of Sinead Gibney's plan to nationalise X, and Mary McAleese's war on baptism:
John and Sarah open 2026 with a detailed discussion on how Climate policy drives the enormous cost of living in Ireland and Europe; and how Europe is the only place on earth where Governments seek to make things more expensive. Also: Musk's AI porn, Mercosur, and God-Emperor Trump:
Laura kicks off her 2026 podcast series with Daily Telegraph journalist Michael Murphy: They discuss the modern gender wars, the dominance of women in the culture, the effect on men's mental health and emotional expression. And there's some bonus geopolitics too:
Ben and Jason cross swords over the American intervention in Venezuela, before discussing lighter things like the new Dublin city traffic plan and the dire state of modern children's books.
With John still away, Sarah is joined by Keith Redmond (aka Mr. Sarah) to reflect on the turmoil of 2025 and the challenges facing Irish politicians in 2026:
In something of a Christmas special, Ben and Jason discuss whether 2025 went as they predicted politically-speaking, the weekend whooping of Andrew Tate and the ethics of Santa Claus.
Sarah returns for the final podcast of 2025, as she and John tuck into the Micheál Martin controversy, the rise of Candace Owens, and why society seems to pathologise normal male sexuality:
Ben and Jason discuss whether or not virginity is embarrassing following Piers Morgan's interview with a American streamer, as well as the merits and dangers of online age restrictions, and the tragic events at Bondi Beach over the weekend.
With Sarah absent for a second week, John is joined by CORMAC LUCEY, who fills an entertaining episode with discussion on the great Climate Climbdown, the Government's panic on defence, why we need to be much tougher on migration, and why politics is broken:
"It's not a cost of living crisis, it's a cost of government crisis" - Nick Delehanty joins Laura this week to discuss the cost of living in Ireland, his problems with Holly Cairns style politics, and why he'd like Ireland to be more "Swiss Neutral" than "Irish Neutral":
On this episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss Irish school children being taught they have "white privilege"; what America's new national security policy means for Europe; and the young man taking the "looksmaxxing" trend way too far.
With Sarah off, John is joined by barrister and campaigner Laoise de Brún, and the conversation covers loads: Immigration, surrogacy, religion, hunger strikes, and why Laoise - a life long leftie - now calls herself a conservative:
Laura is joined by Aontú leader Peadar Toibín TD. They discuss Laura's skepticism of, and Peadar's enthusiasm for, a United Ireland. Would a United Ireland be more British? Would there be economic benefits? How will unionism find a home in a new Ireland? A spicy hour:
Ben is back from Greece, and he's got a complaint to make. After venting, the conversation moves on to the Battle of Herzog Park and a senior garda's admission that radical Islam is on the rise in Ireland.
This week John and Sarah discuss the crisis in the rental market and how government makes it worse, the crisis in hospitals and how tax makes it worse, Jim O'Callaghan's new immigration laws, Conor McGregor finding God, and Sarah's personal dating "icks".
This week, Laura is joined by well-known journalist with the Daily Telegraph and others, Michael Murphy. They discuss Michael's outside perspective on Ireland's immigration crisis, his Irish heritage, and the hidden cost of Ireland's bumper but misleading GDP:
Jason is joined this week by Fatima Gunning to discuss the US State Department's announcement that mass migration is an "existential threat" to Western civilisation, as well as Slovenia's rejection of assisted suicide and the ongoing Christian persecution in Nigeria.
"A catastrophic mistake": John and Sarah discuss the departure of Paschal Donohoe and Simon Harris's decision to make himself finance minister. Also: , Enoch Burke goes back to jail, and Sarah is outraged by the tale of a Mayo Children's hospice:
This week Laura talks to Father John Hogan, host of EWTN's Forgotten Heritage. They discuss John's work on the cause for Sainthood of Irish Jesuit Willie Doyle, the importance of nurturing joy in your life, why miracles do happen, and the dangers of the occult:
The failure of the State to treat the housing crisis like the "emergency" they say it is; prison overcrowding and the drastic measures authorities are considering to cope with it; and a mad German NGO are all on the agenda for Ben and Jason this week.
John and Sarah discuss the BBC's awful week, and RTE's relentless bias here in Ireland. Also: Are boyfriends out of fashion? Fianna Fáil's awful communications, Denis O'Brien's warning, and a big fight about Trump/Epstein:
On Armistice Day, LAURA PERRINS is joined by Ronan McGreevy of the Irish Times to discuss the history of Irish soldiers in British wars, the relationship between Collins and Churchill, the controversies over poppy wearing, and more:
This week, Ben and Jason rant and rave about institutional failures and shortcomings, from the BBC to RTÉ and everywhere in between.
In this week's edition, John and Sarah reflect on Simon Harris's newfound conversion to "far right" views on immigration, the demise of Ivan Yates, the miserable state of the health service, and the latest opinion poll trends.
Laura is once more joined by Frank Haviland of The New Conservative. They review recent events in the UK, where immigration policy is making Labour the least popular government in history, and shocking crimes appear weekly:
This week, Ben and Jason discuss the Government's swing to the FAR-RIGHT (also known as majority opinion on immigration), the dawning awareness that EU regulation has stifled homebuilding, and finally the unspoken time bomb that western nations are sitting atop.
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.
In this week's election special episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the victory of Catherine Connolly, the spoiled vote avalanche, and whether Simon Harris and Micheál Martin can survive as leaders of their respective parties.
Laura is joined by therapist and Genspect founder STELLA O'MALLEY. They talk all things transgender, from Stella's childhood desire to be a boy, how many girls are afflicted by self-loathing, and how social contagion online is threatening our children.
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.
The President who never was? With two days to go until polling, Gript's LAURA PERRINS is joined on the podcast by Maria Steen, to discuss her career, family, activism, beliefs, and the Presidential Campaign that very nearly was.
As Fine Gael targets Catherine Connolly's work as a barrister, Jason and Ben breathe a sigh of relief that the presidential race is nearing its end. That's followed by a sigh of despair as they examine 'Official Ireland's' commitment to gender ideology and France's inability to stop thieves breaking into its national museums.
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.
Gript's Laura Perrins sits down for a riveting hour with ex-Presidential candidate Nick Delehanty. On the agenda: Running for President; Exposing the IPAS racket; Running the numbers on the deposit return scheme; and reacting to international developments.
On this week's episode, Jason and Ben react to the Heather Humphreys' polling woes and question whether FFG's lack of political imagination is finally coming back to bite them both domestically and internationally. They end on an optimistic note that's sure to annoy some viewers, as poll data reveals NI youths are bullish about Christianity.
John and Sarah discuss Joe Brolly's latest descent into awfulness, debate Catherine Connolly's eventful week, and discuss a budget that was described as "prudent" yet ended up as anything but.
Ethnonationalism or cultural inheritance? Buchanan or Trump? Immigration or Pro-Natalism? Laura Perrins and Tim Stanley of the Daily Telegraph debate the big fault lines in the political right in this week's unmissable podcast:
On this week's episode, Ben and Jason laugh and laugh and laugh about the latest twist in the presidential election as Jim Gavin drops out, before turning to another of the candidate's disappointing gender ideology answers and analysing FG's budgetary promises.
John and Sarah react to the Jim Gavin news: His scandal, Fianna Fáil's incompetence, what it does to Micheál Martin, and why the civil service will be laughing.
This week John & Sarah turn their attention to the most popular topic with Irish pols and media and ask: What's with the Gaza obsession? Also, reflections on Barbie Kardashian and ten years of Gender Recognition. And the latest from the boring boring election:
Laura sits down with Robert Clarke from the Alliance Defending Freedom to discuss the attacks on free speech spreading across the west. In particular, they look at the EU's digital services act, and the threat it poses to online freedom:
In this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Maria predict how boring the Presidential election debate will be, discuss Maria Steen being blocked from the ballot, and talk about American football stars being mugged in Dublin.
John and Sarah bring you the inside account of the last days of the Steen campaign, and chew the fat about what the three-candidate race says about Irish democracy. Also: Some thoughts on saying whatever the F**k you want on RTE.
In the first episode of her new podcast, Laura Perrins meets David Shipley, columnist with the Telegraph and the Spectator, about life in boarding school and Wandsworth prison. They also discuss parenting, faith, virtue and vice, and Reform's big chance in the UK.
Jason and Ben react with disbelief to Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty's proclamation that you can say whatever you want on RTÉ, before turning their disbelief to both Sinn Féin's "game-changing" presidential announcement and the way people talk about Christians.
In an action-packed episode, John and Sarah recap the case of Daniel Aruebose, discuss John and Eoin Hayes' blackface scandals, analyse the Joe Brolly wars and attempts to murder David Quinn, and dissect the Maria Steen nomination fight.
Ben and Jason share their reactions to the murder of Charlie Kirk, as well as what they thought of the many reactions celebrating and justifying his death. Left-wing violence on Irish streets and the Taoiseach's view that saying 'Ireland for the Irish' is tantamount to inciting violence were also on the agenda this week.
John and Sarah spend most of this week's episode talking about the murder of Charlie Kirk, the pathology of those cheering it, and where we go from here.
The road to the Áras is getting busier as independents vie to earn the backing of the local authorities, prompting Jason and Ben to chat about what will separate the serious contenders from the rest. The ongoing threats faced by Tánaiste Simon Harris and his family, and Gavin Pepper's failure to live up to the leftist's imagining of him, make up the rest of the discussion this week.
Sarah returns to her chair this week, and shares her tale of accident and emergency horror. Also: Why she's not high on Jim Gavin's chances, the media's double standard on Graham Linehan, and reflections on the great flag wars.
On The Long Game this week, Ben and Maria talk about Dublin City Council's attempt to remove Irish flags around the city; the media grilling of Presidential hopeful Catherine Connolly; and Fianna Fáil's apparent lack of faith in any candidate from inside their own ranks.
On this week's episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the state of the Presidential race, the possibility of "President Bertie Ahern", the cult of Michael D. Higgins, and delve further into the state funding of media.
With Sarah still sadly indisposed, John and Laura discuss the stories of the week: The big engagement in America, the controversy around Dr. Umar Al Qadri, the CSO migration numbers.. and that Sunday Indo article about how the nation loves Michael D.
With Sarah away, Laura Perrins joins John and gives him a thorough education in why his support for delivery drones is wrong. They also discuss crime in Dublin, Maria Steen's Presidential prospects, and Laura goes off on Kneecap and Sally Rooney.
As Tony Holohan announces the presidency is no longer in his sights, Ben and Jason discuss why politics may be a nastier business than it used to be, before coincidentally moving on to the State's total disregard of public pushback on a national dis-/mis-information strategy. Also: Are eugenics back in vogue in some fashionable circles?
John and Sarah react to big news in the Presidential race, assess Gareth Sheridan's first week campaigning, talk free contraception. And also: Why Simon Harris's personal brand may never recover from breaking "Kayfabe"
Without beating around the bush, Ben and Jason get into the recent reports of Indians feeling unsafe in Ireland, and the surging phenomenon of 'elsewhereism,' or being primarily concerned about the rights and wrongs of goings on in other places. They also discuss Gript's latest subscriber-only feature, 'The Cost of Politics'.
Sarah re-joins the podcast this week from her Cretan retreat, and she and John discuss topics ranging from the tragic - the death of Harvey Sherrat - to the controversies around assisted suicide and the Mise Eire event, to the love lives of Pamela Anderson and Bonnie Blue.
Ben and Jason ramble through a discussion about whether law and order is breaking down in Ireland, and specifically in Dublin, musing about the merits of raising a family in the city versus in the countryside, before getting back to the news of the kidnapping of an Irish woman in Haiti.
With Sarah away, John is joined by Laura Perrins. They discuss the state of Britain, where immigration has become the defining political issue, as well as the Dublin Stabbing, the Tuam nuns, the progressive war on western history, and Laura's occasional desire to just keep walking.
This week on The Long Game podcast, Jason laments the EU's latest steamrolling at the hands of Donald Trump, and Ben adds fuel to the fire by questioning the current calibre of Irish thought on economics and borders.
John and Sarah discuss the ethics of marital infidelity, the government breaking promises to themselves on spending, Tony Holohan's Presidential bid, and Molly Malone's bronze boobies.
With Ben missing in action this week, Jason is joined by Gript colleague Maria Maynes to discuss the revised National Development Plan and Maria's coverage of calls for 'Jennie's Law', before complaining about falling afoul of Ryanair's baggage policy and viral infidelity.
This week's podcast begins pretty serenely with a discussion of the Presidential election, before John absolutely loses it over the state of the country. When Sarah calms him back down, they discuss the Tuam babies.
The Housing Minister accidentally blaming the Government for housing holdups, the plight of the pubs and the dangers of technology, as found out by one State agency recently, are all on the cards for Jason and Ben on this week’s episode.
John and Sarah start the podcast talking about Jeffrey Epstein, and proceed to have an enormous row about conspiracy theories. Also: Javier Milei's progress in Argentina, re-running referendums, and prickly cyclists.
On this week's episode, Jason and Ben discuss the UN's call for a re-run of the Care Referendum, as well as the tools the State is using to tackle 'wrongthink' in both schools and An Garda Síochana.
The settlement between Ryan Casey and the BBC on foot of comments by Kitty Holland dominates this week's podcast. Also: The state of the parties, the Presidential sweepstakes, and are school summer holidays too long?
This week, the lads discuss the lacklustre start to Ireland’s presidential election speculation, what the latest polling data tells us about the lay of the political land, and the Irish delegation that defiantly made its way to Hungary’s Pride parade over the weekend.
John and Sarah ask if the Irish Government is addicted to pointless statements on the middle east, discuss the ubiquity of the Pride Flag, and ask why RTE's current affairs shows are so poor. Also: Sarah's favourite new Netflix show is revealed:
With Ben on holidays this week, Jason is joined by Telegraph columnist Michael Murphy to discuss the week's news, including changes to US student visa vetting, questionable reasons for rejecting garda applicants and more.
John and Sarah discuss the Puska family's living arrangements and lifestyle, the free money Irish artists will keep getting, Paul Reid's new job, and the UK officials who still have jobs after the grooming gangs.
Ben and Jason discuss the ways in which a culture of civil mediocrity and bureaucracy is strangling Irish society, from media to AI.
In a packed episode, John and Sarah discuss the case of the Luas "bodily fluids" incident; the Ballymena riots; the French war on Pornhub; an Irish Times' Editor's views on Media Bias; Noisy Drones; and the folly of rent caps.
This week on 'The Long Game', Jason and Ben question whether Garda Commissioner Drew Harris is on top of his brief after a surprising exchange with Ben, the modern trend among Irish elites of denigrating Irishness, and whether Government is up to the task of regulating information itself.
John and Sarah debate the vexxed question of whether John is a racist, as Ruth Coppinger claims. Also: The power of NGOs; are Irish people homogenous; and is the Macron marriage just plain weird?
Poland’s choice of president and the state of that country more generally are on the cards for Ben and Jason this week, along with the decline of Pride month and the trials of short men in their dealings with the fairer sex.
John and Sarah devote most of this week's episode to the cost of living, and the various ways Irish families are feeling financial pressure. Also: Nick Delehanty runs for President; Cathal Crowe defends the Brits; and the Children's Hospital remains a disaster.
The lads discuss the Kneecap terror charge, whether Oireachtas scrutiny of IPAS spending is likely to make any difference, and whether or not the Basic Income for the Arts scheme is a good idea after it was publicly backed by Minister Patrick O'Donovan.
John and Sarah ask if Gardai have questions to answer over the Michael Gaine investigation, discuss whether commemorating Normans is appropriate, ask if John's TDS is cured, and talk about the newest Bonnie Blue copycat.
The imminent climate course that will see Leaving Cert students engage in activism is on the agenda for Jason and Ben today, alongside Sinn Féin’s transgender woes and the tumultuous European elections at the weekend.
John and Sarah discuss the UK's sharp shift right on immigration, Sinn Fein's George Orwell moment on transgender issues, Sinead Gibney's painted nails, and the role of porn in the Hawes family murders.
Jason and Ben have a look at Ireland's apparent 'BANANA' problem, the EU's decision to start applying pressure to Ireland over its lack of hate speech regulation and share their initial thoughts of Pope Leo XIV.
John and Sarah discuss People before Profit's anti-Gript stance, the big political bunfight about what Camogie players should wear on the pitch, and Sarah offers interesting views on the "sex for rent" bill.
Grilling politicians, chartering flights for refugees into Ireland and the Government-Media-NGO nexus are all on the agenda for Ben and Jason this week - beginning with a brief diversion into the India-Pakistan tensions.
John and Sarah look in detail at the €4.4billion awarded to often obscure companies in Ireland to house migrants; examine Sinn Fein's hypocrisy in Carrickmacross, and discuss Regina Doherty's renewed confusion over men and women.
This week on 'The Long Game' podcast, Jason and Ben react to the weekend's protests and the coverage they received, Regina Doherty's ongoing gender journey and have a look at Ireland's new Counter Disinformation Strategy.
John and Sarah discuss the media's slightly unhinged coverage of the Papal interregnum, dissect Conor McGregor's relevance after that Tucker interview, and argue over women's right to know everything about their partner. Also: Are Paedophile hunters good or bad?
This week on The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the death of Pope Francis and what comes next, the public’s low level of trust in RTÉ and their gaming history in light of the imminent Oblivion Remaster.
John returns to the podcast as he and Sarah discuss this week's various triumphs for old-fashioned women: The UK transgender ruling, Katy Perry in space, Mary Lou's poll boost, and so on. Also: Are lots of us pretending to have fake medical conditions?
This week on The Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the news that plans for a directly-elected Dublin mayor have been shelved over Conor McGregor-shaped fears, whether citizen journalists are the threat they're made out to be and the new Climate Leaving Cert subject which will see students considering 'environmental racism' and the role of colonialism is 'climate injustice'.
Sarah Ryan, minus her usual whipping boy, is joined instead by her husband Keith on this week's episode. They discuss Trump's tariffs, Ireland's exposure to economic ruin, and then for fun they debate whether libertarianism has any merit whatsoever.
On this week’s episode, Ben and Jason discuss the prospect of talking climate with their barbers, the terror Trump’s tariffs have induced around the world, and whether or not failing to do the dishes is sufficient reason to consider divorce.
John and Sarah discuss Dublin City Council's move to protect the Molly Malone statue from boob-gropers, discuss Donald Trump's cleavage of the western economy with tariffs, and laugh quite openly at RTE's new campaign to tackle "fake news and misinformation".
In this extremely informal, rambling episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben Scallan and Fatima Gunning discuss everything from rising crime rates in Ireland, to 'toxic masculinity', to what Fatima finds attractive and unattractive in a man, and more.
The Week That Really Was.
John and Sarah ask why nobody ever talks about toxic femininity; discuss the great speaking rights row in the Dáil, and the new transgender controversy engulfing Irish scouting
This week on ‘The Long Game’ Podcast, Jason and Ben discuss whether the concept of toxic masculinity makes any sense, the Garron Noone saga, and the achingly boring Dáil speaking rights debacle.
John and Sarah discuss Conor McGregor, Fine Gael's new war on "toxic masculinity", look back on covid five years on, and have a good old fashioned row about the covid vaccines.
On this week's episode of 'The Long Game' podcast, Ben Scallan and Jason Osborne discuss Conor McGregor's St. Patrick's Day White House contributions, a Guyanese migrant with 19 previous convictions attacking an 18-year-old girl within days of arriving in the country, thousands of acres of Amazon rainforest being cut down to 'save the climate', and more.
On this episode of the Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss whether Taoiseach Micheál Martin will receive a public spanking during the St. Patrick's Day White House meeting; Trump's trade war on everyone; and more.
John and Sarah discuss the white house shindig, foreigners buying homes in Ireland, migrant crime figures from the UK, and the celebrity cheating scandal that has women up in arms.
John and Sarah discuss "a week where decades happened", debating whether America is a falling Empire or recovering its greatness, discussing Micheál Martin's upcoming visit, and asking: Does the Irish opposition suck? Also, tradwives, NGOs, and assisted dying.
On this short-and-sweet episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the odds of a right-leaning Irish President in this year's Presidential election, whether Ireland removing the Triple Lock would damage military neutrality, and more.
John and Sarah debate - are females more gullible? And also: Why do paedophiles keep getting away with it? Why don't the public care about wasteful spending? And why does the Government want to make some people homeless?
On this episode of 'The Long Game' podcast, Ben Scallan and Jason Osborne discuss Garda applicants waiting years to be processed, the State's war on cabin homes in people's gardens, whether pornography should be treated as a public health issue and banned, and more.
John and Sarah discuss Garda invasions of privacy, Jim O'Callaghan's start in Justice, the latest stabbing in Dublin, Pregnant Porn stars, and the latest horrors from Gaza.
This week on the Long Game Podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the gardaí attempt to access Gript's private messages, as well as the latest stabbing in Dublin, calls for a European Army, and whether adult-only weddings constitute a war on children.
PODCAST: https://gript.ie/podcasts/thank-god-for-x/
In a week dominated by crimes committed at home and abroad, John and Sarah tackle the issue of migrant crime head on. Also: How should men comport themselves on Valentine's Day; why does Micheál Martin love one Senator so much; and why do women love alternative medicine?
On this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Jason Osborne and Ben Scallan discuss the Stoneybatter stabbing, the Irish State giving millions of euros to media outlets to protect 'democracy', how to make the Eurovision less crap, and more:
With Sarah away due to a bereavement, John is joined by Laura Perrins. They discuss Donald Trump's big week, argue over who should pay for rural electricity, and is Irish politics blind to the suffering of teachers?
On this episode of The Long Game podcast, Jason and Ben discuss the Seanad elections, Irish people’s attitude towards gender quotas, the Government abandoning their transgender plans for under-16s, and respond to criticism from a rival podcast.
On this week's podcast, viewers can watch John be wrong and Sarah be right about the Seanad election in real time. Also, reflections on Storm Eowyn, and a heated argument about Robert F Kennedy, Jnr
On this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, Jason and Ben discuss the fact that hundreds of thousands of people around the country remain without power days after Storm Éowyn, as well as the new ministerial appointments, a St Patrick's Day terror threat and the fading power of celebrity tears.
John and Sarah discuss the new Irish Government, the New Irish President, why the new Minister for Immigration is the worst job in Irish politics, whether the US is savable, and why Sarah thinks a certain person is a "f**king niffnuff".
On this week of 'The Long Game' podcast, Jason and Ben discuss Trump's inauguration, the Irish Programme for Government, the modern dating market for young men, and how much efficiency is too much.
John and Sarah on Biden's exit, the new programme for Government, what it's like to need a hospital in Ireland today, and the heroic achievement of Bonnie Blue.
In this week's episode of The Long Game podcast with Jason Osborne and Ben Scallan, the lads discuss foreign money being channelled into Irish NGOs, Eamon Ryan meeting with Extinction Rebellion to discuss Ireland's energy policy, and more.
As 2025 opens, John and Sarah lay out some predictions for the year, ask why so many "bright young thing" liberals fail, and discuss the ongoing fallout around grooming gangs in the UK.
Welcome to Ep. 1 of The Long Game with Gript: a podcast where Jason Osborne and Ben Scallan share the week’s top political and cultural stories through young, Irish, conservative eyes.
This week: DCU vs. Andrew Tate, UK grooming gangs, State-funded sex work advocates, and more.
John and Sarah review the year by reviewing John's good and terrible predictions that he made in January. But before that: The lawyer who traded pictures for money on twitter, and the Taoiseach who traded Ceann Comhairles for power.
John and Sarah discuss the exertions of porn star Lily Phillips, the merits of keeping kids in the dark about Santa Claus, the return of Katherine Zappone, the exit of Eoin Hayes, and some stuff about transgenders.
John and Sarah review the election, look forward to five more years of Micheál Martin, look at the strength of "vote left transfer left", and also muse on the Toy Show, Hunter Biden, and the tragic case in New Ross.
John and Sarah attempt (poorly) to predict the election, and also discuss Dee Devlin's statement on Conor McGregor, Assisted Dying in the UK, and should dirty jokes from 17 years ago get you suspended?
John and Sarah bid farewell to a beloved colleague, and then turn their attention to the wheels falling off the Fine Gael bus. What went wrong - and could politicians across all parties get punished for an utterly insipid campaign?
John McGuirk is joined by Gript Media's Fatima Gunning, who sat through nearly all of the McGregor trial, and Laura Perrins, former criminal barrister, to talk through the evidence and verdict in the the civil case that captivated the nation.
John and Sarah talk the latest twists in Russia and Israel, Blindboy's new RTE documentary, and the latest twists in the very, very, very unexciting general election.
"Derek Blighe should have been in that debate" - John and Sarah discuss the RTÉ debate, and the campaign where all the parties agree and are having fake rows about nothing of importance.
John and Sarah bemoan their lack of recognition at the national media awards, review another boring few days in the greatest election of our age, Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, and why John is not a fan of Micheál Martin.
With the election campaign underway, John and Sarah review the major issues of the first few days. Which appear to be Michael O'Leary, and whether the country wants new energy or change.
John gets a deserved spanking from Sarah over his Trump Derangement Syndrome, The US election gets thoroughly analysed, and a look forward at the very short three weeks campaign to come here in Ireland.
"I've never seen a race like this" - John McGuirk talks to legendary Republican strategist Karl Rove about what to expect tonight as the Harris/Trump votes come in, and what key counties to watch in Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
John and Sarah discuss the new Cillian Murphy "Ireland was awful" movie and it's predictable acclaim; offer final thoughts on the Trump/Harris campaign, and discuss issues that won't come up in Ireland's general election:
John and Sarah discuss the latest developments in sex ed, the passage of the hate crime bill, the government clearing the decks for an election, and why John has full blown Trump derangement syndrome, god love him.
With an election due to be called any day now, John and Sarah review the state of the opposition. Also: Councils ban Bibi, Roderic escapes scrutiny, and tragedy in Argentina.
Sarah and John discuss the spy in the Oireachtas, Sinn Fein forgetting how to do politics, Scary Movies, Scarier Sex Education, and the Government buying the media in a packed podcast this week.
So let's have a chat about DCU's training course for SPHE teachers and where it's coming from.
https://gript.ie/photos-inside-the-dcu-sphe-course-fisting-writing-sex-scenes-porn-terms-examined/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqeAMtxbrsM
John and Sarah walk through the budget, John's row with an unfortunate Fine Gael canvasser, the latest celeb muck from Philip Schofield and P. Diddy, and the horrifying case of the woman allegedly tortured in Dublin.
In the aftermath of the defeat of the hate speech legislation, John and @sarahcatryan unleash a torrent of what some might consider hate speech towards the bike shed, the children's hospital, various members of the Government, and President Higgins.
John and Sarah examine the contradiction between Fine Gael's standing in the polls and the state of Scoliosis treatment for children. Also: Simeon Burke and the law library, Micheal Martin's endless leadership, and did Israel blunder in Lebanon?
The big debate in America; The big windfall at home; Another clue about the election date; and Ireland's useless opposition misses again - John and Sarah round up the week.
If anything Oasis tickets should cost more; Tony Blair on populism and leadership; Phil Hogan back in FG because why try something new; and a bike shed is not important.
John and Sarah discuss the SPHE book that set tongues wagging; the world's most expensive bike shelter; what may be the world's most expensive sex abuse enquiry; and why some stories impact you emotionally more than others.
Amnesty International Ireland seems to be on a short road to going bankrupt; a Junior Cert schoolbook on how liking traditional music and being a controlling bigot are basically the same thing; and the latest opinion poll.
John and Sarah discuss the latest developments in the Enoch Burke case, the nude cyclists and the Mayor of Cork, Kamala Harris finally agreeing to an interview, and the latest revival of the hate speech bill.
Georgia's ruling party gets democratic and everyone freaks out; Ukraine invades Russia; and Sinn Fein's spurned lovers in the NGOs.
John and Sarah discuss beauty contests this week: The upcoming election, during which politicians will flash their ankles. The Democratic Convention, which attempted to entice us to Kamala, and the Rose of Tralee, which has nothing to do with beauty at all:
England's recent unrest; the economic advisor to the Taoiseach has said that tech firms leaving Ireland could make "austerity look like an episode of Care Bear;" and sometimes a warning shot isn't enough and other unpopular views.
https://gript.ie/gardai-fail-to-provide-explanation-as-to-why-public-order-unit-did-not-display-identifying-numbers/
https://businessplus.ie/economy-2/wiped-out-advisor-ireland/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm23y7l01v8o
Sarah and John review a week that featured big revelations about government spending, plans to abolish same sex schools, a big love island breakup, and a disagreement over olympic breakdancing.
Gary and Michael return from their time in the wilderness to discuss wind energy, a newly proposed tax credit designed to stop young people fleeing the country, and the likely outcome of Ireland's overreliance on multinationals to keep the economy afloat.
https://www.thejournal.ie/offshore-wind-farm-ireland-2030-targets-6457011-Aug2024/
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1152841
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-pte/profileoftradingenterprises2022/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yd3g1vw79o
In what should be silly season, John and Sarah discuss a surprisingly busy week: Riots in the UK, an anti-media rebellion for Kellie Harrington, a new VP nominee for Kamala Harris, and Simon Harris goes to war with Elon Musk.
John and Sarah discuss the controversy around the Olympic games, the riots in Southport, the death of Edna O'Brien, and ask whether it's time to revisit the way the state engages with Travellers after the Dooley murder in Kerry.
John and Sarah discuss Sinn Fein's new immigration policy, the fantasy of "public service broadcasting", Catherine Martin's bad press conference, and the pitfalls of the Trump versus Kamala Harris election.
John and Sarah discuss events in Coolock, which has John "f*cking livid", as well as the attempt on Donald Trump's life, why Sarah adores JD Vance, and why Sinn Fein's apology to its voters likely won't work.
John and Sarah discuss a week of implosions, including the implosion of Independent Ireland, the disintegration of Joe Biden's campaign, and yet more lenient sentences in our mess of a justice system. Unfortunately, technical difficulties mean this week's audio is sub-par: We apologise.
Let's talk about the Media Commission's new Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion strategy and how it pushes junk science whilst tying public funding of media outlets to their willingness to cover issues in the 'right' way.
https://www.cnam.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CnaM_Gender-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Strategy.pdf
John and Sarah discuss the fallout from the Biden debate debacle; Independent Ireland's woke turn; the rise to power of Ebun Joseph, and the many many people who simply aren't having children.
European politics; FF's confusion; France goes to the polls; Chevron falls; and the Trump v Biden debate.
John is on holiday; Sarah is taking refuge in the loving arms of Taylor Swift; and both are in absolute despair at the events of the week in the Oireachtas ranging from standing ovations to baby finance ministers.
John and Sarah react to the Cathal Crotty case, and Fine Gael's continued claims to be the party of law and order. Also: Eamon Ryan's departure, Michael O'Leary is far right now, and Micheál Martin is feeling left out.
John McGuirk talks to co-host Sarah Ryan about what it was like to spend 3 days at the RDS, only to come out on the losing side; what the elections might mean for the future of a "right" in Ireland; and why Holly Cairns has something to be sorry for.
A review of how the various parties did, or are doing, in the locals and the European elections.
As voters cast their ballots, John and Sarah review the election campaign, and stick their necks on the line with predictions for each of the Euro constituencies, and the local elections.
John McGuirk rounds up his series of interviews with candidates seeking election to the European Parliament by talking to accountant and businesswoman Michelle Smith, running an energetic but (according the polls) long shot campaign in Midlands North West
Senior Counsel UNA MCGURK talks to John McGuirk about what it was like to be "cancelled" for her views on the Covid 19 pandemic, why she's worried about national sovereignty, and why she's running on a shoestring budget for the EU Parliament.
Donald Trump is a convicted felon, but we'll see how long that lasts; the asylum process; and Gary and Michael give their predictions as to the likely winners of the upcoming European Elections.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rapists-dodge-deportation-by-applying-for-asylum-in-prison-036jzs8p6
"Covid was a profound political shock for me.. that did change how I view the role of the state and politics" - Michael McNamara discusses his journey from the Labour Party to being one of Ireland's most outspoken Independents, and why he's now running for the European Parliament
John and Sarah discuss the implications of the surrogacy bill; The slow motion car-crash that is the children's hospital; Michael D. Higgins' continued abuse of his office; and the very very bad verdict on Sinn Fein from the doorsteps
In the latest in his interviews of EU candidates, John McGuirk talks to Niall Boylan about whether Independent Ireland is really a political party; Why he'd turn the boats in the Mediterranean around; Why he's for peace in Ukraine; and whether supporting farmers comes at the expense of Dubliners.
An election without an election campaign; polls show SF continuing to drop but FF are languishing; and yet another FOI drop shows the Government being warned about the consequences of their recent referendums passing.
John meets Stephen O'Rourke, an independent candidate seeking an EU parliament seat in Dublin, to talk about immigration, mental health, drug addiction, and what it's like being a small independent candidate trying to get a message out in a crowded field.
With two weeks until polling day, John and Sarah take stock of the state of the EU and local election campaign. Also: Will recognising palestine help the Government? And Sarah argues that young women are in "a crisis".
In the latest in his candidate interview series ahead of the June 7th local and EU elections, John McGuirk chats to Derek Blighe, leader of the new Ireland First party. They discuss what it means to be "far right", what to do about energy, and much more:
Ahead of the June 7th EU elections, John McGuirk talks to long-shot Independent candidate for Ireland South Mary Fitzgibbon about whether she has a real chance to win, why she says we all need to have more children, and why reversing emigration is important to her as a parent.
Ahead of the June 7th EU elections, John McGuirk talks Independent candidate Peter Casey about why Ireland isn't neutral; why he plans to seek the Presidency again if elected; and what he thinks he can achieve as an MEP.
PODCAST: Are Sinn Fein irretrievably done for with working class voters who feel betrayed? Did we over-react to the Dublin Portal hijinks? And Sarah explains why she'd always prefer a man to a bear.
In the second of a series of interviews with candidates ahead of the June 7th EU elections, John McGuirk talks to the Irish Freedom Party's Hermann Kelly about leaving the EU; Why he would let most EU migrants already here remain; and why he's "an ecologist, not a green".
In the first of a series of interviews with candidates ahead of the June 7th EU elections, John McGuirk talks to Aontu leader Peadar Toibin about immigration, candidates, war, peace, farming, Palestine, and why he's going to personally run in two elections less than a year apart.
RTE struggle to understand firearms; a new poll says Independents and Others are more popular than any party, at least in the European elections; and the Garda release new figures on hate crime, but it may shock you to hear that they don't really stand up.
John and Sarah discuss whether there's merit in chemical castration for paedophiles; What to make of Bambie Thug and Eurovision; Javier Millei's astonishing success in Argentina; and general European and Local election chat.
It's been an abysmal week for the Government as polls show massive levels of discontent with immigration policies, and that hasn't been helped by Minister Helen McEntee's seemingly endless public ineptitude.
John and Sarah review the week, including Ireland's renewed - if conveniently timed - war with Britain on immigration; reflections on the battle of Newtownmountkennedy; whether the polls are to be believed; and is the cost of living being ignored?
We're told that 80% of asylum seekers are coming through Northern Ireland, but actual evidence for that is unclear; and a new poll indicates people are poorer, less interested in the enviroment, and just generally not having a good time.
https://www.kildarestreet.com/committees/?id=2024-04-23a.884
Sarah Ryan explains to John McGuirk why she has decided to manage Niall Boylan's EU election campaign. Also, they talk about events at the Oireachtas committee on immigration, Helen McEntee's bad week, and are smartphones the new "microchipping"?
Claims that boys are having anti-women content thrown at them by algorithms aren't all that solid; and what do the FOI documents released by the Department of Justice tell us about the recent referendums?
Bestselling author, Journalist, and now campaigner Helen Joyce joins John and Sarah to explain the contents of the Cass Review into the treatment of "transgender" children, and the wider implications of transgender ideology on western society.
Harris manages to appear weak less than a week into the job; SF's internal issues; and Ireland tries its hand at some serious geopolitics.
https://twitter.com/johnkvallis/status/1779303075364442585
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/how-frances-fitzgerald-and-a-fear-of-the-civil-service-saved-helen-mcentees-job/a2056415841.html
John and Sarah discuss Simon Harris's cowardly reshuffle, the desired return of Kate O'Connell to frontline politics, the Cass Review, and the state of abortion politics, stateside.
The urge to lower taxes and brutalise criminals; new polling; and the feasibility of a HSE for asylum seekers.
John and Sarah talk JK Rowling's defiance of the Scottish Government, The Government's incestuous relationships with journovisors, the costs of a United Ireland, Sinn Fein's loss of "middle finger status", and checking in on Trump v Biden.
With FG struggling to get independents to sign up to support the coronation of Simon Harris all it would take is a few Fianna Fail TD to end his reign before it begins.
John and Sarah discuss how the week-long debate on the Hate Speech Bill underlines the identity crisis facing Ireland's politicians; The possibly permanent loss of Sinn Fein's mojo; and why Assisted Suicide absolutely is a slippery slope, and one that cannot be escaped.
A show discussing the imminent coronation of that shadow in the shape of a man that some know as Simon Harris.
The fall of the House of Varadkar is set to leave the country in the hands of Simon Harris, at 37, the youngest Taoiseach Ireland has ever had. John and Sarah talk through Varadkar's legacy, and are divided on the prospects for Harris as leader.
Migrants in tents meet the inevitable consequences of our actions; the Government's sleight of hand on the care amendment; and Gary is saved by a computer meltdown.
https://gript.ie/exclusive-ministers-clearly-advised-to-avoid-a-concrete-obligation-in-care-referendum/
John and Sarah discuss the tent city on Mount Street and the collapse of Irish immigration policy, as well as the Taoiseach's comments on Saint Patrick, Dylan Mulvaney's hot new music video, and the sudden decline of the Late Late Show.
The worst referendum defeat in the history of the Irish state; the real power of the NGOs is the false belief that they're representative organisations; and did Ministers lie to the public about the legal advice they had recieved.
https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/03/09/future-constitutional-changes-now-less-likely-after-overwhelming-rejection-of-family-and-care-amendments/
In a special reaction episode, John and Sarah analyse the Government's crushing defeat in the referendums on the 39th and 40th amendments. Their takeaway? "A lot of people who felt very alone now know that they're not the ones in the minority at all".
John and Sarah discuss the Government's new sex education reforms, including the new gingerbread person. Also: Final referendum predictions, Sinn Fein's continuing woes, and the Government, if it will do nothing else for us, will at least kill us off before the end.
The end of two pointless referendums draws near, but there's still enough time left for people to embarrass themselves; and the arguments against marriage are poisonous.
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2024/03/02/brianna-parkins-fairy-tales-about-marriage-are-a-way-for-rich-people-to-feel-as-if-they-deserve-their-charmed-lives/
John and Sarah talk about an epidemic of double standards in Ireland: The lack of any concern about the attack on Carol Nolan's office, as opposed to the horror at the NWCI receiving mean tweets. Also: FF's selection mess, crazy cat killing women, and the perils of canvassing.
A reminder that smokers are the real heroes; the unimportance of democratic norms; and more polls.
John and Sarah recap an eventful week, from the Taoiseach's flight and fight attitude to Gript, the continuing chaos of the referendum campaigns, a sausage festival in Belfast, and the competing scandals in a Limerick hospital.
In this week's edition, John and Sarah discuss being male, pale, and stale, per an FG MEP, as well as the mounting Children's hospital disaster, Simon Harris's latest bright idea, and Michael McDowell's palpable fury over Government misinformation in the referendum campaign.
The semi-state formerly known as the NWCI; and we finally have detailed polling on immigration - turns out people have some concerns.
John and Sarah discuss the funding of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, which Sarah insists doesn’t represent her. Also: The Sinn Fein polling slump is real, Euthanasia breaks new frontiers in Holland, and Joe Biden is now talking to the dead.
Polls show public willingness to consider voting for anti-immigrant parties and candidates is substantially up, support for the referendums is substantially down, and SF continue to fall.
John and Sarah review some of the sentences from the Irish courts in January, and conclude that it’s a good time to be a criminal in Ireland. Also: Is politics putting women off dating, and are Sinn Fein in serious decline?
A dumb new RTÉ funding plan, a stupid controversy over the Oscars, confusion from the electoral commission, and a covid enquiry that won’t blame anybody: The week was a carnival of nonsense, says Sarah Ryan, and John finds it hard to disagree.
The Business Post reports that COVID-era debt warehousing is going to be extended; Garda made 0 criminal checks against EURODAC between 2015 and the start of 2023; and Malcolm Byrne seems unhappy with Gript.
Fianna Fail candidate feels 'shame and regret' over 'striking out' at female friend at college | Independent.ie
John and Sarah discuss Javier Millei and the World Economic Forum, and how Argentina’s President is confounding expectations. Also, Roderic O’Gorman and Throuples, Roscrea’s community hotel, and Jordan Petersen’s re-education.
The argument for the new referendums seems to be that we need to change the constitution so that the courts can figure out what it was we actually voted on; we suggust putting the referendums before two important elections was perhaps not wise; and polling indicates that over 70% of the country are now anti-immigration extremists.
John and Sarah discuss the latest developments in Ireland’s widening immigration debate, including the vexxed question of whether it’s justified to be worried about “unvetted migrant men”. Also: a heated debate about whether historic sex crime trials can ever be fair.
The referendum to remove women from the constitution has a kicker for carers; a Dutch study shows immigrants are not all born, financially, equal; and SF want to bring Dublin house prices to 300,000 - a level not seen since the crash.
https://demo-demo.nl/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Borderless_Welfare_State-2.pdf
https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/libraryResearch/2024/2024-01-03_bill-digest-thirty-ninth-amendment-of-the-constitution-the-family-bill-2023_en.pdf
John and Sarah discuss how Ozempic has made new years resolutions moot for both of them, and also, share their predictions for the year ahead, featuring plenty of misery for the Irish Government.
This week we take aim at the real enemy - peace.
https://www.independent.ie/opinion/editorial/editorial-earth-is-too-small-and-life-too-short-for-anything-but-the-pursuit-of-peace/a1684588158.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20110726184747/http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/Voting/Referenda/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad%2C1894%2Cen.pdf
https://www.thejournal.ie/ivana-bacik-care-women-referendum-6256546-Dec2023/
“The hate speech bill was when the tide began to turn” – Sarah and John look back on a year that may be remembered, in decades to come, as one of the most politically eventful in Irish history.
With surrogacy on the political agenda this week, John and Sarah have a frank discussion about the issues involved, and why they both have deep concerns about surrogacy for money. But first: Aodhan O’Riordain’s flip-flops, and a very predictable last minute COP deal.
New polling shows the danger of the immigration debate for SF, the Fiscal Advisory Council continues to scream into the void; and a Dail debate on immigration takes a turn for the nasty.
https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2023-12-06a.39
John and Sarah discuss Helen McEntee’s very broad definition of “far right”, why they’re both voting NO twice on March 8th, and why men are so useless at domestic chores. Also: Paschal Donohoe’s future, and the increase in domestic violence.
John and Sarah discuss the week that really was, including the background to Gript’s deleted story, and the wider ongoing coverage and cultural concerns around events in Dublin over the past week.
So let's talk about how people are talking about the riots.
https://gript.ie/mr-martins-pathetic-puska-answer/
https://gript.ie/in-silencing-ryan-casey-the-media-abandons-all-pretence/
“They cannot figure out that it is not the “far right” fuelling anti-immigration sentiment in Ireland, it is anti-immigration sentiment fuelling the “far right”. John and Sarah discuss yesterday’s events, and the week that led up to them.
In praise of the political courage of Simon Harris and Leo Varadkar; solving the Israel-Hamas affair; and an unhinged rant on energy subsidies.
John and Sarah discuss RTE’s doom documentary from the future, the broadcaster’s big bailout, Tubridy’s new gig, and why Sarah thinks the new Independent Ireland party is going places.
JUSTICE SERVED: John and Sarah react to the Ashling Murphy murder trial verdict, and discuss other legal matters of the week: Was Maria Bailey vindicated? Is Chris Andrews TD right to sue a journalist? And is Russia trying to rig Irish elections?
Businesses suffering, marriages failed, faith in vaccines undermined: John and Sarah discuss the ongoing hangover from lockdown, the reasons nobody will accept any blame, and the lack of an enquiry. Also, how kids should play.
On Immigration, it turns out that the far right was… the far correct? John and Sarah are joined this week by Laura Perrins of @theconwom to discuss that, as well as conflicting UK/Irish narratives on Gaza, and whether Mary McAleese would make a good priest.
BeLongTo and their private meetings with civil servants; the Far Right Observatory visits the Oireachtas; disinformation; and the president has no strings on him.
https://gript.ie/belongto-rep-revenue-staff-webinar/
This week’s podcast covers Paddy Cosgrave’s sudden fall from grace, the disturbing revelations in Britney Spears’ new book, and asks: What’s become of us that we want to teach Irish children that they’re privileged for being white, or male, or Irish?
Answering the age old question "War, what is it good for?" The answer is probably not absolutely nothing.
The budget and the war: Two topics dominate this week’s podcast, after a very depressing week. Do Irish politicians lack imagination? And is there any prospect at all of peace in the Middle East? John and Sarah discuss:
Roderick O'Gorman is finding it difficult to answer questions; the merging of the NGOs and Irish politics; and with the budget approaching polling shows most Irish households can't afford to cover a €1,000 emergency.
https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/10/07/almost-half-of-irish-adults-could-not-cover-the-cost-of-an-unexpected-expense-of-1000-survey-finds/
John and Sarah are joined from the Seanad by Senator Ronan Mullen, in an episode that covers Colette Colfer’s stand against her university’s new gender policy, an update on the hate speech bill, and a question about whether the Seanad is a more hostile place than it used to be.
A protest is an assault on democracy but voting to restrict protests is apparently just dandy; Minister Catherine Martin gets involved in lease agreements for religious groups; and El Salvador's murder rate falls yet lower.
Does the case of the “racist gymnast coach” resemble the Carlow Teachers scandal? John and Sarah discuss that, the Laurence Fox scandal, and the latest opinion poll in this week’s episode.
A state funded charity tells teachers to lie to parents; there's apparently a very thin line between an honest mistake and gross racial prejudice; and the measurement of tax.
https://twitter.com/mhdksafa/status/1705255758978269390
Short version blurb: Sometimes a little whataboutery goes a long way: John and Sarah compare the reaction to the “blithering idiocy” on Kildare Street, to the silence over the left-wing extremism on display in Dublin just last Saturday.
Paul Murphy’s doxxing disgrace, RTE’s 80k photographer, Micheal Martin’s infection warning, and dumb new speed limits: It was a week to raise the hackles of the most placid person. John and Sarah are no exceptions:
Available on Spotify & iTunes
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7kOPNDrvsxqXv8uicOotvP
iTunes
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-week-that-really-was/id1653091194?uo=4
IBEC calls for taxes to increase; the Fiscal Advisory Council is deeply unhappy; and calls for a reduction in speed limits are both ill-conceived and unneeded.
https://www.fiscalcouncil.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Pre-Budget-Statement-2024-..pdf
https://www.rsa.ie/news-events/news/details/2023/01/01/13-rise-in-road-deaths-recorded-in-2022
John and Sarah discuss a packed week in Stradbally which started with Up the Ra chants at the Electric Picnic and ends with Ukrainians about to move into the site on an emergency basis. Also: Speed limits, American Mommy bloggers going to jail, and why Sarah’s a tough parent herself.
Grade inflation; the Electoral Commission and the 'right not to be misinformed'; and you've got to admire the sheer balls on the ICCL.
https://app.tickettailor.com/event/ev_2888507
Having survived an earthquake in Greece, and listened to three hours of Andrew Tate on her holidays, Sarah returns to an Ireland transformed by new constituency boundaries, and the dramatic fall from grace of singer Roisin Murphy.
Man makes tragic mistake of getting on a plane in Russian airspace; the Pareto Principle for habitual criminals; and grade inflation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtQNULEudss
John is joined by Irish writer Conor Fitzgerald (@fitzfromdublin) to discuss the question of whether Ireland, and western society at large, is increasingly divided politically along gender lines, and why cultural institutions sometimes seem to hate their own audiences.
This week we discuss the financial troubles of two titans of the property sector, the Peter McVerry Trust and Evergrande.
https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Firish-personal-finance-flowchart-v2-1-v0-sx1ensn284c91.jpg%3Fs%3D8b79a0fb56bd5bb031b966ce89aeec813d3aa353
According to the government democracy is where the government pays billions of dollars to one side and jails the other.
Let's have a closer look at SF's new housing submission; the PR problem of tourists being brutalised by criminals; and financial literacy in the Irish population.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/freespeechireland/979702 https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/08/09/edge-of-misogyny-in-criticism-of-helen-mcentee-is-unmistakable/
https://www.sinnfein.ie/files/2023/EOB_PRS_submission1.pdf
In the sorry absence of Sarah Ryan, John is joined by NIAMH UI BHRIAN to discuss Gerard Craughwell’s one-man crusade against Gender Self-ID, Helen McEntee as the victim of misogyny, and the prospects for the new Farmer’s Alliance.
Gary has returned from his travels and climate change is the agenda for this week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W33HRc1A6c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qPwfICdqXQ
In this week’s episode, Sarah tells John all about the Lizzo banana scandal, which leads to a chat about the unfashionability of normal boring old sex, and a question: Has the fall of traditional religion and the rise of a new religiosity led to a fall in contentment?
John and Sarah talk about the issues of the week, ranging from gold heists to climate worries, crime, and Sinead O’Connor. But also, as the Government introduces free IVF for some couples, the growing challenge of infertility:
In this week’s episode, the story of a missing American woman leads John and Sarah into a chat about gender quotas, victimhood, the state of Dublin, the Children’s Hospital and how the media can’t stop terrifying the population with scary stories of crisis.
John and Sarah are joined by William Campbell of the @hereshowpodcast to tell them – as respectfully as possible – why they’re wrong about most things, and why Ireland is in fact one of the most successful countries in the world.
The hate crime bill has been pushed back after an unexpected backlash, but it's far from dead; RTE decide respectable people don't need to be asked to provide evidence; and the safe access zone bill begins its march through the Oireachtas.
“Justin Trudeau with fancier socks” – That’s Keith Redmond’s verdict on Leo Varadkar as he joins John and Sarah to talk hate speech, Helen McEntee’s illiberalism, RTE’s implosion, and the public finances careening out of control:
A key plank of the Government's housing policy hasn't worked for the last 11 months, the end (maybe) of affirmative action in America; and the polls show both the government and RTE are in a spot of bother.
RTÉ dominates this week’s podcast, as John and Sarah wonder whether the state broadcaster has even a shred of credibility left; Also: Is Dublin a crime-ridden dump, and who is to blame?
Gary Kavanagh sat down with Bryan Fanning, Professor of Migration and Social Policy at UCD, to discuss the professor's latest book, Public Morality and the Culture Wars; immigration; LGBT rights; abortion; and coercive public morality.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BHSWHDNJ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
Is the tide of public opinion turning on the transgender agenda? John and Sarah are joined by women’s rights campaigner Laoise DeBrun to discuss the Hate Speech Bill, Ryan Tubridy, Lost Submarines, and Laoise’s drafting of a new bill to keep men out of women’s prisons.
The hate speech bill was debated in the Seanad this week, and despite the lack of media attention the debate demonstrated the full value of the Seanad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj0Tj8dnrYw https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2023-06-13/10/#spk_78 https://twitter.com/griptmedia/status/1669275401397456898 https://www.lawlibrary.ie/bar-reviews/the-bar-review-june-2023/ - Page 100 for piece on hate crime bill.
“it’s almost like a tea party”: Gript’s own Ben Scallan joins John to talk about his journey from political candidate to Government press conferences, the pitfalls of Ireland’s political system, and how impending fatherhood changes a man.
A transgender cyclist is currently 300km ahead of their nearest rival in a 2500km race taking place on the west coast; and excise increases are mostly due to the government wanting you to be miserable.
Welcome to the Official TAW ride in Ireland - TransAtlanticWay
“It’s like being governed by a divorced mum and dad” – John and Sarah discuss the growing sense that Ireland just doesn’t have a leader, and also reflect on the terror in France, and the Labour Party’s call for a “NPHET style” approach to immigration.
“Very few are willing to speak openly and honestly” - John and Sarah are joined by columnist Cormac Lucey to discuss the state of the nation, including Ministerial competence, abortion, tax cuts, and the hate speech bill:
A new RedC poll shows the vast majority of people believe Ireland has taken in too many refugees, but tells us very little about what people actually think; and the NCCA consults with toddlers.
https://ncca.ie/media/6220/consultationreport.pdf
https://ereader.businesspost.ie/e-reader/edition-1810/14/index.html
Does Irish politics suffer from a major deficit of…. ability? That’s the question John and Sarah take on this week in the wake of a farcical health proposal, an aborted tax cut, and the entry of a new contender to replace Joe Biden.
"A TD told me he actually believed what he'd said and I was shocked because that's so rare" - John and Sarah discuss the political response to Inch, as well as sunburn, AI, and bullying in schools.
FG TDs refusing to run are 'a natural event'; SF becomes ever more respectable; asking the President to stop the hate speech bill is deeply unwise; and Alcohol Action Ireland are coming for non-alcoholic beers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZT-wVnFn60
In this week's podcast Sarah reacts to the news that fake tan might be racist; and wonders why women are so consistently in the firing line of modern cultural outrages:
New polling shows nearly 50% of the country feels their quality of living has declined over the last 12 months; Simon Harris has some thoughts on his political opponents; and FG continue to fall in opinion polls.
https://www.redcresearch.ie/consumer-sentiment-remains-decidedly-downbeat/
https://twitter.com/griptmedia/status/1654113707004239872
irelands competitiveness scorecard 2023.pdf
John and Sarah discuss Leo Varadkar's bizarre explanation of the hate speech bill, the Labour Party's new badges, and Sarah's life-long love of Coronation Chicken.
The Hate Speech Bill has cleared the Dail with 110 TDs voting in support of the bill, 14 against; the President has some thoughts on economic growth; and the abortion review has some interesting methodological issues.
Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Wednesday, 26 Apr 2023 – Tithe an Oireachtais (oireachtas.ie)
gov.ie - The Independent Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 (www.gov.ie)
In a week dominated by the Niall Collins scandal, John and Sarah debate whether Ireland has a corruption problem, disagree about Niall Collins, and reflect on the Eurovision scandal that rocked the internet.
Plans to put labelling requirements on wine could see producers refuse to sell in Ireland; a Government report gives the wrong results and has to be redone to get the right one; and the CSO's new report on sexual violence has some unusual results.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/3793/1/The%20SAVI%20Report_%20Sexual%20Abuse%20and%20Violence%20in%20Ireland.%20Executive.pdf
Kevin Myers joins John and Sarah to talk about what it is like to be cancelled, the culture of fear in Ireland, and why he remains trenchantly opposed to Sinn Fein.
Germany shuts down its last nuclear reactors as the green movement cheers; a bad week for journalism; and the government has a new, almost certainly unconstitutional, way of dealing with those filthy people trying to make money in the property market.
John and Sarah discuss the Biden visit and our national love of being loved, as well as reviewing the state of the parties after THAT poll last weekend.
A reminder of the futility of our complaints; modern day book burnings akin to the Nazis, or so they say; and the latest opinion poll.
https://gript.ie/significant-methodological-issues-with-recent-study-on-non-religious-teachers-fears/
John and Sarah discuss what possessed the state to promote a sexually explicit book in schools, the fall of Nicola Sturgeon - and since the world has gone mad, are joined by Mr. Sarah Ryan - Keith Redmond - to discuss legalising drugs.
Joined by financial analyst KARL DEETER, John and Sarah discuss how a Newstalk host ended up punching himself, not Katie Harrington - and why Government Housing policy so consistently backfires.
Gript gets its knuckles rapped in a Journal fact-check; the Indo puts the knife into the TD formally known as a member of the Green Party; and Gary asks how many babies Labour politicians would eat in exchange for a ministerial pension.
https://www.thejournal.ie/what-did-varadkar-say-about-transgender-prisoners-6027642-Mar2023/
John and Sarah talk through the massive public reaction to the Barbie Kardashian story, ask what's the problem with Martin Nolan, and talk the politics of the eviction ban.
As St. Patrick's Day dawns, John and Sarah discuss the evolution of the Late Late Show from consensus breaker to preacher's pulpit, the President's latest intervention, and the attraction of polyamory
We've seen the President, the Taoiseach, and the Tánaiste all speak out against a letter which highlighted concerns about the teaching of gender theory to young children, but it's well past time we started to question the motives of the organisations pushing for children to be indoctrinated into these theories.https://www.iglyo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IGLYO_v3-1.pdf https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/primary-schooling-set-for-transformation-as-children-to-get-a-big-say-in-how-they-learn-42378900.htmlhttps://gript.ie/rte-makes-false-claim-about-social-contagion-factor-in-trans-identification-being-debunked/
In an episode abbreviated by an untimely power cut, John and Sarah discuss a week in which Irish politics, and Ireland's President, drifted ever further away from normal people"
We're not saying to burn down your house for the insurance money, we're just saying you'd probably get away with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz_lzEhyryY
"The conversation University of Limerick thought was too dangerous for students to hear: John and Sarah sit down with Mary Kenny to discuss the state of modern feminism"
El Salvador brutalises criminals and sees crime fall dramatically; tidy towns are Ireland's shield against fascism; and NPHET's decisions may not have been entirely scientific.https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debateRecord/joint_committee_on_children_equality_disability_integration_and_youth/2023-02-21/debate/mul@/main.pdfhttps://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/school-closures-and-nursing-home-visitor-bans-were-inhumane-nphet-member-breaks-ranks-on-our-covid-response-42356712.htmlhttps://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/explainer-the-covid-pandemic-is-over-so-why-are-more-people-dying-42357365.html
John and Sarah discuss the cost of living package, the growing unaffordability of life in Ireland, as well as Katharine Zappone's Poetry and Roald Dahl's dangerous books:
Media trust in Ireland is between 6% and 52% depending on who you ask; the new government-backed survey on conversion therapy is a total mess; and Gary defends Bowdlerisation as Roald Dahl gets a modern rework. https://gript.ie/the-misleading-coverage-of-trinitys-conversion-therapy-report/
Sarah Ryan makes her debut as the John's new co-host this week, as they ask: Why are Irish Politicians so afraid to say what they really think?
In which Gary argues that we should bring back public caning/whipping because it's more humane and more just than putting people in prison.https://www.newstalk.com/news/no-value-to-mandatory-sentencing-guidelines-irish-penal-reform-trust-1436143?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1676023983-1
Gript's own Fatima Gunning joins John to discuss Martin Nolan's banner week, her experience of Dublin after four years in Seoul, and what it was like observing Enoch Burke in court.
John and David discuss the news that 5,000 people arrived in Ireland with no documents last year, and whether St Patrick's Day is now about anything except Irishness.
Protests continue, FF has some thoughts on killing children, our dear President thinks there should be no more borders, and the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
John McGuirk, David Quinn and Alan Hynes of the Catholic Education Partnership discuss Pascal Donohue's SIPO troubles, why parents are pushing back against new sex education proposals, and the latest on Enoch Burke.
In the absence of David Quinn this week, John is joined by Laoise Uí Aodha DeBrún, founder and CEO of @thecountessIE, to discuss the growing impact of the transgender debate on Irish women.
Fr Peter McVerry calls for abortion style exclusion zones to be put around direct provision centres; and the growing demand for the far-right from Irish politicians and media comentators.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/theres-no-racists-here-this-is-not-about-race-protesters-joined-by-far-right-figures-in-rallies-against-refugees-42287273.htmlhttps://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/social-affairs/2023/01/14/housing-campaigner-suggests-safe-zones-to-keep-protesters-away-from-accommodation-centres/
CORMAC LUCEY joins John and David to discuss the unfixable Irish health service, the resignation of Damien English, and the "shift in the national mood" over immigration.
Matt Cooper has decided the country can now talk about immigration; murder rates are up, but maybe it's just better reporting; and a long ramble on eugenics and Buck v Bell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xhdPmu2dEAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTduy7Qkvk8https://www.businesspost.ie/analysis-opinion/matt-cooper-refugees-and-immigrants-need-more-than-our-good-intentions/
David Quinn and leading EU critic, former diplomat, Ray Bassett, discuss the 50th anniversary of Irish membership of the EU, plus the chasm between Pope Benedict’s harsh image in the media and the humble, courteous, gentle person he really was. Gary Kavanagh of Gript Media stands in for John McGuirk this week.
As Christmas approaches, John and David run, or in John's case rant, through the final stories of the year, from the climate bill, to the twitter files, and the hangover to end them all in Rathkeale.
We welcome a new day as Leo's time comes again; and Michael has some thoughts on alcohol.
http://calculusmadeeasy.org/
In Episode Nine, John and David look at how twitter's practice of "de amplifying" some news is replicated wholesale in the Irish media - from Brussels corruption scandals, to Leo Varadkar, to the East Wall protests.
This week it's sucide reporting, euthanasia in Canada meets lifestyle marketing, and just death generally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSp8IyaKCs0https://gript.ie/upcoming-ncca-report-deeply-flawed/
Peadar Toíbín joins John and David to discuss post covid excess deaths, immigration, hate speech, the anniversary of the free state, and the "animal hard" job of leading a new party.
The coverage of the East Wall protests; the rise of the far right is now a literary genre of its own; and the simplification of COVID.
https://gript.ie/podcasts/trsi-68-what-exactly-are-antifa/https://gript.ie/over-100000-in-public-money-to-be-given-to-anonymous-far-left-group/https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2022/12/03/covid-policy-opponents-wilfully-misconstrued-science-glynn-says/https://www.thejournal.ie/is-the-esb-building-in-east-wall-housing-economic-migrants-or-asylum-seekers-5936149-Dec2022/
Jason O'Mahony joins John and David to discuss Ireland's love affair with all things EU, and what it might take for a new party to break Irish politics wide open.
A special needs school in Limerick is at risk of closure due to the policy failures of the government; China's Zero Covid policies cause havok; and Sinn Fein slips in the latest poll.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china-builds-26-storey-pig-skyscraper-experts-warn-of-disease-outbreak-risks-101669458362447.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/huge-covid-protests-erupt-chinas-xinjiang-after-deadly-fire-2022-11-26/
What's broken in Irish politics? In the aftermath of the East Wall dispute, former PD advisor CORMAC LUCEY joins John and David to discuss immigration, economics, and the growing gap between establishment and people
Bernard Durkan has some thoughts on the Rwandan genocide; the National Party experieces some left-wing praxis; and Boris Johnson, possibly accidentally, says something true.
https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2022-11-17a.316&s=salman#g349
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/nov/18/mike-bloomberg-forced-to-apologise-after-boris-johnson-speech-criticising-china
Senator Sharon Keoghan talks to John McGuirk and David Quinn about the worsening atmosphere in Leinster House towards those with non-consensus views. They also discuss the latest coverage of clerical abuse, and a call to suppress all the religious orders.
The Republicans wrestle with Abortion; Micheál Martin tries to save the world at COP 27; and McGuirk goes on a rant about the lunatic asylum called Mastodon.
A suggustion that taxes should have a purpose as oppossed to simply being things the Government thinks they can get away with; the Hate Speech Bill; and the Twitter buyout and what it says about journalists.
https://gript.ie/gerard-casey-this-is-a-law-designed-to-make-you-afraid/
In Episode 3 of The Week that Really was: Father Sheehy versus the world; Why "Reeling in the Years" isn't so much beloved TV show as dangerous misinformation, and David Quinn's shocking 1983 secret. Available now where you get your podcasts.
Martin begs the public, and his own party, to help him out and to stop objecting to housing; throwing beans at art is the new hot thing; and SF's rise in the polls may be stalling.
https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2022/105/eng/initiated/b10522d-p-c-sent.pdf
Political parties complain about defamation whilst apparently unaware they are in control of bringing in laws; the Nazis and social media ownership; a transgender comedian decides to strip off on Channel 4; and the government has some new ideas for the housing sector.
https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2022/10/22/the-big-chill-the-silencing-effect-of-sinn-fein-legal-threats-against-politicians/ https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2022/10/22/democracies-must-regulate-social-media-before-it-is-too-late/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eht1MLU3r5A
America plays hardball with China's tech sector; nuclear war is unlikely because tactical nuclear weapons are actually pretty lacklustre; cancle culture, conformity, and the strange case of the Jihad Rehab film.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/10/inside-the-shameful-cancellation-of-jihad-rehab-2/
https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a046202.pdf
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/2022/10/15/john-cleese-hes-not-the-free-speech-messiah-hes-a-very-naughty-boy/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-10-14/biden-s-chip-restrictions-on-china-show-shift-in-us-views-on-technology
With Michael over in Italy sampling wine Gary mutters aimlessly about authoritarianism.
Mary McAleese discovers the joys of realpolitik; and the government's commission has decided that you, and everyone you know, are not paying anywhere near enough tax.
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7fbeb-report-of-the-commission/ https://gript.ie/are-the-chinese-public-security-police-operating-a-station-in-dublin/ https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/trinity-college-pulled-dalai-lama-honour-after-mary-mcaleese-raised-china-fears-41997509.html
Energy prices continue to predictably skyrocket, and the ISD continues to spread its wings in the Irish media.
https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/misinformation-enoch-burke-5862004-Sep2022/ https://gript.ie/anti-misinformation-think-tank-spreads-trans-misinformation/ https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/secret-cabinet-memo-warns-home-energy-bills-could-treble-to-6000-a-year-41977857.html
Fighting hate is big business these days, at least until you get sued.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_dRw62qVLs https://gript.ie/podcasts/trsi-116-bev-jackson-of-the-lgb-alliance/ https://gript.ie/no-vat-paid-on-contributions-to-rte-brainstorm-project/ https://gript.ie/no-there-is-no-report-showing-a-rise-in-the-far-right-in-ireland/
Michael ruminates on the meaning of free speech as the guards release the 'hate crime' figures for 2021; and the government is apparently shocked and appalled to find some unknown entity has allowed Ireland's energy crisis to get this bad.
Beavis Butthead enlightened with white privilege
https://www.businesspost.ie/news/government-launches-review-of-power-supply-crisis-as-cabinet-anger-grows/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/shiny-new-idea-of-30-income-tax-rate-would-be-change-for-changes-sake-nd85v7qt7
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/leo-varadkar-fine-gael-has-won-the-argument-on-tax-9qxv6tlb3
https://www.thejournal.ie/leo-varadkar-interview-housing-budget-5843774-Aug2022/
Another bleak winter appears to be coming; and the people who tell you speech is violence are closer to the man who stabbed Salman Rushdie than they perhaps realize.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2022/08/13/fintan-otoole-irish-society-is-about-to-experience-levels-of-energy-poverty-unknown-in-modern-times/ https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/dbe48-policy-statement-on-the-importation-of-fracked-gas-published/ http://iae.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IAE_Energy_Crisis_2022.pdf
Two peoples divided by a common language; apparently we're now basing our laws on online surveys less than 40 people bothered to fill out; prices go up and up; and the trouble with magpies.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/sunday-independent-poll-this-will-be-the-winter-of-our-discontent-41894896.html
https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/abortion-in-ireland-5827270-Jul2022/ https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Too-Many-Barriers-Report_ARC1.pdf
Recorded instances of sexual offences and rapes have gone up dramatically, and there seems to be no solid explanation as to why; and SF continues to dominate FG and FF in the polls.
https://gript.ie/sexual-crime-rates-have-increased-by-75-since-fg-elected-in-2011/ https://data.cso.ie/product/RC
Dutch farmers take a government proposal to seize their farms poorly; Sri Lanka was briefly a world leader in organic farming before it started to run out of food; and a weakening euro means no cheap oil for you.
https://www.businesspost.ie/news/large-energy-consuming-firms-preparing-for-gas-rationing-in-winter/
It's been a trying week for the ICCL; new polling shows Irish people's views on transgender people are largely incoherent; and Gary gets some posters put up.
https://gript.ie/pro-life-rally-slams-censorship-as-council-refuses-posters-advertising-event-attack-on-democracy/ https://gript.ie/county-council-reverses-ban-on-pro-life-posters/ https://gript.ie/iccl-incorrectly-claimed-they-cannot-legally-accept-donation-of-e100-or-more/ https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/most-oppose-trans-women-competing-in-female-sport-41809229.html
Darragh O'Brien is right that there is a risk to social cohesion, but doesn't seem to realise the risk comes from his own Government's actions; clothing yourself in the dead to own the TERFs; Roe v Wade falls; and FF and FG combined still trail behind SF.
Michael D. Higgins shows his mastery of changing the subject; asylum claims are up 700% but it's definitely not our fault; and the NGO complex goes to war with Joe Duffy.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/2022/06/17/trans-equality-together-responds-to-liveline/
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/rwanda-link-rise-irish-asylum-27239846
Savage Eye - John Duffy
SF continue to rise in the polls; children with disabilities continue to be an afterthought; needle spiking comes to Europe; and minimum alcohol pricing goes down in flames.
https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/13486/evaluating-the-impact-of-minimum-unit-pricing-in-scotland-on-people-who-are-drinking-at-harmful-levels-report.pdf https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/07/needle-spiking-europe-britain-france/ https://extra.ie/2022/06/05/news/politics/former-minister-says-four-out-of-five-fine-gael-tds-seats-at-risk https://gript.ie/fact-check-donohoe-previously-called-usc-an-emergency-measure-promised-to-abolish-it/
New study supports idea that long COVID is psychosomatic; polls show SF is now more popular than FF and FG combined; and the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard case.
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M21-4905
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_3oFRcTNHo
Another TogetherForSafety claim falls; the Biden Administration's disinformation board dies; and what the concept of the separation of church and state actually means.
https://gript.ie/revealed-the-falsehood-repeated-again-and-again-in-the-dail/
Journalism is an industry flush with morals but lacking ethics; the HSE thinks meal deals should be illegal; and Alcohol Action Ireland is going to win regardless of which way the numbers go.
https://gript.ie/anti-misinformation-think-tank-spreads-trans-misinformation/
https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/our-priority-programmes/heal/food-pyramid-images/daily-meal-plan-a4-michael-age-52.pdf
The building trade is going off the rails; what's actually happening with Roe v Wade; and Gary pulls apart another study, this time on religious teachers.
https://www.businesspost.ie/energy/state-to-double-imported-emergency-power-generators-amid-new-supply-fears-68f3b3e8
https://www.businesspost.ie/houses/all-local-authorities-to-be-contacted-over-potential-mica-problems-ad521130
https://gript.ie/significant-methodological-issues-with-recent-study-on-non-religious-teachers-fears/
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/non-religious-teachers-hide-beliefs-for-job-opportunities-study-1.4868122
Some days the media just picks a person and decides that person is either a hero or a villain, and how do you trust a media willing to misrepresent certain issues, and people, consistently?
https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-40862486.html https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/joint_committee_on_international_surrogacy/2022-04-21/3/#spk_20 Author realizes her new book contains gross inaccuracies on live radio
https://gript.ie/no-a-new-study-did-not-show-that-non-white-offenders-get-longer-prison-sentences/
https://www.iprt.ie/site/assets/files/7076/iprt_the_rights-_needs_and_experiences_of_foreign_national_and_minority_ethnic_groups.pdf
The Minister for Justice has made illegal two things that were already illegal; the Government appears to be striving to cause resentment of Ukranian refugees; and the ICCL is back to claiming to be 100% independent, but it's not the Irish public who pay their wages.
The Taoiseach said Russia's actions in Ukraine constitute genocide, but doesn't bother to elaborate on that; the nation is stunned to discover officials in the Department of Health think little of Stephen Donnelly; and the Government discovers that saying you'll house 200,000 refugees is different than being actually able to house 200,000 refugees.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/casual-contempt-for-donnelly-exposed-as-watt-lets-mask-slip-1.4847975 https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/atrocity-crimes/Doc.1_Convention%20on%20the%20Prevention%20and%20Punishment%20of%20the%20Crime%20of%20Genocide.pdf https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/nowhere-for-10000-ukrainian-refugees-to-stay-by-end-of-month-cabinet-told-in-secret-briefing-41528511.html https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/emmanuel-macron-could-lose-frances-presidential-election/
Fine Gael are said to be trying to move to the economic right to bolster their polling numbers, but given their previous promises regarding the USC why would anyone trust them to tell the truth now?
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-refugee-crisis-cannot-be-treated-as-opportunity-to-show-how-lovely-ireland-is-1.4839320 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tanaiste-leo-varadkar-trying-to-give-fine-gael-edge-with-centre-right-policies-d65s088wr https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/pat-leahy-the-squeezed-middle-are-back-and-they-re-mad-as-hell-1.4842198 https://gript.ie/fact-check-donohoe-previously-called-usc-an-emergency-measure-promised-to-abolish-it/
Turns out Irish people don't trust the media a whole lot; Ivan Bacik's first interview leaves something to desire; and Michael asks if you can trust foreign newspapers.
Roast Tomato and Smoked Bacon Soup
Ingredients
40g butter 8 tomatoes roasted 1 onion 1/2 leek 2 celery sticks 3 garlic gloves minced 2 stock cubes 100ml double cream 100ml balsamic vinegar 150g smoked bacon
Method
1 - In an oven tray place the tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar and a place of salt and sugar, roast in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. 2 - In a saucepan saute of the smoked bacon, onion, celery and garlic in butter. 3 - Add the tomatoes to the saucepan with the stock, cubes and simmer for 40 minutes. 4 - Add the double cream and blend. 5 - Add a pinch of sugar and taste for seasoning.
FF TD Cathal Crowe says the quiet part out loud; the case of a woman raped by a transgender woman in a British hospital ward; and Foucault is back in the news because people remembered he was a paedophile.
Neutrality proves a tricky thing for the government to define; Facebook's kill list; cost of living shockingly continues to increase; and Scottish research shows minimum alcohol pricing drives cross-border shopping.
https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_1_1961.pdf https://edmundburkeinstitute.ie/over-55-of-irish-people-have-not-heated-their-homes-at-some-point-in-the-last-year-due-to-energy-prices/
Apparently we missed a war.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/03/05/russia-ukraine-insurgency/
Smiles and happiness as we enter a new golden age for women's sports; and a reminder that the NWCI once called on women who politically disagreed with the NWCI to be stripped of political representation.
https://runningmagazine.ca/the-scene/all-time-mens-fastest-100m-list/ A companion unobtrusive - Rush - The Spirit Of Radio
One tale of a politician saying the wrong thing to a journalist and one tale of a journalist saying the wrong thing to the public; and beer producers seems to be the real winners of sugar taxes.
https://gript.ie/fact-check-donohoe-previously-called-usc-an-emergency-measure-promised-to-abolish-it/
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2022-02-10/11/
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/anti-abortion-protesters-say-divine-providence-led-them-to-gather-to-pray-at-hospital-on-day-of-terminations-41335329.html
https://gript.ie/prayer-vigil-participant-recording-shows-ellen-coyne-twisted-my-words/
In a shocking turn of events the Government's deliberate policy of increasing the cost of living worked and they now find themselves blindsided by the public's opposition to increases in the cost of living; and we propose a revolutionary new approach to crime - imprisoning criminals for long periods of time in a facility we like to call a 'prison.'
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/cost-of-living-rise-overtakes-housing-crisis-as-main-worry-41317989.html https://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/coalition-urged-to-follow-swedish-move-to-cut-car-fuel-taxes-amid-rising-energy-bills-1.4794135 https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40797189.html https://mugwump.substack.com/p/do-longer-prison-sentences-work?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Seems like needle spiking was never a thing; the HEA's latest report on sexual harassment is about as statistically valid as any random poll on Twitter; a new problem for the Government's amnesty for illegal immigrants; and Gary finally lets Michael talk about MUP.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40792437.html https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/non-eu-students-protest-over-discriminatory-amnesty-for-undocumented-immigrants-rd8d7kqpm https://www.finegael.ie/zero-tolerance-for-needle-spiking-needed-to-protect-women-doherty/ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-60069229#:~:text=A%20senior%20police%20officer%20says,with%20needles%20on%20nights%20out.
Gary and Michael are back this week to discuss violence against women, the stats, if self-defence classes work, and why you shouldn't listen to the NGOs like the National Women's Council when they say there's nothing women can do to feel safer.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/women-surge-to-self-defence-classes-as-clubs-offer-free-lessons-nx06snx2v https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sky-self-defence-training-told-women-dont-be-there-jzqxrb9m2 https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/ireland-is-safe-women-are-scared-both-of-these-statements-are-true-41268326.html
There now appears to be a real risk that Bosnia may tear itself apart; Lithuania claims China is hitting it with economic sanctions; and the the play ground approach to political delegitimization.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/10/us-hopes-to-walk-bosnia-back-from-the-cliff-as-serbs-step-up-secession-threat The Wolfe Tones, Late Late Show Debate, RTE - Part 1 https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/smear-of-being-called-far-right-1.4752265
A new survey from the CSO has said only 60% of people say they see things online they believe to be false or which they distrust, revealing 40% of the country shouldn't be trusted with internet access; the Department of Justice's innumeracy; and Greenpeace are back to remind you they can do more then just stop children having access to Golden Rice.
https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/majority-seeing-untrue-or-doubtful-online-information-cso-says-41122734.html Letter to Greenpeace - https://www.supportprecisionagriculture.org/nobel-laureate-gmo-letter_rjr.html Response - https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/6866/nobel-laureates-sign-letter-on-greenpeace-golden-rice-position-statement/ https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-isshisi/householdinternetsecurityandinformationintegrity2021/backgroundnotes/
The Government is pushing ahead with its plans to introduce an amnesty for illegal immigrants, even though they've idea how many illegal immigrants are in the country; and the CMO finally finally introduces some numbers into the conversation about the acceptable number of COVID-19 deaths.
https://www.independent.ie/world-news/coronavirus/tensions-grow-as-nphet-members-must-now-ask-government-for-permission-to-appear-on-tv-and-radio-41117138.html https://gript.ie/amnesty-shock-department-has-no-official-estimate-of-how-many-illegal-immigrants-are-in-ireland/ https://gript.ie/exclusive-government-has-no-plan-to-cap-number-of-illegal-immigrants-to-be-granted-amnesty/
Paddy Manning sits in for Michael to discuss the ongoing attempts to have DCU academic Mark Humphrys fired, and the joy of the Green Party conference.
COVID deaths by age have finally been released; NPHET to give non-government approved advice to the public; and the extension of the COVID-19 emergency powers.
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/350b7-health-in-ireland-key-trends-2021/ https://www.businesspost.ie/politics/how-ireland-inc-is-changing-tack-as-sinn-feins-path-to-power-opens-up-4bfb3fc9 https://gript.ie/new-bill-would-let-state-detain-suspected-potential-covid-spreaders/
Amnesty Ireland has accepted hundreds of thousands in cash from Irish Aid over the past decade; the public confusion is probably caused by the political confusion; and we're not going to have 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030.
https://medium.com/drax/what-is-electrical-frequency-and-why-does-it-matter-fb60ae883246 https://gript.ie/the-government-knows-its-electrical-vehicles-numbers-dont-add-up/
The CMO would like you to know that he does not like antigen testing; the Green Party admits plan to ban non-electrical vehicles by 2030 is currently illegal under EU law; government tries to bypass pre-legislative scrutiny of a new bill which would give them emergency powers until at least June 2022; Whitegate Power Station remains offline; and the end of the Rittenhouse trial.
https://www.aclu-wi.org/en/news/aclu-responds-not-guilty-verdict-kyle-rittenhouse-case https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/cf31d-statement-from-the-national-public-health-emergency-team-sunday-31-october/ - CMO statement
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2021-11-17/57/ - ICE ban illegal
https://workersparty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Why-nuclear-power-is-necessary-A-discussion-document.pdf https://www.businesspost.ie/coronavirus/state-seeks-to-bypass-scrutiny-on-bill-that-could-extend-covid-powers-until-june-7cee4a12
Daniel Shaver shooting bodycam footage - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBUUx0jUKxc
Donnelly rediscovers fiscal prudence, but only towards antigen testing; as another lockdown looms the government polishes off its ability to distinguish law from policy intention; the Green Party says the quiet part out loud; and the Labour carbon footprint bill was every bit as bad as predicted .
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2021-11-17/9/#spk_25 Green Party submission - https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/204798/f863b219-368a-4628-9b91-fb4fcb1727e1.pdf#page=null
The most interesting part of the Kinzen story is that it's not a story anywhere but Gript; Labour have a new anti-business bill in the pipe, and this one's a doozy; and McEntee's hate speech bill goes before the Justice Committee today.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/far-right-could-use-political-discourse-defence-in-hate-crime-bill-to-justify-prejudice-7zcmlh0vs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NmZlp2XuBw - Jamie Oliver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh13ch_e3eA - BlackAdder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueyCT8fN64M - The power station money
A new poll shows SF leading the historical parties by a mile; antigen testing is back on the menu but the man who said the tests were snake oil is getting a promotion; a new report shows that mortgages are cheaper than rents nearly everywhere in Ireland; and there are now 12 houses to rent in Limerick City.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7OV_Oe7KAo
Eamon Ryan says electric cars will shortly be cheaper than petrol or diesel cars; a new bill would allow NGOs to produce or control false government identity documents; and a savage questioning of government policy by RTE.
https://www.gov.ie/en/consultation/47e77-consultation-on-irelands-draft-state-report-to-the-un-committee-on-the-rights-of-the-child/ Smuggling Bill - https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2021/105/eng/ver_a/b105a21s.pdf https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/claire-byrne-challenges-ireland-s-climate-strategy-people-are-being-asked-to-pony-up-a-lot-1.4725869
We somehow missed the Journal being recertified as fact-checkers; some more Kinzen stuff; transport delays; and the hilariously revelation that Limerick City only has 9 rental properties left.
https://ww1.daft.ie/report?d_rd=1 https://gript.ie/quis_custodiet_ipsos_custodes/ https://gript.ie/reality-of-climate-change-is-your-mother-being-gang-raped-extinction-rebellion-co-founder/ https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/finn-mcredmond-no-end-in-sight-to-the-new-age-of-anxiety-1.4718455
The numbers in the government's retrofitting scheme do not make any sense but the programme will certainly screw the elderly and the poor; and a founder of Extinction Rebellion has some thoughts on how and why climate change ends with your mother being gang raped on your kitchen table.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/property/residential/arid-40732509.html https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/retrofitting-bill-could-come-to-average-of-56-000-per-home-1.4720943 https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/major-media-brands-sign-up-to-climate-content-pledge-during-cop26-41011663.html https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xlEbMab_dRs4Wx3nESYT0bkFb2LluuBHjA9lOEyeWqY/edit - Extinction Rebellion founder piece
Ireland has "robust" safeguards in place to ensure public money doesn't go to Terrorist groups, but the Government will not be accepting further questions at this time; and the new climate plan consists mostly of punching ourselves in the face and telling ourselves it's what we deserve.
Israeli document on Addameer - https://4il.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/blood-money-European-funding-palestinian-ngod-A-case-study-Addameer.pdf https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aax0848 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2021-11-03/3/#spk_9
RTE's relationship with the climate advocacy group Covering Climate Now remains unclear, but RTE are refusing to release any information which might clarify the matter; and the Press Ombudsman considers if the IFP are far-right and makes a fool of itself and its office.
https://www.presscouncil.ie/Decided-by-the-Press-Ombudsman/9722021-mr-hermann-kelly-and-the-journal https://gript.ie/editorial-on-the-irish-freedom-party-the-press-ombudsman-has-gotten-it-badly-wrong/ https://gript.ie/ben-scallan-why-is-rte-a-member-of-a-climate-change-activism-group/ https://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/As_I_Please/english/efasc - What is fascism?
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses the sermon on the mount.
Zero Tolerance for FG apparently means telling people what they are doing is morally wrong; more energy alerts; Irish charities cannot be expected to fund their own PR campaign; and 1/3 degrees may be financially worthless.
https://www.eirgridgroup.com/site-files/library/EirGrid/Winter-Outlook-2021-2022.pdf https://freopp.org/we-calculated-return-on-investment-for-30-000-bachelors-degrees-find-yours-1f2f3c5e6dac
It appears we correctly predicted that the claims of injection spiking in England and Scotland would cross over to Ireland; and we finally review Dave Chappelle's new comedy special - it's not funny, but the problem is not the politics.
George Carlin - Saving the Planet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rksKvZoUCPQ
There is an acceptable number of deaths from COVID-19, and it's simply dishonest to tell people otherwise; the Cabinet is briefed on the possibility of blackouts this winter; and Sinn Fein are polling at 33%, which suggests the Government's policy of deliberately increasing the cost of living may not have been a terribly good idea.
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/health-pharma/let-s-talk-about-acceptable-covid-death-rates-before-restrictions-kick-in-1.4707096 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/respiratory-virus-puts-more-pressure-on-hospitals-38mc3gqw2?t=ie https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210913-the-little-known-virus-that-surged-in-children-this-summer https://www.businesspost.ie/ireland/rise-in-cost-of-living-alarms-94-of-voters-red-c-poll-finds-53657482
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses the blind man who askes Jesus to let him see.
The British press is filled with stories of women being drugged, but the stories have all the characteristics of a panic; and the Associated Press made the mistake of lying before checking to see if there was video that showed what actually happened.
https://metro.co.uk/2021/10/21/needle-spiking-everything-we-know-after-women-targeted-in-nightclubs-15461751/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/teen-girls-are-developing-tics-doctors-say-tiktok-could-be-a-factor-11634389201? Shot - https://twitter.com/VitoGesualdi/status/1451071305789292548 Chaser - https://twitter.com/VitoGesualdi/status/1451311741233610764 Family Guy: Joe's New Surveillance Van "How Did They Catch You in 4K?!" but it's in 4K.
The ICCL has found another horrible, civil liberty limiting bill to fully support; the government brings in antigen testing, in the most cack-handed fashion imaginable; and maybe the real solution to online misinformation is simply acting in a trustworthy fashion.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(20)30388-0/fulltext
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses the request of James and John to sit at Jesus' right and left hand.
J&J decided they didn't like being sued for allowing asbestos into their baby powder, and they found an innovative way to try and get out of it; and the HSE and DoH have ended their relationship with Kinzen.
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/johnsonandjohnson-cancer/
Ryan says carbon taxes are good and progressive but polling shows even Green Party voters are opposed to the current Government's energy policies; and the SlainteCare contract looks like the best argument to privatize the health service an Irish government has ever made.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/poll-shows-high-degree-of-public-resistance-to-many-potential-climate-action-measures-1.4694287 https://www.imt.ie/news/93-of-irish-consultants-say-they-would-work-abroad-over-accepting-slaintecare-contracts-jmhs-study-09-10-2021/
Poland would really like an apology from RTE; as Frank Clark retires we remember attempts to retire Seamus Woulfe; and Austrian PM resigns after allegations of trying to buy positive media coverage with public money.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/letters-in-full-what-chief-justice-said-to-mr-justice-seamus-woulfe-over-golfgate-dinner-and-his-reply-1.4404867 https://gript.ie/why-rte-should-apologise-for-their-misinformation-about-poland/ https://www.thephoenix.ie/article/simon-and-sarah/
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses the need to surrender to God and follow him.
Callum Robinson and public shaming; a new bill aims to bring gender balance to the boards of companies and charities, for their own good; and the Government continues its run of fine governance by giving up on 12.5% at the second hurdle.
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2021-10-06/11/#spk_169 https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/will-gender-diversity-boards-really-boost-company-performance/ https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2021/124/eng/initiated/b12421d.pdf
Sláintecare meetings "largely a waste of time"; the HSE has a misinformation problem; and RTE picks a fight with Poland.
https://twitter.com/WilliamsJon/status/1444344806994497536 https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/sl%C3%A1intecare-meetings-were-largely-a-waste-of-time-1.4688830?mode=amp
Gary finally finds a tax break he doesn't support; politicians continue to be astounded that their actions have consequences; and Michael talks of his aluminum based fears.
https://twitter.com/oconnellhugh/status/1440436189404614664/video/1 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/agenda-ireland-needs-cheaper-homes-not-bigger-mortgages-wwhrxqj8v?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1632677329 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/surge-in-eirgrid-payments-to-avoid-power-blackouts-bqxhpmqvj
The energy crisis worsens in the most predictable fashion; people are finally starting to accept that Sláintecare was never a runner; and a new poll.
https://www.businesspost.ie/companies/ireland-could-lose-new-intel-plant-as-energy-and-water-services-feel-strain-85e558ea
https://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/latest-news/thousands-to-be-hit-as-energia-announces-third-price-rise-40860626.html
https://www.businesspost.ie/health/tony-obrien-the-apparent-slow-collapse-of-slaintecare-deserves-more-than-a-shrug-of-the-shoulders-e09c5c9d
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/slaintecare-chief-who-quit-says-reform-is-impossible-40864990.html
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses our lack of understanding of God and his plans.
The death of Norm MacDonald; SF become the largest party in the Dail; and the party of law and order isn't taking the law part terribly seriously.
Norm trying to shill - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mafhr9-lFUM
Norm gets kicked out of Iowa - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBKlXR3BbDU&t=2s
As the budget approaches we remind people that it's really just politically easier to let the country go slowly bankrupt rather than make difficult choices. Also the Pension Commission wants to triple the rate of PRSI the self-employed pay.
https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/irelands-health-system-isnt-as-underfunded-understaffed-or-underresourced-as-we-think-40852002.html
The Irish electrical system has had 2 amber alerts in the last week; a day after the release of an FF report saying supporting Eoghan Murphy did massive harm to FF's electoral performance Martin has declared any TD who doesn't support Coveney will be suspended for 6 months; MUP and drug deaths; and the polls are not kind to Leo.
A Fine Gael Minister said SIPO had found that Katherine Zappone did not engage in lobbying; SIPO disagrees; and a review of the Fianna Fail election review.
https://gript.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/The-Next-5-years-.pdf
https://www.businesspost.ie/news/zappone-was-not-lobbying-when-she-sought-un-special-envoy-role-anti-corruption-watchdog-says-c6de3ad2?auth=login
https://gript.ie/anti-corruption-watchdog-denies-ministers-claim-it-said-zappone-did-not-engage-in-lobbying/
Eamon Ryan wants people to light less fires and use more electricity, a wonderful idea being complicated by the likelihood we'll be suffering rolling blackouts this winter; and why Martin should sack both Simon Coveney and the Fine Gael Minister who leaked the Zappone affair.
https://www.businesspost.ie/energy/electricity-system-amber-alert-issued-this-morning-f772c7e6 https://www.businesspost.ie/climate-environment/ryan-considers-new-rules-to-improve-air-quality-in-urban-areas-dce39b61?utm_campaign=article&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=web
Leo gets his head in the game by going on vacation; the Government's new housing plan is a mess; and a study of over 300,000 people has looked at what impact masks actually have.
https://www.poverty-action.org/sites/default/files/publications/Mask_RCT____Symptomatic_Seropositivity_083121.pdf
The price of an assault; the ICCL stands up civil liberties before quickly sitting down; and the Zappone situation has progressed from scandal, to farce, before ending up as a series of incredibly stupid events.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/green-councillor-deletes-milkshake-these-racist-vermin-tweet-40810277.html
Turmoil in the Green Party as unkind things said; Simon Coveney joins the long list of Irish politicians and high ranking guards who have had some trouble with phones; and October 22 becomes the day of freedom.
https://extra.ie/2021/08/29/news/politics/brian-leddin-slurs-against-women https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcc2t21xlxE https://www.ign.com/articles/y-the-last-man-hulu-fx-binary-tackling-transgender-issues
A shortage of truck drivers in the UK demonstrates that supply and demand is real, and perhaps could even influence the price of houses; the biggest story you're not hearing about is the issues the electrical grid is going to face this winter; and the ICCL's interesting views on protests are calling out in the Sunday Times.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/soaring-pay-puts-waitrose-lorry-drivers-on-a-par-with-lawyers-r5673lbls https://www.businesspost.ie/energy/balance-of-power-why-irelands-electricity-supply-is-threatened-and-what-can-be-done-to-bolster-it-d8fbf07a https://www.idaireland.com/newsroom/publications/ida-ireland-economic-benefits-of-data-centre-inves
More info on the Government's amnesty for illegal immigrants; Afghanistan moves from farce to tragedy for both the British and Americans; and the BBC asks why rent caps don't work.
https://gript.ie/exclusive-government-has-no-plan-to-cap-number-of-illegal-immigrants-to-be-granted-amnesty/ https://metro.co.uk/2021/08/26/afghanistan-helpline-redirected-callers-to-washing-machine-company-15156117/ https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/26/us-officials-provided-taliban-with-names-of-americans-afghan-allies-to-evacuate-506957 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/555a928a-06a8-11ec-89b3-29a9a04e8645?shareToken=93be4692c0e358916b35ef44444a3ef0 https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58317555 https://twitter.com/G_L_Kavanagh/status/1431282869654204420 - The forbidden image
The new amnesty for illegal immigrants is based more on guesswork than evidence; banks turn on OnlyFans, OnlyFans turns on sex workers; and Twitter refuses to turn on the Taliban.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/undocumented-migrants-in-ireland-offered-once-in-a-generation-amnesty-40775476.html
The ICCL now thinks political databases are bad; the Journal fact-checks a claim from Aontu and you'll be shocked to learn how that worked out; the alcohol prohibitionists are at it again; and the perfect is the enemy of the good when building houses.
https://www.thejournal.ie/abortion-factcheck-5521191-Aug2021/
Mashed potatoes; hording vaccines for booster shots will kill substantial numbers in poorer countries; and everything is going well in Afghanistan.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anpro-Stainless-Potato-Perfect-Vegetable/dp/B07HF1NS12/ - A ricer, it'll improve your life. https://www.irishexaminer.com/food/arid-40360784.html https://blogs.worldbank.org/africacan/what-driving-covid-19-vaccine-hesitancy-sub-saharan-africa https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02158-6 https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/13/covid-booster-jabs-for-rich-countries-will-cause-more-deaths-worldwide-say-experts https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/08/17/the-taliban-has-access-to-us-military-aircraft-now-what-happens/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EoI-6lQFIE - Title song
Rolling blackouts likely this winter as the Government continues to shower itself with glory; and how not put together an academic survey.
https://www.businesspost.ie/energy/blackouts-loom-this-winter-as-emergency-plan-is-abandoned-f5281ae2 https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/ourview/arid-40357121.html https://maynoothuniversity.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/gathering-information-on-anti-choice-protests
Nature is healing in Libya and Afghanistan; rent caps are having exactly the impact the Government were warned they would have; and even the ERSI agrees that the Government's carbon tax plans will hit the poorest.
https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210730-muammar-gaddafi-s-son-suggests-he-may-run-for-president-in-libya
https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-afghanistan-taliban-26d485963b7a0d9f2107afcbc38f239a?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP
Fianna Fail continue to defy reason; progressive politicians don't think minority students should have to be able to read before graduating secondary school; and are people without children less invested in the future of their country?
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/08/gov-kate-brown-signed-a-law-to-allow-oregon-students-to-graduate-without-proving-they-can-write-or-do-math-she-doesnt-want-to-talk-about-it.html https://gript.ie/podcasts/trsi-114-katharine-birbalsingh/ https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/aug/22/controversial-michaela-free-school-delights-in-gcse-success#:~:text=Compared%20with%20other%20non%2Dselective,the%20national%20average%20of%2022%25.
The Examiner has some, borderline incoherent, thoughts on vaccine hesitancy; and the Zappone thing is bringing more attention to the fact that the Government have been actively misleading the public.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/ourview/arid-40354553.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
A reminder of a time when Micheál Martin thought parties had to stand for ideas, policies, and principles; a new report says COVID-19 was released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology; and the bishops finally stand up to the government.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0624/626038-fianna-fail/ https://gop-foreignaffairs.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ORIGINS-OF-COVID-19-REPORT.pdf
RTE needs more money, says report by firm who list RTE as a client; FG turns on itself over Zappone appointment - Martin looks on impotently; and with civil servants working so hard it's no wonder the Government are spending public money on researching the 4 day working week.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/minister-rumbled-in-extraordinary-leak-ruse-over-katherine-zappone-job-fury-40708099.html https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/rtewill-need-to-be-rescuedstatesnew-consultants-report-40704307.html https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/med-schools-are-now-denying-biological https://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?4&TheScorpionandtheFrog https://mobile.twitter.com/G_L_Kavanagh/status/1421787842884288530
PODCAST: Paypal is going to give third party groups access to customer’s financial transaction history in order to combat hate; Bosnia is having a full and frank discussion about genocide; & Katherine Zappone’s employment continues to be an issue for FG.
https://www.euronews.com/2021/07/27/bosnian-serbs-will-shut-down-government-over-genocide-denial-law
Katherine Zappone is to be given a new state job because she asked to be given one; Minister admits 600,000 for a house is not affordable; and RTE pledges to make its climate change reporting better by making its weather reporting worse.
https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comment/2021/0726/1237408-climate-change/ https://www.thejournal.ie/obrien-says-e600000-is-not-an-affordable-home-as-concerns-loom-over-poolbeg-development-5507344-Jul2021/
The Soc Dems are having the most adorable heave you've ever seen; nearly every newspaper managed to avoid calling the last protest far-right; and apparently Irish people haven't been talking enough about climate change.
Fracking saves the environment - https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielmarkind/2020/11/23/the-united-states-and-the-paris-climate-agreementswhat-does-the-data-say/ https://despair.com/collections/demotivators RTE's climate group membership - https://gript.ie/ben-scallan-why-is-rte-a-member-of-a-climate-change-activism-group/ https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/climate-change-is-the-elephant-in-the-room-the-media-choose-to-overlook-40686853.html https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/were-fat-and-getting-fatter-but-no-one-wants-to-talk-about-it-40684928.html Live footage of one of Michael's mood swings - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkJd5oQXt4g
A short discussion on the life and death of Des O'Malley and the PDs; a reminder that the Irish government is responsible for the high price of cars in this country; Japanese comedians and the Holocaust; and Nord Stream 2 continues to move forward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNstQ6q-kYw
Ian Bailey is back in the news, with both Fintan O'Toole and Sinead O'Connor getting involved; and the COVID-19 CFR and the need to discuss how many deaths are acceptable when we reopen.
O'Toole's piece - https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-ian-bailey-deflects-us-from-the-reality-of-violent-misogyny-1.4624916 Projected deaths in UK from missed healthcare - https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(20)30388-0/fulltext HPSC's last report on the weekly COVID-19 epidemiology - https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/surveillance/epidemiologyofcovid-19inirelandweeklyreports/COVID-19%20Weekly%20Report_Slidset_HPSC_%20Week_18_WEB_20210511.pdf Irish COVID-19 hub - https://covid19ireland-geohive.hub.arcgis.com/ Dutch COVID-19 hub - https://coronadashboard.government.nl/landelijk/varianten
Two new polls are out, neither of them good news for Fianna Fail or Martin.
https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/bitter-and-angry-fianna-fail-are-now-a-laughing-stock-40663668.html
https://twitter.com/NextIrishGE/status/1416536109459329026
https://twitter.com/NextIrishGE/status/1416534480093843462 - B&A poll
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses Mark 6:30-34.
A new poll shows public support for the Gender Recognition Act of 2015 is at astoundingly low levels; and the WHO says it was "preemptive" for them to dismiss the theory that COVID-19 may have leaked from a Chinese lab.
https://thecountess.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/The-Countess-Irish-Gender-Poll-2021.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/jul/30/health.mentalhealth https://twitter.com/jbloom_lab/status/1407445604029009923
FF looks into the void and decides it looks pretty comfortable; things not to say in Western politics; a deepfake video of Simon Harris ; and Cuba goes for a second revolution.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/voters-see-fianna-f%C3%A1il-as-deeply-divided-internal-research-shows-1.4618579 https://gript.ie/cork-county-council-forced-labour-and-genocide-merely-differences-in-values/ https://twitter.com/G_L_Kavanagh/status/1414645006707707912 https://psmag.com/magazine/the-lucrative-art-of-chicken-sexing https://www.thedailybeast.com/fidel-castros-horrific-record-on-gay-rights
A short review of the Dublin Bay South byelection, followed by an extended discussion of what Fianna Fail can do to reverse the decline Martin is dedicated to overseeing.
12:19 - Fianna Fail results 35:41 - Where are the free Irish voters? 47:48 - What is to be done with Martin?
They're now just refusing to say how much the children's hospital is expected to cost; and a new bill aims to make the civil service even worse.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/no-one-can-explain-why-planes-stay-in-the-air/
Bohemia glassworkers in the time of the Third Reich; the media has picked their candidate to win the DBS byelection; and a kind word for Malcolm Byrne as he calls China out.
The mad kings of NPHET declare lockdown shall continue until they are satisfied with our tribute; and the Irish Times decides Viktor Orban is too extreme to let him talk to their readers, but the genocidal CCP are just right.
NPHET seem to think bringing in antigen testing will cause the public to slather themselves in butter to fake tests; the IMF says our new climate bill will cost 200 billion over the next decade, and Labour want people to stop putting in planning objections.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWZs8l2AMps https://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/1405157995068207109 https://whereyourmoneygoes.gov.ie/en/2015/ https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2021/06/15/Ireland-Selected-Issues-460785
Polling and dark campaigns; latest polls show SF are the most popular party, but can they make that a reality; and if the government is doing a mighty job of protecting the aviation industry why did over 450 people just lose their job?
https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/confessions-of-a-phoney-pollster-and-a-guide-to-other-political-dark-arts-40529610.html
The lesser Mary is at it again; the Maya Forstater case and the respectability of the gender critical view; the intricacies of political polling; and alcohol consumption is going down, but also somehow staying at the same level.
Forstater judgement - https://legal.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/Maya%20Forstater%20v%20CGD%20Europe%20and%20others%20UKEAT0105%2020%20JOJ.pdf
In a year heavy with silly ideas an Irish NGO has gone for gold by saying it wants to give the government the power to remove candidates from elections if they say the wrong things; Ze Germans say they're coming for our EU Veto; and the lab leak theory makes a glorious return to respectable discourse.
We sat down with Dr Theo Boer, professor of Health Care Ethics at Groningen Theological University, to discuss euthanasia, assisted suicide, the cultural impact of euthanasia on the Netherlands, and the future of medical care in this area.
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses Corpus Christi.
The Citizens' Assembly goes off the rails; a Scottish feminist up in court for transphobic tweets shows Ireland how FG's hate speech bill will be used here; FF remain unable to do basic due diligence on their election candidates; and the Belarus situation has been resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
Simon Coveney made some interesting comments when he recently went to meet the Foreign Minister of China; the ICCL has an interesting understanding of the phrase "100% independent"; and the state is now just giving 6 figure sums of money to anyone who asks.
https://web.archive.org/web/20210531133639/https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/t1880004.shtml https://gript.ie/gravy-train-how-public-money-keeps-the-iccl-in-business/ https://gript.ie/over-100000-in-public-money-to-be-given-to-anonymous-far-left-group/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f20L0msLsM&list=PLD5OhzwvKKtOPs27ZJUjJ4Euw793mHgub
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwyuM0PODuY&list=PLD5OhzwvKKtOPs27ZJUjJ4Euw793mHgub
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses the mystery of the Trinity.
Ireland moves into the 19th century as we finally get around to introducing a workable perjury law; the demise of the same sex space; and our annual reminder that TDs can claim more in unvouched expenses than a good portion of this country gets paid
Perjury bill - https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2018/112/eng/ver_c/b112c18s.pdf
As the Dublin Bay South by-election descends into nonsense we mourn the disappearance of the backroom boys who knew how to actually run a campaign; Biden's push for a global minimum corporate tax rate; and new Irish research on fracking.
https://twitter.com/OCallaghanJim/status/1396459170136825862 https://www.nuigalway.ie/media/irishcentreforhumanrights/files/reports/ICHR-Report-International-Human-Rights-Impacts-of-Fracking.pdf
Gary sits down with Christopher Snowdon, author of the Nanny State Index. They discuss vaping; smoking; sugar taxes; Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol; the drive towards increased nanny statism coming from NGOs; and what consumers can do to fight back.
http://nannystateindex.org/
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he discusses Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit.
The High Court has refused to hear a case on religious COVID-19 restrictions, arguing it is moot - we argue the judgement is nonsense; the HSE hack, which no one will be blamed for; and what achievements have Irish politicians actually had over the last decade?
Simon Coveney realizes people have a right to protest, so long as they do it in Israel; the Associated Press and Hamas; and burning a toddler with a blowtorch is a crime, but apparently not like a super serious crime.
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/how-the-media-makes-the-israel-story/383262/ https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/ap-collaboration-nazis-reporting-news https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/thousands-attend-rallies-in-irish-cities-in-solidarity-with-palestine-1.4566435
Arlene Foster and the DUP demonstrate the danger of getting what you wish for; and public confidence in the Government's ability to handle COVID-19 improves, but SF continue to move up in the polls.
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he reflects upon the Ascension.
Millions more in state funding of media revealed; everyone is dreadfully afraid of being seen as posh; and Stephen Donnelly now elicits pity rather than anger.
https://twitter.com/NewstalkFM/status/1392812766696771586
The Royal College of Physicians goes to war on the concept of academic freedom; politicians keep shouting at each other over a problem none of them have really tried to fix; and a fascinating study on anti-mask sentiment gets so much right before going totally off the deep end.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.07993.pdf
https://twitter.com/AlanFarrell/status/1390818311638765576
Michael has some feelings about alcohol prices he needs to work out; the Government thinks problem drinkers should switch to vodka; NPHET comes out against rapid antigen testing in the same way they came out against masks; and the British elections.
https://www.cochrane.org/CD013705/INFECTN_how-accurate-are-rapid-tests-diagnosing-covid-19
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he reflects on the final discourse given by Jesus to his Apostles after the Last Supper.
FF have some thoughts on housing policy; the Government has pumped millions into Irish media; April vaccine target missed by 160,000; and Mick Wallace says China is a normal country.
We interview Professor Gerard Casey about his new book Hidden Agender: Transgenderism's Struggle Against Reality.
http://books.imprint.co.uk/book/?gcoi=71157100341290 https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Agender-Transgenderisms-Struggle-Societas/dp/1788360583
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he reflects on John 15.
Population joins in mass call for Gript to be state funded; the Bar Council shows the government how to stand up to China; the Examiner tries to hurt YFG and hurts itself in its confusion; and the Government wants to educate you about sex.
The EU goes to court; man pokes bear, surprised when mauled; the party of law and order decides to reward breaking the law; and the nanny state comes for bridal parties.
The CA has come back with its latest round of considerations, showing that there is nothing a carefully selected group of people won't say if you barrage them with nonsense for two months.
https://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/what-we-do/meetings/voting-results-citizens-assembly-on-gender-equality/full-list-of-recommendations.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20190331155445/https://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/News/RED-C-Internal-Audit.pdf
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he reflects upon Good Shepard Sunday.
Celebration as we hit our March vaccination target in late April; Donnelly jumps the gun on an EU court case; Leo fails to understand the purpose of a target; and Marc MacSharry remains confident in certain things, less confident in others.
https://gript.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/1613725900577_AZ_FIRMATO_REPORT.pdf
Things to do this summer now that the Government has made getting married illegal; the Hate Crime Bill Round 2; and Chauvin is guilty, but for how long?
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2021/si/171/made/en/print http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2021/si/168/made/en/print
We've nearly hit March's vaccination target; unemployment is down to a mere 24%; the new hate speech bill; and the President has had some thoughts.
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/General_Scheme_Criminal_Justice_(Hate_Crime)_Bill_2021.pdf/Files/General_Scheme_Criminal_Justice_(Hate_Crime)_Bill_2021.pdf
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he reflects on Jesus instructing the Disciples that his life had been foretold by the Scriptures.