Before Simon Harris’s maiden Fine Gael Ard Fheis as the party’s chief, a discussion by Cormac McQuinn and Jack Horgan-Jones with Hugh Linehan identifies potential early victories and policy changes Simon Harris might initiate when his anticipated Taoiseach term commences next Tuesday.
Despite the absence of debates and voting, there’s plenty of conjecture around Simon Harris’s Cabinet composition. Can he strike the right equilibrium between worthiness and location? Will any Fine Gael party defectors be coerced into remaining?
The podcast also covers another significant recent development in Irish politics – DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson’s surprising departure following charges related to past sexual crimes. This news was met with significant composure within the political community, with temporary DUP leader Gavin Robinson emanating from a more moderate party faction.
However, could the power-sharing agreement end up being challenged in the coming months? Will the upcoming Westminster election trigger internal turmoil within the already-split DUP party?
Back West, a man being a nuisance would have warranted security. However, in this unrestricted Beijing club, nobody seemed to mind.
In addition, the discussion panel chose their highlights of the week:
Mark Hennesey reported on a recent study that hinted that the annual cost of Irish reunification might be €20 billion for a two-decade period.
Justine McCarthy stressed the risks associated with demonising NGOs.
Naomi O’Leary covered a probe that revealed that ex-Defence Forces personnel trained a renegade Libyan militia.