In a week full of political events, Hugh Linehan’s panel, featuring Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones, revisited some intriguing topics. Among these were incidents that sparked massive public outcry yet had minor financial implications, such as the security hut at Government Buildings ballooning to a whopping €1.4 million, and conflicts surrounding newly-announced funding to local sports clubs from the sports capital grant.
The trio also assessed Sinn Féin’s substitute budget, acknowledging its commendable promises, but questioning its effectiveness without the party’s control of governance.
Tensions resurfaced concerning a congratulatory note sent by President Michael D Higgins to Iran’s incoming leader, Masoud Pezeshkian, unveiled at a United Nations function in New York the previous Sunday.
The panel members also shared some of their top reads from the IT this week: Michael McDowell’s analysis of bureaucratic stasis within the government, Mark Hennesy’s reporting on former taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s claim that immigration could be escalating too rapidly, and Mary Carolan’s revelation of ‘inappropriate’ slang and cultural allusions in a judicial case surrounding a Co Clare wind farm.
The programme was skillfully produced by John Casey.