Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh Linehan to look back at the week in politics:
- Did Taoiseach Micheál Martin call Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald a liar, in breach of arcane Dáil rules? Our panel of lapsed Gaeilgeoirí struggle to analyse the linguistic nuances of what Martin said, but identify an underlying political attitude.
- Minister for the Arts Patrick O’Donovan this week kitchen-sinked the news that https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/2025/02/12/arts-council-demands-high-standards-of-cultural-organisations-it-failed-to-meet-them-itself/. The story adds to a perception of wastefulness in public spending, but could be an opportunity for the new Minister to prove himself.
- Housing became the other big issue of the week when the Taoiseach hinted at changes to the system of rent pressure zones. The pressure is on Martin to deliver on housing before he hands back over to Simon Harris - can he make a dent?
Plus the panel pick their favourite Irish Times articles of the week, on P.G. Wodehouse, the art of mingling and what happens when power goes to a leader’s head.
