The Irish Question

Who is getting Dublin’s social housing—and what can Ireland learn from Sweden’s election?This week on The Irish Question, Nick Delehanty, Elaine Mullally and Paul Treyvaud welcome special guest Donal Byrne, entrepreneur, founder of The Big Red Barn, beef farmer and publican.We examine the Dublin City Council housing figures released by Councillor Gavin Pepper, question the media response, and debate immigration, citizenship and voting patterns in Sweden.Donal explains the pressures facing Irish businesses, his ideas for tackling the housing shortage, and why he believes Ireland faces a “cost of survival” crisis. He also shares his account of the fuel protests and his arrest after introducing antigen testing at his pub during COVID restrictions.Plus: Donald Trump’s Irish visit, whiskey tariffs, tourism, a united Ireland—and the reaction from politicians and protesters.Subscribe, share and tell us what you think in the comments.00:00 Welcome to The Irish Question00:45 Meet special guest Donal Byrne02:33 Dublin’s social housing figures: who gets housed?05:01 The panel questions the media response08:24 Factory-built homes, planning and the housing shortage10:46 Does the system punish people for working more?14:58 Apprenticeships and bringing back trade schools17:45 Sweden’s election: immigration and voting patterns24:32 Ireland, Sweden and the citizenship debate31:54 The “cost of survival” for Irish businesses36:39 Minimum wage, employer PRSI and rising employment costs39:46 Political change, multinationals and funding barriers42:53 Inside the fuel protests: Donal’s account47:00 Diesel prices, the Budget and carbon tax50:52 Donal’s COVID pub arrest and court case54:44 Trump in Ireland: whiskey, tourism and political reaction1:02:15 The Ploughing Championships and a message to listeners

This week on The Irish Question, Nick Delehanty, Elaine Mullally and Paul Treyvaud are joined by special guest David Quinn—one of Ireland’s best-known commentators on politics, religion, family and cultural change.The panel celebrates Katie Taylor’s remarkable Croke Park homecoming and discusses the importance of faith throughout her career. They also examine the rise of AfD in Germany, Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland, proposed changes to Irish citizenship, concerns surrounding the new Leaving Cert maths curriculum, child poverty and the real cost of carbon taxes.If you enjoy the show, please like, subscribe, share and hit the Hype button to help us reach a wider audience.CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction and special guest David Quinn00:39 Muhammad Ali’s historic visit to Croke Park02:12 Katie Taylor’s remarkable homecoming05:00 Katie Taylor, faith and Ireland’s sporting heroes09:42 Why is AfD surging in Germany?13:10 Immigration and the failure of establishment parties17:06 David Quinn on Merkel’s legacy and the rise of AfD22:36 What would AfD actually do in government?26:50 Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland29:35 Ireland’s economic relationship with America32:19 How will President Catherine Connolly handle Trump?34:37 Resignations over the new Leaving Cert maths curriculum39:21 Meritocracy, education and falling standards43:33 Is ideology reshaping the wider school curriculum?46:08 Proposed changes to Irish citizenship rules49:46 Should citizenship require eight or ten years?51:09 Integration, language and the media’s blind spot55:29 Two hundred thousand Irish children living in poverty57:38 Rising living costs and carbon taxes1:00:05 Where does Ireland’s carbon-tax revenue go?1:02:39 Climate change, green policies and working families1:04:01 Closing thoughts and film recommendations1:05:32 Outro#TheIrishQuestion #DavidQuinn #KatieTaylor #IrishPolitics #AfD #DonaldTrump

The Irish Question is back.In our first episode after the summer break, Paul Treyvaud, Elaine Mullally and Nick Delehanty discuss the controversy surrounding Dr Ebun Joseph, critical race theory, migration across Europe, Ireland’s IPAS system and the influence of State-funded NGOs.The conversation also covers the proposed male-lactation conference, climate policy, flooding and infrastructure, the debate over “tradwives” and the manosphere, tax individualisation, rising energy and fuel costs, and the latest movements in Irish politics.Subscribe, share the episode and hit the Hype button if you want to help The Irish Question reach a wider audience.CHAPTERS0:00 – The Irish Question returns1:17 – Dr Ebun Joseph controversy and the race debate4:56 – Critical race theory and State-funded ideology9:31 – UK migrant guidance and Channel crossings12:51 – The growing scale of small-boat migration14:28 – IPAS, crime and Ireland’s prison capacity17:34 – Planning exemptions for IPAS centres18:08 – Durrow residents secure a planning victory20:50 – Ceuta, Spain and migration across Europe26:10 – Controversy over the male-lactation conference29:30 – Have Irish politicians challenged it?30:27 – NGOs, universities and gender ideology33:02 – Help support the podcast with YouTube Hype34:33 – Climate change claims concerning children37:58 – Killarney flooding, blocked drains and infrastructure40:21 – Carbon taxes, retrofits and climate adaptation42:56 – What is a “tradwife”?45:23 – Elaine defends motherhood and traditional family life48:36 – Tax individualisation and the growth of childcare50:14 – The manosphere and “toxic masculinity” research53:43 – The influence of Ireland’s NGO sector55:03 – Fuel prices, carbon taxes and possible protests58:49 – Business energy costs and conflicting government priorities1:00:28 – Solar power, levies and electricity bills1:01:53 – The hosts’ summer catch-up1:03:55 – Political realignment and new alternatives1:06:35 – Pressure building within Fianna Fáil1:07:19 – Final thoughts and what’s coming next

In a recent discussion, with Elaine Mullally, Dr. Marcus De Brun and Dr. Billy Ralph shared their experiences with the Irish Medical Council hearings that have garnered significant attention. Their stories reveal not just the personal toll of these hearings but also the broader implications for medical professionals and public health policies.The Context of the HearingsDr. Marcus De Brun began by detailing the background of his case. He faced complaints after publicly protesting against mask mandates and voicing concerns over COVID-19 policies in nursing homes. He humorously remarked on the frivolous nature of the complaints against him, which included allegations about not using hand sanitizer while shaking hands with protestors. "The purpose of it really was to send a message to the rest of the doctors... that any sort of complaining about vaccines, particularly COVID vaccines, wasn't going to be tolerated," he explained.Finding and RepercussionsThe hearings were lengthy and intense, lasting several days. Dr. De Brun was ultimately found guilty of undermining public health guidelines, a verdict he anticipated and even accepted. "I was entirely guilty of undermining public health guidelines and would do so again," he stated, reflecting on the gravity of the situation. Elaine Mullally, the host, pointed out a disturbing reality: the focus of the hearings was less about the correctness of the guidelines and more about the messaging surrounding them. Dr. De Brun concurred, emphasizing how the medical council was unwilling to question the validity of the guidelines themselves, regardless of their impact on public health.Right to Question GuidelinesBoth doctors lamented the apparent loss of the medical profession's ability to question guidelines. Dr. De Brun stated, "Doctors should be able to criticize guidelines and not administer drugs if they believe they are dangerous." This sentiment resonated with Dr. Ralph, who added that the current system often discourages doctors from stepping outside established guidelines, creating a culture of compliance over critical thinking.Role of Government in Health DecisionsThe conversation also touched on the concerning interference of government in doctor-patient relationships. Mullally expressed her fear at witnessing this shift, describing it as a terrifying breach of the sacred trust between doctor and patient. Dr. Ralph echoed this concern, stating that modern medical guidelines often come with vested interests, which can compromise patient care. "The question we should always ask is, 'Who benefits?" he urged. Call for Critical ThinkingThe dialogue concluded with a call for continued vigilance and critical thinking within the medical community. Both doctors underscored the importance of questioning established norms and remaining advocates for patient welfare, regardless of external pressures. Their experiences serve as a crucial reminder of the need for open discourse and the protection of medical professionals' rights to speak out against potentially harmful policies. As we reflect on these insights, it's vital to consider the implications of such hearings not just for individual doctors, but for the healthcare system as a whole.

Senator Sharon Keogan joins Paul Treyvaud, Elaine Mullally and Nick Delehanty for the final episode of The Irish Question before the summer break.The panel discusses Mayo’s historic All-Ireland victory, the renewed controversy surrounding former RTÉ Director-General Dee Forbes, Elon Musk’s clash with The Economist, Ireland’s attitude towards wealth and success, and the Government’s Summer Economic Statement.They also examine Ireland’s dependence on multinational tax revenue, the risks posed by Big Tech’s enormous AI gamble, government waste, universal basic income and the decline of small businesses.Finally, Senator Keogan explains why she still has hope for Ireland—and calls on ordinary people, councillors and aspiring politicians to step forward, abandon failing party structures and build a genuine independent alternative.Like, subscribe and share if you want to help grow The Irish Question.CHAPTERS00:00 – Senator Sharon Keogan joins the show01:04 – Mayo finally wins the All-Ireland06:41 – Dee Forbes, RTÉ and the accountability crisis11:48 – Can RTÉ be saved—or should it be privatised?17:59 – Elon Musk’s explosive Economist interview25:27 – Why Ireland resents wealth and success29:32 – The Summer Economic Statement explained35:48 – Tax cuts, investing and government waste42:36 – Can Ireland’s political system ever change?43:57 – Ireland’s tax base is leveraged on Big Tech’s AI gamble48:16 – Universal basic income and the destruction of small business