Another year coming to an end means another year of explanations to look back on. This week on The Explainer, presenter Laura Byrne takes a look back at what we've covered over the past 12 months, where our reporters and guests have demonstrated their eye for detail and ability to break down complex stories in a clear and easy-to-understand way. Th…

Larry Donnelly, Boston lawyer and law lecturer at the University of Galway, joins us to look at the world of US politics in 2024, and examines what 2025 might hold. Now that the dust has settled, what went wrong for the Democrats in the election? What might Biden's legacy be? And will Trump be more effective during this second term in the White Hou…

Counselling psychologist and lecturer in TU Dublin Leslie Shoemaker joins us to examine how we can make this busy time of the year less of a handful. What are the best ways of taking some of the pressure off yourself? How do you navigate around those tricky family tensions? And how can parents manage the expectations of children? Hosted on Acast. S…

Homes built near the sea have always been at risk as coastlines moves closer and closer — and in our warming climate, rising sea levels will become an increasing reality. The Journal Investigates has examined the scale of this in Ireland, revealing that the number of homes at risk of falling into the sea due to coastal erosion has increased 173% in…

Dr Cara Augustenborg, assistant professor in Environmental Policy at UCD, joins us to look at the fallout from the Green Party's collapse in the 2024 general election. Roderic O'Gorman survived as the party's sole TD in the Dáil. How did this happen to a party when the climate is at the forefront of so many people's minds? Which party is best place…

With the 2024 general election just around the corner, we're revisiting a valuable episode from earlier this year: Virgin Media's political correspondent Gavan Reilly sits down with us to explain what exactly proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV) is all about. Do you need to give a preference to every candidate listed…

It's now more than 1,000 days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and there are signs that the conflict is taking on a new dimension. The use of Western-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine on targets within Russia led to renewed sabre-rattling from Vladimir Putin, sparking questions over whether Moscow could consider using nuclear weapons. But …

After weeks of what felt like endless speculation, the Taoiseach Simon Harris finally put us out of our misery last week (with a bit of a jump on him by Micheál Martin) and announced that the election will take place on Friday 29 November. Since then, the posters went up in jig time and every party has been out campaigning with gusto. There’s not a…

You likely saw the images from Dublin city centre last week: hundreds of people lining O’Connell Street on Halloween night, all eagerly awaiting a promised parade. It soon became apparent that something was amiss… there was no parade and these people had been duped by online misinformation. The Journal’s FactCheck Editor Stephen McDermott joins us …

We’re joined by our own political columnist, Larry Donnelly who is a law lecturer at the University of Galway, to check in on the final days of the race for the White House. Trump and Harris have duked it out across the US in recent weeks in an attempt to woo voters, but the polls continue to indicate that this race is closer than ever. So what is …

We're joined by Dr Shelley Deane, researcher at DCU’s School of Law and Government, to examine the deepening crisis in southern Lebanon following Israel's invasion. The UN has maintained a presence in the region since the late 1970s and members of the Irish Defence Forces continue to play a significant role in that mission. They are now under almos…

If asked to name some things we know about Nepal, most of us would probably say Mount Everest. The next might actually be landslides. The country is plagued by them. They can often be deadly, killing people, destroying homes and villages and disappearing entire road networks. Because of their prevalence in Nepal, there has to be constant vigilance …

One of the most successful BBC TV shows, Strictly Come Dancing, is back on air for its 20th year after it was rocked by a summer of in-house scandals. An investigation into harmful work practices was launched by the BBC when two of Strictly's two professional dancers, Italians Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, were accused of bullying and ina…

The Budget has been dubbed a giveaway — but will it really make that much of a difference to your pocket? Barra Roantree from TCD's Department of Economics joins us to examine whether the tax decreases and once-off payments will help those who need it the most and how there is a chance it could add fuel to an overheating economy. Who stands to gain…

Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Diddy, Love or Sean Combs — many of us would have grown up with the numerous names of that rapper over the last 30 years or so. The 54-year-old music producer, businessman and global celebrity is in federal custody in the United States, awaiting trial for a number of serious charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering. …

The 42's Gavin Cooney joins us to examine where it all went wrong for Casement Park. The redevelopment of one of Northern Ireland's largest stadiums was on the table until the UK government pulled the plug on promised funding. Will Northern Ireland still have a role when the UK and Ireland host the Euros in 2028? And is there still hope for those w…

The village of Dundrum in Co Tipperary has been the site of protests and division in recent months over the housing of international protection applicants. To look at exactly is happening on the ground — and, after similar incidents elsewhere, what the government can learn from the approach it has taken — we're by our reporter Eoghan Dalton, who ha…

To look at what emergencies can tell us about how connected, or not, our healthcare systems are, we're joined on this week's episode of The Explainer by Jean Paul Jemmy, a health expert specialising in nutrition with European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. He has been a humanitarian worker for the last three decades with direct e…

The numbers alone stopped the country in its tracks this week: 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse of children in schools run by religious orders. 844 alleged abusers. 308 schools. 42 religious orders. A new report revealed stories of abuse across many schools. But how are we back here again? And has enough changed to stop it from happening again? We…

Tech journalist and author Chris Stokel-Walker joins us to examine what's going on with messaging app Telegram and its owner Pavel Durov. Telegram is touted as a secure, privacy-focused app, and while that is appealing to many and useful in countries where free speech is curtailed, it has also led to the platform being used as a base for a range of…

This week, The Journal has published a series of in-depth interviews with a number of victims of convicted paedophile, Michael Shine. Editor Sinéad O'Carroll joins to explain why they are waiving their anonymity to call for a public inquiry.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has b…

Arts writer and Sunday Times columnist Aoife Barry joins us to explore the world of Kneecap. The bilingual hip hop trio are surging in popularity, changing attitudes towards the Irish language while drawing both praise and consternation (depending on which Northern Irish tradition you talk to) along the way. Now, with the release of their semi-fict…

As Ireland takes home what seems to be an ever-growing pile of medals, the Olympics has also been navigating a headline-grabbing controversy in the world of women's boxing. Two boxers were deemed ineligible to box at the World Boxing Championships last year are competing at the Games in Paris. On this week's episode, we're joined by sportswriter wi…

Senator Tom Clonan, a retired army officer who served as a peacekeeper in Lebanon, joins Lauren Boland on this week's episode to share his insights into the group's history, and what recent escalations mean for the situation on the ground.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in Ireland has bee…

The world of US politics has evolved dramatically over the past few weeks, with the latest curveball being the decision by Joe Biden to step down as Democratic candidate in the November's election and endorse his vice president, Kamala Harris. How will Trump and the Republican party respond? Larry Donnelly, a law lecturer at the University of Galwa…

Scott Lucas, professor of International Politics at the Clinton Institute, UCD and editor-in-chief of EA WorldView, joins us to examine the history of attacks on US presidents - both sitting and former - to gauge what the fallout from the attempted assassination of Donald Trump could be.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open…

This week on The Explainer we hear from The Journal's US columnist Larry Donnelly on his thoughts after the press conference and ask our very own Assistant News Editor Rónán Duffy if Joe Biden can really continue in the election race?This episode was brought to you by senior producer Nicky Ryan, assistant producer Muiris O'Cearbhaill, executive pro…

Dominic McGrath, UK correspondent with the Business Post, joins us for an essential overview of the latest in the United Kingdom's seismic election result. Just how much of a hit did the Tories take? And what will the political landscape look like under Keir Starmer?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable j…

Brendan Slattery, a solicitor with McCann Fitzgerald specialising in expert in planning and environmental law joins us to look at 'go-away money' in the Irish planning system. What is it all about? How is it being used? And what might new laws do to stop it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Professor of European Politics at Maynooth University John O'Brennan joins us to look at what the next five years hold for Ireland's new or returning MEPs. What will the priorities be for the European Parliament? And where will Irish politicians fit in?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in I…

The seats are filled, the dust is settling, and the count centre staff enjoying some well-earned rest. To take stock of where we're at now, Laura Byrne is joined on this week's episode by our Political Editor Christina Finn, and Brendan Flynn, a Head of Political Science at the University of Galway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i…

Virgin Media's political correspondent Gavan Reilly sits down with us to explain what exactly proportional representation with a single transferable vote is all about. Do you need to give a preference to every candidate listed on a ballot paper? How and when do preferences beyond your first come into play?The Explainer is brought to you by The Jour…

On 7 June, you'll have the chance to vote in the European elections - but what exactly will the end result be? For the latest in a special series of episodes, The Journal's Muiris O'Cearbhaill and European Movement Ireland CEO Noelle O'Connell join us to look at how the election process works, what exactly an MEP does, and how you should decide on …

DCU's Paola Rivetti, an expert in Middle East politics, joins us to look at the fallout from the death of Iran's president in a helicopter crash last week. What role did he play in Iranian society? What does the succession process look like - and is there any scope for a more moderate leader?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing…

Presenter Maria Delaney is joined by News Correspondent Órla Ryan who has been leading our year-long ‘Falling Through the Cracks’ investigation into young people with psychosis, which was supported by the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism in Ireland in partnership with Headline, a Shine programme. They're also joined by Consul…

Over recent years, Europe has seen a rising trend of severe weather - some of which can be linked to climate change. This means an increasing need for authorities to respond to life-threatening situations. That's where the European Union’s Department for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), providing support to countries wher…

We're joined by Dr Barry Colfer, director of research at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), to look back on everything from Ireland's nascent relationship with Europe in the 1970s to the country's treatment during the bailout in the 2010s.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable jour…

We're examining the details of the Dublin Transport Plan to examine its aim and how it will achieve that, as well as the overall reaction. We're joined by Brian Caulfield, transportation professor and Head of the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at Trinity College Dublin, to see what the impacts could be.The Explainer i…

We're joined by Paul McCutcheon, a professor of Law at the University of Limerick to examine how exactly sentencing works. What factors do judges take into account? What guidance do they rely on? And how is that some judges deliver sentences that look very different to those of their peers? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio…

Trans healthcare and a dearth of services for trans people have been in the news lately on the back of a major review of UK services. Assistant News Editor Valerie Flynn joins us to explore its findings - and with the care it needs, as it is vulnerable children at the heart of this healthcare story. What did the report say about treatment options l…

Susan Daly talks with Noteworthy's Steven Fox and German reporter Swantje Furtak about the lack of preservation of bogs in Ireland and Germany. These were part of an extensive cross-border investigation with reporters based in Germany and Italy.Steven focused on actions by two State companies — Coillte and Bord na Móna — and looked at the planting …

The Journal's Eoghan Dalton speaks to Laura Byrne about the State inquiry into the abuse of prolific child abuser, Bill Kenneally. It is examining how State agencies and organisations handled reports of his crimes from the 1980s onwards. During his appearance, Kenneally was unrepentant, causing upset to those in attendance, including his victims. S…

The European Union has a massive but often unseen impact on our day-to-day life here in Ireland. Despite that, how exactly it all works can remain a bit of a mystery for a lot of people. John O’Brennan, a professor at the Department of Sociology at Maynooth University, leaves the Brussels jargon to one side and focuses on what the core institutions…

Thousands of people in need of critical medical care but unable to access it in Ukraine have been sent to other EU states for treatment in a mammoth operation known as Medevac. On this week's episode, supported by the European Union’s Department for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, we look at how this is organised and the impact it…

We're joined by our Deputy Editor Christine Bohan and Assistant News Editor Rónán Duffy to look at the shock resignation of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Did it really come out of the blue? And who is best placed to take up the mantel? What will his legacy be?The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to valuable journalism in …

An Oireachtas Committee is set to recommend that the Irish government introduce laws to allow for assisted dying and euthanasia under certain strict criteria. It follows an in-depth consultation period on the matter. This week, The Journal's Stephen McDermott tells host Laura Byrne about what the committee is recommending and what we can expect to …

We're joined by News Correspondent Niall O'Connor, who has just returned from the contested Golan Heights where he visited the Irish peacekeeping mission there. He shares the day-to-day activity of the troops and examines what the future of Irish peacekeeping might look like.The Explainer is brought to you by The Journal. Providing open access to v…

Fiery appearances before Oireachtas committees are all the rage these days, and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is no stranger to them. What are the latest revelations? What do they say about the future of the FAI? We're joined by Gavin Cooney, sportswriter and podcast host with The 42, to explore why the organisation is making headlines …

Susan Daly speaks to Noteworthy's investigative journalist Patricia Devlin about her latest dive into threats to our monuments and heritage sites. Also joining the podcast is Ian Lumney, heritage officer with An Taisce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.द्वारा The Journal

On 8 March, the public is being asked to have their say in two separate votes - the Family Amendment and the Care Amendment. But are up to speed on what exactly they're about? We're joined this week by News Correspondent Órla Ryan, Political Editor Christina Finn, and Assistant News Editor Rónán Duffy to delve into everything you need to know.The E…