1234. RTE (not so) Upfront

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Note: Published to members April 19th 2024 Since the broadcast of the TV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, we have all been disgusted by the treatment of Post Masters by the bullyboy corporation, Post Office UK. It was truly shocking and upsetting to see. But what if we were to tell you that your local Post Master was being treated much worse by An Post all across Ireland? Don't believe us? We didn't want to believe it either. But here are the explosive facts. The full statement and analysis is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102763890

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Former Dublin Lord Mayor and Green Party Cllr Hazel Chu has, it’s fair to say, had more than a bumpy few years. From the Lord Mayor’s Office during Covid to the racially charged protests where she’s personally been the target of horrendous abuse; you'd have to ask who’d want to be a local politician these days? Hazel rejoins us to talk about this and why she is seeking reelection at what is, in her opinion, a crucial moment for Irish democracy. The full interview is available now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102539811 The An Post Scandal podcast is out here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102763890

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Hebh Aljamal, who grew up in New York, is a remarkable Palestinian-American journalist, who currently lives in Germany and is shockingly facing legal prosecution because of her Palestine activism. In this episode of PalCast, Yousef Aljamal, Helena Cobban and Tony Groves speak about the German position on Israel in relation to its history, and their declared commitment to human rights! From Berlin to New York and elsewhere in the US, pro-Palestine protesters are sending a clear message: We are with Palestine. The German police responds by shutting down the Berlin Congress on Palestine, where Hebh was speaking, and the administration of Columbia University in the US responds by calling the police on students. We talk about all these issues and how they are building up to the end of apartheid in Palestine after 200 days of genocide in Gaza. The An Post Scandal you haven't (yet) heard about is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102763890

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In July 2018, the Public Accounts Committee and the Ministers for Social Protection, Finance and Media were all fully aware that the 'Eversheds Review', RTE's own bought and paid for legal advice, exposed that RTE owed more than it was worth for decades of bogus self employment, this is that story. This podcast features music from comedian and actor Michael Fry, narration from musician Matt McGranaghan and another mystery contributor. The explosive An Post Scandal podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102763890

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack "Give Everyone What They Need, Before You Give The Wealthy What They Want." Listener favourite, Prof Richard Murphy, has just published this:https://taxingwealth.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Taxing-Wealth-Report-2024-Summary.pdf and in between chatting to Bloomberg and the Guardian about it, he managed to find 40 minutes to talk to us. And it's another belter. In fact it might even change your perception of what the word Tax means. It'll certainly challenge the current narrative. The interview with Mahmoud Mushtaha who is now in Egypt is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102579201

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Elbit Systems, Israel’s leading weapon manufacturing, is playing a major role in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Huda Ammori, a co-founder of the Palestine Action Group spoke to PalCast co-hosts about the role of Israeli firm in the genocide in Gaza, campaigns against Elbit; successes and failures. Ammori, who is facing court cases because of her activism, argues that Elbit Systems, an arm of the Israeli state, should not be allowed to operate in the UK, which claims to have strict criteria for arms exports. From drones to the navy, Elbit Systems continue to kill Palestinians and campaigns against it just expand. Learn more about Elbit Systems in this PalCast episode with Yousef Aljamal, Helena Cobban and Tony Groves. Helena also brilliantly breaks down the Iran attack on Israel. Music by Martin Leahy. The next episode in the RTE saga is out now. Listen before it makes more headlines:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102227581

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack (Note: Published for members April 5th) Many hundreds of thousands of people used to wake up to the voice of Broadcaster, Presenter and Writer, Keith Walsh. But nobody would have been aware of how precarious his job was with the National Broadcaster. In this exclusive interview Keith tells us about his years at RTE, how he was managed out the door and how he has now fought and won his battle against them. As Martin has said before, RTE needs to do right by those it mistreated in the past before it even begins to contemplate any sort of future. The full interview is available here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-101704120 Part 2 about then Minister Regina Doherty and the Eversheds fudge is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102227581 Thanks to comedian Michael Fry for the use of his RTE viral banger!

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack As you might've heard on a previous Martin and Tony member-only pod, I was invited to debate whether or not Ireland should have a general election post Leo Varadkar's resignation. I went through with it. But it ended up in the RTE editorial bin. But we took it out of the bin and decided to put it out to ourselves. So here's the story about the debate that never was. It's nothing scandalous. There's no big reveal. But I don't buy RTE's explanation at all. Not for one second. The Keith Walsh Story (taken by the Irish Daily Mail uncredited) is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-101704120 Note: recorded for members 30th March 2024

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack As Israeli forces withdrew from Khan Younis, after four months of military operations they were ambushed by Palestinian fighters. Israel, it's clear, did not achieve its two stated goals of releasing the hostages and of eliminating Hamas. However once the IOF retreated, dozens of bodies of Palestinians were found decomposed. Over 45,000 houses in Khan Younis were destroyed and entire neighborhoods were leveled to the ground. The situation in Gaza remains dire as Palestinians celebrate Eid on April 10, one of the saddest Eid occasions since the Nakba. International pressure for ceasefire and recognition of a Palestinian state continues. Yousef Aljamal, Helena Cobban and Tony Groves discuss this and more in this episode. You'll Never Bury Palestine is written and performed by Martin Leahy The Taxing Wealth 2024 Special is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-102006086

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Tommy Greene has covered the dangers posed to drinking water due to the environmental collapse of Lough Neagh well before it became a political football. But now that Stormont is up and running you might think things are looking (fresh water-wise) clearer? But he rejoins us to tell us why that's not the case. Great reporting by a great journalist. Thank you, Tommy. The Daniel Maté at Rising podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-101762276