Tuesday 8 July - Shrinking Spaces, Rising Costs & A Presidential Wildcard

On The Tonight Show with Kieran Cuddihy: With rising resignations, low recruitment and a Garda hospitalised after an unprovoked stabbing in Dublin; just what lies ahead in the in-tray of the new Garda Commissioner?And, with more than 9 out of 10 Irish people worried about the daily cost of living, and no one-off lump sums expected; are we heading for an austerity Budget for 2026?🏛️ Regina Doherty MEP, Fine Gael 📰 Cormac O'Keeffe, Security Correspondent, Irish Examiner🔴 Michael Taft, Research Officer, SIPTU  📰 John Lee, Political Editor, Irish Mail on Sunday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On The Tonight Show with Kieran Cuddihy:The government seeks to overhaul planning laws in order to boost housing supply, but should garden cabins really be exempt? Plus, Europe capitulates to Trump over tariffs, but what does the trade deal mean for budget planning and Irish jobs? And should the Irish hospitality sector still get its tax cut? 🏛️Billy Kelleher MEP, Fianna Fáil🏛️Ciaran Mullooly MEP, Independent Ireland🏠 Robin Mandal, former president, Royal Institute of Architects Ireland🎓Martina Lawless, Director, ESRI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On The Tonight Show with Kieran Cuddihy: The Government unveils its big investment plan for the next decade, with new funding earmarked for housing, water and Metrolink. But where's the detail to match the ambition? And what tariffs? Despite dire warnings over trade and FDI, today's budget projections present a "business as usual" tax and spending plan. 🏛️ Emer Higgins TD, Minister of State, Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform🏛️ Mairéad Farrell TD, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Public Expenditure📰 Daniel Murray, Policy Editor, Business Post Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a stormy first six months for the newly-formed coalition — from bitter rows over speaking rights to growing pressure on healthcare and housing. Has the government weathered the storm, or are cracks already showing?In this episode of The Tonight Show, Bríd Smith, John Lee, and Gabija Gataveckaite hand out gold stars (and some red cards) as they dissect a turbulent political term and what it signals for the months ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government has ruled out any new cost of living supports in the upcoming budget, citing falling inflation and a shift toward infrastructure investment. Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended the move in Leaders’ Questions, while Tanaiste Simon Harris confirmed one-off measures will be scrapped. But with reduced VAT for hospitality still costing over €700 million annually, has the government prepared for the political fallout?Also on the show: the Tanaiste warns of serious risks from potential US tariffs, and Fine Gael confirms Mairead McGuinness as its presidential candidate.Joining Kieran Cuddihy tonight were Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne, Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney, and Fionnán Sheahan, Ireland Editor with the Irish Independent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On The Tonight Show with Kieran Cuddihy: Is it finally time to copy other countries and introduce a ‘tourist tax’ in Ireland?  Will Trump pose 200% tariffs on pharmaceuticals, or will he chicken-out? And Elon Musk’s Grok AI sparks social media outrage with Hitler praise.📰 Louise Burne, Political Correspondent, Irish Mirror 📰 Thomas Hubert, Editor, The Currency 📈 David W. Higgins, Economist 📰 Mick Clifford, Irish Examiner 🏨 Michael Magner, President, Irish Hotels Federation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On The Tonight Show with Kieran CuddihyCabinet agrees to ease apartment size rules in an effort to reduce costs and increase supply. But will the plan do either? Plus, pressure mounts on government over lack of cost of living supports in the next budget, after Barnardos survey reveals scale of families pushed to brink by rising costs.And the race for the Aras finally gets interesting, after Mary Lou McDonald refuses to rule herself out as a presidential candidate.🏛️ James Geoghegan TD, Fine Gael🏛️ Eoin O Broin TD, Sinn Féin Housing Spokesperson📰 Sarah McGuinness, Political Correspondent, Irish Daily Mail 🔴 Gerard Howlin, Public Affairs Consultant🏠 Robin Mandal, Architect and former RIAI president Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With U.S. tariffs looming and EU trade policy at a crossroads, Tánaiste Simon Harris hints at a 10% rate becoming the "new normal." Lucinda Creighton, Kevin Doyle, and Dr. Nora Strecker unpack what this means for Ireland and beyond.Then, President Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” clears the Senate — but what’s in it, and who wins or loses? Niall Stanage of The Hill joins the panel for a fiery breakdown.Finally, as President Michael D. Higgins prepares to step down, Ireland braces for its first presidential race in over a decade. The panel asks if Ireland really needs a President? It’s tariffs, Trump, and a turning point in Irish politics — all on The Tonight Show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On The Tonight Show, we marked 160 days of the new coalition by asking: where are the bold solutions to the housing crisis?We also examined the shock news that student fees are rising again—despite previous government pledges to reduce them.Plus, as Europe swelters under extreme heat, with schools shut in France and bans on outdoor work in Italy, we ask: is this the new normal, and are we ready for it?Catch the full debate and analysis now.#TonightVMTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On The Tonight Show with Gavan Reilly Driven by economic growth, rising demands and government policies, Ireland is now ranked as Europe’s second most-expensive country. But for many, the prosperity is not trickling down. Also, what does the future hold for jobs and the economy in an AI world, and can Ireland keep up?  Plus, gondolas and angry locals: Jeff Bezos’ wedding brings Venice to a standstill.🏛️ Senator Fiona O’Loughlin, Fianna Fáil 🏛️ Darren O’Rourke TD, Sinn Féin, 🎓 Dr Emma Howard, Economist, TU Dublin 📰 Sinead Ryan, Journalist & Broadcaster📰 Emmet Ryan, Tech Journalist 👨‍💻 Mark Kelly, Founder, AI Ireland  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.