About this podcast
The Explainer is a weekly podcast from The Journal that takes a deeper look at one big news story you need to know about. What's the background? Why is this in the news? Get the facts behind the story from Ireland's biggest news website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 445 episodes
- What will the EPC summit mean for Dublin this week? · 22 minAlmost 50 European leaders are coming to Dublin for the European Political Community summit, followed by a separate meeting of EU leaders on Friday. The gatherings will bring…
- What do the midterm results mean for Trump’s America? · 24 minDemocrats made gains right across the United States in the midterm elections. It leaves Republicans facing a major defeat and Donald Trump facing two more years in the White…
- How did Texas turn blue? · 10 minTexas has delivered one of the biggest surprises of the US midterm elections. James Talarico is the first Democrat to win a Senate election in the state since 1988, while Gina…
- Does it make sense to ditch your traditional bank for Revolut? · 18 minRecent Revolut outages left customers struggling to access their money, raising questions for anyone thinking of making it their main bank. Digital banks offer better apps and…
- What could the US midterms mean for Trump’s final two years? · 20 minAmericans vote in the midterm elections on 3 November, with every seat in the House of Representatives and about a third of the Senate up for grabs. Republicans currently control…
- Who is on strike tomorrow and what can we expect? · 7 minHundreds of thousands of public sector workers are expected to strike tomorrow in a dispute over pay. Schools will close, non-urgent hospital services will be cancelled, and…
- Will Budget 2027 actually make you better off? · 28 minBudget 2027 has something for almost everyone: income tax changes, a welfare increase, a higher fuel allowance, a bigger renter’s credit, an expanded Help to Buy scheme and lower…
- Why is Drumcree back in the headlines, and what happens next? · 20 minFor almost 30 years, the violent confrontations that once defined the Drumcree marching dispute had disappeared from the streets of Portadown. But a procedural error by the…
- Why are new mothers struggling to get mental health care? · 16 minWomen can develop serious mental health difficulties at any point in the year after giving birth. But new reporting from The Journal Investigates has found that five of Ireland’s…
- Why are artists walking away from Ed Sheeran’s tour? · 22 minMusic and politics have always shared a stage, but the fallout from Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s United States tour has made clear how that can be an uneasy…
- How did the AfD become so powerful in Germany? · 20 minThe far-right Alternative for Germany party won almost 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, more than doubling its support and delivering its strongest ever result in a…
- An mbeidh an Ghaeilge mar mír mhargántaíochta in Éirinn Aontaithe? · 25 minThe Journal is releasing a six-part series of The Explainer podcast through Irish, focusing on some of the biggest stories affecting the language and the Gaeltacht areas. In this…
- Who’s after 14,000 hectares of Ireland’s coast? · 12 minMore than 14,000 hectares of Ireland’s coastline are covered by applications to commercially harvest seaweed, with four companies seeking to take almost 51,000 wet tonnes a year…
- Cén fáth go bhfuil nasc láidir idir Ghaeilge agus spórt in Éirinn? · 35 minThe Journal is releasing a six-part series of The Explainer through Irish, focusing on some of the biggest stories affecting the language and the Gaeltacht areas. This week…
- Can the new series of Traitors live up to the hype? · 16 minLast autumn, RTÉ’s unscripted hit took the country by storm, drawing over 800,000 viewers, turning retired prison officers into household names, and proving that psychological…
- An bhfuil oideachas trí Ghaeilge i mbaol? · 22 minThis summer, The Journal is releasing a six-part series of The Explainer podcast through Irish, focusing on some of the biggest stories affecting the language and the Gaeltacht…
- How can dangerous driving for social media likes be stopped? · 20 minFive teenage boys were killed when the BMW they were travelling in was driven the wrong way on the M9 in Kildare and collided with a car carrying three women and a seven-year-old…
- Could Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez be the next US president? · 22 minThe US midterm elections are still months away, but attention is already turning to the 2028 presidential race. Speculation about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has grown after the New…
- How did 72,000 people cross into Ceuta? · 21 minMore than 70,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta last week, overwhelming the small Spanish territory on the North African coast. Dozens died, while thousands remain, and…
- Cén fáth go mbíonn muid fós ag streachailt leis an síneadh fada? · 22 minThis summer, The Journal is releasing a six-part series of The Explainer podcast through Irish, focusing on some of the biggest stories affecting the language and the Gaeltacht…
- Could nature itself help stop Ireland's wildfires? · 25 minWildfires have burned across Tipperary, Wicklow, Cork and Kerry over the past fortnight, during one of the driest spells in years. Almost none start naturally. But how far a fire…
- Cad atá i ndán don Ghaeilge mura bhfuil tithíocht ar fáil sa Ghaeltacht? · 29 minThis summer, The Journal is releasing a six-part series of The Explainer podcast through Irish, focusing on some of the biggest stories affecting the language and the Gaeltacht…
- Who is Andy Burnham? · 27 minBritain has a new prime minister (again): Andy Burnham, the "King of the North", its seventh in ten years and the first to take office openly Catholic. What kind of leader is he…
- Cén tionchar a bheidh ag an intleacht shaorga ar an teanga? · 33 minThis summer, The Journal is releasing a six-part series of The Explainer podcast through Irish, focusing on some of the biggest stories affecting the language and the Gaeltacht…
- Are Ireland's new community safety partnerships working? · 18 minLast autumn, the old Joint Policing Committees were replaced with new Local Community Safety Partnerships. All 36 are now up and running, and the first public meetings are…
- What was it like inside the George Gibney trial? · 20 minFor decades, George Gibney was one of the biggest names in Irish swimming. The 77-year-old was convicted this week of 40 counts of sexually abusing four girls in the 1970s and…
- Ireland just took over the EU presidency, but what does that actually mean? · 25 minIreland has taken over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, but does that mean we're suddenly in charge of Europe? Over the next six months, Ireland will…
- Why do so many speeding cases never end in a conviction? · 14 minIf you're caught speeding in Ireland, you'd be forgiven for assuming a fine and penalty points are all but inevitable. But a new investigation by The Journal Investigates has…
- Why is crack cocaine use soaring in Ireland? · 15 minFor years, the conversation around problem drug use in Ireland centred on heroin. But on the streets of Dublin and beyond, a different drug has taken hold. Treatment demand for…
- What does a Limerick refinery have to do with a Russian sanctions row? · 18 minAlumina is the fine white powder needed to make aluminium, and Ireland is home to Europe's largest producer of it. Aughinish Alumina's ownership by Russian giant Rusal has put…
- How do Irish contestants keep stealing the spotlight on Love Island? · 16 minEven if you've never watched an episode of Love Island in your life, it has become almost impossible to escape the drama. This season, with Galway footballer Seán Fitzgerald…
- Why is the latest Ebola outbreak so hard to contain? · 22 minAn Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has just been declared a global health emergency, sparking alarm worldwide. It is driven by the rare Bundibugyo…
- Why did rents just see a massive increase? · 24 minNew figures suggest the rental market could be experiencing historic levels of strain. Rents surged by 4.4% between December and March, marking the largest quarterly increase on…
- How will Eurovision boycotts impact the song contest? · 13 minThe 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is playing out this week, in the shadow of unprecedented controversy. Five traditionally participating countries, including…
- Is nuclear energy a realistic option for Ireland? · 22 minFor decades, nuclear power has been the ultimate taboo in Irish energy policy, with proposals dating back to the late 1960s ultimately defeated by massive public opposition. But…
- Will garden cabins actually help fix the housing crisis? · 18 minThe government has announced plans to let homeowners build habitable units of up to 45 sq metres in their back gardens without planning permission, and to rent them out under the…
- How do you start tracing your family tree? · 19 minThe recent release of the 1926 census has sparked a huge wave of interest in Irish family history. It was the first census taken after the foundation of the State, capturing a…
- Will the government's fuel package actually work? · 23 minIn response to the fuel protests, the government scrambled to announce a €505 million euro support package, slashing excise duties on petrol and diesel. But with the Strait of…
- How far can a protest go before the State steps in? · 23 minIreland's fuel protests have brought parts of the country to a standstill this week, with blockades at refineries and slow-moving convoys on major roads - and currently with no…
- The average Irish homebuyer is now 40 - what does this mean? · 15 minNew CSO data shows the average age of a homebuyer in Ireland has hit 40. What does that mean for an entire generation stuck in the 'deposit trap'? And is this opening up a whole…
- Can Ireland really qualify for the 2026 World Cup? · 24 minIt has been 24 long, long years since the Republic of Ireland men's team last played in a World Cup, but suddenly, the dream is alive again. This week, Ireland faces Czechia in a…
- Why are Claire’s Accessories staff being left without pay? · 13 minFor generations of teenagers, it was the go-to high street spot for ear piercings and fashion jewellery., but now, the iconic retailer Claire's Accessories is rapidly closing its…
- What is it actually like inside the White House on St Patrick's Day? · 32 minEvery March, our news feeds are flooded with pictures of the Taoiseach, the US President, and a very famous bowl of shamrock. It’s a massive day for Ireland on the world stage…
- How bad could the looming energy crisis get? · 20 minThe price of oil has surged again. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to shipping. Major Middle Eastern production hubs have declared force majeure. Is Ireland…
- Is the US-led attack on Iran illegal? · 21 minTrump promised no more forever wars, but that didn't stop him wading into an intense bombing campaign against Iran - a conflict most Americans oppose and, crucially, one Congress…
- Why is Ireland asking foreign navies to patrol its waters? · 17 minWith the EU Presidency looming and a massive funding shortfall in the Department of Defence, a new plan proposes something unprecedented: asking British and French navies to help…
- Will a social media ban for under-16s actually work? · 25 minIt’s a debate that is taking place at kitchen tables across the country: are smartphones and social media apps doing more harm than good for our children? Ireland is following in…
- Why are hundreds of suspected suicides invisible in official stats? · 12 minInternal HSE figures obtained by The Journal Investigates reveal that hundreds of people have died by suspected suicide within weeks of being in contact with healthcare services…
- What's stopping flood defences from being built? · 19 minIt's a heartbreakingly familiar cycle: devastated homeowners, ruined businesses, and politicians promising defences are on the way. For towns like Midleton and Enniscorthy, those…
- What exactly are the rules for scramblers and e-scooters? · 18 minThe sound is instantly recognisable and, for many communities. can become a source of constant dread: the high-pitched whine of a scrambler bike tearing through a park or housing…
