From Micheál Martin's resilience to Sinn Féin's missed opportunities and the biggest political blunders of the year, Mary Regan and Maeve McTaggart look back on a dramatic first half of 2026, and ahead to the budget battles and leadership questions still to come.

From Micheál Martin's resilience to Sinn Féin's missed opportunities and the biggest political blunders of the year, Mary Regan and Maeve McTaggart look back on a dramatic first half of 2026, and ahead to the budget battles and leadership questions still to come.

Every week the Irish Independent's political team will bring you the biggest stories, the latest analysis and the gossip from the corridors of Leinster House. New episodes every Friday. 

Indo Politics

School's out: The Winners, Losers and Gaffes of the Political Year (So Far)

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers joins Mary Regan in the Indo Politics studio to discuss his preparations for Budget 2027, including inheritance tax, childcare costs and the key challenges facing the Government. 




He also talks about his relationship with Simon Harris, how his political views have evolved over the years, including on abortion, and why he believes it's time to reform the planning process. 




Indo Politics is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers joins Mary Regan in the Indo Politics studio to discuss his preparations for Budget 2027, including inheritance tax, childcare costs and the key challenges facing the Government.&nbsp;
 
He also talks about his relationship with Simon Harris, how his political views have evolved over the years, including on abortion, and why he believes it's time to reform the planning process.&nbsp;
 
Indo Politics is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at <a href="https://www.independent.ie/service/our-journalism/a/98708550.html">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>

Jack Chambers on Budget 2027, leadership Ambitions and a United Ireland 

EU Commissioner Michael McGrath talks to Mary Regan about potential social media bans for teens in Europe as EU officials grapple with the thorny issue of technology and teens, the growing scrutiny surrounding the Aughinish Alumina refinery in Limerick and the future of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.  




We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism. 

EU Commissioner Michael McGrath talks to Mary Regan about potential social media bans for teens in Europe as EU officials grapple with the thorny issue of technology and teens, the growing scrutiny surrounding the Aughinish Alumina refinery in Limerick and the future of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. &nbsp;
 
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at <a href="https://www.independent.ie/service/our-journalism/a/98708550.html">independent.ie/ourjournalism.&nbsp;</a>

EU Commissioner Michael McGrath on EU social media ban for children 

As the Dáil breaks for summer, Kevin Doyle and Maeve McTaggart assess the political winners and losers of the past six months. They examine RTÉ's growing funding gap, the fierce battle over hare coursing, Sinn Féin's push on Irish unity, and ask who's heading into the EU Presidency with momentum.

We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism.

As the Dáil breaks for summer, Kevin Doyle and Maeve McTaggart assess the political winners and losers of the past six months. They examine RTÉ's growing funding gap, the fierce battle over hare coursing, Sinn Féin's push on Irish unity, and ask who's heading into the EU Presidency with momentum.
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism.

School's out: The Winners, Losers and Gaffes of the Political Year (So Far)

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