The Echo Chamber Podcast, hosted by Tony Groves and Martin McMahon, brings you the voices you need to hear from the Venn Diagram of News, Politics and Culture. Always serious, yet always entertaining, we explore the issues of the day, the problems facing us in society and talk real solutions in a way you won’t hear anywhere else. Often irreverent, each episode aims to bring a unique perspective, break through the PR fog and set the record straight. This is Ireland as it is and Ireland as it can be. So join the fastest growing independent News and Politics podcast. You won’t be sorry you did. Enjoy!
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Gavin Sheridan – Freedom of Information
While we were all losing our minds over the General Election, our guest in The Tortoise Shack, CEO of Vizlegal, Co-founder of Right to Know and former innovation director with Storyful, Gavin Sheridan, was busy fighting the good fight to make sure that we can have access to information about how our country is run. Gavin walks through his journey from scanning pages political expenses up to taking cases to the Supreme Court and on into the EU.
This is a terrific conversation with a man, who along side a handful of others, we all owe a debt of gratitude to.
Stalemate
or Clickbait
It’s over a week since the election even though it feels much longer.
Talks about talks about talks with no solutions in sight.
Here in The Tortoise Shack Rachel joins Martin and Glenn Fitzpatrick to discuss the current state of play.
We go through each party and the moves they are and are not making and the what the latest poll tells us.
Tick tock for everybody as the patience of the electorate wears thin.
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Daan van der Gouwe
Tony Duffin
During the election we heard various politician’s say they were committed to the failed drug policies of the past. Our guests in The Tortoise Shack are CEO of Ana Liffey Drug Project, Tony Duffin and Head of Drug Testing at DIMS Instiute in the Netherlands, Dan van der Gouwe. They discuss how sensible drug policies, like drug testing, save lives and make for a better environment for all. Daan discusses how his work has managed to prevent deaths from some of the drugs that went on to create chaos in other countries and how this model of harm reduction is not only the moral thing, but makes economic sense.
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#GE2020
In The National Interest
Fine Gael seem to have forgotten that all the parties of the Dáil stood by and assisted in delivering a stable (but ineffective) government throughout the Brexit process. Now that they’ve lost they seem to want to take the ball and go home. We talk about the need for all sides to be grown ups now and the need for a no red lines talks.
Then Solidarity PBP’s newly re-elected Paul Murphy joins us to discuss what 3 things he wants to see as front and centre in a Left Unity Government.
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A Future To
Look Forward To
This is when it starts to get interesting. The numbers don’t suit anybody, but the majority know that they don’t want a government of Fianna Gael. So this calls for a putting aside of small differences and coming to the people with a vision for a better country. We also talk about just how historically bad a performance this was for Fine Gael.
Then moments after he was elected, Soc Dem’s, Gary Gannon, joins us for a chat.
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A Broad
Left Coalition?
Rory, Martin and Tony discuss where the numbers are and what the permutations of the next government might be. We don’t agree on much, but we do agree that the train is ready to leave the station and that if Labour, the Green’s, PBP and the Soc Dems aren’t ready to jump on board it would be a colossal mistake.
Then we are joined by Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin, to discuss the results and what happens tomorrow.
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The Results
An Epic Day
If anything the Exit Poll underestimated the Broad Left Vote and while FF/FG might end up with more seats than SF, the Broad Left is the real winner. The people have said they no longer want a €5er in tax cuts and poorly funded public services and the people have said that politicians who think accountability is only for the working class will no longer be tolerated.
To talk about all this and what it might mean I’m joined by 2 candidates who are very likely to be TD’s in the coming hours: Green Party’s Dublin Central, Neasa Hourigan and Sinn Féin’s Meath East, Darren O’Rourke.
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#GE2020
The Exit Polls
It’s a 3 way tie and despite all the nonsense about the ‘Leo vs Micheal’ narrative it is clear now that a majority in this country want to live in a society and no longer just exist in the economy of Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil.
Martin, to give him his due, called it, 45% for the Fianna Gaeler’s. No matter what the headlines say tomorrow, Leo Varadkar has led FG into an electoral catastrophe and FF failed to win an election that was offered to them by an accident prone incumbent government. Yes, it’s only an exit poll, but the political landscape has changed. This is only half-time and the leaders of the Broad Left must talk now and agree a strategy. We didn’t give into Project Fear, it’s time our Leaders showed the same courage.
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#GE2020
Project Hope
A bit different today. We go through some of the marginal seats and call on you to transfer to the Left candidate in order to maximise the broad Left vote. Then we talk about defeating Project Fear with Project Hope. Finally, we are joined again on the line by Vice Deputy Leader of the Socialist Party in Portugal, Joao Pina, a day after they passed their fifth budget. you’re gonna want to hear this. Another way is possible. We can do this!
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The Quality of
Life Election
In our second podcast of the day we talk about why the teacher’s strike, the early childhood educators march and a bed beside a toilet for €425 per week are all related. This is the election where we say we enough. Equal pay for equal work, pay people a living wage and make housing safe and affordable!
Then we are joined on the pod by Labour Candidate in Meath East, Annie Hoey and independent candidate in Dublin Fingal, Dean Mulligan.
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#GE2020
Class Warfare?
In a campaign that has descended into name calling, we look at how ‘class’ is a part of the Irish experience and should be part of our politics. We also ask which of the Parties are being dishonest in their campaign promises, what type of country we really want to be and why we must grasp the opportunity this Saturday. #DontBottleIt
We are then joined by Sinn Féin candidate for Kildare North, Reada Cronin and Soc Dem candidate for Dublin Central, Gary Gannon.
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#GE2020
Class Warfare?
In a campaign that has descended into name calling, we look at how ‘class’ is a part of the Irish experience and should be part of our politics. We also ask which of the Parties are being dishonest in their campaign promises, what type of country we really want to be and why we must grasp the opportunity this Saturday. #DontBottleIt
We are then joined by Sinn Féin candidate for Kildare North, Reada Cronin and Soc Dem candidate for Dublin Central, Gary Gannon.
Listen Now
#GE2020
Class Warfare?
In a campaign that has descended into name calling, we look at how ‘class’ is a part of the Irish experience and should be part of our politics. We also ask which of the Parties are being dishonest in their campaign promises, what type of country we really want to be and why we must grasp the opportunity this Saturday. #DontBottleIt
We are then joined by Sinn Féin candidate for Kildare North, Reada Cronin and Soc Dem candidate for Dublin Central, Gary Gannon.
Listen Now
#GE2020
Class Warfare?
In a campaign that has descended into name calling, we look at how ‘class’ is a part of the Irish experience and should be part of our politics. We also ask which of the Parties are being dishonest in their campaign promises, what type of country we really want to be and why we must grasp the opportunity this Saturday. #DontBottleIt
We are then joined by Sinn Féin candidate for Kildare North, Reada Cronin and Soc Dem candidate for Dublin Central, Gary Gannon.
Listen Now
#GE2020
Class Warfare?
In a campaign that has descended into name calling, we look at how ‘class’ is a part of the Irish experience and should be part of our politics. We also ask which of the Parties are being dishonest in their campaign promises, what type of country we really want to be and why we must grasp the opportunity this Saturday. #DontBottleIt
We are then joined by Sinn Féin candidate for Kildare North, Reada Cronin and Soc Dem candidate for Dublin Central, Gary Gannon.
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#GE2020
The People Want Change
It’s just me and Ben in The Tortoise Shack for 2 interviews. The first with Soc Dems candidate for Kildare South and Founder of Action Against Sexual Violence Ireland, Linda Hayden, do discuss her campaign for a better quality of life and the Victims Alliance work she is undertaking. The second is with former MEP and Sinn Féin member, Lynn Boylan, to discuss what they’re hearing on the doors and why she believes people are sick of being told that we can’t have the types of Public Services other countries take for granted.
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#GE2020
Save Our GP’s
We are joined in The Tortoise Shack by GP, Maitiu O Tuathaill of Safteynet, to discuss the realities of bringing healthcare to the people who need it most, but can’t access it. Maitiu outlines some of the challenges facing General Practice and how the homelessness crisis has meant demand for their services has risen sharply at a time when resources have diminished. This is an important listen with a Doctor who is doing, along with his colleagues, great work at the front line.
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#GE2020
Ivan the Terrible
Host of Reboot Republic, Rory Hearne, joined us to give his sense of the campaign so far and where he thinks the next moves will happen. We discuss the Ivan Yates debacle, the growing momentum for a Left Block to come together post-election, the latest stunts and why Fianna Fáil have identified Sinn Féin as the main threat and not Fine Gael.
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#GE2020
Auction or Action Politics?
Votes for sale! Votes for sale! Get ’em while they’re cheap! The promises of better everything and tax cuts for all abound. We discuss what is and isn’t radical, the latest CSO report that shows what you want it to show, depending on your politics and then Martin discusses whether Tony will be kept on after the revolution.
Then we are joined by Sinn Féin MEP, Matt Carthy, to ask why he’s running in #GE2020 and what he believes what Brexit actually now happening means.
Oh, The Left Block is Coming…
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#GE2020
An “independent” media?
As the campaign reaches ‘make your mind up time’ we are seeing some elements of the media who, in our opinion, have questions to answer. We elaborate on this and discuss the Taoiseach’s links to INM and what and what that means for a free press. We also talk about the Sinn Féin and Labour manifestos, as well as the encouraging soundings about that post-election Left Unity we’ve been hoping for.
Then we are joined by Green Party candidate for Dublin South Central, Patrick Costello and Soc Dem candidate for Dublin West, Aengus Ó Maoláin.
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#GE2020
Another Fine (Gael) Mess
If this is indeed what the “serious” pundits call “moving week”, then Fine Gael are moving down at a rate of knots. We talk about the interesting outcomes of last nights debate, the need for the Left to capitalise on this opportunity with a more positive message and the totally inappropriate comments by Fine Gael Senator, Catherine Noone.
Then People Before Profit TD for Dublin South Central, Brid Smith, comes in to tell us about her long history of activism and why she is excited and energised by the last few weeks.
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#GE2020
Tactical Voting?
Day 736 of the 3 week General Election campaign and it’s getting testy. We discuss the total lack of plans to help the one million renters in the published manifestos, the pensions debacle and how to fix it and then “Count Centre Martin” gives us his how to vote tactically guide.
We are then joined on the line by Peter Kavanagh of the Green Party to discuss his never ending campaign in Dublin Mid West.
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#GE2020
Manifesto Mediocrity?
“Nobody reads manifestos”, well here in the #Tortoiseshack we do to save you the bother. The Fine Gael and Fianna Fail manifestos dropped on the campaign trail today with all the bounce of a dead cat.
‘BAU’ Business as Usual is the mantra from both parties, neo-liberal ‘solutions’ which increase the cost of housing and tweeking tax bands are the only tricks these two jaded old dogs can muster. We also have interviews with first time candidate, Ciarán Ahern of the Labour Party and Independent Dublin City Cllr, John Lyons.
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#GE2020
A Grand (old) Coalition?
The “debate” passed off in an uninspiring 0 – 0 draw and the only talking points were the Taoiseach’s discomfort around his drug taking past and his comfort with his FG/FF coalition future. We fact check some of the claims and ask why easily disproved points went unchallenged.
Then we have 2 interviews with candidates for Meath East in Fianna Fáil TD, Thomas Byrne and Sinn Féin candidate, Darren O’Rourke. It is an interesting insight into two representatives from the same constituency.
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The Archive
#MuchMore
Enjoying our podcasts and want to hear more? Just visit our Archive Page where you’ll find links to many more hours of top quality content.