Reboot Republic Podcast Brough To You By The Tortoise Shack Ireland

Reboot Republic is the innovative Podcast that delves beyond the headlines and soundbites and pulls up the roots of our Social Crises to unearth progressive solutions. We talk to world leading experts, politicians, activists and everyday change-makers. This not about tinkering around the edges. Hosted by Lecturer of Social Policy in Maynooth University and Social Justice Campaigner Dr Rory Hearne and independent podcast nerd Tony Groves, we look beyond the political speak for real, globally tried and tested solutions. Reboot Republic aims to be the podcast for an optimistic and inclusive future and not the polarised present. @RebootPod

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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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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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#VoteLeft
Emmet Kirwan

In this podcast, our 100th official episode, we explore that pent up desire for change and for a better society. We dive into how the Policies of Austerity have torn up the social contract and given people the courage to see through the Project Fear nonsense and we call on the Leaders of the Broad Left to make a statement of Unity before the polls open this Saturday. For our money, there is nothing more electric than Emmet Kirwan in full flow and he is in full flow here. #VoteLeft

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#GE2020
A Childcare Crisis

Ahead of the Early Years Alliance protest on Wednesday, Reboot Republic hosted a #GE2020 childcare & early childhood education special. Montessori teacher, Eva Lawes, explains that workers have had enough of low pay & lack of recognition, Manager, Jessica Lee, outlines the developmental importance of attachment & early years care, while SIPTU organiser of the Big Start campaign, Darragh O Connor, outlines a plan for how Ireland can create a system of quality early years child care & education.

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#GE2020
A Progressive Agenda

We talk to Dr Tom McDonnell, Director with the Nevin Economic Research Institute and Dr Tricia Kielty, Head of Policy with St Vincent De Paul, about the General Election and the economy. We discuss the folly of tax cuts when huge investment is required in health, childcare and housing, also that when it comes to tax cuts its always the higher income earners that benefit. The fiscal space is explained and dissected and a few myths are busted – such as the idea that a Left led government with higher tax and higher investment would be bad for the economy and scare off investors.

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#GE2020
Disability Rights

We went to the Irish Wheelchair Associations offices to talk with Chair of Inclusion Ireland, Lorraine Dempsey and IWA’s Advocacy Officer, Joan Carty, to ask are those with disabilities equal citizens in this Republic. We discuss with Lorraine and Joan the reality facing people with a disability. We hear about the shocking recent cuts to disability services budgets and talk about the need for wider conversations about community inclusion of those who are different.

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Home
For Good

Rory has worked with a group for the last 2 years and yesterday say the launch of their campaign to introduce the right to housing into the Irish Constitution, Home For Good. We were there to cover it. You will hear from Rory about the ambitions for the campaign and the reason it is something that is so vital. Then you will hear speeches by Independent Senator, Colette Kelleher, Mercy Law’s Managing Solicitor, Rebecca Keatinge and former Barnardo’s CEO, Fergus Finlay.

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Dr Laura Bambrick
A Fair Wage

Ireland has the highest income inequality in the EU, but what does that mean? Well, our guest is Social Policy Officer with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and her paper into income disparity is a real eye opener.
Laura tells us about how she went from working in the Students Union Shop in Trinity to doing he PhD in Oxford.

She also reveals how a recent ICTU report into Irish registered companies showed that it can take up to 212 years for the lowest paid person in a business to earn the same as one years salary of the CEO’s. You don’t want to miss this.

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Professor John Sweeney
#GreenNewDeal

We keep hearing terms like Just Transition and Green New Deal. But will they really mean to you and me? Our guest is Professor John Sweeney and over the past 30 years he has published (including contributing to a a Nobel Prize report) papers and articles on Climatology, Climate Change and Air Pollution.

We discuss the current Government’s plans and their efficacy, what a Just Transition would mean and how a Green New Deal could radically change the way we live our lives, in many cases for the better.

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Dr Gabrielle Colleran
#CareCantWait

When you hear a Politician talk about Slaintecare, yet see posing for the cameras at the opening of another Private Hospital it’s no wonder the public a sceptical. Our guest is Consultant Paediatric Radiologist at the Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street and the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin, Dr Gabrielle Colleran. She is also Head of Radiology at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin.

This is brilliant discussion that covers the effect of homelessness on the health service, the rigged Public vs Private narrative and why the waiting times for care can lead to worse patient outcomes.

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Leilani Farha
#MakeTheShift

UN Special Rapporteur for Housing, Leilani Farha was kind enough to join us on the pod for the third time. We discuss the roll housing insecurity and financialisation is having in increasing inequality and creating social unrest globally. Leilani talks candidly about what States should be doing and how the Right to Housing is central to confronting the profit motive that has made housing unaffordable across the world. We also discuss Ireland’s current situation, our role in facilitating some of the biggest players in what is a market that is bigger than all of the GDP’s of the world economies combined and the national scandal that is child homelessness.

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Colette Kelleher
#KeepFighting

Narratives like homelessness is normal and poverty is self-inflicted can as strong an adversary as any “free market” ideology. Our guest is lifelong activist, former Director of Cork Simon and now Independent Senator, Colette Kelleher.

Colette talks to us about her introduction to activism and her work in the Seanad. We discuss Traveller rights and combatting systemic racism. There’s also a look into the ideological mind-set of a Government that will not act to properly to address the Housing Crisis and their reasons for that.

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John Harris
#GE2019

We are delighted to be joined on the podcast by UK Political Commentator of the Year, Guardian Columnist and Reboot regular, John Harris. In a departure from the Brexit madness John shares with us his struggle to get the special needs services for his son who has autism and how difficult the system is to access.

Don’t worry, we do discuss the upcoming General Election and the issues outside of Brexit that are dominating the campaign. And we have to talk Brexit, the current situation and the disaster that is much of the punditry around it.

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Naomi Klein
#OnFire

We are delighted to be joined on the podcast by journalist, award winning bestselling author and activist, Naomi Klein.

We discuss social movements, including Right to Housing, Climate Strikes and Extinction Rebellion, how neoliberal “climate policies” solidify the narrative that Climate Action is a war on working people, the regressive nature of Ireland’s Carbon Tax regime and why it’s fine to yell Fire as long as we put forward our solutions for putting it out.