533. Housing Insecurity with Mary Coogan & Mark O’Halloran

The sale of 170 houses to an Investment Fund has sparked a conversation amongst the public that listeners of the shack will have been having for several years. But what does Generation Rent and the Locked-out Generation really mean? To discuss this we were joined in the Tortoise Shack by activist and long-time friend of the pod, Mary Coogan and […]

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The 41st Tortoise Shack Sunday Special with the Muslim Sisters of Eire

This week for the Live Sunday Special it was a pleasure to be joined by founder of the Muslim Sisters of Eire, Lorraine O’Connor, Madrid based Professor Joe Haslam and Architect, Orla Hegarty. We discussed the Covid Poverty that has seen demand for Muslim Sisters of Eire’s services almost overwhelmed, the public anger at the housing crisis reaching what many […]

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531. Mick Clifford & Brendan Ogle – The Solutions to Bogus Self Employment

Special Correspondent with the Irish Examiner, Mick Clifford, joined Tony to host a debate on the solutions to the issue of Bogus Self Employment. Unite Trade Unionist, Brendan Ogle and our own Martin McMahon, discuss the draft proposals emerging from the Oireachtas Social Welfare Committee, with particular focus on a Statutory Code of Practice, the failure of Revenue and Social […]

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528. Loyalism, the Centenary and Learning from the Worst of the Troubles

It was a pleasure to be joined in the tortoise shack by Writer, Author and Troubles historian, Dr Gareth Mulvenna. We discussed the recent scenes of violence, the echoes of the past, the fissures in Loyalism and why it remains true that those who refuse to learn from history are determined to repeat it. Gareth expresses his frustration at the […]

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529. The Cost of Carbon

It was a pleasure to be rejoined in the tortoise shack by investigative reporter with Noteworthy, Niall Sargent, to discuss his latest 2 part report into Ireland’s carbon emissions. Niall talks us through the key findings and tells us where we are starting to get things right, but also points out where we need to see significant improvements. We discuss […]

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The 40th Sunday Special – Delay, Deny and Wait for me to Die

We’ve just finished recording our 40th Live Sunday Special and it was terrific. Joining Martin and Tony were Actor, Writer and Adoption Rights Activist, Noelle Brown, Writer, Leadership Coordinator and Human Rights Activist, Emma DeSouza and Writer, Journalist and Broadcaster, Dawn Foster. Noelle talks us through the latest “update” on the Mother and Baby Homes Report and the retraumatising of […]

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526. The Stardust: Justice For The 48

It was a pleasure to be joined by Human Rights Lawyer with Phoenix Law, Darragh Mackin and Sinn Féin Senator, Lynn Boylan, to discuss the re-traumatising of the victims and families of the Stardust fire. Darragh tells us about the inequality built into the States current method of access to justice and Lynn talks about the feelings of those impacted. […]

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523. National Marine Planning Framework: Action Required!

If you listened to the Sunday Special you would have heard us say that we would be covering the concerns around the National Marine Planning Framework in more detail. and have we ever. Joining us to talk through the various issues (and there are many) are Ellen MacMahon of SWAN Ireland, Bernadette Connolly of the Cork Environmental Forum, Padraic Fogarty […]

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