A Conversion About Ireland’s Progress with Tánaiste Micheál Martin

I was honoured to accept the invitation of the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Micheál Martin to discuss Ireland’s progress with him for the first edition of his new podcast.

We explored how Ireland has developed since the foundation of the State, and how our quality of life has improved, through the lens of the economy, education and health. We also explored some of the challenges that face the country such as housing, climate change, biodiversity and the cost of living.

Listen to our exchange on Spotify or watch it on YouTube.

While there are, inevitably, mixed views about any politician doing their own podcasts, I was very pleased that our piece attracted so much national news coverage online, in print, and on radio.

Shane Coleman’s commentary in The Sunday Business Post is most aligned with my analysis – his piece is entitled ‘Forget the failed state guff – Ireland is a great country with issues like any other’. Read it here (although, like most of these articles, subscription/registration is required).

I admire the writing of Miriam Lord in The Irish Times – she is a great writer and her pieces are always fun to read – see what she had to say here. I similarly enjoyed The Irish Independent article by Concubhar Ó Liatháin here.

As Coleman writes: “Abroad, Ireland is seen as a modern, vibrant, progress and economically successful state. Here, we only focus on its failings”. That is my very rationale for writing the book In Fact and for seeking to provide balance and context to our national conversations.