The Indo Daily
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Trump bruised, MAGA broken? The fight for 2028 begins
The Democrats have stormed back into power, seizing control of both the House and Senate and delivering a political blow to Donald Trump.
But while the mid-terms may be over, the race to define America’s future is only just beginning.
Is Trump now a lame-duck president, or can he still dominate the Republican Party from the White House?
And as cracks begin to appear in the MAGA coalition, who is ready to take up th...
Poached podcasters and missing millions: RTÉ faces the Oireachtas (again)
RTÉ is heading back before the Oireachtas as politicians demand answers on reform, funding and the future of Ireland's national broadcaster.
More than two years after the payments scandal plunged the organisation into crisis, questions remain over whether RTÉ is really becoming the leaner, more efficient broadcaster it promised to be.
With a €20m funding dispute still hanging over Montrose and TV licence fee revenue continuing to decline, pressure is growing on director general Kevin Bakhurst and his leadership team.
Fresh controversy surrounding RTÉ's new sports podcast with Ger Gilroy has only added...
'People are done with corruption': Anthony Scaramucci on Donald Trump and the US mid-terms
Voting is under way in the US mid-term elections, with the potential for a major impact on Donald Trump's presidency.
One man who knows what it's like to be inside the pressure cooker of Trump's White House – albeit briefly – is former communications director Anthony Scaramucci.
Having long shaken off the ignominy of his 11-day reign, Scaramucci has repositioned himself as a prolific political commentator and author.
His new book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, places his former employer back under the microscope, though Scaramucci is adamant...
Crime lord 'Red' Larry McCarthy: From Limerick feuds to UK prison cells
For years, ‘Red’ Larry McCarthy was one of the most feared figures in Irish gangland, emerging from the bloody feud that gripped Limerick and left a trail of violence across the city.
After prison sentences in Ireland and Britain, the alleged crime boss has repeatedly claimed he has left that life behind.
But now he is back in the headlines as he challenges a Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) case over properties that Cab says were bought with the proceeds of crime.
How did Red Larry...
Health, travel, banking: AI bots are coming for our public services
AI could soon make cyber-attacks on public services far more frequent, with Ireland potentially facing serious disruption to everything from healthcare to banking and transport.
This episode of The Indo Daily is brought to you by our sister podcast The Big Tech Show, as Adrian speaks to Peter Tanham, analyst at TheState.ie, former founder, political strategist and recently departed Meta global data policy executive, about why AI is changing the hacking game, how exposed our computer systems really are and why the HSE cyber-attack of 2021 could offer a warning of what lies ahead.
Is...
'The ultimate betrayal': Inside Fine Gael's bitter infighting
Anonymous briefings, accusations of betrayal and a mystery phone call have exposed deep tensions within Fine Gael.
Culture Minister Patrick O'Donovan has hit back after questions were raised about his health, describing the episode as the "ultimate betrayal".
The controversy intensified after it emerged that Tánaiste Simon Harris had called O'Donovan shortly before he was hospitalised while hosting a major EU presidency event in Limerick.
Why did it take weeks to confirm the Tánaiste was the caller, and what does the saga reveal about the state of Fine Gael behind closed do...
From Kneecap to Daniel Kinahan: Rising legal star Darragh Mackin and his headline-grabbing cases
A rising voice in the legal world. The country's foremost human rights lawyer. A "man for all seasons, needed for all sorts of reasons".
These are just a taste of the growing list of superlatives used to describe Belfast-based solicitor Darragh Mackin.
The lofty praise for the 35-year-old founding partner of Phoenix Law is matched by an extensive, attention-grabbing client list.
From controversial rappers Kneecap to the Stardust families and the residents of the Garvaghy Road, Mackin has become the go-to legal eagle at the centre of som...
Extra: Netanyahu's 'fight for survival' - Israel’s election deadlock explained
Israel’s election has produced no clear winner, leaving Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival battling to build a coalition. With Arab-led parties potentially holding the balance of power, could this be the end of Netanyahu’s long grip on power?
Host: Kevin Doyle, Guest: Bel Trew
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What was Jeffrey Donaldson doing in Africa? Examining his international double life
Jeffrey Donaldson was doing paid work for the ministry of defence in Africa even as acute political turmoil was engulfing his party at home in Northern Ireland.
Why was the then DUP leader undertaking sensitive work in dictator-led Cameroon just a week after he himself collapsed Stormont in 2022? Why was he helping sell arms in Egypt alongside a British general?
Why did a special forces officer say he’d worked with Donaldson before?
Profound political questions remain over who all the now convicted paedophile was working for – alongsi...
How torture videos are escalating drug debt intimidation in Ireland
Incidents of violent drug-debt intimidation are rising in Ireland – and the methods are becoming more concerning and elaborate.
Brutal enforcers are now using 'disappearing' video technology on social media platforms to capture and distribute graphic footage of torture.
The targeted aggression goes beyond those allegedly in arrears, with innocent friends and family members increasingly caught up in the cruel crossfire.
What are the gardaí doing about it?
Is there a class issue at play?
And what about the incidents we're not hearing about?
On this episode of The...
Booming riches and broken promises: The dramatic evolution of Dublin's docklands
The grand vision was to create a modern metropolis to rival London, Paris or Madrid.
But as the Celtic Tiger roared, Dublin's Docklands became emblematic of property speculation, unchecked largesse and broken promises.
The transformation is celebrated as a triumph of regeneration.
But it also sparked battles over planning, politics and public money.
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent news correspondent Conor Feehan to explore how a neglected stretch of Dublin's waterfront became a model of urban...
Jeffrey Donaldson Investigated Over New Westminster Rape Allegation
Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is at the centre of a new Metropolitan Police investigation into an alleged rape said to have taken place in his Westminster office.
The development comes just days after Donaldson was sentenced to prison for child sex offences, including the rape of a child.
What do we know about this latest allegation, how did the investigation come about and what happens next?
Today's Indo Daily comes from our sister podcast, The BelTel. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph crime correspondent Allison Morris to examine the facts o...
Extra: Garda raid, Rolexes and a Sinn Féin TD: The charity under investigation
Rolex watches, luxury BMWs and designer handbags worth almost €300,000 have been seized in Garda raids targeting a prominent Irish charity.
The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau has carried out searches linked to Liberty Recycling, a charity chaired by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh.
Sinn Féin have confirmed that there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD and none of the items seized are connected to him.
The investigation centres on suspected money laundering.
As the probe continues, Liberty Recycling remains operational and is still...
Lawyers on strike, courts under pressure: Has Jim O'Callaghan picked the wrong fight?
A strike by criminal defence lawyers is causing disruption across Ireland's courts, but the bigger question may be what happens next.
With barristers and solicitors warning their action could escalate, pressure is mounting on Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan to find a solution.
Is this a routine industrial dispute, or the first big political test of his tenure?
On today's Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan examines what's at stake for the justice system, the Government and for O'Callaghan himself. He is joined by Irish Independent’s legal affairs editor...
'Therapy is a weakness': Understanding James McClean and a career full of controversies
James McClean’s view that therapy is a “weakness” has been widely criticised. But where does that belief come from?
Dan McDonnell, ghostwriter of McClean's new book The Walls, joins Kevin Doyle to discuss McClean’s difficult upbringing, the man behind the controversial opinions and the things he has spent much of his life refusing to talk about.
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism.
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France is burning. Where else in Europe is next?
France is burning. What began as student protests over crumbling schools has exploded into riots, looting and a political crisis that is shaking the country ahead of next year's presidential election.
As President Emmanuel Macron struggles to restore order, many are asking whether this is a uniquely French revolt or a warning sign for the rest of Europe.
Today on the Indo Daily Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Paris-based journalist Catherine Field to explain how France reached this breaking point and why support for far-right leader Marine Le Pen is soaring.
Also, I...
‘I know who murdered my father’ | EP 2
A blacked-out van. A secret meeting. And a quest for answers that would consume decades of one man's life.
In the concluding episode of this Indo Daily exclusive, Austin Stack recounts the extraordinary events that unfolded as he pursued the truth about his father's murder. What followed were revelations, confrontations and moments that were almost impossible to believe.
More than 40 years after Brian Stack was shot, Austin believes he finally has many of the answers he spent a lifetime searching for.
But has that brought justice?
Today on the Indo Daily, Ke...
Extra: Family of 4 killed in Waterford arson were victims of a ‘web of evil’, funeral hears
A county is in mourning today, as family and friends gathered to say goodbye to four members of the same family who lost their lives in an arson attack last week.
Philip, Kim, Callum and Jayden English were remembered as a loving family who brought light to their community.
Over the weekend, two people were charged in connection with the attack on the family home. They face charges of criminal damage and assault causing serious harm, and have been remanded in custody.
Host: Kevin Doyle, Guests: Catherine Feegan and Ralph Riegel
Se...
‘I know who murdered my father’ | EP 1
A respected prison officer, Brian Stack, is gunned down on a Dublin street. The investigation that follows fails to deliver justice. There are no convictions and no closure as his 14-year-old son is left with questions that will shape the rest of his life.
As the years turned into decades, Austin Stack and his family began searching for answers themselves. What they uncovered would lead them into a world of secret meetings, hidden truths and extraordinary claims.
Now, more than 40 years later, the story reaches another remarkable chapter as the Taoiseach prepares to address the...
Inside Simon Harris's new investment scheme: The positives and negatives
Simon Harris’s much-hyped investment scheme is official, though there’s still some way to go before you can avail of it. But we’re not going to wait until next summer to analyse and scrutinise it.
Today's episode of The Indo Daily is brought to you by our sister podcast Money Talks, as Katie Byrne is joined by Cian Carolan, managing director at DNG Financial Services, to tease out the forthcoming Personal Investment Account and discuss what you need to know ahead of time.
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Tru...
Ammi Burke vs Arthur Cox: solicitor's legal showdown with her former employer
The Burkes are back, but this time it's not Enoch grabbing the headlines, it's his sister Ammi.
In 2019, Ammi Burke was dismissed from her role at one of Ireland’s most prestigious law firms, Arthur Cox, after just over three years with the company.
Seven years, multiple legal battles and countless court appearances later, Ms Burke wants her job back. She and her former employer are facing off at the Workplace Relations Commission.
So, what exactly happened between the two sides? And why is a dispute that began years ago still rumbling on in...
Extra: Jeffrey Donaldson jailed for 15 years for child sex abuse
Jeffrey Donaldson has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for historical child sex crimes. The ex-DUP leader was sentenced to 11 years for rape against Complainant B and four years for all offences against Complainant A, to be served consecutively. He will also be on the sex offenders register indefinitely. This extra episode of The Indo Daily is brought to you by our sister podcast The BelTel, as Ciaran Dunbar speaks with Allison Morris outside Newry Crown Court.
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism
Waterford family were living in fear and tried to move before fatal arson attack
“I could hear screams like in a horror film – it will never leave my mind.”
These are the stark words of an onlooker on the streets of the Birchwood estate in Waterford as a scene of devastation stood before them.
Philip and Kim English, alongside their two children Callum (12) and Jayden (9), died following an arson attack on their house in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The family had been repeatedly intimidated, and their home targeted in connection with a drug debt – one that they themselves had nothing to...
The New Property Elite: Who Are Ireland's Super Landlords?
They collect millions in rent every year and own thousands of homes, but most Irish tenants have never heard of them.
From a former Anglo Irish banker to Galway plasterers, Ireland’s super-landlords have quietly built property empires worth hundreds of millions of euro.
So, who are the people shaping Ireland’s rental market, and how did they become some of the most powerful players in housing?
Today on the Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent features writer Kim Bielenberg and a...
Extra: Family named in Waterford house-fire murder investigation
Four members of the same family died in a house fire in Waterford city in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
A murder investigation has been launched as the community reels from a devastating loss.
On this Extra episode of the Indo Daily, host Kevin Doyle is joined by Irish Independent crime correspondent Ken Foy as they report on this developing story.
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism
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Government vs 400,000 Workers: Who blinks first ahead of strike chaos?
We’re now just hours away from a public sector strike that will bring disruption not seen in a generation. A row over public sector pay has brought more than 400,000 workers to the brink of industrial action, with teachers and nurse among those set to down tools on Wednesday.
So why aren’t the Government and the unions talking, and what would a strike on this scale mean for the country?
Host; Kevin Doyle, Guests; Donal O'Donovan and Aisling Moloney
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See...
Are prize competition sites like Ooosch a form of gambling? If not, why not?
Public lotteries have been a popular going concern for centuries.
The prospect of winning big with a low stake is undeniably attractive – it could be you, as the famous slogan goes.
In a fast-paced, lifestyle-focused social media age, the lottery takes on an ever more enviable quality when you can scroll through video after video of happy jackpot winners enjoying their prizes.
Such a strategy is key to the success of competition giveaway platforms like Ooosch, which has been operating in Ireland and the UK since the turn of the decade.
But do...
Allison Morris on the Encrochat hack turning NI crime on its head
In recent weeks, the 2020 French hack into the secret gangster phone network Encrochat has continued to see Northern Ireland drug dealers sent to Maghaberry.Multiple prison sentences have been handed down to some significant figures from Northern Ireland’s criminal world. Gangsters like ‘cute hur’, ‘mint wind’ and ‘ultra gold’ are just some of those who went down after the notorious platform spilled its secrets. Todays episode of The Indo Daily is brought to us by our sister podcast The BelTel as Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph’s crime correspondent Allison Morris.
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Missing for 34 years: Patsy O’Sullivan and the secret family no one knew about
It was in April 1992 when Patrick 'Patsy' O'Sullivan called into his brother Jerry's home like it was any other day, but it’s a day that will forever remain etched in Jerry’s memory.
Patrick went missing from his home in Co Kerry that year, and despite extensive searches and emotional appeals, efforts to find him proved fruitless.
It would take the O'Sullivan family 34 years to find out the truth.
On today’s Indo Daily, Tessa Fleming is joined by Kerryman journalist Sinead Kelleher and by Jerry O'Sullivan, Patsy’s brother, to discuss his disa...
Extra: RTÉ’s €20m budget bombshell - who or what gets cut now?
For a few hours, Budget 2027 appeared to have escaped without a major political banana skin. Then came the news that RTÉ would receive €20m less next year than it had expected, and suddenly the national broadcaster and the Government were at loggerheads.
RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst says the broadcaster had planned on the promised €260m, and has warned that some difficult decisions may now have to be made.
But Media Minister Patrick O'Donovan says he isn't satisfied with the pace of reform at Montrose, raising the question of whether RTÉ is effectively being punished for fai...
Putin’s plague problem: Can we trust Moscow’s version of what happened?
A mysterious death inside a secretive Russian plague laboratory has triggered international concern and some deeply uncomfortable questions.
As officials insist there is no wider threat, a sinister mix of rumours, misinformation and conspiracy theory is spreading almost as quickly as the story itself.
But Russia has a dark history with biological weapons, so when Moscow says everything is under control, how much can we really trust what we’re being told? And in a world still scarred by Covid, could the fear of another outbreak itself become a weapon?
Today on the In...
Ex prince Andrew’s return from the wilderness, amid 'desperate' legal action
Former prince Andrew is mounting a legal challenge against the warrants that allowed police to raid his home in February. It’s the first time in nearly four centuries that a member of the Royal Family has launched a legal battle to stop criminal proceedings against them. And while the legal claims have made headlines, Andrew has also been quietly welcomed back by Norfolk’s aristocratic set. Does this mean his time in social isolation may be coming to an end?
Host; Fionnán Sheahan and Guests; Enda Brady and Jennie Bond
We want to earn your...
Extra: Budget 2027 - Winners, losers and your bank balance
This Extra episode of The Indo Daily is brought to you by our personal finance show Money Talks.
Budget 2027 is in the books, so it's time to do some calculations.
How much better – or worse – off are we?
Has the government done enough to ease Ireland's cost-of-living crisis?
On this episode, host Katie Byrne is joined by Charlie Weston, Saoirse Hanley and Sinead Ryan of the Irish Independent's business team to tot up the winners and losers of this year's major financial shake-up.
The Indo Daily is part of the...
Richard Curran - ‘House prices are beginning to flatline’: Is Ireland’s property price boom finally slowing?
With Irish house prices finally showing signs of slowing, could the seemingly relentless rise in property values be reaching a turning point?
Higher interest rates, the cost-of-living squeeze and the limits of what buyers can afford are beginning to take some heat out of the market, with Richard Curran warning that “we’re reaching the ceiling of what we can put our hands on or borrow or repay”.
But with demand still high and housing supply struggling to keep pace, does a slowdown really mean prices could start to fall, or are we simply entering a period...
Robot judges: Could AI decide your fate in court?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming the legal world, but could we really trust it to decide someone’s fate in court?
At the Kilkenny Law Festival, four leading AI models were asked to rule on a fictional but complex extradition case, complete with deliberately planted legal traps.
The results revealed just how convincing AI-generated judgments can appear, while also exposing some significant flaws in how the technology understands and applies the law.
Today on the Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent legal affairs editor Shane Phelan to examine the...
Mark Little: ‘Rupert Murdoch told me to “go make some f**king money”
When Mark Little sold his news verification startup Storyful to Rupert Murdoch for $25m, he was summoned to the Australian's New York office.
"Let's go make some f***ing money," Murdoch told him, according to Little.
This episode of The Indo Daily is brought to you by our sister podcast The Big Tech Show, as former RTE anchorman-turned-entrepreneur talks in depth about his time running Twitter in Ireland, his challenges as a startup founder and what he thinks about the future of social media and AI.
https://www.independent.ie/service/why-you-can-trust-the-irish-independent/a/98708550...
How Paddy McKillen Jr went from king of Irish nightlife to €270 in the bank
Through his Press Up group, Paddy McKillen Jr built one of Ireland’s biggest hospitality empires, employing thousands of people across dozens of venues. The son of billionaire property developer Paddy McKillen Sr, he appeared to be building a formidable legacy of his own. But last week, the High Court heard he had just €270 in a Revolut account, against liabilities of almost €28 million. So, how did it all unravel, and could he ever build again?
Today on The Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan is joined by the Irish Independent’s Shane Phelan and John Burns to explore how Paddy M...
How Paddy McKillen Jr went from king of Irish nightlife to €270 in the bank
Through his Press Up group, Paddy McKillen Jr built one of Ireland’s biggest hospitality empires, employing thousands of people across dozens of venues. The son of billionaire property developer Paddy McKillen Sr, he appeared to be building a formidable legacy of his own. But last week, the High Court heard he had just €270 in a Revolut account, against liabilities of almost €28 million. So, how did it all unravel, and could he ever build again?
Today on The Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan is joined by the Irish Independent’s Shane Phelan and John Burns to explore how Paddy M...
Budget 2027: what's in it for you?
Everyone wants a piece of the budget pie – so what will Budget 2027 do for you?
With energy prices in turmoil, unfulfilled promises on childcare, soaring house prices and trade unions threatening strike action, expectations are building ahead of next Tuesday's announcement.
On today’s Indo Daily, Tessa Fleming is joined by political correspondent with the Irish Independent Aisling Moloney to examine how far the Government will go, what is off the table, and who, if anybody, could be in for a windfall.
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trus...
Extra: FAI grilled by Oireachtas over second player vote on eve of Israel game
Today’s Indo Daily is brought to you by our sister podcast, Indo Sport. Irish Independent soccer correspondent Dan McDonnell joined the team to discuss the FAI’s appearance before the Oireachtas. Among the issues raised at Leinster House were safeguarding and governance, including the fallout surrounding Ireland’s recent match against Israel.
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism.?
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