E23: Grabby Grannies and Tusla Scandals

www.johnandsarah.ie

This week: We talk about THAT ad, a story John broke on Wednesday. Also, the Tusla Scandal that should bring down the Government. The Triple Lock unlocked. Sinn Fein Charity woes. And Fine Gael at War.00:00 - Opening the week’s big stories and the “don’t hug your granny” backlash
02:49 - Why the consent ad used grandparents and why that annoyed so many people
04:54 - The “family A, family B” style of cultural signalling in the ad
07:58 - Why the campaign went viral and drew international disbelief
08:26 - Consent in family life versus state-funded messaging
09:52 - Why the hosts say the ad conflates hugging with sexual consent
11:09 - Sarah’s argument: the state should not dictate family conversations
13:18 - The Irishness, class tone, and age-based disrespect in the ad
14:27 - A separate taxpayer-funded trans video and the argument over mockery
16:45 - Why the hosts see the ad as part of a wider sneering attitude to older Irish men
21:09 - The Tusla case: a 14-year-old girl allegedly being sexually exploited
22:06 - Special care, staffing shortages, and why Tusla says it cannot place her
23:32 - The judge’s intervention and the failure of political urgency
25:41 - Why Sarah says priorities in the state have become badly distorted
28:22 - Why John says Tusla is not being overseen properly by the responsible minister
29:17 - The old expectation that ministers resign for major failures
30:59 - Why this case would once have been a national scandal
32:03 - The minimum standard the state should meet for children in care
35:37 - What the triple lock is and why the Dáil vote matters
36:42 - Sarah’s concerns about broken promises and government trust
38:04 - John’s case for letting elected governments make foreign policy decisions
41:32 - Neutrality, public sentiment, and why the issue is politically complicated
44:06 - Mission creep, referendum promises, and why voters distrust politicians
45:16 - Why John thinks the triple lock debate is partly theoretical for Ireland’s current military capacity