E25: Is Ireland Slowly Dying?

www.johnandsarah.ieThis week: Ireland's Fertility Crisis finally hits the news, as Mary McAleese wages war on baptism. Also: Fine Gael are in crisis, say the papers. Trump is in crisis, say the voters. And Lawyers are not in crisis any more.00:00 The week’s headlines and a correction from last episode01:43 Ireland’s falling birth rate and its local consequences03:22 Culture, policy, and the causes of delayed parenthood08:30 How the pregnancy debate shapes attitudes to having children12:27 Child-benefit proposals and incentives for larger families18:11 Mary McAleese, baptism, and parental choice26:23 Religious liberty, circumcision, and Chesterton’s fence29:29 Fine Gael’s centre-right identity and the blocked motion32:47 Simon Harris, NGOs, and political triangulation37:00 Fine Gael’s shifting priorities and lack of a governing plan41:35 What the US midterms say about Trump and voter frustration53:16 The court challenge to legal-aid reforms01:01:00 Listener support and sign-off