Why is Ireland on Strike?

Why is Ireland on strike — and is the taxpayer getting value for money?

This week on The Irish Question, Nick Delehanty, Elaine Mullally and Paul Treyvaud debate public-sector pay, trade unions, council performance and whether better pay should come with greater accountability.

We also discuss the confrontation with Ray D’Arcy, politicians’ salaries, court backlogs, RTÉ funding, social housing and the pressures on Ireland’s welfare state. Brendan Courtney’s comments spark a debate about double standards, while Brian Dowling and Arthur’s documentary raises questions about public scrutiny.

Plus: Elaine’s new eyebrows, the hosts’ Instagram follower stats — and Paul’s popularity with older women!

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Welcome to The Irish Question
00:56 Public-sector strikes: pay demands and council performance
05:13 Trade unions, spending priorities and the taxpayer
08:49 The pay dispute: inflation and frontline workers
14:43 Government waste, benchmarking and spending transparency
17:25 The future of unions and working from home during strikes
19:58 Ray D’Arcy: questioning public figures or harassment?
25:51 Should politicians be paid more?
29:49 Elaine’s new eyebrows!
31:05 Instagram follower stats: who’s watching each host?
31:53 Court delays, overcrowded prisons and struggling services
36:21 Patrick O’Donovan, the culture card and RTÉ funding
37:52 The children’s hospital and political accountability
39:08 Ben Scallan, Gript and independent journalism
41:36 Social housing: who should qualify?
44:27 Welfare benefits and the incentive to work
47:56 Britain, France and Ireland’s reliance on corporation tax
51:09 Brendan Courtney’s comments and the double-standards debate
53:08 What is misandry? The Trinity College discussion
55:27 Brian Dowling and Arthur: parenting, surrogacy and public scrutiny
1:00:44 Global instability and emergency preparedness
1:03:38 Final thoughts and thanks to our listeners

Subscribe, share the episode and tell us what you think: should public-sector pay increases be linked to performance?

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