Does the Dowdall connection harm Sinn Féin?

<p>On today’s Inside Politics podcast Hugh Linehan is joined by Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones from our political team to discuss this week’s stories, including:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Focus on Sinn Féin’s <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2023/04/19/jonathan-dowdall-retreats-into-witness-protection-leaving-trail-of-questions-for-sinn-fein/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">link to discredited witness Jonathan Dowdall</a> since the conclusion of the Regency trial this week. Will the connection harm the party at election time?</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li>Fine Gael TD John Paul Phelan’s <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/04/19/fine-gael-td-john-paul-phelan-to-stand-down-at-next-election/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">intention to stand down</a> at the next election is on the grounds of ill health. But there is also a broader trend of politicians leaving politics behind. </li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li>A report into <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2023/04/17/uncivil-war-among-top-officials-on-botched-holohan-appointment-to-trinity-college-dublin/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the botched appointment of Dr Tony Holohan to a state-funded position at Trinity College Dublin</a> showed how surprisingly sloppy the process had been and revealed a major dispute among senior civil servants over who knew what, when.</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li>Will independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice really launch a new political party catering to farmers fed up with the Green agenda? </li></ul><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>