Sinn Féin gain, no giveaway budget, Leo on Benefits Street

<p>Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to discuss the week in politics:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>The latest Irish Times / Ipsos opinion poll <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/09/29/mary-lou-mcdonald-most-popular-choice-for-taoiseach-irish-times-poll-finds/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shows Sinn Féin continuing to gain</a>. Other poll results foreshadow the potential for difficult negotiations if the party needs to form a coalition with Fianna Fáil.</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li>Beyond the next election, the poll shows long term problems for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael when it comes to attracting young voters. </li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li>Budget 2024 is just over a week away and for now the <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/2023/09/27/budget-2024-window-to-prepare-for-economic-headwinds-is-rapidly-closing-minister-for-finance-will-say/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">message is that this will not be a pre-election giveaway</a> - but will that hold?</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li>Taoiseach Leo Varadkar <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2023/09/28/varadkars-reference-to-benefits-street-in-disability-payments-reforms-discussion-not-appropriate/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dropped an unusual and somewhat controversial reference</a> this week, prompting our panel to speculate about his TV viewing habits.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Plus the panel select their favourite reads of the week:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Without even mentioning the song, <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/09/29/diarmaid-ferriter-it-doesnt-matter-which-songs-ring-out-in-the-stands-what-matters-is-what-happens-on-the-pitch/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Diarmaid Ferriter has (hopefully) the last work on Zombiegate.</a></li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li>Michael McDowell <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/09/27/michael-mcdowell-only-thing-standing-in-the-way-of-a-beautiful-capital-is-dublin-citys-councils-suffocating-paralysis/