
1434. Trump, Tariffs and Tax Haven Ireland
26 March - 53 minsPlease join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack
"You don't have the cards" was a crude way for Donald Trump to say that he has the bully pulpit and that he's going to use it. Rejoining us on the tortoise shack is lecturer, author of Tax Haven Ireland and editor of the Irish Marxist Review, Dr Brian O'Boyle and he has as always some great insights to that is behind the rhetoric.
We talk about the neoliberal ouroboros, the dollar in decline and why Ireland needs to have a grownup conversation about our tax haven and whether it is working for the wider society.
Paul Murphy on Michael Lowry's two finger salute is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-125204820
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1452. Maybe I’m Amazed with John Harris
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Listeners know tortoise shack regular John Harris as that fella who writes about politics and hosts one of them podcasts for the Guardian. Many of you will have seen his award winning series Anywhere But Westminster. So when he told me a few years ago that he was working on a book about his neurodivergent and autistic son James, I knew it would be a great read. I was wrong, it's a brilliant read. John joins me know to discuss the book, autism, family ups and downs and how music not only helped James find his voice, it opened up the conversation between their entire family. Thanks, John Maybe I'm Amazed is published by John Murray and is available in bookshops across Ireland. Dave Hingerty podcast out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-127569343 Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-to-126186702
43 mins
29 April Finished

1443. An Post vs Your Local Post Office
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Workers Rights Champions, Matt McGranaghan and Martin McMahon discuss the An Post Bogus self-employment case that is dragging along (delayed again) in the High Court. This is potentially another seismic case on the abuse of employment status by yet another semi-state business. The historic nature of the (alleged?) wrongdoing means that An Post has everything to lose, and its not great for the Revenue Commissioners either. The Echo Chamber Pod is the only media with full access to the legal arguments in advance. Here they are outside the paywall. The Kneecap Hurty Feelings podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-127435973 Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-to-126186702
40 mins
26 April Finished

59. One Day in Gaza
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Ruwaida Amer is an award winning film-maker and producer from Gaza, yet she trained as a teacher. War has a way of turning everything upside down. She now dedicates her time to telling the stories of people in Gaza and the children who she cares deeply for. She joins us to speak about how the destruction of her family home as a child by Israel made her the journalist she is now and how the ongoing genocide motivates her to tell more stories. Please watch One Day in Gaza here:https://youtu.be/SxgZsNb7z4o?si=v19PiOmpiTtr6vZV The John Harris podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-127125764 Donate to Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-to-126186702
40 mins
24 April Finished

1450. Travellers Not Invited
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack "Disappointed my concerns have been compounded by Govts misrepresentation. They claim no dissent was raised, yet multiple voices spoke in favour of removing the Traveller committee from d’Hondt. This erasure of support mirrors the disregard for Traveller voices in their decision." Senator Eileen Flynn, April 14th 2025. When our guest, Senator Eillen Flynn, wrote this a few days ago we immediately reached out to see what had happened and what can still be done to fix it. She, as always, was gracious enough to join us to break it all down. Is 'nothing about us, without us' just a meaningless slogan? Time will tell. Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-to-126186702
32 mins
21 April Finished

1449. Journalism has failed Palestinian Journalists with Niall Sargent
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack We've been desperately disappointed by the mainstream western coverage of the genocide in Gaza since it began over 559 days ago. So when we read the piece Omissions, caveats and false balance: How media is failing Palestinians, the international order and our profession, by reporter with The Currency, Niall Sargent, it felt like FINALLY! The piece which has since been shared by Francesca Albanese is here:https://thecurrency.news/articles/184892/youre-scared-of-doing-the-right-thing-because-the-right-thing-comes-with-a-price/ Niall rejoins us for the first time in a good while to talk about why he wrote it, what he learned while putting it together and his feeling that journalism, with some notable exceptions, has let itself down over the last 18 months. The Senator Eileen Flynn podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-126781341 Donate to Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-to-126186702
43 mins
18 April Finished

1445. An Austerity of Ambition
Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Echo Chamber Podcast we are rejoined by economist with NERI, Ciarán Nugent to discuss the Trump Tariffs, our Pharma vulnerability, the potential impacts on the tax haven and killing false economic narratives like "austerity saved the economy." Senator Eileen Flynn podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-126781341 Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-to-126186702
47 mins
17 April Finished