#CargoOfBricks 3: Prof Gary Murphy on government formation in Ireland

Slugger O'Toole

In this week’s episode of Cargo of Bricks, I’m talking with Professor Gary Murphy of Dublin City University about last February's tumultuous general election and the dilemmas facing the now five-month-long process of government formation.

In it, we dissect:

• How Ireland's swing from right to left, illustrated by the collapse in the Fine Gael vote and Sinn Féin's unanticipated great leap forward, has nullified Micheál Martin's long-held ambition to lead a non-SF, left-leaning coalition government.
• The political purgatory now facing the two traditional enemies of the southern state as they face up to the possibility that they may never see power again if they don't do the last thing many of their activists want to see and govern together.
• And through all of this despite taking his party to the unprecedented success of 12 Dail seats the Greens leader, Eamon Ryan faces a last-minute defenestration as leader by his deputy, Catherine Martin, who is also the party's chief negotiator.