Daniel McConnell and John Lee join Matt to look ahead to the budget and discuss the options and how they will be influenced by the economic upheaval caused by Trump's Iran war. They talk about carbon tax, excise duties on fuel, stamp duty for first-time house buyers, and Harris’ special investment accounts. The politics of the GAA integration row: what was Iar-Uachtarán Mary McAleese playing at, and what role can or should Patrick O'Donovan, the sports minister, take? The extraordinary security operation for Donald Trump's visit, and how President Catherine Connolly is going to have to grin and bear it. 

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Matt is joined by former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Áine Kerr to discuss carbon taxes, whether they should go up in the budget and whether they should be there at all. They assess the public transport fare hikes and ask will the new buses ever leave the garage? They turn to pay for public-sector workers and wonder how we have reached a situation where there might be strikes. They examine the bad blood between Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and hospital consultants over weekend working. They debate the merits of the Simon Harris Savings and Investment Accounts. They assess President Catherine Connolly’s dilemma when her American counterpart, Donald Trump, comes to visit next weekend. And they ask if the latest grift scandal involving Nigel Farage will really have any impact at all. 

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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham rules out a United Ireland referendum; John Deasy and Lise Hand join Matt to discuss the Sinn Féin reaction, how happy Taoiseach Micheál Martin is likely to be at the development - given that he recently described the idea of a border poll as driving him bananas - and how much interest there genuinely is amongst Southern Irish voters in the prospects of a referendum. Also, they discuss the Dáil's recall to deal with the issue of excise on fuels and ask whether the deferral will be extended in November. They look at the political implications and reasons for doing this, as well as the budgetary implications. 

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Daniel McConnell and John Lee join Matt to discuss the political response to the outrageous and horrific crash on the M9. They focus on Jim O'Callaghan’s pronouncements and the likely implementation of new laws and Garda measures. The Healy-Rae documentary and what it revealed about the extent of the split in the Kerry dynasty. Autumn's political dilemma: how does the government deal with reducing fuel excise duties? And the Fianna Fáil TD objecting to a major new housing development in his constituency.

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John Deasy joins Matt to offer a person-by-person assessment of the performance of each member of the Cabinet. Who’s good and who’s not so good, even bad?

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Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin’s Senator Conor Murphy, a former NI economy minister, join Matt for a full discussion about the possibilities of a united Ireland. Is it the inevitability that some people are starting to suggest, who actually wants it, and would a citizens’ assembly be helpful for preparations in the Republic? The potential economic benefits and challenges assessed. Do the polls give us an accurate representation of public sentiment? How we can learn from German reunification. The British perspective if Reform come to power. And how do we manage to persuade the more extreme elements of loyalism?

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In hiding a cost-benefit analysis for the Ryder Cup in Limerick next year, is the Government in danger of drawing more attention to the costs of subsidising the event? Lise Hand and Shane Coleman join Matt to discuss this and recall other occasions when ministers spent public money on major sporting events. Matt reveals that planning for Donald Trump’s September visit has accelerated, making it almost certain that he is coming. Lise, Shane and Matt also recall other times when major security operations were put in place for the arrival of foreign dignitaries. They discuss the Stop the Game campaign and whether Ireland should play football against Israel. The hypocrisy of the Aughinish Alumina report gives us another example of the Streisand effect, and they ask whether we take climate issues seriously enough.

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Simon Harris' income tax promises: John Deasy and Brenda Power join Matt to debate the political benefits to the Fine Gael leader of making promises he may find hard to deliver. They also address the controversial issue of inheritance tax. The politics of Jim O'Callaghan's row with the legal profession are judged. The new plans for e-scooters and whether they should be extended to cyclists. And the real local politics of the Aughinish Alumina plant in Limerick. 

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Lise Hand and John Lee join Matt to discuss Mary Lou McDonald and Micheál Martin's true feelings for each other after the Sinn Féin leader calls her Fianna Fáil counterpart and Taoiseach a 'tosser'. Lynn Boylan's European Parliament embarrassment on the Irish language. Sinn Féin's position on an engineering plant in Derry that might be supplying the Israeli Air Force. The politics of Intel's increased Irish investment. Why the government must be glad it no longer has to deal with Aer Lingus' decisions. The length of the Dáil summer break, and John teases his cabinet scorecards.

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Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Áine Kerr join Matt to address the challenge to Nigel Farage being posed by a comedy candidate in the Clacton by-election. They give suggestions on how to revitalise O'Connell Street and the GPO. They offer a cost-benefit analysis on the MetroLink and wonder why it has taken so long. All three are outraged by the decision of the US Ambassador to Ireland to visit Conor McGregor's pub.

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Matt is joined by Danny McConnell and John Lee, who distinguish between Jeffrey Donaldson's illegal acts and his inappropriate ones, but ask how often inappropriate acts by Irish politicians get overlooked by the media. They examine some of the most high-profile events of the 21st century that did get media attention and why others didn't. Micheál Martin's erosion of authority, security issues with Trump's likely September visit, the strange results of the Red C poll on immigration, and the discrepancies on the Mayor of Galway's website.

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