From Coppers to Committees: Ireland’s Young TDs

Ireland’s political landscape is changing fast. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the age profile of the Dáil. One year on from the general election, dozens of first-time TDs are settling into life as national lawmakers, including a cohort barely older than the century itself. On today’s podcast, Tara Duggan meets two of the younger voices reshaping Irish politics: Labour’s Eoghan Kenny, the 25-year-old from Cork North Central who became the youngest member of the Dáil, and Fianna Fáil’s Naoise Ó Cearúil, the Kildare North TD juggling his first year in Leinster House with first-time fatherhood. They talk about the shock of getting elected, the culture shift inside Leinster House, and whether younger TDs are taken seriously by the old guard. Tara asks them about Dáil chamber theatrics, family commitments, and whether politics can ever allow normal social lives for people in their 20s and 30s. The conversation ranges from generational change to long-term ambitions — with a little detour through Coppers along the way. 📩 Send your thoughts and questions to [email protected]  ▶️ Catch up on previous episodes of Newstalk Daily anytime on the GoLoud player or wherever you get your podcasts.