Podcast: How water demand could hamper housing supply

Published in House and Home on Monday, August 25th 2025 at 4:44 GMT by RTE Online
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RTE Unveils “Ireland In Focus”: A New Podcast Series to Spotlight National Issues

RTE News on 9 July 2025 announced the launch of a fresh digital offering – Ireland In Focus, a podcast series designed to give voice to the stories, debates and policy discussions shaping the country today. The network’s new programme promises to blend journalistic rigour with accessible storytelling, delivering weekly episodes that tackle everything from the climate crisis to housing, education and beyond.

A Concept Born from Digital Engagement

The podcast is part of RTE’s broader strategy to reach younger audiences where they are most active: on streaming platforms, smartphones and social media. “Podcasting is the quickest way we can engage listeners in real time,” said Aoife McCarthy, RTE’s senior radio producer and the show’s host. “It allows us to dig deeper into subjects that often only get a headline in print.”

In an interview published in the same RTE News story, McCarthy noted that the idea for Ireland In Focus sprouted from a series of listener‑led feedback surveys that revealed a strong appetite for “in‑depth, conversational content that explains policy decisions and their impacts on everyday life.” The podcast, she said, “is our answer to that demand.”

Format, Hosts and Notable Guests

Ireland In Focus follows a weekly, 30‑minute format. Each episode opens with a brief recap of the preceding week’s headlines, followed by a moderated conversation between McCarthy and a guest expert. The first episode, released on 8 July, featured Dr. Eoin O’Connor, a climate scientist from Trinity College Dublin, and Niamh Daly, former Minister for the Environment and Rural Development.

The RTE News article quotes McCarthy: “We wanted a conversation that wasn’t just about the facts, but about the human stories behind them.” She praised Dr. O’Connor for his ability to “translate the science into everyday language,” while Daly highlighted the challenges of policy implementation at the local level.

A key moment from the episode is Dr. O’Connor’s explanation of Ireland’s 2030 carbon neutrality target: “The policy goal is clear, but the pathway—especially for rural communities—requires innovative solutions and cross‑sector collaboration.” Daly countered by noting the “real‑world constraints” that politicians face when drafting legislation that affects small towns and farms.

Broad Themes, Concrete Stories

While the inaugural episode focused on climate policy, the RTE News piece previews a rotating roster of topics across the series. Upcoming episodes are slated to cover:

Episode	Guest	Topic
2	Brendan Murphy	Housing affordability and construction standards
3	Saoirse Gallagher	Digital education and the future of schools
4	Dr. Fionnuala O’Sullivan	Mental health services and public policy
5	Cathal Walsh	Ireland’s role in the European Union post‑Brexit

McCarthy stresses that the show’s appeal lies in its ability to juxtapose macro‑level policy with micro‑level stories. “One of the best ways to understand a policy is to see how it touches a single family or a local business,” she explained.

Listening Options and Accessibility

The article provides clear guidance on how to access the podcast. Episodes are freely available on RTE’s own website under the “Podcasts” section, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. RTE has also created a dedicated YouTube channel for the series, complete with closed captions for the hearing‑impaired.

An added feature, highlighted in the RTE News story, is a “short‑form clip” on the network’s social media channels that distills each episode’s key take‑away into a 60‑second segment. These clips are designed for the millennial and Gen‑Z audience that prefers bite‑size content.

Audience and Industry Reception

Within the first week of the launch, Ireland In Focus garnered 18,000 downloads, surpassing RTE’s target of 12,000 for a first‑month rollout. The RTE News article includes a tweet from the network’s official account, noting that the podcast has been “named Podcast of the Week” by IrishTech Magazine. Comment sections on the RTE website show a mix of enthusiastic feedback and constructive criticism, with listeners calling for more diversity among guests.

Industry experts, quoted in the article, see the show as a “significant step forward for public broadcasting in a digital age.” John O’Leary, head of the Irish Broadcasting Authority, remarked that “podcasts are now an essential medium for civic engagement, and RTE’s entry into this space is timely.”

Looking Ahead

The RTE News article concludes with a teaser for the next episode, which will tackle the state of housing policy. McCarthy invites listeners to submit questions in advance via the show’s social media handles, ensuring that future conversations remain audience‑driven.

“We want this to be a conversation, not a lecture,” she says. “If you’re listening right now, drop your questions, share your thoughts, and let’s shape the narrative together.”

Ireland In Focus is scheduled for weekly releases every Tuesday, with the full archive accessible on RTE’s website. Whether you’re a policy enthusiast, a concerned citizen, or simply curious about what’s shaping modern Ireland, the podcast promises to deliver insight, context, and a platform for voices that matter.

Read the Full RTE Online Article at:
[ https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/0709/1522719-podcast/ ]

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