Despite assurances that the gang crime problem will be tackled and promises of extra gardaí, this Government is vulnerable on the issue of crime, says political correspondent Fiach Kelly on this week's Inside Politics podcast.
Has the time now come for Taoiseach Enda Kenny to drastically escalate the State’s response to the murders of young men in Dublin?
Or was his controversial remark that he cannot do anything about the murders an accurate assessment?
Also on the podcast, Dr Eoin Daly of NUI Galway and Ruadhán Mac Cormaic discuss the limitations and freedoms of the President to express personal views on controversial subjects, in light of remarks by President Higgins seen by many as sailing close to the wind.
Subscribe to Inside Politics on iTunes. You can also find our podcasts at www.irishtimes.com/podcasts or on The Irish Times app.