About

Thanks for getting this far into the podcast website! A bit about me - well I'm a lecturer in economics at the Economic and Social Research Institute. I am an adjunct Associate Professor at Trinity College Dublin and a Research Associate of INET Oxford. I also teach Environmental Economics at Queen's University Belfast. I'm a Longford native and did a lot of my studying west of the Shannon at NUIG, with a stint at UC Berkeley.

I am also a podcast junkie! Podcasts really opened my eyes to engaging, long-form conversations, and what we are missing out on with many media discussions. The real breaking point came with some of the Irish media coverage of carbon taxes. The discussion was often boiled down to a two-minute shootout, which is understandable as radio and TV have schedules that must be kept. A heated debate can be entertaining but a poor way to receive information. I felt none the wiser having heard the discussion. If a bit more time was given, those listening could better understand the topic and give their own informed opinion.

So, inspired by this experience, this podcast is not a platform to offer our opinions; it will provide a depth of understanding so you can offer yours. Economics is applied common sense and the podcast will break down the various arguments in everyday language. We will strive to provide an unbiased account of all arguments relevant to a debate. Sometimes the more interesting questions emerge when you scratch the surface and we'll use the economics toolkit to dig these out.