#542 Do We Even Need a President?
The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up) · Niall Boylan
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Show Notes
In this fiery and funny episode of Niall Talks, Niall sits down with Larissa Nolan, journalist with the Irish Mirror, to dig into her provocative new column: “Forget spoiling votes or re-running the election — let’s get rid of the role of president altogether.”
As the country gears up for another expensive, drama-filled presidential race, Larissa argues it might be time to ask the unthinkable — do we even need a president at all?
She says the office has become an outdated, €30 million vanity project — a “political deathmatch” every seven years for a ceremonial role that was originally created just to prove the Brits wrong. From its symbolic origins in the Vice-Regal Lodge to the endless parade of candidates fighting for a job with “all the glory and none of the responsibility,” Larissa isn’t holding back.
Niall and Larissa debate what the presidency actually does for the people of Ireland — if anything — and whether it’s time to scrap the whole thing and spend that money elsewhere.
After the chat, Niall opens the lines to callers for a lively national conversation:
👉 Should Ireland keep the role of President?
👉 Is it a vital symbol of unity — or just an expensive relic?
👉 And if we got rid of it… what would we replace it with?
Expect sharp opinions, big laughs, and maybe a few constitutional headaches.