One of the striking findings in Cork City Profile 2014, a survey of health and well being in the city, is that 15% of the city’s ageing population are 65 or over and that nearly one-in-five of these people live alone. This suggests that old fashioned community values, and family values too, of attention and support are as important as ever and that if we are not our neighbours’ keeper then we might at least be their helper.

That America’s supreme court yesterday declined to decide on whether states can ban gay marriage, will allow gay men and women to marry in five states where same-sex weddings had been forbidden.

There can be few phrases in the political lexicon that provoke as much disbelief and cynicism as “temporary levy”.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank hold their annual meetings this week, and one of the themes those powerful organisations will consider is shared prosperity — or to express the idea in another way, tackling growing inequality all around the world.

Any reasonable person must be worn out by the daily disclosure of dysfunction, indifference and neglect in public life. 

As pro-democracy protests approach their tenth day in Hong Kong it is hard not to admire those who have taken to the streets to try to reshape their society — especially as this challenges a government happy to use the most violent means to close down opposition.

Just as China uses forceful means to suppress opposition the tobacco industry seems determined to ensure that it is allowed to continue to afflict generation after generation of addicts. This should not be surprising as billions are at stake.

AS the McNulty farce sadly reminded us this week our relationship with accountability or transparency could hardly be described as natural or embracing.

The positive revision of growth figures from the Central Bank yesterday – up to 4.5% from 2.5% — is another welcome indication that our economy is turning the corner. These figures, unimaginable even a short while ago, must be a cause for some guarded optimism.

The Central Bank has suggested that formal limits should be placed on the amount of money people can borrow to buy homes and businesses.