In an ideal world an individual would never have to confront an intruder in their home. In an ideal world the courts system would impose the kind of sanctions that would deter most criminals from relatively petty crimes such as burglary or fuel theft.

Disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong has apparently admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career.

When the very brief discussions — 30 minutes — between Government and unions around a renewed Croke Park deal ended yesterday union leaders expressed dismay and suggested that what they termed as “radical” proposals from Government would not be accepted by their members.

Violent attacks by thieves are always unacceptable but violent attacks on elderly people who live alone, often in isolated urban or rural situations, are particularly odious.

A meeting of the Irish Medical Organisation, the doctor’s trade union, was held in Mullingar at the weekend to discuss the deal that it struck with its chief executive, George McNeice.

The success of third-year students Ciara Judge, Emer Hick, and Sophie Healy-Throw of Kinsale Community School in winning the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition at the weekend should act as an inspiration to young people throughout the country.

Despite myriad heart-rending revelations about decades of child abuse in this country, yesterday’s report on celebrity paedophile Jimmy Savile, knighted for his charity work, makes for deeply disturbing reading.

The proposal to ban smoking in vehicles being used to carry children may seem like an intrusion of a nanny state gone mad. However, the increase in the number of people, especially young women, who take up smoking justifies nearly any measure to stop people becoming addicted to tobacco.

An overdue discussion about politics, politicians and how they are depicted by the conventional media and ever-evolving social media has opened.

The introduction of a new style of driving licence is a mundane matter and if it leads to more efficiency then it is to be welcomed.