A report to be published today suggests levels of racism in Cork that are unacceptable.

It seems to have become a matter of unquestionable faith that the Croke Park deal is a good thing, a process that promotes stability and equity.

Tomorrow the Government is due to publish the report of the expert group that it commissioned to examine the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the absence of procedures to establish when an Irish woman has a right to have an abortion.

Ever since coming to power last year members of the Government have been warning about the hard decisions that have to be taken.

The proliferation of media, the fact that communication has never been easier raises a multitude of issues on a multitude of fronts.

Food labelling, packaging and marketing has long been a contentious issue.

Over the last while Ireland has had to work very hard to try to restore its reputation. As part of that process we were all delighted to acknowledge the positive impact of a series of moderately significant events.

What an appalling debacle this Government and its agencies have made of the proposed inquiry into the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar, a probe that is now going ahead without involving her husband, Praveen.

There is bitter irony in the coincidence of shutting down 39 more Garda stations and the public warning that 25 organised criminal gangs are now operating in Ireland.

As a nation we have great difficulty with the idea of truth.