Calls have continued to grow over the weekend for the resignation of Mick Wallace from the Dáil in the wake of the disclosure of his €2.1m settlement with the Revenue Commissioners.

Today, as tax-cheat Dáil deputy Mick Wallace drives his “banger” jeep to the European soccer championships in Poland, garlic importer and fellow Vat dodger Paul Begley is in jail serving a six-year sentence for a €1.6m tax scam.

What a wonderful contrast to the dismal weather and even more dismal economy the great party atmosphere generated by Ireland’s first involvement in the finals of soccer’s European Championships since 1988 is — and that even before a ball was kicked.

Once upon a time, you could get rid of an unwelcome visitor to your home by asking them to stay and join the family rosary.

The relationship between man and wildlife is far from seamless or ideal, but yesterday’s discovery of the heads of two dead seals nailed to the entrance of a wildlife and seal sanctuary in Kerry is barbaric.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was repeatedly asked in the Dáil yesterday what he said to German chancellor Angela Merkel and what she had replied during a recent conversation.

The thousands who witnessed yesterday’s tour of the Olympic torch were indicative of public interest.

It’s nearly two years since former chairman of Intel Craig Barrett delivered his broadside, warning that unless we dramatically improved our education system we will become a European backwater.

Anyone familiar with West Cork will not be surprised by the discovery of nuts in Schull Harbour.

It may just be too late to relax the licensing laws to allow pubs stay open longer to allow next week’s Eucharistic Congress be celebrated with a peculiar Irish gusto — as was done at the last congress held in Ireland 80 years ago.