Sinn Féin’s über-disciplined, permanently on-message leadership will be more than annoyed that Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh’s extravagance has been uncovered.

Next weekend Russia will hold a presidential election that will be little more than a charade.

It is unlikely that anyone in Government could give an absolute figure on what we spend to try to get more than 3% of us to speak Irish.

Alcohol has done more damage to this society, and continues to do so, than any other phenomenon in our history.

Anyone who has been confounded by the cost of taking a court action will empathise with remarks made by Mr Justice Michael Peart at the weekend.

The debate about whether Ireland should re-open an embassy in the Vatican is another predictable call to arms along the age-old and destructive fault lines in our society.

It would take a heart of stone not to be moved by the victim impact statement (page 9) made by Margaret Sheehan at the circuit criminal court in Cork yesterday.

At the very moment when rebuilding a can-do, positive image for Ireland is critical, yesterday’s refusal of planning permission by An Bord Pleanála for a National Children’s Hospital on the Mater Hospital site in Dublin, was another kick in the teeth for anyone who wants, but struggles every day, to believe that this small, often dysfunctional Republic, has a bright future.

The figures may not provoke gala celebrations, they may not even be believed by motorists trying to pay for ever-more expensive fuel, but they are nevertheless welcome.

Yesterday’s announcement on the sale of State assets was sweetened by a troika concession that €1 billion of the targeted €3bn may be used to fund job-creation projects.