Given Ireland’s road to Damascus conversion on the question of water quality, nobody should be surprised to learn that almost half the country’s waste water treatment plants fail to meet national or EU standards.

Today the Public Accounts Committee will be looking into one of the most expensive corporate fiascoes in the history of Irish sport.

The anti-gangland legislation introduced in 2009 was in response to growing gangland crime.

Eamon Gilmore’s lack of religious conviction may be suspected by some opponents to be a reason behind his decision to close the Vatican embassy but it is the courage of his own convictions that is really in question now.

Considering the state of the economy, people could be forgiven for viewing the Government’s commitment to create 100,000 jobs by 2016 and 100,000 more by 2020 more as an ambitious vision than an action plan.

The successful prosecution of three insurance firms for breaching data protection laws is a welcome development.

The publication by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) of a blueprint for new strategic targets has the makings of a right rumpus between the Government and third-level institutions.

The Government’s jobs strategy is being unveiled today.

Proper planning is crucial in any well-ordered society.

“Human life is sacred and the taking of human life by any group, for any reason cannot be justified,” Fr Michael Canny said yesterday following the murder of Andrew Allen in Buncrana.