Never was there a greater need to sell Ireland abroad. That fact of economic reality underlines the importance of the Government’s promotional visit to the US.

The first tangible plan to cope with the exodus of workers from the health service could hardly be more negative.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan yesterday published the Finance Bill, 2012, to give effect to the taxation measures announced in December’s budget.

The Cork County Vocational Education Committee (CCVEC) is acting as if it is unanswerable to the people who are funding it to the tune of almost €100m annually.

The greatest odour emanating from the stink over septic tank charges is the smell of cynicism.

Significant shortcomings in the proposed new law on the vetting of people working with children have been identified by children’s charities.

Two reports out yesterday illustrate how hard life has become in Ireland for elderly people and for thousands of people struggling to survive below the minimum UN definition of a basic standard of living.

The publication of an article on autism in last Friday’s Feelgood supplement in this newspaper by Dr Tony Humphreys has caused an outpouring of hurt, anger and concern among readers, a selection of whose comments are published today.

Serious questions are raised by today’s Irish Examiner investigation into misuse of taxpayers’ money and lack of normal procedures at a State-funded Youthreach programme.

Unfortunately, though it is an open-and-shut case, the recommendation of extra funding for the education of young people who are deaf or hard of hearing is no guarantee that a Government hell-bent on cuts will listen.