In agreeing to impose new economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, including an embargo on buying its oil or trading in its gold, the EU has effectively sent out a message based on the principle that Ireland’s membership of the elite — if somewhat endangered — Brussels club comes at a price.

Nothing is more calculated to upset elderly people than confusion about their pensions or the threat to take money out of their pockets.

As a largely Christian country, we profess to be particularly concerned about the welfare of children, but ultimately we have had a dismal record when it comes to the protection of vulnerable young people.

There has been a spate of suicides around the country in recent weeks.

Even though there are 434,000 people on the live register, the level of employment has remained comparatively high.

In the last general election there were six male candidates for every woman candidate.

FINANCE Minister Michael Noonan has a regrettable tendency to put his foot in it.

WHEN tragedy strikes, nothing is more despairing than the interminable wait for news of missing loved ones. Thus the recovery of bodies of crewmen from the trawler Tit Bonhomme is a welcome breakthrough in a harrowing ordeal for the families of the lost fishermen.

The report presented to a conference on dementia at Trinity College yesterday poses a major challenge for Government.

A report by the Economic and Social Research Institute suggests that there are significant differences in the way children in different schools are being taught.