AS the debate about Ireland’s mortgage crisis intensifies, figures published yesterday show how terrible this crisis has become for thousands of Irish individuals and families.

The Government has published the report of the interdepartmental group headed by accountant Declan Keane. It warned that borrowers and lenders must recognise that some of the current mortgage arrangements are unsustainable.

Many people will be surprised to hear that we may be on the verge of a mini ice age. It seems like only a few days since we were being threatened with global warming. Is this good news, or bad, or maybe both?

EVEN when the Arab Spring was in its faltering infancy, concerns were raised about who or what would replace the regimes toppled by popular, relatively peaceful revolution.

EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn’s assertion that raising income taxes will drive more people into the black economy rather than raising Exchequer revenues has an unfortunate ring of truth about it.

IT took millions of deaths and decades of campaigning before the western world realised it had no alternative but to confront the tobacco giants to reduce the spiralling death toll caused by smoking and the costs it imposed on national health services.

INDEPENDENT Dáil deputy and developer Mick Wallace and his company, M & J Wallace Ltd were the subject of summary judgement orders for €19 million in the commercial court yesterday.

ANYONE with the slightest interest in the role that education has to play in advancing this society and rebuilding our economy realises that considerable change is needed at nearly every level in our schools and colleges.

ONE of our less endearing characteristics is our instinct to embrace secrecy rather than openness.

THE announcement by Sarah Palin that she will not seek the Republican nomination to challenge President Barack Obama in America’s presidential election next year, will provoke relief and disappointment in equal measure.