VERY few markets are as well supported by the certainties that surround food production and demand. Equally, very few countries are as well placed, experienced or as established in world class food production as Ireland.

EVEN in the best of times politicians salaries and pensions generated considerable debate but today that debate is infused with anger and a sense of inequity.

AS any of the scores of thousands of people who lost their water supply to the big freeze — this December is the coldest on record — will confirm, life quickly gets very tedious and soon enough almost impossible without one of the great gifts of nature; one we may all take too much for granted.

THE question of whether the next leader of Fianna Fáil will ever be Taoiseach is more than a moot point.

IT would have been wonderful this morning of all mornings to step away from the anger that has defined the year coming to an snowy end, but yesterday’s outrageous and autocratic behaviour by our wretched Government makes that impossible.

AS the emotional scenes playing out at our airports and ferry terminals, when loved ones manage to defy weather conditions and get home for Christmas, we are reminded that there is no place like home.

IRELAND is becoming addicted to gambling. So addicted the outgoing Minister for Justice yesterday launched an options paper aimed at regulating gambling in a state where virtually no regulations exist and where the number of slot machines is set to explode.

THE juicy pay of senior staff at the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), incorporating NAMA (the National Asset Management Agency), raises questions about value for money or whether the combined agencies are another gravy train.

THOSE involved in nearly 200 repossession cases scheduled for the High Court in January — there will be many more during next year — watched Monday night’s RTÉ Prime Time with a special interest which probably turned into confusion and ended in anger.