THE highest unemployment figures in two decades were reported yesterday. The Central Statistics Office reported that the number of people who depend on unemployment benefits rose by 5,800 in June – more or less 300 jobs lost every working day for a month.

BECAUSE beauty is such a subjective thing, it is impossible to be definitive about it, though that has not stopped us trying.

The Central Statistics Office has published some alarming figures in its annual release of information on births, deaths and marriages in 2009. Marginally over one-third of the births were to unmarried women, but almost 56% of those births were to cohabiting couples.

“You get over the big issues,” the Taoiseach Albert Reynolds said as he was resigning, “it’s the little things that trip you up.” That is politics, and any government forgets this at its own peril.

THE European Union confirmed yesterday what all of those who cross the border to shop in the North have known for some years — Irish food, tobacco and drink prices are amongst the highest in Europe.

THOUGH the Garda Representative Association has an agenda of its own, we would be very foolish not to take notice when it warns that our justice system is breaking down.

The new system for members of the Oireachtas to claim expenses amounting to €10 million annually has already been diluted.

To have a leading Irish politician criticising the Pope is probably a sign of the times.

THERE are some people in Ireland who will never be happy with the idea that we should extend an invitation to Queen Elizabeth — or any other British monarch — to visit our country.

MINISTER of Health Mary Harney gave all the right answers when, speaking in West Cork yesterday morning, she said that anyone found to have misappropriated some of a Health Service Executive €2.35 million training fund will be subject to “tough” measures.