IT shows the skewed loyalties of the Health Service Executive that their first response to the publication of a report on the awful life and death, eight years ago, of an 18-year-old woman in their care, was to question the fact that the tragedy was even made public.

ONE of the prices we all pay for being mortal – most of us anyway – is that we occasionally make terrible eejits of ourselves. One of the consolations is that we sometimes get a chance to redeem ourselves.

Bishop of Ferns Dr Denis Brennan has invited the people of the diocese to help raise money for compensation payments to survivors of paedophile child abuse in the diocese stretching back to the 1940s.

Allied Irish Banks has announced pre-tax losses of €2.656 billion for 2009. Colm Doherty, the AIB group managing director has described the current state of retail banking in Ireland as “quite dysfunctional”.

THOUGH Taoiseach Brian Cowen promised yesterday that there are no immediate plans to increase the retirement age, the Minister for Social Affairs Mary Hanafin is expected, tomorrow, to announce a change in the minimum age for receipt of a non-contributory state pension.

THE announcement by John Moloney, junior minister for mental health, yesterday that the country’s last 15 Victorian-era psychiatric hospitals will close within three years is most welcome.

The Irish tourist industry is in crisis, as a result of a decline of almost one million visitors and €900m in tourist revenue during 2009.

At least one third of Irish rented property is failing to pass basic safety standards of inspection carried out for the Department of Environment.

The European Commission yesterday cleared the way for the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) to take toxic loans from financial institutions as an important step in restructuring the financial sector.

Today John Hayes becomes the first rugby player to win 100 caps playing for Ireland. It seems particularly fitting that he should reach this milestone playing against the auld enemy, England.