The establishment of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) is probably the biggest financial gamble in the history of the State. Obviously, it is necessary to withhold final judgment on the overall plan until all the details are known and the legislation enacted.

The story of the late Paddy Clegg and his father, Robbie, is a reminder of the importance of organ donation. In the anguish of losing a loved-one, families are inevitably pre-occupied with their grief, rather than thinking of the benefits that might accrue to others through organ donation.

HANNAH COMBER’S death just over three years ago — in June 2006 — will have disturbed anyone of an age who might have to face the reality of moving into a nursing home.

KEITH FLOYD’S showmanship and love of food and his understanding that it, allied to a good wine, could do more than most anything else to foster human relationships made him the first truly successful TV chef of our time.

YESTERDAY Environment Minister John Gormley said he believed climate change is the most fundamental and far-reaching challenge facing humanity.

JOHN O’DONOGHUE might wish his political colleagues’ expenses would attract the same scrutiny as his have.

YESTERDAY’S announcement by Fás chairman Peter McLoone that the organisation’s 17-member board will resign at its next meeting will be loudly applauded from one end of the country to the other.

FARMERS have often been accused, and with good reason, of crying wolf over the state of Ireland’s agri-industry.

WHAT the “special vice squad”, which patrolled the streets of Cork in 1935 because of concern about “the growing number of sexual offences coming to light”, would make of any Irish city today is not hard to imagine.

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan has had to endure considerable criticism and on a personal level it is hard not to have some sympathy for her.