The Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Bill published by Justice Minister Dermot Ahern to allow for the use of covert surveillance in evidence in criminal trials, has been broadly welcomed in the midst of the current wave of gangland criminality.

Ryanair is considering charging overweight passengers extra. Some Ryanair pronouncements in the past would seem to have been publicity stunts. It is, therefore, sometimes difficult to determine when the airline’s spokespeople are being serious.

HOW very welcome yesterday’s announcement by the ESB that it will create nearly 4,000 jobs over the next five years. This is indeed the stuff of economic recovery.

MOST of us do not imagine ourselves part of a society where men use an internet website to rate and review sex workers on value-for-money, their looks and how much they appeared to enjoy the transaction.

AT one end of an economic cycle we usually see excess on a grand scale, bling made universal as it were.

STAYING at home was supposed to be the new going out but it seems that online socialising has become the real going out.

The inflation data recently released by the Central Statistics Office indicated that insurance costs have been soaring. The cost of health insurance has increased by 22% in the past 12 months, while home insurance premiums have risen by 24.3% over the same period, and the cost of car insurance has increased by 20%.

The reception accorded to Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe by the primary teachers attending the conference of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) yesterday at Letterkenny has been depicted as frosty. The teachers were protesting against the pensions levy, the loss of teaching posts and the abolition of special needs classes.

ENERGY Minister Eamon Ryan has said that more than 200,000 Irish motorists will drive electric cars in just over a decade.

ONE man’s violent revolution to end oppression is another man’s treason.