Recent public opinion polls have provided a clear indication of the public disillusionment at the way the government has been handling the economy. This was further reinforced by the turnout of more than 100,000 people at the protest march in Dublin on Saturday.

IN KEEPING with the grand tradition of greatly underestimating bad news established by a long line of finance ministers and central bank economists, yesterday’s Anglo Irish report revealed that the €300 million loan figure was a long way off the mark.

IF all goes according to script the annual report of the Anglo Irish Bank will be published this afternoon. If it is anything like as incendiary as we have been led to expect, it might be a good idea to anticipate a few days of high dudgeon and outraged commentary.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen, speaking during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil yesterday morning, assured us that he does not know who the 10 businessmen who were lent e300 million by Anglo Irish Bank last year so they could buy shares in the bank are.

IN another irony of the day, suicide charity Console is finding it more difficult to raise funds just as demand for its services grow.

THE letter from Unite, the union that represents 2,500 Irish Life & Permanent workers hits the nail on the head.

IT is unacceptable that nearly 16,000 people had to wait for more than 12 hours in hospital accident and emergency departments last year.

AS CERTAINTIES crumble every day it may be asking a lot for us to consider, much less accept, that one of the everyday pleasures of Irish life has become a threat to the environment.

BACK in the days of abundance and assurances from Bertie Ahern about our bullet-proof economy the cost of attending business conferences was not a significant deterrent.

News that Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is likely to publish the section of the PriceWaterhouseCooper (PWC) audit relating to Anglo Irish Bank is to be warmly welcomed.