ONE of the themes of the homily delivered by Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin at a Mass celebrating World Day of Peace yesterday was the protection of the weak and vulnerable.

ANYONE dismayed by the self-serving cynicism of our political system will be again outraged by the news that Mayo Fianna Fáil deputy Beverly Flynn will pocket an extra €40,000 a year tax free for the next three years.

IN THE two decades since the Berlin Wall collapsed, Europe has changed beyond all recognition.

AS the Christmas and new year celebrations stagger towards a ceasefire of sorts, the 55,000 or so second-level students facing important exams this summer face into the final stage of their preparations.

Some people who have run into difficulties in paying off their mortgages have surrendered those mortgages voluntarily and remained on as renting tenants.

AN AVERAGE of 72 antisocial behaviour warnings have been issued each month since the legislation was introduced in 2007, but the system is obviously not working effectively.

Human tolerance is clearly finite, whether in the Middle East or this country.

What has happened on this island is a stark reminder of the futility of violence.

THE recession is likely to hit a wide range of jobs, not just in the construction sector but throughout the economy.

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has sent a strong signal that he would favour the admission of detainees from Guantanamo Bay.