THIS IS the ninth European Day for Organ Donation and Transplantation.

Mr Justice PAUL CARNEY’S remarks in relation to victim impact procedures focused on extremely sensitive matters.

More than 24,000 victims called the Women’s Aid helplines last year, but less than half of them got an answer because the organisation lacked the funds to have the telephone lines properly attended.

YOU KNOW you are approaching the nadir in any cycle of crime or violence when someone demands the Army be called in “to tackle the problem head on”.

YESTERDAY’S report that children in care are subject to crisis management rather than long-term planning is yet another wearying example of the reality of life in Ireland.

THOUGH as yet to be finally copper-fastened, the news that up to 70 million barrels of oil have been discovered off the south-east coast is just the fillip to lift the country’s spirits in the early days of winter.

JUST AS it is difficult to summon much sympathy for hospital consultants struggling on €225,000 plus “Mickey Mouse” salaries for their public commitments, it is difficult to imagine that Aer Lingus staff are in much need of our sympathy.

THE impression that there is one law for the powerful and another for the rest of us was reinforced yesterday when a judge said he would not jail a former Fianna Fáil TD for making a false declaration to the Revenue because he had already suffered humiliation, disgrace and the loss of his political career.

THIS MORNING at least another five families are mourning the death of a young person on our roads, while more await news of badly injured loved ones.

YESTERDAY’S announcement that the Mercy University Hospital and South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital are to amalgamate to develop a state-of-the-art public teaching hospital is welcome.