WHEN a family endures the death of a young child, the pain can be almost unimaginable. When a child disappears, with no indication of whether the youngster is dead or alive, the grief must be all but unbearable.

THOUGH they are not a peculiarly Irish institution we have infused them with a flavour and vigour uniquely our own.

ONE OF the daunting and pressing challenges facing Ireland and the rest of Europe is the need to ensue that all of society is served by the insatiable and seemingly unstoppable market economy.

IN WHAT has been a tremendous year for the GAA, the organisation is once again copper-fastening its place at the very centre of modern Ireland.

YESTERDAY’S Central Statistics Office report on our older population and increasing life expectancy lays some myths to rest but should not be used as an excuse for complacency in the reform of our method of pension provision, health services, nursing home legislation or community-based care for retired people.

THAT the announcement from Aer Lingus that it is to transfer its Shannon to London flight to Belfast was made at a time likely to limit embarrassment to the Government, will most certainly draw the usual criticisms. But the Government will respond saying the usual accusations from the usual, compromised voices is a cynical attack on government.

Aer Lingus management is depicting its decision to terminate the airline’s service from Shannon to London (Heathrow) as regrettably necessary. It wishes to use its limited slots at Heathrow for a new service from Belfast.

In June of this year, the Health Information and Quality Authority announced that a woman had mistakenly been informed in March 2005 that her cancer test was negative. It was a further 14 months before another test showed that she was suffering from cancer.

Latest property figures published by the Government do not auger well for the housing market, with the result that the recent uncertainty is likely to continue to cloud the Irish economy. In the past couple of weeks 12 construction-related firms have gone into liquidation, including a huge housing development company in Co Kilkenny.

Early treatment of people with drug habits is not only desirable, but also the best way to ensure recovery. Most of the emphasis on such treatment in this country, is on the treatment of heroin addicts, according to the National Advisory Committee on Drugs.