THE ban imposed by Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan on the importation of live poultry from Britain for gatherings and shows in Ireland makes much sense.

THE effect of the deadly bird flu outbreak in Britain, where 160,000 turkeys were culled in Suffolk, is that while this country has taken increased measures to avoid an eruption here, there is no need for panic among the general public.

MORE than six months after tougher legislation was introduced for drink-driving offences, they still remain ineffective because the IT system used by the gardaí is incapable of handling them.

WORDS like “doomsday,” “disaster” and “catastrophe” tend to be over-used in today’s hype-ridden world, but there are no other terms to describe the dire predictions of the latest United Nations report on global climate change.

AS IF things weren’t bad enough in the country’s creaking health service, two unions representing more than 40,000 nurses have voted overwhelmingly for a campaign of industrial action.

Ryanair may have won the battle, but the war remains to be decided.

IT IS disingenuous of Justice Minister Michael McDowell to insinuate that the National Domestic Violence Intervention Agency, a Government-funded pilot body that for the past three years has provided invaluable support for victims of domestic violence, is somehow to blame for closing down after running out of State funding.

THE takeover of BUPA’s interests in Ireland by Sean Quinn is to be welcomed.

THE Central Bank, predicting a slightly slower growth this year than last, could be seen as sending a shot across the bow in also pointing to the risks posed to the country’s export competitiveness by inflation.

WITH the latest imprimatur of the International Monitoring Commission (IMC) conferred on the IRA, combined with the decision of Sinn Féin to support the police and the criminal justice system in the North, it was hardly unexpected that it was described as the removal of the “final impediment” to devolution.