It was reasonable to expect that a jaundiced view would be taken by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) at an announcement by Education Minister Mary Hanafin in relation to physical education.

WHILE it may not be easy to come up with a perfect formula of words to strengthen the position of children in the Constitution, that must not be used as a convenient excuse for watering down or stalling resolution of this vexed issue.

WORRIED parents up and down the country will welcome news of an agreement to be signed within weeks between the Republic on the North on an exchange of information about sex offenders.

WITH its political fortunes bouncing back in opinion polls, and a comfortable budget looming before the general election, a palpably relieved Fianna Fáil turned the weekend Árd Fheis into a launching pad for its bid to retain power and secure a third government term in a row.

EVEN as the judge was delivering yesterday’s death sentence by hanging against former dictator Saddam Hussein, Iraq was bracing itself for civil war.

The defiance exhibited yesterday by Aer Lingus would give the impression that all is over in the Ryanair attempt to take over the recently privatised national carrier.

With more than 5,000 delegates expected to join Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at the Fianna Fáil Árd Fheis this weekend, the serious business of a return to power at next year’s general election officially began.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell’s stated intention to introduce British-style anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOS) in Ireland early next year smacks of a pre-election “get tough on crime” strategy by the PD leader.

FROM the failure to honour global warming commitments to its repressive approach to freedom of information (FoI), it’s no wonder the Government rates so poorly in international league tables.

A three-strong Independent Working Group set up to examine the precipitous decline in salmon stocks suggested a ban on all drift-net fishing of salmon to the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey.