The intolerance displayed towards Justice Minister Michael McDowell at the conference on the legal status of cohabiting and same sex couples organised by the Equality Authority and the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network was more pathetic than serious.

THE decision of the Law Society not to pursue a complaint of double billing against one of its members, in the case of a victim of child abuse who was made an award through the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB), is very disturbing.

WITH the planned resumption of the national pay talks on Sunday, the objective has to be to secure a deal equitable to all parties relating to the direct issues affecting all of the partners and who they represent.

THE OECD has warned that pay increases should be in line with productivity, but worker representatives are calling for pay rises to keep pace with inflation, which looks likely to run over 4% this year, and a further 3.5% next year.

TODAY marks International Missing Children’s day, during which people are urged to wear a forget-me-not flower in order to highlight the plights of missing children worldwide.

WITH the appalling weather conditions of recent days fuelling fears that global warming is here to stay, pollution in Ireland continues at alarming levels amid Government failure to meet greenhouse gas targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol.

THE outlook for the long-term success of the national pay talks is bleak given the crisis mood hanging over yesterday’s make-or-break session of negotiations.

ON today’s poignant anniversary of the tragedy in which five young girls lost their lives — when their school bus overturned in Co Navan — it is worrying to note that children continue to be at risk.

CLAIMS by the Christian Brothers that solicitors had systematically organised meetings of former industrial school residents, effectively grooming them for alleged abuse cases, are mind-boggling and ought to be thoroughly investigated.

THE Garda Siochána deserve enormous credit for the professional way in which they brought the occupation of St Patrick’s Cathedral to a satisfactory conclusion on Saturday night.