IN deciding to bid for Aer Lingus, Ryanair and its management were looking at three motivating reasons. All three made absolute sense from Ryanair’s point of view. All three demonstrate what a disastrous political decision it has been to sell off Aer Lingus.

DO YOU remember the phrase ‘Ich bin ein Berliner?’ Most people of my generation do because it was uttered by John F Kennedy a day or two after he completed his famous visit to Ireland in 1963.

VERY few people would believe Bertie Ahern had taken a bribe. He has been accused in the past, justly, of turning a blind eye to the behaviour of others, especially his boss Charles Haughey.

AISLING Beacom has had a busy week already. She’s a Special Olympics athlete and swimmer, and a regular medal-winner.

PLEASE don’t think I’ve gone soft. I want to start this week by wishing Michael McDowell well in his new job. Dick Spring used to say that being a party leader in Irish politics was a bit like having a daily shower in public while keeping your dignity intact.

WHEN apartheid was introduced in South Africa in 1948, racial discrimination became official government policy. Apartheid was often referred to in government pronouncements as ‘separate development’.

THE protection of children in Ireland depends to a considerable extent on the skill and efficiency of the Garda Vetting Office. Based in Thurles, its 30 or so members provide an invaluable service to organisations working with children and vulnerable adults.

I JUST don’t get it. I’ve written more than 400 opinion pieces for the Irish Examiner on every subject under the sun.

I WAS born into a rugby family and reared on the exploits of Jack Kyle and others. The memory of watching Mike Gibson play his first game for Ireland is still implanted on my brain, though it was more than 40 years ago.

Donal de Roiste may have been the youngest ever public servant in Irish history to have retired.