IRISH fishermen have welcomed the EU’s admission that the common fisheries policy has been a failure and will fully participate in talks to reform it.

DISCRIMINATION against immigrants is widespread in Ireland and the country is one of the most difficult in Europe for minorities according to a major report.

ALMOST half of all Irish people say water quality has deteriorated over the past five years and two thirds believe it is now a serious problem.

CLAIMS that eurozone finance ministers had discussed a rescue plan for failing euro-area member states have been strongly denied by Taoiseach Brian Cowen and senior leaders at the EU economic summit in Brussels.

“SIMPLE colours, simple messages,” was how one colleague described Declan Ganley’s launch of his Libertas group, under whose banner he hopes to run candidates for the European Parliament elections in all 27 EU countries in June.

STANDING in the middle of the country, the Caucus mountains in the background, with Georgian, South Ossetian and Russian checkpoints just a few hundred metres away made Georgia’s Rose Revolution seem like a mirage.

RUSSIA proved to be as difficult as ever for the European Union to come to terms with, and the EU proved to be as unreliable as usual when it comes to dealing with the great bear.

THE United States under Barack Obama could leave Europe far behind with its green agenda, creating jobs and wealth, former Irish president Mary Robinson said during the week.

EU lawyers will begin working with the Government on assurances to the Irish electorate in the event of a second vote on the Lisbon treaty.

ATTITUDES to Ireland are hardening across the European Union and the Taoiseach’s message to the summit of his fellow leaders this week will do little to soften that.