The Ryanair bid has been launched and it’s game-on. The Minister for Transport is to scrutinise the deal.

The vandals who caused €50,000 worth of damage to memorial headstones in Limerick’s Mount St Lawrence cemetery (Irish Examiner, Jul 17) must be tried in the Circuit Court so that a deterrent sentence may be imposed.

Surely it’s time our national TV stations should give youth a chance.

Mr Cunningham implies the Queen’s gloved handshake with McGuinness was not as cordial as the ungloved one with Alex Salmond.

The reports that Government ministers are back-pedalling on the proposed alcohol strategy are very disappointing and I hope untrue.

The announcement that Justice and Defence Minister Alan Shatter has awarded the Military Star Medal to Private Patrick Kelly who died on active service in Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim in 1983, (Irish Examiner, Jul 16) is to be welcomed, as is the decision to pardon those deserters who were unduly penalised for joining the British army during the Second World War.

I fully endorse the sentiments expressed by John Tierney (Letters, Jul 14) when he rightly criticised our appalling record in caring for our animals.

Recently, proposals were in the news about increasing the price of 20 cigarettes from just under €9 to €15 over the next six years.

Am I being too charitable in assuming that the reason most of our politicians are just dying to send some guards and an ambassador to Mauritius is because that after more than 700 years of being ruled by Britannia compared to their mere 201, we consider ourselves better equipped to run their country than they do?

Some interesting facts on fluoride from the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS).