2011 was World Veterinary Year and veterinarians not only celebrated 250 years since Claude Baurgelat was authorised to open the first veterinary school in Lyon — considered to be the beginning of veterinary science — it was also the year that rinderpest was declared worldwide eradicated.

Michael Clifford (Analysis, Feb 17) poses some salient questions in his sortie into serious gun and gangland crime.

Focus Ireland agrees with the grave concerns of Dick Brady, assistant city Manager of Dublin City Council, over the impact of cuts to homeless funding of 5% to 10% as reported in Jennifer Hough’s article of Feb 20.

Fergus Finlay’s report (Opinion, Feb 14) on “Why man’s best friend should be allowed a hassle-free run on beach” states “they don’t like dogs in Dún Laoghaire County Council and they don’t approve of dog owners”.

The carefully choreographed visit of Xi Jinping calls to mind the abject deference we once accorded to high-ranking prelates in this country, minus the ring-kissing.

A few months ago Enda Kenny, used Dáil privilege to falsely accuse the Vatican (and by implication Pope Benedict) of obstructing investigations into abuse issues.

We squeeze our tea bag not once, but thrice, and we rinse our milk bottle into the jug, not the sink, while you throw billions at belligerent bondholders.

The embezzlement of clients funds is becoming an all too familiar story among the legal profession.

For years, Irish souvenirs used to have on the back or the bottom “Made in China” or “Déanta An tSín”.

For the last time, can we please put an end to this nonsense about the Vatican embassy?