IT gives an insight into the warped thinking of this Government when it seeks to justify the ban on smoking on health grounds but still earns millions from the industry by holding shares in tobacco companies.

THE logical thing to do to help out the ESB workers, and save ourselves from the prospect of dreaded power cuts, is to pay our bills directly to the unions.

IF you have a bit of a cash-flow problem at the moment, or the credit rating is lacking credibility for that loan you need, you could always get the Taoiseach to go guarantor.

WATCHING the interview with former US president Bill Clinton on the BBC’s Panorama programme the other night, it was inevitable to compare him with the present incumbent. George Dubya Bush came third.

A PANEL investigating the September 11 attacks has found that there was no “credible evidence” that Iraq had co-operated with al-Qaida on the attacks against the United States.

DESPITE the corporate sponsorship which the Government was touting in advance of Bertie Ahern's world grand tour otherwise known as Ireland's presidency of the EU it looks like it will still cost us at least of €60million.

THE latest price hike announced by the drinks industry is rather hard to swallow.

DOWN around Killorglin, they reckon that John O’Donoghue can walk on water. Certainly he was well able to make a splash when the local rowing club was out of its depth while building their new boathouse.

IF a broken promise will ultimately bring a permanent settlement to Northern Ireland, then political expediency will prevail and Jerry McCabe’s killers will not serve their full sentence.