TO put Brian Cowen’s first budget in context, millionaires like U2 will continue to pay no tax. Neither will horse breeders.

HAD St Francis of Assisi been engaged in animal welfare in this country, it’s more than likely he would have been done for it, despite his good intentions.

YESTERDAY’s Book of Estimates, as an indicator of what could eventually emerge from this neo-socialist Government’s Budget, must come as a great relief to the Progressive Democrats.

IT’S remarkable that when there’s a threat that the State might have to spend money on something other than a minister’s extravagance - like somebody’s rights - there are colossal implications for the exchequer.

I DON’T know what’s more confusing — the American electoral system or the controversy over whether or not Cian O’Connor’s horse, Waterford Crystal, was drugged.

THE future of the national airline seems to be on automatic pilot, and to judge from the confusion at cabinet level the Government, like Aer Lingus, seems to be going around in circles.

BERTIE AHERN’s Cabinet reshuffle was not so much like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, but more like declaring the iceberg to be a national monument.

THE latest report on binge drinking and its effects comes with the almost mandatory recommendation that draconian taxes be applied to the demon to try and solve the problem. It won’t solve the problem, of course.

THE announcement this week that €85 million has been allocated to open new hospital facilities and take on extra staff, could have been in a script from an episode of Yes, Minister.

RAY BURKE and NASA’s capsule, Genesis, have a few things in common. They were both in orbit and both came crashing down to earth in spectacular fashion.