FAI boss John Delaney and media owner Denis O’Brien are the men we’re all supposed to love to hate, men who attract scandal-laden headlines whenever they do anything., writes Fergus Finlay

It is an essential public interest that the proceedings of the Oireachtas are reported, writes Gerard Howlin

Nightcrawler ****

AS the drama of the CAO third-level places unfolded this week, I thought about what Burmese pro-democracy advocate, Aung San Suu Kyi, said in Strasbourg last year when accepting a prize for promoting freedom of thought: "I’ve always said there’s no hope without endeavour. Hope has no meaning unless we are prepared to work to realise our hopes and dreams, but in order to do that we need friends."

THE austerity policies first inflicted by Fianna Fáil, and now continued by Fine Gael, Labour, and the EU-IMF troika, have been a disaster for ordinary citizens and the economy.

Fresh revelations in the Anglo-tapes scandal about Brian Cowen’s administration shows his party was willing to save the failing bank at any cost, his political opponents claimed.

I COULDN’T help it.

Around 24 million documents have to be examined before the former Anglo-Irish Bank chief executive and chairman Sean FitzPatrick and two senior executives go on trial, a court heard today.

A senior judge has questioned why the son of bankrupt billionaire Sean Quinn should be freed from jail.

THERE’LL be a protest outside the Dáil this afternoon.

Former billionaire Seán Quinn states that he made a “very conscious decision” and did “the right thing” when he put his assets beyond the reach of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, which was formerly Anglo-Irish Bank.

A judge has today issued an arrest warrant for a nephew of nephew of bankrupt ex-billionaire Sean Quinn.

Bankrupt ex-billionaire Sean Quinn, his son Sean and nephew Peter Darragh Quinn have avoided jail for contempt of court after hiding a €500m property portfolio from the former Anglo-Irish Bank.

The Government is to push European leaders to slash the cost of its crippling bank bailout after it secured resounding support for the fiscal treaty.

The former Anglo-Irish Bank, the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), has reported pre-tax losses of €873m for last year.

Fishamble’s Tiny Plays for Ireland project affords ordinary people the opportunity to speak their minds, writes Pádraic Killeen

The former chairman of rogue lender Anglo-Irish Bank has been released without charge after his arrest by Gardaí investigating suspected breaches of company law.

WE had yesterday a glimpse of two contrasting Irelands.

The Quinn Insurance takeover will be complete by mid-August after company returns revealed losses of €706m in 2009.

Quinn Insurance, the leading insurance firm founded by tycoon Sean Quinn, had losses of €706m in 2009.

One of the most notorious symbols of Ireland’s economic boom and bust has been torn down.

SINN FÉIN will stand at least 40 candidates in 37 consistencies in the upcoming election, the largest number the modern organisation bearing that name has stood for the Dáil.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan accused the Taoiseach of a lack of judgment today as he reignited controversy over the so-called “gargle-gate” radio interview.

AT SOME point this morning a middle-aged man in Northern Ireland will look in his wardrobe for a particular item of clothing, one that’s kept for specific occasions.

LAST week David McWilliams had his one-man show, Outsiders, in Tralee. I have never been much of a theatre-goer and the idea of spending an hour and a half listening to one person was not particularly appealing, especially when I tend to become decidedly restless, if the priest goes on even for 10 minutes with a Sunday sermon.

Nationalised lender Anglo-Irish Bank could be closed for business in the new year, Ireland’s Central Bank Governor said today.

European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia today welcomed the comprehensive statement issued by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan on the banking system, saying it brought "clarity" to the situation.

The Government’s plan to split Anglo-Irish Bank in two is no silver bullet to revive confidence in the banking sector, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan warned today.

The financial markets will this morning give their reaction to the Government's decision to split Anglo-Irish Bank.

The Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has said the final cost of bailing out Anglo Irish Bank will not be known until next month.

The Government has decided that Anglo Irish Bank will be split into a funding bank and an asset recovery bank.

The Government has agreed €1bn of the €3bn cuts to be announced in the Budget on December 7, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan revealed today.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan was set for talks on the future of Anglo-Irish Bank with European counterparts and Commission chiefs today.

A quick wind-down of Anglo-Irish Bank could cost €70bn and was not in the best interest of the taxpayer, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said today.

Government books were €12.1bn in the red last month, a fall of €6bn on the same time last year, official figures revealed today.

The worst fears of 800 finance workers were realised tonight after Bank of Scotland (Ireland) (BoSI) announced it will shut its doors by the end of the year.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen tonight insisted he stood by a €440bn State guarantee given to Irish banks at the height of the global financial crisis.

WE got a real glimpse into the Irish political soul last week with the row over stag-hunting and dog-breeding. Just imagine trying to explaining it to a foreign observer.

A banking expert from Finland will investigate Finance Minister Brian Lenihan’s handling of the financial meltdown, the Government confirmed today.

THE present state of disillusionment with politics is the worst I have witnessed. In this week’s public opinion poll, the Government satisfaction rating was a mere 12%, which is the lowest I can remember in any democracy.

THAT was a powerful speech Eamonn Gilmore gave on Saturday night.

State-owned Anglo Irish Bank tonight moved to strike a deal with the Financial Regulator to secure the takeover of Quinn Insurance.

Workers at the beleaguered Quinn Group said today that they were confident the multinational's UK insurance wing would reopen for business this Friday.

Nationalised Anglo-Irish Bank today announced the biggest corporate losses in Irish history – €12.7bn.