During the Celtic Tiger period, this country was seen as one of the great success stories on the international stage, but we have allowed our influence to wane.

THE appointment of former Taoiseach John Bruton as head of the European Commission’s delegation to the United States has been warmly welcomed as an honour both for this country and for Mr Bruton himself.

FOR the past two years Ireland has been a member of the Security Council of the United Nations. It has been a momentous couple of years and in time people may question the role we played in what could well be the build-up to many years of strife.