COMPARED with Copenhagen 2009 and other weather conferences — the recent 2011 UN Climate Change Summit, with representatives from 140 countries, and held in Durban South Africa — craved no more media coverage here than a “falling star”.

SO our economy will remain in the doldrums until our banking system becomes functional?

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan’s recent anger at Ireland being branded a banana republic is understandable is that many of the more powerful countries are also caught up in global financial difficulties.