Cork-born Cónal Creedon is a novelist, playwright and documentary film maker. His latest book, The Immortal Deed Of Michael O’Leary, is an account of a man from Inchigeelagh, Co Cork, who became a hero of the First World War.

Gloomy gable ends and scruffy shopfronts are among 24 sites in Waterford’s city centre scheduled for a spectacular makeover in the next few days.

The Catholic Church is often perceived as opposing progressive human rights issues.

The Catholic primate, Archbishop Eamon Martin, at the Holy Thursday Chrism Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral, in Armagh, said that “sometimes, daring to witness openly to our sincerely held Christian convictions can bring upon us ridicule, condemnation or even persecution” (Irish Examiner, April 3).

When the approval of the violence involved in slapping a child is publicly endorsed by a Pope, while addressing a weekly audience at the Vatican, then it seems that the Pope is endorsing such behaviour with the imprimatur of the Petrine Office.

Religion must be a continuing source of scandal to non-believers and believers alike when they see the atrocities committed by one group against another claiming the blessings of God.

Religion must be scandalising non-believers and believers alike, when they see the atrocities being committed by religious groups that claim the blessings of God.

Pope Francis is radical in his own lifestyle, but does not challenge Vatican structures.

Caroline O’Doherty reports (Irish Examiner, Nov 4) on the possibility of at least one Irish woman being named by Pope Francis at the Consistory in Rome.

Irish Catholics seeking reform of their church are among 100 groups around the world who have jointly written to Pope Francis asking him to make major changes to the way the faith is governed.

On behalf of We are Church Ireland, I welcome the Sisters of Mercy’s outlining of the contributions made by them to statutory compensation funds.

What blatant hypocrisy is displayed by European countries in relation to Edward Snowdon.

Brendan Butler questions my figures on Catholic membership.

I do not know where Eric Conway (Letters Mar 13) got his figure of a 15 million increase in Catholic numbers last year and, more wonderfully, he ascribed this mythical increase to Emeritus Pope Benedict’s reign.

It is quite impossible to imagine the Carpenter of Nazareth sitting comfortably with the richly dressed cardinals assembling in Rome to elect his successor.

There are no specific canon law requirements as to qualifications such as age, ordination, seniority or status needed to be elected pope.

More than 150 people picketed the residence of the Papal Nuncio in Dublin this afternoon in protest at the Catholic Church's treatment of well-known Irish missionary Fr Tony Flannery.

With Pope Benedict XVI set to celebrate his 86th birthday in April, speculation about a possible successor abounds.

A representative of Catholic lay group We Are Church Ireland (WACI) is due to hand in a letter of protest today to the Vatican’s watchdog on doctrinal orthodoxy demanding it lift its censure of five Irish priests.

On behalf of We Are Church Ireland, I wish to express our solidarity with the Leadership Conference of 900 Women Religious, representing 320 religious communities in the US.

Ibec has criticised the Government for not carrying out a regulatory impact assessment on the proposed “whistleblower” legislation, ahead of the initial draft of laws being drawn up.

Nearly 90% of Irish CEOs think a no vote in the upcoming Fiscal Treaty referendum will hamper their business' ability to trade in Europe.

THE banter of the two men strolling into the conference hall spoke volumes.

More than 200 Catholics staged a silent vigil outside the Papal Nunciature in Dublin in protest at the Vatican’s silencing of several Irish priests.

Early stage and high growth companies are invited to compete for the €280,000 prize fund in InterTradeIreland’s All-island Seedcorn Business Competition.

A lay religious group will hold a silent vigil outside the residence of the papal nuncio in protest at the silencing of four liberal priests.

I was filled with great sadness when I heard of the Vatican’s silencing of more outstanding priests, Tony Flannery and Gerard Moloney, both members of the Redemptorist Order.

The newly established Oireachtas Sub-Committee on the EU Fiscal Treaty will continue its week-long discussions on the Fiscal Treaty today.

A date for the EU referendum on the Fiscal Treaty is due to be announced by the Government tomorrow, with the ballot expected to take place sometime around late May.

Ibec is claiming that any further delay in the setting of a date for the Fiscal Stability Treaty referendum will damage confidence and create further uncertainty about Ireland’s relationship with Europe.

The visitation report’s criticism that some priests and lay people hold “theological opinions” at odds with the official teachings of the Church may refer to priests taking a more practical approach to their parish work than the Vatican would like, Catholic priests have suggested.

Fourteen areas of research have been earmarked for €500m of funding as part of the Government’s attempts to turn research ideas into jobs.

Nearly three-quarters of business chiefs think it is important for Ireland to adopt the European fiscal compact, a survey has revealed.

Almost half of company bosses have become more negative towards the EU since the start of the economic downturn, according to a new study, although firms remain overwhelmingly in favour of Ireland’s continuing involvement in the eurozone.

All this hullabaloo about the closure of the Vatican embassy represents a storm in a tea cup and an irrelevancy in the austerity faced in Ireland.

Despite the Government’s declaration that city and county enterprise boards will be dissolved this year, key stakeholders on those boards remain in the dark as to how their replacements will be operated.

AN organisation of Catholics opposed to the direction of the Church under Pope Benedict XVI has called on other followers to engage in a campaign of “holy disobedience”.

Business leaders are today calling for child benefits to be paid through smart cards which can only used at Irish shops.

IBEC yesterday launched a report Unlocking Domestic Demand promoting a three-year series of initiatives it believes it could create 25,000 jobs, generate €2.4 billion for the Exchequer and increase domestic economic activity by €6bn.

Absenteeism is costing business around €1.5bn with workers missing almost six days on average a year, a survey has claimed.

ALCOHOL has been blamed by employers as the primary reason for 4% of short-term absence from work by their male employees and 1% by female employees, in a survey by employers’ body IBEC.

EMPLOYERS’ body IBEC has weighed in behind the call for increased infrastructural spend by the incoming Government, but has added that an entirely new approach to funding is ultimately needed.

IBEC, the group that represents Irish business, has welcomed An Bord Pleanala’s approval of the final section of Shell E&P Ireland Corrib gas pipeline.