GIVEN the disappointing results in Leaving Cert maths this year, when only 11,000 students sat honours maths (over 3,000 fewer than sat honours Irish), are we to expect Fine Gael to blame compulsion and call for maths to be made an optional extra for the exam in future?

GIVEN the shock expressed by Leaving Cert candidates at the second Honours Maths paper, and given that only 11,000 students sat Honours Maths (over 3,000 fewer than sat Honours Irish), are we to expect Fine Gael to blame compulsion and call for maths to be made optional for the Leaving Cert?

I COMMEND the Department of Justice’s initiative to recruit gardaí from ethnic minority communities so the force may be representative of all the people of Ireland.

WAVING their pikes, they protested outside the gates of Dublin Castle in a scene reminiscent of the Year of the French.