ANY appraisal of the life, times, work, and achievements of Dr TK Whitaker could just as easily be judged as an appraisal of the life, times, and development of this Republic and, to a lesser degree, modern democracies everywhere. 

Why does the State spend an annual figure of €6.75m on the Protestant Block Grant which supports Protestants who need it with school fees? asks Victoria White

THE introduction of free second-level education was one of the most transformative, if not the most transformative, initiatives ever introduced by an Irish politician. Two simple statistics support that view, though there are many other factors. While this island was still part of the United Kingdom just 6% of the population went beyond national school.

As of 1940, primary school was the sole source of education for 90% of the population. Fifty years ago, Donogh O’Malley outlined an initiative that would finally change all that, writes Ryle Dwyer 

The economic return on early years investment is much higher than for any other stage in a child’s life, writes Fergus Finlay

THE Leaving Certificate results are out today and the Central Applications Office (CAO) will make its first offers of third level places next Monday. Over 47,000 Leaving Cert students had applied to the CAO this year.

IT IS almost exactly 50 years since Donogh O’Malley caused consternation among colleagues in government when he announced his free post-primary education scheme without having brought the matter to Cabinet.

Comedian Brendan O’Carroll, who was recently named ‘philanthropist of the year,’ said that “schooling should be free”. 

The RTÉ television audience voted TK Whitaker “Irishman of the 20th Century” in 2001. 

Going back to the days of ‘digs’ could help beat the current accommodation shortage facing students enrolling in Dublin’s third-level colleges, Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan said yesterday.

SAY what you like about Colm Keaveney, he has put an end to the Civil War. Ah, not that Civil War, silly. The real Civil War. The war between Charlie Haughey and Garret FitzGerald.

WHO created the fee-charging schools? The State, not parents speeding up to the school gates in red Ferraris and not Protestants in wide-brimmed, black hats.

It is now widely accepted that US president John F Kennedy would never have visited Limerick in 1963 were it not for the persistence of Mayor Frances Condell.

Prominent Green Party member Brian Meaney, one of the party’s three remaining county councillors, has confirmed his application to join Fianna Fáil has been accepted.

I WAS pleased Fianna Fáil rose four points in the polls because I can’t stand the lies. I can’t stand the pretence that an alien tribe called Fianna Fáil came in and “ruined the country”, leaving the plucky Coalition to “clear up the mess”.

One of Cork’s longest-running independent schools is celebrating its 60th year, but also the involvement of one of its founders who still plays an active role as she approaches her 88th birthday.

LOOKING back at the milestones in the Irish economy as I move on to the next phase of my life might be more profitable as a final exercise than trying to predict future trends.

Screenwriter, playwright and director Gerry Stembridge admits to having doubts that he had what it takes to be a novelist, writes Caroline O’Doherty.

Below is the full text of Michéal Martin's speech after his election as Fianna Fáil leader today:

Newly crowned Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin tonight said sorry for the party’s past mistakes – but insisted they did not get everything wrong.

WITH the rumblings of Garglegate in Galway still continuing, we had the story of PJ Sheehan threatening the young garda outside Leinster House when she prevented him from driving his car because he had too much to drink.

DOMINIC McGowan told Trevor Sargent that after seeing children tampering with a neighbourhood sign, he complained to the father of one of them, but he was head-butted and required hospitalisation as a result.

The Lemass style of leadership was to encourage his ministers to be proactive. Unlike de Valera, he never managed to lead Fianna Fáil to an overall majority but, unlike some of his successors, he refused to bargain with any independents to support his nomination for Taoiseach

THE momentous events in the United States and the outrage in Limerick have been major distractions from our economic plight, but we are going to have to face it, and the sooner the better. A number of political commentators have called for a new Tallaght Strategy.

Having boasted for centuries that Ireland was the island of saints and scholars, it is imperative that everyone should have the opportunity of a full education.

There is the salary of the president and her staff, the cost of the upkeep of the Áras and its staff, providing the president with a car, a driver, and a police escort car, as well as extravagant pensions for former presidents, and ultimately the cost of their state funerals.

FORMER president Dr Patrick Hillery worked in public life for four decades — serving not just as president for two terms, but as Ireland’s first European commissioner and a reforming minister in four government departments.

BY 1990, there was a general consensus that the office of president was worthy but dull, and there was no sign of debate or discussion in the 1980s about the possibilities of expanding the role of the president or a sense that its profile could or should be increased.

IT IS not surprising that the ghost of Donogh O’Malley, the Fianna Fáil minister who introduced free secondary education, was invoked this week at the annual teachers’ conferences. On Monday, INTO president Angela Dunne urged the current minister, Mary Hanafin, to emulate O’Malley in standing up to the Department of Finance on the issue of overcrowded classes in primary schools.

THE row about asking primary schools to pay for water tells us a lot about ourselves.

THE number of college graduates rose by more than 180,000 in a mere four years and has almost doubled in the past decade, according to census figures published yesterday.

LIMERICK yesterday honoured its most celebrated son, Richard Harris.

It could be the first time in almost half a century that a TD from the O’Malley dynasty will not be in the Dáil, while other political families prospered in the General Election.

TOP Leaving Cert performers from disadvantaged backgrounds are to be offered new Government scholarships as an incentive to continue into third-level education.

FOREIGN Minister Dermot Ahern and MEP Proinsias de Rossa had a radio confrontation about extraordinary rendition during the week. To say they were arguing like a couple of fishwives would be an insult to women.

‘LAST orders’ were called for the final time last night in the private club bar in Limerick where Richard Harris supped his first pint of Guinness.

SOME of the programmes on the airwaves these days are a reflection of changing times. There is much argument about what people should do with their SSIA money.

WHEN Charles Haughey was elected leader of Fianna Fáil on December 7, 1979, he had a dark secret.

THE Celtic Tiger economy that we enjoy has developed largely as a result of educational reforms first outlined in the famous Development Plan of the late 1950s.

ECONOMISTS are still optimistic about the Celtic Tiger, but they frequently get things spectacularly wrong. People should therefore beware.

RICHARD HARRIS and Frank McCourt have achieved international recognition.

IN Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, comely maidens campaigning for votes, the recognition of gay couples and the liberalisation of licensing laws - you’d wonder what Dev would have made of the Ógra Fianna Fáil conference?

I LISTENED with interest to the “what if?” discussion on RTÉ radio on Sunday, November 7.