Finland’s emergence as a world-leading education system surprised even the Finns. But there are also many myths about how they did it, writes Pasi Sahlberg.

Britain’s decision to quit the EU was all it took to terrify Finnish voters, with more than two-thirds now affirming their loyalty to the bloc.

Russia and its military has proven prowess in learning lessons from its failures, writes Geoffrey Roberts

The economies of the Danes, the Dutch, and Finns remained intact during the downturn while we went into receivership. David Begg’s analysis of why should be noted by every policy maker in Ireland, writes Fergus Finlay.

 

In politics, the benefits of talking like a real person as Donald Trump does are questionable, especially in a winner-takes-all electoral system like the US, writes Leonid Bershidsky

We bring you a brief look at some of the other news from the European Union from the past week in our Brussels Briefing.

GREECE just got to the starting line after 17 hours of what was described by one EU diplomat as “water boarding” on its path to staying in the eurozone, writes Ann Cahill

Eurozone leaders were considering giving Greece three days to pass a slew of legislation through its parliament making profound changes to how the country operates before they would even consider giving them a third bailout.

IT is becoming increasingly difficult to tell fact from propaganda, ideologically driven positioning from the uncoloured and unattractive reality faced by ordinary Greeks struggling to live basic, decent and dignified lives. It is becoming increasingly difficult to tell political ambition or dogma, national or individual, from the pressing humanitarian needs generated by the deepening crisis.

Apart from Sunday’s crunch game in Dublin, football fans might be forgiven a small yawn at this week’s European Championship qualifiers.

Ireland’s pensioners are the happiest group of people in the country - happier than students, young families, and most other people in the EU - and cite their health as the primary cause of that happinness. 

YES, says mother-of-three Barbara Scully

Four of the six knockout places in the Limerick SFC were decided over the weekend after round four of the group stages while the remaining two quarter-final places will be determined after the final round of games next month.

If Enda Kenny was feeling the heat he did not show it as he swirled into southern Lebanon — which is more than could be said for three of the soldiers in the honour guard waiting to be inspected who passed out in the sweltering 34C heat as the Taoiseach arrived.

The centre has held in Europe with the pro-EU parties taking most of the seats, says Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill.

IT WOULD have to come from Scandinavia, wouldn’t it? These days, the minute any discussion gets going about some social progress our nation or any other nation wants to achieve, up pops an expert to tell us the Scandinavians have already done it.

Finns grab road safety by the fluorescent horns

Jackie Stewart is backing Fernando Alonso to have the edge over Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari this season – providing he does not let the Finn get under his skin.

YESTERDAY’S publication of the latest report from the OECD on the performance of 15-year-old students in reading, maths, and science has some very welcome news for Ireland.

Nokia shareholders backed the €5.4bn sale of the firm’s mobile phone business to Microsoft, deciding that the deal’s financial benefits outweighed any objections to the loss of a Finnish national asset.

Science versus faith: a Euro conundrum

A Commercial Court judge has criticised the "slipshod" way which Nama went about trying to recover €109m allegedly owed to it by a Galway property developer and his wife.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte will give debuts to three players in tomorrow’s All-Ireland SFC qualifier clash with Offaly in O’Connor Park in Tullamore (3pm).

Finns’ Table, 6 Main St, Kinsale, Co Cork; tel: 021470 9636, finnstable.com

Irish tennis officials were left fuming after Finland refused to play the final match in the Davis Cup tie at the Castleknock Club.

Few people know the words of ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’, and fewer still know what they mean, so why, asks Ryle Dwyer, is playing ‘Ireland’s Call’ at rugby matches such a big deal?

ALLIANZ FL DIVISION 1: Kerry v Down

Bryan Sheehan, Anthony Maher and Aidan O’Mahony make their first starts of the year for Kerry in tomorrow’s McGrath Cup semi-final against Limerick at Fitzgerald Stadium.

THE exchequer is celebrating an €845m windfall from last week’s 4G auction, but lobbyists say rural dwellers expecting a good broadband connection should leave the champagne on ice.

Judas, talking tough, or electioneering?

The latest assessment of global economic prospects from the IMF does not make for pleasant reading.

The Finance Minister Michael Noonan says he 'would hope for a deal' on Ireland's bank debt before the budget in December.

The prospect of a future deal to refinance billions of euro in Irish bank debt is in doubt this morning, after fresh concerns were raised by Germany, The Netherlands and Finland.

James Forrest insists Celtic will not look to simply defend their 2-1 lead against HJK Helsinki when they travel to Finland next week for the second-leg of their Champions League third qualifier.

With their official practice race today, Ireland’s Star class duo Peter O’Leary and David Burrows are the only members of the Olympic sailing team who remained in Weymouth and did not travel to London for the opening ceremony last night.

Ryanair was found not to have been granted any illegal subsidies by the Finns when they agreed to fly into Tampere Pirkkala airport, the European Commission said yesterday — five years after receiving a complaint from a competitor.

EU leaders and their economic experts were working late into the night to come up with some confidence-building measures to help Spain and Italy, now in danger of being shut out of the markets.

Eurosceptic MEPs are set to enter the debate on Ireland’s forthcoming EU treaty referendum tomorrow with several due to arrive on Irish shores.

They have sampled the senior management game in recent years but these days Ephie Fitzgerald and Mickey Ned O’Sullivan are focusing on the underage ranks.

Matt Cooper’s suggestion (Opinion, Feb 24)) that making Irish optional for the Leaving Cert would improve the teaching of German is not well-founded.

The EU has sought to defuse the row between Greece and some eurozone countries over its bailout bid.

Final decisions on the Greek bailout should be taken on Monday after Greece delivered on further cuts and political assurances at a special teleconference between eurozone finance ministers last night.