FIRST it was Finance Minister Brian lashing out at RTÉ Radio’s Joe Duffy for allowing callers to discuss the possibility of the banks collapsing.

IRELAND must seize the window of opportunity it has to ensure it doesn’t end up with the same racial problems as Paris, Amsterdam and London, a community activist said yesterday.

STUDENTS should be discouraged from wearing veils which cover the face in classes, recommends the Government in uniform guidelines to schools.

One of the country’s leading rights groups today accused two senior Government ministers of dodging responsibility on whether to allow school pupils to wear the hijab or other religious dress in class.

I BELIEVE some of the remarks made by Integration Minister Conor Lenihan at a recent symposium in Wicklow were divorced from reality as far as many Irish citizens are concerned.

The Catholic Church has accused the Government of trying to belittle its role in educating tens of thousands of schoolchildren over several decades.

Ireland’s education system will be discussed by cross-border government ministers and academics at the Parnell Summer School today.

THE GAA has issued an apology to an African youngster who was subjected to racial taunts by spectators during an underage hurling match in Carlow on Monday.

Ways of combating racism in an increasingly multicultural Ireland are due to be discussed at a cross-border conference in Derry today.

The funeral will take place today of journalist Terry Keane who died at the weekend.

THE Government must give clearer advice to schools about the wearing of the hijab (veil) by female Muslim students and other areas of concern thrown up by cultural differences, principals warned yesterday.

A LOCAL translation service in each city and county for immigrants using courts, schools, councils and other public services is being considered by Integration Minister Conor Lenihan.

CORK’S ugly racist underbelly was exposed yesterday as it became the first Irish city to adopt an integration strategy.

Integration Minister Conor Lenihan suggested that EU migrant workers who have lived in this country for a certain number of years should be given the right to vote in general elections.

Over 17,000 students from 160 nationalities are represented in the post-primary education sector in the Ireland, a Government minister revealed today.

BASIC human rights could be violated if the Government presses ahead with proposed tough new rules on immigration, students claimed yesterday.

Class size, student discipline and pay will be put under the spotlight by hundreds of secondary school teachers later today.

BATTLE-SCARRED but unbowed, a symbol of modern republicanism took centre-stage in Dublin’s O’Connell Street yesterday flanked by loyal foot soldiers. And the GPO put on a good show too.

The first major TV documentary on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is due to air on RTÉ this Autumn.

THE Mahon Tribunal has turned into a trial of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, complete with a Kenneth Starr-style special prosecutor, Fianna Fáil TD Martin Mansergh claimed yesterday.

WE should be wary of adopting a special language policy to facilitate immigrants seeking permanent residency or long-term asylum leading to residency.

A MODERN, European society is no more than an attempt at the organisation of all its members, no matter what their religion, no matter what their origin, no matter which cultural background informs their ambitions, for the mutual security and benefit of every member of that society.

REBELS and the main opposition party withdrew from Ivory Coast's power-sharing government after security forces violently quashed an anti-government protest, killing over 30 protesters demanding implementation of a peace deal, officials said.