I would like to express my outrage and embarrassment that this government used its place on the inter-governmental Human Rights Council to do absolutely nothing about the atrocities in Gaza.

So there it is. All five Garth Brooks concerts cancelled, the economy out an estimated €50 million, hundreds of thousands of disappointed fans and Ireland is left looking like a laughing stock. It is embarrassing and disappointing.

The recent dispute at a waste collection company highlights the dangers of privatising services that are essential to citizens. Since privatisation, the quality of service has plummeted in some areas and the cost to the consumer has increased.

The recent impasse between Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron, and EU leaders highlights, yet again, the diluted democracy of European politics.

Instead of an election to send politicians to Europe, we should have a referendum to decide if we want to be a part of the EU.

Barry Walsh (Letters, January 24) laments the public discussion regarding Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s salary and uses cherry-picked comparisons to present it as acceptable, even modest.

How ironic that less than two weeks after the Spanish government announced plans to crack down on protests through the imposition of massive fines, we now have pro-EU protests in Ukraine.

Germany and the UK have rejected a European Commission proposal to turn a €50bn rescue fund into a bank backstop for member states outside the eurozone.

The European Commission wants to create a new financial backstop for ailing banks from its member countries that do not use the euro currency.

At the launch of his party’s referendum campaign, Enda Kenny stood with a copy of the Constitution in his hand and declared: “It is the constitutional responsibility of Dáil Eireann to hold the Government to account.”

Deep and festering divisions between troika members, the IMF and the European Commission, came to the surface with Brussels defending itself and retaliating against criticisms by the Washington-based body.

News that David Cameron has pledged to hold a referendum on continued British membership of the EU is welcome indeed.

Ireland may receive substantially less from the EU’s rescue fund than the €32bn the country has ploughed into its banks.

A few weeks ago Minister Brian Hayes gave an interview in which he highlighted the importance of a stable and functioning property market.

The hypocrisy of this Government apparently knows no bounds.

I find it ironic that Leo Varadkar should be Fine Gael’s director of elections for the children’s rights referendum, given the fact that last year he publicly stated that he finds referendums to be “not very democratic”.

We here in Europe looked on with great mirth as Kim Jong Il, the former leader of North Korea, claimed to have shot 11 holes-in-one in a single round of golf.

In his ‘State of the Union’ address, Jose Manuel Barroso claims that “We will need to move toward a federation of nation states.”

Ryanair’s €694m takeover bid for Aer Lingus faces an extended review by European Union regulators, five years after they blocked an earlier takeover because of competition concerns.

An ECB source has said the Frankfurt-based institution would like to see senior bondholders included in the restructuring of banks as part of the EU bailout of the Spanish banking system.

Friends of two fishermen missing off the east coast have vowed never to give up their search for them.

Irish politicians, musicians and artists are agreeing to hook-up with tourists for a pint in a bid to boost visitor numbers.

A MEMBER of the Garda Reserve has been nominated for a prestigious Scott Medal after helping to foil a gun incident involving a well-known criminal.

ONE of the highest alcohol readings ever recorded in the history of the state was detected in the bloodstream of a man found dead in a public toilet in Drogheda, an inquest heard yesterday.

MEMBERS of the Garda Reserve have begun signing up as full members of the force.