WERE he alive, the extremely influential civil servant TK Whitaker, who died aged 100 just last week, would certainly have an opinion on the weekend assertion by HSE chief Tony O’Brien that we will need, over the next decade, to spend an extra €9bn on our health services to end hospital over-crowding.

Arlene Foster has long been disliked by Sinn Féin, but the breakdown in government brings an election that could be the most bitter in many years, writes Brian Murphy

TK Whitaker, dubbed the “architect of modern Ireland”, wanted to be remembered simply as a civil servant who did his best, mourners at his funeral Mass heard.

President Michael D Higgins led the tributes to TK Whitaker — dubbed the architect of modern Ireland — who has died, aged 100.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

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. 

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

As TK Whitaker celebrates his 100th birthday this week, Ryle Dwyer examines his phenomenal contribution to Irish life and politics

A new 90-minute documentary will tell the complete story of the Irish Revolution for the first time in colour.

What a week for the women and men of the Central Statistics Office. Surely never before has the Irish statistical community occupied such a starring role in our national conversation.

BRENDAN O’DONOGHUE, former secretary general of the Department of Environment and Local Government, has written a magnificent assessment of the career of one of his predecessors during the period before independence. 

HEWLETT-PACKARD is to cut another 25,000-30,000 jobs worldwide due to falling demand for its products and the move towards cloud technology. The latest wave of cuts comes on top of the 55,000 layoffs previously announced by the company.

The annual search for individuals and groups who have heartened and inspired the nation is under way, as nominations open for the 2015 People of the Year Awards.

WHAT would you give a man who has been secretary general of three government departments, including the Department of Finance, a man who in local bureaucratic terms has had everything?

Ray Kinsella says Central Bank governor Patrick Honohan has made a big contribution but political forces and other interests were too strong to reinstate the principle of public service.

On April Fool’s Day, 1986, a survey of 404 Irish students was published in a national newspaper.

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

An unhealthy culture of secrecy surrounds our civil servants despite the fact they are a valuable source of historical information, writes Ryle Dwyer

We all know Ireland in the 1940s and 1950s was indeed a dark and poor place to live; we exported 80% of our youth — mostly to the UK.

If controversy is the best publicity, then Anne Chamber’s upcoming book on TK Whitaker has got off to a good start — thanks in no small part to Charles Haughey.

The resignation of An Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, adds to the growing suspicion that there is now an undeclared policy in operation to do away with what’s left of Irish in the public life of our country.

What sort of public servants inhabit Ireland today?

The Green Party claimed today that they made 20,000 jobs when in government and could create another 100,000 if put back in power.

I WRITE concerning this week’s programme about TK Whitaker on TG4.

HE is one of the most respected and admired figures in Irish life, a public servant who was instrumental in helping Ireland to throw off its shackles and embrace the wider world.

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

History books will undoubtedly cite the Ryan Report as evidence of a reign of terror inflicted on vulnerable children in this country during the last century.

IS it merely a coincidence that the demise of the national partnership process in its current form and the US motor industry is being reported simultaneously?

FOR years the maxim of American business was: “As General Motors goes, so goes the nation.” Today there are fears General Motors is going bankrupt and this could have further enormous implications for the global economy. The whole thing emphasises the need for new political thinking in relation to the economy.

TRANSPORT Minister Noel Dempsey made a great speech to his party’s árd fheis last weekend. Like those hard-hitting Meath footballers of some years back his tackle is a bit behind the referee’s back, though.

BUILDERS and developers should be left to go to the wall if they can’t survive the economic downturn by their own efforts instead of looking for state intervention to prop them up, the head of the country’s leading economic think-tank has said.

The difficulties facing the Irish economy will be discussed at a major conference in Dublin today.

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.

So why is it that so many other ESRI reports in recent times go largely ignored?

A lot done, but much more to do, is the final verdict on the Taoiseach, says Political Correspondent Paul O’Brien.

CIVIL servants are often called the permanent government. They are the faceless men and women who implement policy and frequently formulate it, but political decorum requires that they keep a low profile rather than outshine their nominal masters.