I THINK there’s something sad about newsreader Eileen Dunne having to apologise on behalf of RTÉ for the light hearted item aired on Monday’s news about the semi-naked, non-sexual, mildly satiric paintings of Brian Cowen.

THE famously talkative Catholic Church — never short of an opinion or two on anything and everything that goes on in Ireland — remained noticeably quiet throughout this whole Lisbon Treaty referendum campaign.