FOREIGN Minister Micheál Martin recently co-chaired a high-profile event with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in the margin of the UN Millennium Development Goals review summit in New York.

TODAY we have the opportunity to elect the 12 Irish members of the European Parliament. Despite growing apathy towards the elections and antipathy towards politicians, we should remember the world’s poorest people have many reasons to care about the outcome of the vote.

THE Government’s strategy to fight the recession is based on attempts to repair our damaged international reputation as a country “open for business”. Yet the Government is deliberately and wilfully ruining our reputation as a country that keeps its promises.

AS the recession brings further cuts in government spending, it may be good to remind ourselves this global crisis requires a global response.