AN amusing spectacle on the Irish political scene of late is Dr Martin Mansergh TD getting down and dirty in the role of subservient backbencher and constituency fixer.

WE are at long last getting into real time in the US presidential primaries and caucuses.

IN the current climatic conditions, perhaps some positive thinking is needed.

TWICE on her RTÉ Radio 1 programme last Sunday morning, Marian Finucane referred to Barack Obama as “a man of colour”.