At first, it seemed like deference, but as the questioning of Edward Heath has continued at the Bloody Sunday inquiry, Lord Saville's repeated interventions, his treatment of Michael Lavery QC and his continuous indulgence of Heath's repeated refusal to answer questions have begun to appear like something altogether more sinister; protection. Free article

So Bertie made it back from his new year trips to sunnier climes and kicked off the new term in Leinster House intent, it seems, on another year of backtracking and finding new ways not to shoulder the blame for various failures in health, housing, education, transport etc. It's a long list. Free article

Out of touch, inconsistent, misguided, just plain wrong or the equivalent of a political ostrich. These are all apt ways of describing Fianna Fáil Agriculture minister Joe Walsh. Free article

In the last few days, world's attention has centred on two cities: Porto Alegre in southern Brazil and Davos in Switzerland. Free article

This week, AN DRAOI RUA compares the pre-crime police force of the film 'Minority Report' to the George W Bush administration's reasoning for war against Iraq Free article