Opinion
Would banning smart phones in class work?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON With an election looming and Taoiseach Simon Harris’ new broom sweeping the country, promising to take action in areas likely to catch votes, has moved into top gear. This doesn’t necessarily make for the best decisions though. Take Education Minister Norma Foley’s plan to ban smartphones in …
How generations are missing out on tax rebates
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR With the Budget coming down the line people are discussing what benefits may be available by way of tax reliefs and other rebates or repayments. But many PAYE workers in Ireland are unaware that they could be owed thousands of euro in tax rebates from Revenue through tax credits, tax …
Omega Active by Revive Active – A New Fish on the Block
BY CLAIR WHITTY Revive Active is a popular Irish Brand that many of you are familiar with. There are several products in the range including Revive Active. The green box is their most popular product, many of our customers love it and use it regularly. It supports your energy levels, heart health, immune system and …
Harris and Walz show they can do better
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS By any standard, Donald Trump and the Republican convention to nominate him as candidate for president failed. In matters of foreign policy, his MAGA show depicted every problem in the world as easily bent to his alleged “strength”, as contrasted with the putative weakness of Joe Biden. …
Re-Turn deposit: making polluters pay, or rewarding them?
THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan The Re-Turn deposit return scheme has been making waves in Ireland, aiming to tackle the ever-growing issue of waste. The idea is simple: you pay a small deposit when you buy a drink, and you get it back when you return the empty container. Sounds straightforward, right? But as …
THE BLACK ABBEY
BY JOHN FITZGERALD (PART TWO) A TREASURE TO BEHOLD Continuing the story of this treasure of Kilkenny’s heritage… By 1776, the Black Abbey’s status as a church had been almost forgotten. The building was in a dilapidated state. Its roof had fallen in, part of the nave had disappeared, and the church pillars were buried …
Rights for the sisterhood: are we nearly there?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON Just the other week we said ‘Goodnight Sister’ to Nell McCafferty, journalist and founding member of the Irish Women’s Liberation movement. While she may be gone, she was unforgettably unique and scores of illuminating memories and tributes to her have shot across the media like August meteor showers. …
Counting up the soaring cost of an education
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR It’s upon us once again, the new academic year, with many families struggling with the considerable burden of educating their children. According to Zurich’s annual Cost of Education survey, the costs associated with primary, secondary, and third-level education in Ireland continue to rise, placing a substantial strain on family resources. …
Healthy school lunches
BY CLAIR WHITTY Packing a healthy school lunch can be difficult especially if you have a fussy eater. I remember it well. You can only do your best. Seeing an empty lunch box coming home can be very rewarding, especially when you know that it was packed with good nutritious foods. But of course we …
WOK, summer’s over… back to school now
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS You know the summer is gone. You know that, because the schools are about to reopen. For some, it will be their first day at school – daunting in itself, their schoolbags bigger than themselves. For others, their first year in secondary school. And a record 136,160 …
