Children paying price for economic confidence trickIt is the vulnerable who suffer from our belief in salvation through savage austeritySat Jun 4 2011 - 01:00
With the stroke of a pen, bishops made themselves answerableSome church leaders, fearful at being held up over others’ actions, tend to foot-dragSat May 21 2011 - 01:00
Let's not rush to link suicide with bankruptcy worriesDuring the Celtic Tiger era, the pressures of affluence were blamed for rising suicide ratesSat May 14 2011 - 01:00
Reforms in school education must be taken in right spiritCurriculum changes must not be just another cynical cost-cutting exerciseSat Apr 30 2011 - 01:00
How depth of heroes has been confused with crass celebrityThe Dalai Lama is first in a series of high-profile visits to Ireland. Let us salute courage, not fameSat Apr 16 2011 - 01:00
Quinn must do more homework on value of religionIf the only choice for schools in future is to be free from religion, it is no choice at allSat Apr 9 2011 - 01:00
Valuing virtue will bring its own rewardsValues such as truth-telling went down the Swanee during the Celtic Tiger yearsSat Mar 26 2011 - 00:00
Bieber fixation helps take girls' minds off Joan Burton's plightWhy should teens worry about women’s Cabinet roles when they have a pop icon to dream of?Sat Mar 12 2011 - 00:00
Good relations with Jewish people often a papal priorityThere is nothing novel in Pope Benedict saying he does not blame Jews for death of JesusSat Mar 5 2011 - 00:00
Real challenge begins after the electionAt times during the general election it appeared as if we were merely an economySat Feb 26 2011 - 00:00
Anyone but FF for this party outsiderMY COLLEAGUE, Sarah Carey, gets accused regularly of writing party political broadcasts for Fine Gael. Lucky old SarahSat Feb 19 2011 - 00:00
Women still must jump too many hurdles to win in politicsPolitical parties have a big influence on how many women’s names appear on ballot papersSat Feb 12 2011 - 00:00
'Yesterday Once More' as parties sing same ol' tunePolitical posturing does not alter the fact that a change of government will not change a thingSat Feb 5 2011 - 00:00
Challenging the culture of self-harm and suicideDe-stigmatising the idea of seeking help early is vital for people with mental health problemsSat Jan 29 2011 - 00:00
Stiff regulation of political donations is long overduePolitical funding reform would send signal that nod and wink culture is being challengedSat Jan 22 2011 - 00:00
How Obama took meaning out of senselessness and tragedyWe could do with just a snippet of the powerful leadership and vision displayed in TucsonSat Jan 15 2011 - 00:00
We need a transformation, not least a transformation of valuesA narrow focus on sectional interests ultimately means damage for all of usSat Nov 27 2010 - 00:00
Mere recovery cannot save us - what we need is transformationThis crisis is in large part one of values – and only radical change in those can rescue IrelandSat Nov 20 2010 - 00:00
Donor conception a minefield of unregulated practiceCould it be that deep down we are not that interested in the rights of children – especially if they interfere with those of …Sat Jun 12 2010 - 01:00
Irish church is now badly in need of a wake-up callThe Catholic church will die, and deserve to die, unless it finds a way of really being “good news”Sat Jun 5 2010 - 01:00
Running battles for equality of the sexes are still far from wonIt is wonderful that young women take equality for granted, and yet deeply worryingSat May 29 2010 - 01:00
Church members must unite on child protection and reformIt would be wrong to deny there has been an important shift among Catholic lay peopleSat May 15 2010 - 01:00
Prison reform for the price of a pensionA review of Irish prisons would cost relatively little – and why not start with women?Sat May 1 2010 - 01:00
Decisive early intervention needed to save at-risk youngWe are allowing a system to chew up and spit out children, despite the efforts of many front line staffSat Mar 6 2010 - 00:00
Crucial rights of the child vindicatedThe Supreme Court decision in the sperm donor case has profound implicationsSat Dec 12 2009 - 00:00
'Mental reservation' and the church's version of truthHow could twisted accounts of truth be let obscure the protection of children from abuse?Sat Nov 28 2009 - 00:00
Little to choose between FF and FG policies if election occursEven as they debate triggering a poll, Greens know power is necessary to affect climate changeSat Oct 10 2009 - 01:00
Punitive responses continue the cycle of violencePADDY BARRY, the 82-year-old Waterford pensioner who died after a break-in at his home, looks like an archetypal gentle granddad…Sat Sep 26 2009 - 01:00
Time to teach everyone the facts of deathDebate on advance care directives needs to be part of a wider review of end-of-life issuesSat Sep 19 2009 - 01:00
To tax or to cut: it's just a mess for familiesA Minister who accepts that the only priority is to make savings is not fit for officeSat Sep 5 2009 - 01:00
Young people's distress is a wake-up callThe rise in self-harm points to something seriously askew in our priorities as a countrySat Aug 29 2009 - 01:00
Trying to lose weight as mindlessly as we gain itWe are pretty clueless when it comes to evaluating what we eat. So what do we do?Sat Aug 1 2009 - 01:00
Second-level focus on points stifles creative thinkingEducation system requires students to prioritise memory skills over developing an ability to think freelySat Jun 20 2009 - 01:00
Climate change: the crisis and challenge of this generationEvery era has its blind spots and our blind spot in relation to climate change is enormousSat Jun 6 2009 - 01:00
Dunne family was failed long before that tragic weekendUNDERSTANDABLY, A great deal of the commentary on the Monageer tragedy has centred on two themes, firstly the way in which the…Sat May 16 2009 - 01:00
Our competition law is wildly inadequate and needs reformFor years consumers have been paying an unacceptably higher price on some brandsSat May 2 2009 - 01:00
Hidden trap of two incomes now exposedWHEN A ship springs a leak, the most urgent task may be to bail water, but not to the exclusion of watching whether there are…Sat Apr 11 2009 - 01:00
It seems as if religion is the last tabooReligious practice has many positive effects, and we should try and harness those benefitsSat Apr 4 2009 - 01:00
System failing to protect children at riskState bodies and NGOs as well as the church must be accountable for deficient servicesSat Jan 10 2009 - 00:00
Contemplating the educational road less travelledHome education is still very much a minority option in Ireland but numbers are growing, writes Breda O'BrienSat Sep 20 2008 - 01:00
Recession could have a silver lining for us and planetStress, excess and environmental damage are just some things we might usefully jettison in leaner times, writes Breda O'Brien…Sat Jul 19 2008 - 01:00
Same-sex relationships no substitute for marriageA gay partnership is different, as it cannot provide a child with a mother and a father, writes Breda O'Brien.Sat Jul 12 2008 - 01:00
Activists using 'homophobia' label as bullying tacticIt takes courage to champion traditional marriage, knowing it will unleash invective from alleged liberals, writes Breda O'Brien…Sat Jul 5 2008 - 01:00
It is better to avoid making hijab a major issueAs a society, we need to discuss why we have particular rules, but be careful of how we do soSat May 31 2008 - 01:00
Active lay people help church to overcome difficultiesThe Irish Catholic Church is undergoing a resurgence with the laity playing a key roleSat Apr 12 2008 - 01:00
State national schools have not been thought throughReplacing one kind of lack of choice with another is not the way forward in educationSat Apr 5 2008 - 01:00
Fear of confronting children turns parents into ATMsBeing termed by your offspring 'the worst parent ever' may mean you're doing a good job.Sat Mar 29 2008 - 00:00
Christ would not have endorsed religious humanismThe great service of the militant atheists is that they shock believers into really deciding where they standSat Mar 22 2008 - 00:00
Clinton's gender argument doesn't stand upThe former first lady is suffering because she's unable to connect with voters in a meaningful waySat Mar 8 2008 - 00:00
Nepal case highlights loss of poetry in sexualityA very nice radio researcher contacted me, wondering would I like to endorse on air the idea of removing Cathal Ó Searcaigh's…Sat Feb 23 2008 - 00:00