If some of the provincial papers are to be believed, the teeth of the Celtic Tiger are losing their bite. Widespread problems in teaching, taxi driving, the meat industry and many other areas of Irish life are exercising the leader writers, who are also concerned about the prevalence of "drink driving" and that many people are living below the poverty line.
The Leinster Leader looks to the St Vincent de Paul for its inspiration and says that it has been pointed out that "200,000 [Irish] people are living in abject poverty - lacking a decent overcoat or a second pair of shoes, for example.
"It is, therefore, reasonable to ask whether adding further to wage packets and tax breaks for those who have most already really is entirely legitimate."
The drinking classes get a pretty rough deal from the Western People. The editorial writer says 800 people have been killed by "drink drivers" in the last five years and that "175 drunk drivers are arrested every week in the Republic".
On the question of driving while under the influence of drink, the Fingal Independent says: "There is too much tolerance, too much back-slapping bravado in this country about drink driving." The Sligo Champion weighs in with a front-page report that "more resources than ever are to be deployed in the annual Garda crackdown on drink driving and speeding motorists in the Sligo-Leitrim area over the festive season".
Its leader writer turns attention to the "uneven spread of prosperity" generated by the Celtic Tiger. It says: "There is a growing sense of disillusion, discontent and unfairness in many quarters as dissatisfied workers seem prepared to flex their industrial muscle in a bid, simply, to keep pace with soaring inflation."
The Waterford News and Star says: "As the Christmas spending spree gets under way in earnest, fanned by the ever-roaring Celtic Tiger, there are, unfortunately, many living among us - across the street and down the road - for whom the next 2 1/2 weeks will be the most difficult of the entire year." Elsewhere in the same paper, the St Vincent de Paul warns people not to give donations to collectors calling to the door posing as workers for the charity. This happened during the week.
Street violence and vandalism dominate the front page of the Kilkenny People, beside a colour photograph of two of its hurling heroes. A garda received serious head injuries and several others were assaulted "in city centre rioting over the weekend", we are told.
"In separate rows, Garda reinforcements were rushed to fighting in High Street and John Street. Seven arrests were made and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions", the paper reports.
Elsewhere in the area, vandals partially burned a boys' school in Ferrybank. "Damage running to hundreds of thousands of pounds was caused to the building", the paper says.
The Kerryman has some good news. "One of the world's most prestigious yacht races will arrive in Dingle next year when the single-handed Le Solitaire du Figaro takes a break in west Kerry for a few days", we are told.
The Dingle harbour master, Brian Farrell, said the race would present Dingle to the world's media and would get unparalleled coverage in France.
Other good news for west Kerry is that the strength of the dollar resulted in an increase of 15 per cent in tourist numbers in the area during the season.
The Kerryman also reports that Mary Mangan, from Milleen, Kilcumminn, has received the MBE at a ceremony in Lancaster House, London, by the British Secretary of State, Stephen Byers, on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. The honour was conferred in recognition of her work as inquiry assistant at the Department of Trade and Industry in London for 12 years.