There is little sign of the Christmas spirit in this week’s news. The top story was the resignation of the Bishop of Limerick, and increased media attention is now being directed at four other bishops who were mentioned in the Murphy Report. It was a bad week for the Church as a priest in Co. Kerry made headlines by taking part in an unseemly show of support for a convicted rapist. He has since left the parish to which he had been assigned.

In Donegal a young garda officer died after his parked patrol car was struck by a speeding car being driven by a 24-year-old who should have been serving a six-month prison sentence.

The fall-out from the Public Service pay cuts continues but trade unions have yet to be specific with their threats of disruptive action. The climate conference in Copenhagen was in the news throughout the week but wherever you are in the world you have probably heard all you want to hear about developments there.

As this is our last edition before Christmas we would like to wish you all  a happy and peaceful holiday and hope that all who would like to be at home in Ireland at this time of year have succeeded in getting here.

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