What is the reality of life on the dole, behind Government and media caricatures of scroungers and skivers? Paul Walsh finds out. 

Endless exposure to product and service marketing has led to many people thinking of themselves as consumers rather than citizens. By Allen Meagher.

President Michael D. Higgins has walked into the room once noisily occupied by the forces for democracy, socialism and religion (and to a degree, capitalism) to speak the language of equality, hope, change and collective action.

Michael Noonan's announcement last week on the promissory note deal is cause for a deepening pessimism about what is happening to this society. By Vincent Browne.

So now we know for certain: the Government is not seeking a fairer sharing of the cost of fixing Ireland's broken banks and is not seeking to require senior bondholders of Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide to share the cost of recapitalising these troubled financial institutions.

Above: Hoarding around the unfinished Anglo HQ in the Dublin docklands

The Anglo: Not Our Debt Campaign has described the deal on the deferral of the €3.1 billion promissory note payment due tomorrow as a “political stroke” that does not address the real issue and that squanders an opportunity to write down an illegitimate debt.

What is happening to public services, infrastructure and communities in Ireland? An introduction to Dr Rory Hearne's new book Public Private Partnerships in Ireland. 

Public service reform, privatisation, infrastructure deficits and what role government, the state and public services should play in our economies and society are all important questions that require analysis.

Below, Vincent Browne responds to tweets regarding tonight's show. Panel: Mary Minihan, Karl Whelan, Damien English and Kevin Rafter.

On this evening's Tonight with Vincent Browne, Mary Minihan, Karl Whelan, Kevin Rafter and Damien English will discuss Fine Gael's first year in office and Michael Noonan's announcement to the Dáil on promissory note payment today. Below, Vincent Browne blogs ahead of the show.

Economist Michael Taft and author Conor McCabe will be among the speakers lifting the lid on the notorious secrecy of http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2012/02/28

Below, Vincent Browne responds to some of the tweets that came through during tonight's show. (Tonight's guests were Maureen O'Sullivan, Eamon Ó Cuív, Fergus O'Dowd and Peader Tóibín.) {jathumbnailoff}

Data published by the CSO in the last few days presents a very grim picture of the state of the country.

It shows that GNP (the relevant measurement of the state of the economy in Ireland) declined in 2011 by 2.5% – Government ministers had been claiming over the last several months that the economy had returned to growth.