It’s the silly season. During July and August, the standard of tripe churned out in TV-land becomes unbearable. You would imagine our friends in Channel 4, as an alternative to the Olympics, would be using this opportunity to develop a new audience. Is this their intent with “Thelma’s Gypsy Girls”? By Rosaleen McDonagh. 

While there is lots of talk about how fortunate we are to live in a democratic society, there is almost no appreciation of how thin our democracy is, and certainly no will to do anything about it. By Vincent Browne.

There is an impressive determination on the part of our public representatives to avoid the big issues besetting our society and our system of government.

On Tonight with Vincent Browne, Pat Bracken, Anne Jeffers, Kathleen Lynch and David McCarthy will be assessing the state and status of psychiatry in Ireland, the resourcing of psychiatric service and policy-making in the area. {jathumbnailoff}

Sebastian Coe's response to an appeal from the Vietnam Women's Union that he and his colleagues in the IOC reconsider their decision to accept sponsorship from Dow Chemical exemplifies the London Olympics’ razor-wired, public relations and money-fuelled totalitarian state within a state. By John Pilger.

Statements by lavishly-paid functionaries of international organisations, urging the lowering of the pay of people who are paid a fraction of their salary, are astounding to behold. By Vincent Browne.

Enda Kenny concluded the political season with yet another verbal howler, trying to be smart in answer to a question from Ursula Halligan about Eamon Gilmore having words with James Reilly.

On Tonight with Vincent Browne, Simon Carswell, Patricia Gilheaney, Tom Lyons and Maureen Martin will discuss the recent Quinn family arrests, looking at both sides, as well as the more recent arrests in relation to "financial irregularities" at Anglo Irish Bank. {jathumbnailoff}

The Government's Infrastructure Stimulus, announced last week by Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin, is mostly spin with little substance. By Michael Taft.

The extraordinary influence of Rupert Murdoch on British politics, exercised for decades through close oversight of his News International newspapers, is over. By Brian McNair. 

The deal reached by EU leaders in late June has been hailed as a game-changer for Ireland. Yet at the same time, the government has maintained that there will be no immediate or short-term benefit for the country. The public is told that if any benefit does arise this will be accrued over the longer-term with a fall in borrowing costs for the country.

On Tonight with Vincent Browne, Seán Healy, Ursula Tipp, Jimmy Daly and Tony Fahey will discuss the growing divide between rich and poor and the policy-making and governance that has perpetuated it. {jathumbnailoff}