On Wednesday, 21 May last, the DCC board issued a statement explaining their support for Jim Flavin, in spite of the Supreme Court finding of 10 months previously.

The present directors of DCC, who had backed Jim Flavin to the hilt and claimed essentially that he and DCC and, by inference, themselves, did nothing wrong, are leading lights of the Irish business world.

Jim Flavin's resignation as executive chairman of DCC does not dispose of the scandal, which a Supreme Court judge called a fraud and a crime and which amounted to at least €80m. Questions remain for many to answer, including the big names on the board of DCC, stockbrokers, lawyers, accountants and the Stock Exchange. Also the Gardai and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment

Brian Cowen has intelligence, humour and rhetorical prowess, as no previous Taoiseach possessed. But there is an edge to him, which may obscure a likeability

Eamon Dunphy's expressed preference for Tony O'Reilly over Denis O'Brien as a media mogul was an act of cynical opportunism. But the control of the media by a self-interested rich elite undermines democracy

By Vincent Browne 

There will be no change, aside from a few faces. Even if Mary Harney goes, there will be no change. By Vincent Browne

Brian Lenihan is awaiting another report from another task force on alcohol abuse, four years after a splendidly produced report was published by another task force. This was called ‘Strategic Task Force on Alcohol, Second Report'. There were 37 members of that task force. Everyone who was anyone in the alcohol business or anti-alcohol business was on it: Gardaí, public servants, representatives of the drinks industry, young people, psychiatrists, representatives of the sports council.

Unlike the ‘official' opposition of Fine Gael and  Labour, this ‘real' opposition publish regularly their analysis of government policy and audit of government promises, with telling effect.
These are the two in the  engine room of CORI, Seán Healy and Brigid Reynolds, who published their annual socio-economic review on 24 March.

The total number of people killed in Iraq from the invasion in March 2003 up to 24 March 2008 is between 82,408 to 89,928, according to the website iraqbodycount.org.

Belgium has a new Prime Minister since 20 March. He is Yves Camille Désiré Leterme of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party.  The 48-year old is a former Minister-President of Flanders and Flemish Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. He is a curious choice for a country of two nationalities.