Helen Rock went to the Chelsea flower show and found it impossible for it to live up to its expectations of excellence in horticulture.

Celebrating its twentieth birthday with cake and bacon sandwiches, Ryanair continues to grow and profit but the pilots say at their expense. Hilary Curley reports

The government this week deferred, yet again, decisions on the proposed second terminal at Dublin airport and the funding of Aer Lingus. Also this week, the European Court of Justice found Ireland in serious breach of waste directives. The Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, acknowledged the State had been slow to implement environ-mental legislation. The revelations merely underline the state of paralysis there is within the government on a wide range of issues.

Earlier this month John Muratore, author of one of the documents acknowledged that even marshmallow-size pieces of insulating foam from the fuel tank could doom the space shuttle under the worst circumstances. He told reporters it is a risk NASA and the United States must accept for flights to resume anytime soon, and that it would take a total re-design of the tank to completely eliminate foam loss.

The Inspector of Prisons has heavily criticised conditions in St Patrick's Institution for juvenile offenders. Emma Browne reports

Although Ireland's homicide rate in 2004 was the lowest for 10 years, homicides have become more brutal, attracting more media attention. Emma Browne reports

It is managed by a board of directors with 20 members. Seventeen are elected during elections held every five years. The majority of candidates come from mainstream political parties and hold seats on local county councils. The other three members of the Údarás board are co-opted on by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

In the last few weeks a popular revolt took place in Kyrgyzstan overthrowing President Akayev. The people were protesting against a widespread belief that there was government interference in the country's recent presidential elections. Although the president there has been overthrown, all of the other 'Stans, formerly part of the Soviet Union, still have one-party, totalitarian government systems that suppresses media and parliamentary opposition.

More intrigue in the Valley of the Kings as possible archaeological trenches are dug with fears that it is to prepare the way for the new bypass through the Tara/Skyrne valley. Emma Browne reports

The following statement is an expression of the worldwide concern about the routing of the M3 through the Tara/Skryne Valley. It stresses the importance of the landscape and the negative impression of Ireland likely to ensue from a decision to build the motorway through this landscape. It was issued on 30 March 2005