Pat Rabbitte: Politics by soundbite is no way to resolve issues or govern a country

Too often it seems politicians and the media are being dictated to by the preoccupations of social media and minor missteps are being elevated to the level of major crises

‘Fewer than ever serving politicians follow the example of Eoin Ó Broin of Sinn Féin who recently published his analysis of building controls. Far easier to stick with the soundbite alternatives knowing they are unlikely to be tested’

Emigration drained the lifeblood from this country for decades. So much so that in the 1950s and early 1960s the viability of the state was uncertain and our capacity to govern ourselves questionable.

Recent figures published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that, for the island as a whole, the population is once again climbing towards seven million. There is greater diversity and a better standard of education in today’s population than ever before. ...