The scene seemed set for yet another 'landmark' deal in the history of the peace process. The negotiations continued into the early hours of New Year's Eve. Yet – despite six months of work and 33 days of negotiations and much fanfare – the talks process led by US diplomat Richard Haass failed to reach agreement between the five Assembly Executive parties on how to deal with parades, the past, flags and emblems, with only the nationalist parties endorsing the final draft proposals.

Use of Irish troops should be ruled out in any EU military adventure.

The approach on Middle East trade mission puts Ireland’s trade policy firmly in the camp the fundamentalist free trade hawks.

To develop a carbon-neutral global economy, economic and political power must be taken out of the hands of the ‘noxious 90’, writes Manny Thain. Predictably, empty words were all that came out of the UN-sponsored climate talks in Warsaw – the 19th climate summit since Rio 1992. Despite the latest IPCC report that the threat is even greater than previously ...

In 1984, George Orwell gave us a perfect description of the rhetoric of the Irish government, the European Commission and their hangers-on when promoting Ireland’s bailout exit. He defined doublethink: “To tell deliberate lies, while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient…”.

With the government preparing to milk the 15 December 'exit' from the bailout, hyperbole is being heaped upon hyperbole to welcome the 'return of sovereignty' to Ireland. The government, and in particular the Labour Party, want to use this supposed success story and the good mood it creates to carry them through the difficult local and European elections next May. What is the reality of this 'exit' and the true state of democratic control by people in Ireland over economic and other policies?

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Caution is necessary when investigating figures for the economic situation in Ireland. There are economic vested interests at work that benefit from spinning every scrap of positive news. The media fully assist this and try to manufacture a mood or belief that substantial progress is just around the corner. So as well as trying to identify perspectives, it is necessary to take up the arguments and the propaganda that is being put forward constantly.

Dave Murray, Socialist Party England and Wales, reviews the new "It's time to take over the banks" FBU pamphlet by Michael Roberts and Mick Brooks. Introduction by Matt Wrack, general secretary, FBU. Available online at www.fbu.org.uk

In the midst of talk about Ireland’s exit from the Troika programme and recovery supposedly in sight, the mortgage crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of ordinary people is being deliberately understated.

At the same time as cutting €35 million directly from young people in Budget 2014, the government proudly announced €14 million for its Youth Guarantee scheme. The spin suggesting that this would seriously tackle youth unemployment only added insult to the injury of the robbery of young people through the dole cuts and introduction of fees for FAS apprentices.