http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/comment/ Latest from the online edition en-gb Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:21:49 +0000 Copyright (C) 2010 Clyde and Forth Press Ltd http://www.clydeandforthmedia.co.uk/feeds/ 79 http://www.clydeandforthmedia.co.uk/furniture/wmi_logo_500x75.png http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/comment/ Student numbers underline importance of facility http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/09/01/3999756-aits-role-must-be-protected/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/09/01/3999756-aits-role-must-be-protected/ Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The past week has been an anxious time for students of the county's second level schools, and their parents and teachers. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/25/3999580-life-after-the-leaving-cert/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/25/3999580-life-after-the-leaving-cert/ Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The inimitable Joe Duffy will be presenting his popular radio show from Athlone this coming Friday. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/25/3999579-liveline-show-to-come-from-athlone/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/25/3999579-liveline-show-to-come-from-athlone/ Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The Government must stop playing with people's lives and put an end to health cuts that will see the closure of a nursing home in Athlone and at the very least services curtailed at Portiuncula Hospital and Roscommon County Hospital. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/18/3999446-health-cuts-must-stop-/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/18/3999446-health-cuts-must-stop-/ Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion Regulator's actions will fan the flames of public anger http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/11/3999251-electricity-price-hike-is-another-cost-ireland-doesnt-need/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/11/3999251-electricity-price-hike-is-another-cost-ireland-doesnt-need/ Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion Last week, the latest "good news" statistics to emerge from Brussels revealed that the number of people leaving Ireland in search of "a better life" has increased at a rate which outstrips all other countries in the European Union. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/04/3999106-spectre-of-emigration-returns-to-haunt-the-country-once-again/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/08/04/3999106-spectre-of-emigration-returns-to-haunt-the-country-once-again/ Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion Plans by the Local Government Efficiency Review Group to amalgamate Westmeath County Council with Longford County Council and Roscommon County Council with Mayo County Council must not be allowed to come to pass... http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/07/28/3998927-local-government-plan-would-diminish-athlones-development/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/07/28/3998927-local-government-plan-would-diminish-athlones-development/ Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The issue of flooding is back in the news this week, with two developments of potentially significant consequence to the Firstly, yesterday (Tuesday), a special Oireachtas committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government published its report on how the State handled the major weather events of late last year and early this year. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/07/21/3998773-flood-report-finds-lack-of-direction-and-national-policy/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/07/21/3998773-flood-report-finds-lack-of-direction-and-national-policy/ Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion Rumours that a world trade fair style development could be on the cards for Athlone have been widespread in business and political circles for some time. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/23/3998110-chinese-project-is-truly-mindboggling-in-scale/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/23/3998110-chinese-project-is-truly-mindboggling-in-scale/ Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion Editorial comment http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/16/3997909-political-system-is-on-the-verge-of-huge-changes/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/16/3997909-political-system-is-on-the-verge-of-huge-changes/ Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion Tadhg Carey asks if Fine Gael are merely shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/16/3997908-and-another-thing-/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/16/3997908-and-another-thing-/ Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The name said it all, really. 'Austerity Now' was the label given to the recent Prime Time programme on Athlone. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/09/3997771-prime-time-programme-fails-to-reflect-reality-of-athlone-life/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/09/3997771-prime-time-programme-fails-to-reflect-reality-of-athlone-life/ Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The recent Israeli attack on the peace flotilla on its way to Gaza was an horrendous attack of State brutality. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/09/3997770-israel-must-be-held-to-account-for-killings-/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/09/3997770-israel-must-be-held-to-account-for-killings-/ Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The Prime Time special on Athlone which was broadcast last night (after this paper went to press) has set many locals to thinking as to the town's current status. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/08/3997616-editorial-athlone-has-many-positives-to-hang-on-to/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/06/08/3997616-editorial-athlone-has-many-positives-to-hang-on-to/ Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:57:00 +0100 Opinion Summer is most definitely in the air. Though we've not yet reached June, the recent spell of warm weather has had many of us reaching for the sunscreen. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/05/26/3997434-a-summer-of-opportunity-for-athlone/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/05/26/3997434-a-summer-of-opportunity-for-athlone/ Wed, 26 May 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The sudden announcement by the HSE that Athlone's Loughloe House is to close within the next two months came as a bolt from the blue for the staff, residents and families. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/05/12/3997102-loughloe-house-closure-is-a-devastating-blow-to-many-families/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/05/12/3997102-loughloe-house-closure-is-a-devastating-blow-to-many-families/ Wed, 12 May 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion Too early to say whether Labour Party can break FF/FG dominance in Irish politics http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/05/05/3996935-opinion-poll-poses-many-questions-for-growing-labour/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/05/05/3996935-opinion-poll-poses-many-questions-for-growing-labour/ Wed, 05 May 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The sense of social solidarity that is essential to Ireland dragging itself out of the recession is being fatally undermined by a political and business elite that acts as if nothing has changed. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/04/28/3996753-the-leopards-never-change-their-spots-/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/04/28/3996753-the-leopards-never-change-their-spots-/ Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion The days since last Thursday, when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull erupted, have been strange and eerie: creating a world of distressed, displaced depressed - and stranded tourists and travellers. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/04/21/3996558-nature-showing-us-who-is-really-the-boss/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/04/21/3996558-nature-showing-us-who-is-really-the-boss/ Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:20:00 +0100 Opinion Catholic church completely out of touch http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/04/07/3996148-is-it-really-surprising-to-think-the-church-has-lost-credibility/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/04/07/3996148-is-it-really-surprising-to-think-the-church-has-lost-credibility/ Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion Do we finally know the truth or is the tip of the iceberg just cracking? http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/04/07/3996159-and-another-thing-with-karen-downey/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/04/07/3996159-and-another-thing-with-karen-downey/ Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:59:00 +0100 Opinion As emblems for the corporate extravagance that exemplified Ireland in the past decade, two fitting contenders emerged last week. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/31/3996013-golf-ball-spend-perfect-example-of-irelands-corporate-extravagance/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/31/3996013-golf-ball-spend-perfect-example-of-irelands-corporate-extravagance/ Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion While there has been fantastic news for Athlone woman Sammy Brill this week, who was granted funding to go home after a 20-month stay in hospital, it shouldn't take a personal plea to a senior Government minister to be granted what should surely be a fundamental right. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/31/3996012-personal-plea-with-minister-shouldnt-be-necessary/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/31/3996012-personal-plea-with-minister-shouldnt-be-necessary/ Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:00:00 +0100 Opinion News that Athlone's long-awaited primary care health campus at Clonbrusk has been put on the back burner for at least five years is a kick in the teeth to this town and its people. http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/24/3995799-sidelining-of-health-campus-is-a-kick-in-the-teeth/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/24/3995799-sidelining-of-health-campus-is-a-kick-in-the-teeth/ Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:00:00 +0000 Opinion And Another Thing - Opinion column http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/11/3995543-can-we-stop-with-these-pointless-plans/ http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/11/3995543-can-we-stop-with-these-pointless-plans/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:23:13 +0000 Opinion