That was the week that was at a glance
"Most of the people mentioned would not pay for a cup of tea from one end of the year to the other" - Bertie Ahern continues to justify his pay hike.
On the road
Take That were first to reform, then it was the Spice Girls, and the Jackson Five are rumoured to be next. However, the big news in the pop world this week was that Boyzone (below right) are getting back on the road again. Now in their 30s, they'll be reprising their wonderful singing style and show-stopping dance moves for a new audience. The famously violent Sex Pistols are back together too - maybe they could tour together.
On the roof
It's "Ho, Ho, No" for Santas in Sydney as a recruitment firm has told them that to use Santa's traditional laugh could be seen as derogatory to women. The fear is that the otherwise clean-living St Nick might be seen as condoning an urban slang word for prostitute. Several Santas have quit in response. The real Santa, who is still busy in the North Pole, has yet to comment.
We now know. . .
Scientists have cloned a monkey embryo
Australians are the world's worst individual greenhouse gas polluters
Today FM now has two top 10 radio programmes - the Ray D'Arcy Show and the Ian Dempsey Breakfast show
The Numbers
16km -the average distance people travel from their homesto work each day
€420,000- The estimated street value of cannabiscaught by a trawler off the Donegal coast
€1,600- The price of a ticket for Hilary Clinton'sDublin fundraiser.